Definition: 10-foot user interface

A user interface for a TV set, which is said to be about ten feet from the viewer's eyes. This designation was coined in the early 2000s as people were beginning to hook up their TVs to more external content. The 10-foot user interface implies large fonts and icons for ease of selection.

Today, the 10-foot user interface is a common feature of smart TVs and digital media hubs (Apple TV, Roku, etc.) as people increasingly interact with their TVs as they do with their computers.

Windows Media Center Et Al
In 2002, Microsoft introduced a 10-foot user interface in Windows Media Center, a feature in Windows XP that enabled a Windows PC to become a media server. Subsequently, software solutions from other vendors were introduced that turned a computer into a home theater PC. See Windows Media Center and HTPC.

The 10-Foot UI Setting

A common 10-foot user interface setting is a home theater with surround sound. The optimum distance between viewer and TV varies but is typically no more than 10 or 12 feet for a 55-65" screen.

Windows Media Center 10-Foot UI

DVD playback settings were adjusted from this screen in Windows Media Center. Displayed on a TV, the large text and dialog could be viewed from several feet away. See Windows Media Center.

The Zinc 10-Foot UI

Zinc was a Firefox browser application that provided a 10-foot UI for viewing videos on a TV connected to a PC or Mac. Zinc enabled access to a host of free and paid movies, TV shows and other video content.

Boxee Multimedia Center

Like Windows Media Center, the Boxee application for Windows, Mac and Ubuntu Linux provided access to external and local video, music and photo content through a 10-foot user interface.