Widespread use of VCR's has created a demand for unattended recording of programs delivered through converter/decoders. When used with a timer-equipped VCR, a converter also equipped with a programmable timer can satisfy this requirement.
Event programming of converters is achieved either by adding a timer to a hand-held remote control or by incorporating a timer into the set-top unit. However, as many purchasers of VCR's have already found to their chagrin, providing the technical capability for pre-programming events and having a device which is truly user-friendly are not necessarily one and the same thing.
This paper discusses the human-factors considerations affecting the design of one such programmable remote/control timer. Ease of operation is the primary issue discussed in this paper.