FAQ Sentinel LaunchPad™

Does the LaunchPad™ use Windows, Mac OS or Chrome OS?

No. The LaunchPad uses a version of the Linux Operating System that has been customized to support its advanced features and highly secure parental controls. The design has prioritized simplicity, reliability and safety for use by children.

My child is a real tech wiz and has hacked or worked around everything else we have done. How is this different?

There are many ways traditional parental controls can be bypassed - click here for a white paper on this subject. Cycles of failed limit settings can contribute to problematic video gaming and addiction. The Sentinel Computers LaunchPad has been designed to overcome these limitations:

1. It has dedicated hardware maintaining a secure connection to remote servers to enforce limits. Sentinel Computers systems do not rely on third party parental control solutions or even OS managed parental controls which can be disabled or the OS reinstalled, Parental controls are built into the security software designed by Sentinel Computers and is hardware enforced. This means that if it is defeated or disabled in any way, the main hardware will no longer operate until restored by Sentinel Computers. There is no provision for reinstalling the Operating System on the LaunchPad. It can only be updated as authorized or required by Sentinel Computers. Virus scanning software is regularly updated but is kept separate from Operating System Updates. Remember, the LaunchPad is more like an appliance, not a general purpose computer.

2. With the LaunchPad, parental controls are simplified and automated, No need for monitoring and limiting every application or website your child wants to use. Since parents don’t have be the day-to-day System Administrator and IT department for the system they also aren't vulnerable to manipulation or accidentally allowing the user access to the parental controls. Set the Sentinel configuration and if you need to make a change, this can also be done easily and quickly from any web browser (including your smart phone). No more forgetting to change the settings back! Holiday and one time setting override changes make this both convenient and secure. Using the Restricted Content Access request feature of Study Desktop mode, a child can request access to a specific YouTube video or website. Parents receive an email, check out the requested site and easily authorize that site if appropriate.

3. The LaunchPad detects software tampering and physical sensors detect intrusion into the hardware - whether the system is plugged in or not. The system is rendered inoperable until reset by the factory. The main system board and other hardware within the system are custom and cannot be operated or bypassed by a user opening or reconfiguring the system.

My child needs a computer for homework. How can I stop him from playing games or watching videos instead of doing homework?

No computer can force a child to do homework, but we can help ensure that computer games, videos or social media are not the distraction. In addition, the LaunchPad advanced features are designed to help parents increase their child’s motivation to improve their academic effort.

Study Desktop Mode, Online Learning Modes and Guided Instruction Mode tightly restrict access to websites and applications that are not appropriate for a learning environment. No Discord, YouTube or social media sites. In addition, video and audio performance is reduced (configurable) to ensure that even if your child found some site that was not restricted, watching videos or playing games would be frustrating and unpleasant. On the other hand, word processing, online reading, educational courses, lectures, casual web browsing and listening to music (depending on settings) works just fine. In addition, the Screen image capture feature allows you to be confident your child is staying on task. Real time updates to their login allow you to kick them off altogether (with warnings) if you see them abusing the computer privilege. If your child needs a specific restricted site for schoolwork, this can be requested and authorized by the parents in an automated fashion.

My child already has a computer. Do you have a program or hardware I can simply install on their computer?

No. To provide the security and features of a Sentinel system requires a level of custom hardware, operating system, application and remote server integration that would be impossible to implement as an app or hardware accessory on existing computers. All Sentinel systems are designed to limit the ability of users to operating the system in a way and at times that are not authorized by the Account Owner (parent).

However, the LaunchPad™ can be used with their existing Windows system in one of two ways:

Networked and Secured

Relocate their existing computer to a secure, lockable location (i.e. parent’s closet), preferably connected to your home network via direct Ethernet. Once properly configured, the LaunchPad can remotely access the existing computer in one of two ways:

1. The Windows system running the RealVNC Server and installing the RealVNC Remote Desktop App on the Sentinel. Remote access (without sound) can be made available in Education, Exploration and Entertainment Desktop Modes. This is not intended for gaming applications.

2, A Windows gaming system running the Sunshine, XBOX and Steam (applications) and the Sentinel running in PC Remote Play Mode. This allows the Sentinel to play games with audio from the Windows gaming computer including XBOX and Steam games. Will require game purchases or subscriptions (i.e. XBOX Game Pass).

System Not Relocated

If you are the System Administrator and have full parental control privileges for their existing system, you may be able to have them use their existing system for Entertainment use only and the LaunchPad to complete schoolwork and for online exploration. Simply set the allowed times for the existing system to be after Education and Exploration. Alternatively, parents can use Gaming Timer Mode, Study Reports and Entertainment Enable as tools to help guide when to manually allow and shut down their existing system. Parents can then allow access to their existing system only after they log into Gaming Timer Mode on the LaunchPad. To share displays, keyboards, mice, you can use a low cost (around $20) HDMI KVM Switch.

Do you offer this product to install on their XBOX or PlayStation consoles?

No, but the LaunchPad can be used with your existing PlayStation gaming console or Windows gaming PC to play PlayStation and XBOX games.

PS Remote Play mode can be used with an existing PlayStation 4/5 console in the home. Place the console system in a locked area with WIFI or Ethernet internet access or place it in a specially designed, locked case (click here). Run PS Remote Play Setup to pair the two devices. By launching PS Remote Play mode, the user can now run the console games on the LaunchPad.

PC Remote Play allows the Sentinel to play Windows games, XBOX games and Steam games with a Windows gaming system in the home running the Sunshine and XBOX apps. Will require game purchases or subscriptions (i.e. XBOX Game Pass).

Other Gaming / Entertainment Devices - Gaming Timer Mode

The LaunchPad can be used as a unifying usage timer for any or all gaming or entertainment devices your child might use. This includes tablets, iPads, handheld and console gaming devices, personal computers smartphones and just about any device that can be either physically restricted (taken away) or has parental control settings allowing use limits.

Gaming Timer Mode provides a use timer matching the limit settings for Entertainment Mode. The status is shown on the front panel LCD screen. This can be used so a user can request an alternate device (i.e. Nintendo Switch, iPad, smartphone) after logging in to Gaming Timer Mode. The parent can either provide the device directly or enable use of the device with the device’s own parental control settings. When time runs out completely, the parent receives the Email notification and either requests the device back and/or shuts off the device using the parental control settings of the device. Use of this mode consumes Entertainment Mode time and usage is logged. GamePlay+ extensions can be requested during the last 2 minutes of available time. The computer video display is blanked during this mode to save power and the front panel display constantly shows status.

If you do not want to relocate/secure your PlayStation 4/5 console or Windows PC and you have full access to the parental controls for these devices you may be able to have them use their existing console for Entertainment use only and the LaunchPad to complete schoolwork and for online exploration. This will give you full access to the features of Gaming Timer Mode, Study Reports and Entertainment Enable as tools to help you know when to allow and shut down their existing console. Parents can then allow access to their existing console only after they log into Gaming Timer Mode on the LaunchPad. To share displays, keyboards and mice you can use a low cost (around $20) HDMI KVM Switch.

Do you offer a laptop computer?

No, all models are desktop computer systems.

If I limit the gaming on the LaunchPad I am afraid that my child will just spend more time gaming on his smartphone or portable gaming devices. Then what should I do?

If your child has other gaming/entertainment devices, including smartphones, computers or tablets, these will need to be physically restricted. Since the LaunchPad does not support monitoring and limiting Android, iOS, Nintendo or other handheld gaming devices you will need to manage physical access to these devices if they are to be allowed. The Gaming Timer mode on the LaunchPad can be used to help parents “check out” and “check back in“ these devices based on allowed Entertainment Mode time. This can be implemented by physically providing the devices and requesting the devices back OR by directly controlling the device remotely using the parental control settings for those devices.