In computing a 10-foot user interface (also sometimes referred to as "10-foot UI", "10-foot interface", or "10-foot experience") is a software GUI (graphical user interface) designed for display on a large television (or similar sized screen) with interaction using a regular television-style remote control.[1][2]
"10 foot" refers to the fact that the GUI's elements—i.e. menus, buttons, text fonts, and so on—are theoretically large enough to read easily at a distance of 10 feet (3 m) from the display (which in this context is normally a large-screen television). To avoid distractions and to be more clear, 10 foot UIs also tend to be very simple and usually only have the minimum core buttons.[3]
Typical examples of popular 10-foot user interfaces are HTPC (Home theater PC) media center software applications such as Google TV, MediaPortal, XBMC, Plex, Boxee, Windows Media Center and Front Row / Apple TV interfaces, but most other Smart TV and set-top boxes devices and software with interactive television interfaces also belong in this category.[4][5][6][7] In 2010, Hillcrest Labs released the Kylo browser, which is a web browser optimized for television use, which features a 10-foot user interface.[8][9]
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"Ten foot" is used to differentiate the GUI style from those used on desktop computer screens, which typically assume the user's eyes are less than two feet (60 cm) from the display. The 10-foot GUI is almost always designed to be operated by a hand-held remote control. The 10-foot user interface has extra large buttons with menu fonts that are easily read and navigated.[10]
This difference in distance has a huge impact on the interface design compared to typical desktop computer interaction when the user is sitting at a desk with a computer monitor, and using a mouse and keyboard (or perhaps a joystick device for video games) which is sometimes referred to as a "2-foot user interface". Ten-foot interfaces may resemble other post-WIMP systems graphically, due to a similar paucity of pixels, but do not assume the use of a touch screen.[11][12]
Here are a few design guidelines which should be considered when designing a 10-foot user interface compared to a 2-foot user interface.[13][14][15][16][17][18]
Examples of a few common and popular 10-foot user interfaces are:
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