RNID: For deaf and hard of hearing people.

Freeview digital television - April/May 2005

These products are packed with features and can be rather confusing to use at first. For these reasons, it is especially important to consider how easy they are to use and understand. Here we give you the comments of both our experts and a panel of hard of hearing users.

  • Ease of use

    Humax F2-FOX T

    Good-sized remote control unit with well-spaced controls and good labelling. On-screen menus, with large font and a simple background are clear and easy to use.
    The EPG also has large text and a clear layout, which looks like ‘Windows’ on a computer, making it very easy to use.

    Philips DTR 500

    Compact remote control is easy to hold, but the controls are small and close together. On-screen menus are straightforward, but in a small font with poor colour contrast. The EPG is difficult to read and programme times are confusing to work out, making it hard to compare what is on at a given time on different channels.

    Sony VTX-D800

    Large, slim remote control is comfortable to use, but some of the controls are too small and the labelling unclear. On-screen menus are clear, but the writing is small. The EPG gives too much information, displaying seven channels at once and the programme plays behind it – making it tricky to read.

    Digifusion FVRT100

    Compact remote control has small controls and labelling. The volume and channel controls are separated, making them awkward to use. On-screen menus are attractive, but the patterned background and small writing makes them hard to read. The EPG uses the same fonts and background. It shows only the current programme for each channel but looks cluttered. Recording is straightforward but let down by the EPG. Recorded programme information in text and images – a good feature.

    Humax PVR-8000T80

    Large, easy-to-use remote control with well-spaced buttons and clear labelling. On-screen menus are very clear, easy to read and understand. The EPG has large text and a clear layout, again in a ‘Windows’ format. Recording is straightforward and very easy to adjust. Recorded programme information in text only.

    Sony RDR-GXD500

    Very long, slim remote control is difficult to use because it has too many controls which are small and close together. On-screen menus have small writing and poor colour contrast (grey on grey!), making them hard to read. The EPG shows 10 channels at once, has good clarity but the writing is too small. Recording is straightforward but let down by the EPG. Recorded programme information in text only.