Smart TV UI Design those things

With the release of Google TV on the international market and the footsteps of domestic TV manufacturers to launch custom Android TV, the smart TV platform has become a new market for many High-tech enterprises. The older Intelligent TV platform explorers include Google TV, Apple TV and Samsung Smart TV, as well as the legendary ITV that will be listed. Some well-known foreign services, such as YouTube, Twitter, Netflix and so on, have been posted on these platforms. As domestic TV makers use Android more, let's talk about designing apps on Android TV.

The use characteristic of intelligent TV--distance, light dark, operation mentality is more passive

"Figure 1" TV usage environment

TV's use environment is more special. Most of the size of the smart TV is more than 42 inches, the environment should be between 2.7-3.5 meters. So although the TV display area is much larger than most PCs, but because of its operating distance, resulting in a single screen display less information than the PC.

"Figure 2" living room lighting environment

As shown in Figure 2, there are many users who use the TV with their backs and dim lights to operate the TV with the remote control in one hand and a snack in the other. This "backward" state determines:

TV users are more passive, and TV interaction is more as the recipient of information, can not achieve an immersive state.

Therefore, in the TV interface design, it is best to let users through the key and OK to operate, and provide a return key to avoid the user looking down at the remote control to find the key to interrupt the operation of the task flow.

App application on TV platform "Figure 3"

Usually the voice of the TV is not objectionable or disturbing, because the TV channels and apps are mostly "consumer" content, and TV standard audio system (volume is the default to open). So in app design, you can use sound as a hint of help and action feedback.

Navigation design--remote control and navigation structure

When it comes to TV's UI design, you have to start with navigation. As mentioned above, TV users are more passive, so a clear and efficient navigation system is needed to help users quickly navigate to what they want to see.

Navigation is closely related to input devices, and the most important input device for smart TV is remote control, sometimes supplemented by mouse and keyboard. The following legend is the input device for Google TV and Apple TV.

"Figure 4" The input devices for Google TV and Apple TV

From the diagram we can see that the new smart TV input device with the cross arrow key and OK key as the core, so the TV app navigation based on the above direction key and OK key design.

"Figure 5" the Xbox and PS3 navigation interface