PVRs: How we test set-top boxes
Line up of set top boxes for testing
We test all new releases of set-top box for all TV platforms: Freeview, Freeview HD, Freesat, Sky Digital, Virgin and BT Vision. We'll also be taking a look at the new generation of YouView set-top boxes when they launch in the middle of 2011 and testing how well they access both traditional broadcast TV and the new NetTV services they'll offer.
Thorough testing
Rigorous, detailed testing is the hallmark of a Which? review and all set-top boxes go through an extensive laboratory test over a six-week period to ensure that our Best Buys represent the very best you can buy and are products that won't let you down. They go through a raft of inventory checks, technical tests and subjective picture and sound quality tests to ensure that everything is up-to-scratch before being passed to our ergonomics team who see how easy they are to use. At teh heart of this testing is our assessment of the Electronic Programme Guide or EPG.
Electronic Programme Guide (EPG)
The electronic programme guide (EPG) is the control-centre for a set-top box. Selecting channels, accessing programme listings and even programming an attached DVD recorder can all be done via the EPG, so this is a vital feature that our experts spend a long time scrutinising.
The way manufacturers choose to display these varies enormously – we’ve seen excellent examples but come across some complete nightmares too.
Layout paramount
The layout is paramount – the number of channels and time period they can display on screen varies and this can have a bearing on how easy it is to navigate around and find the information you want.
Some only show information on a single channel, while others show far more making it easier to plan your evening’s viewing. Some also handily display a mini-screen of the channel you're watching, even when you're accessing the channel listings.
Other EPGs blot out the picture completely, while many take a halfway approach and overlay a translucent EPG on the picture beneath, though this can make them hard to read.
EPG load
We also measure how quickly the EPG can load the TV listings information – a good box will do it in around 10 seconds, but a bad one can take several minutes or even longer, which can be very frustrating. Similarly, we measure the speed of the Teletext. This too can vary significantly between boxes depending on how much memory they’ve got and the speed of their processor.
Power consumption
A set-top box spends most of its life either switched on so you can watch a program or sitting in standby waiting to be used so it's vital that its power consumption isn't excessive. We check to ensure that the set-top box you buy is both kind to your wallet and the planet.
Total test score and Best Buys
Once we have all our test results in, we evaluate the data to determine the total test score for each set-top box. This is based on the following:
- Ease of use 50%
- Features 40%
- Power use 10%
Those models that score 65% or over are awarded Best Buy status.
