Add some magic to your holidays with Helix

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When you’re hosting over the holidays, you want everyone—adults and kids alike—to enjoy themselves. Helix can help you with that! Follow our guide to host a family get-together where technology helps everyone connect and have a good time.

4:00 p.m. — Final preparations

The food’s in the oven, the decorations are up, and you’re putting the final touches before your guests arrive. The kids will probably be playing on their tablet or phone during the evening. Did you enable Parental Control in the Helix Fi app to block access to explicit content on your kids’ devices? While you’re at it, check the Helix TV Parental Control settings, too. You can set up a purchase PIN that prevents content from being rented without your knowledge.

4:45 p.m. — Get into the holiday spirit

Create a warm and cozy atmosphere with the fireplace on the Stingray Naturescape channel. Just use the voice command and say “fireplace,” or tune in to 502 to access the channel. It’s included in all TV packages that come with a choice of channels (5, 10, or 15). Alternatively, say “YouTube fireplace” to access a wide range of fireplace videos, or stream the Stingray Naturescape YouTube channel on your TV.

Want some holiday mood music instead? Say “Franco Fêtes” or “Holiday favourites” to access music channels in French or English. You can also tune in to 522 or 564, or access the channels on the Helix TV app or Stingray Music app.

5:00 p.m. — Your guests arrive

Boots in the bathtub, coats on the bed, it’s time to get the party started! Your nephew has barely made it through the door and and is already asking for your Wi-Fi password. To give him easy access to your network, launch the Helix Fi app, tap Share WiFi, and get him to scan the QR code with his mobile device. It’s as simple as that—and you don’t even have to reveal your password!

(Psst! Sharing Wi-Fi is even easier with the latest version of the Helix Fi app. To get started, install the update available on Google Play or the App Store.) 

7:00 p.m. — Let’s eat!

Dinner is in full swing, and everyone’s chatting up a storm. One of your guests says he’s looking forward to watching the Bye Bye, Québec’s favourite New Year’s Eve show. You haven’t scheduled the recording yet, so—between two bites of pie—use the voice command and say, “Record Bye Bye.”

“Did you see the final dance performance by this year’s Revolution winners?” asks another guest. No, and you didn’t record it either. No problem! If your guest has kept her recording, she can launch the Helix TV app on her mobile and access the episode. You can even stream the episode on your TV using Chromecast or Apple’s AirPlay feature, so everyone can enjoy it.

8:30 p.m. — Kids’ time

The kids have played together and eaten their fill. Now they want to watch a movie. Use voice command and say “Club illico youth,” then browse the catalogue of movies and series for kids. Will they choose Clifford the Big Red Dog, The SpongeBob Movie, The Grinch, or one of the dozens of other shows available?

8:35 p.m. — Kids’ time, take 2

In the end, the older kids don’t want to watch the same thing as the younger ones. Solution: Lend them a mobile device that has the Helix TV app installed on it. That way, they can choose the content they like (you’re well prepared: you’ve already activated Parental Control on the Helix TV app).

Bye, everyone!

Unfortunately, we can’t help you clean up after your guests leave. But you can count on Videotron 24/7—even on Christmas and New Year’s Day—for technical assistance. If you need help, visit our support website, consult The Community forum, or contact us by chat or by phone. We wish you a happy holiday season and a wonderful time connecting with your loved ones!