Product review templates (so that we can compare apples with apples a more consistent review form may be appropriate)

Product review templates (so that we can compare apples with apples a more consistent review form may be appropriate)

A good idea ... a standard template, or a number of templates (for different major categories) if needed, including a section with extended discussion.

Might it not be possible to rig up a standard form as part of this site? Can the Invision board cope/allow this kind of functionality?

I gather this would allow for photos suitable for the template?

DA

I think this would be a good idea.

I could post up a skeleton of headings which might help people post a review ?

think this section is important as gives people on the forum user & peer reviews as opposed from print or commercial reviews which are out there.

Would there be a provision so that all reviews would be able to be printed in much the same format (a bit like the Woodbin) so that people are able to print of a few product reviews, lay them out, then go thru them one by one and compare them. This would encourge the growth of this section which I started and would like to see continued/.

I participated in some industry reviews in the early days of DTV. One of the major shortcomings was the NON-compliance with the Australian DTV Broadcast Standards of most tested products.

This problem needs to be addressed, too many new products are designed to work from a recorded data stream and not to the AUS standards. ABC Perth is a good example of that atm.

Heres a bit of a review template I've been using. Have used it for reviewing AV gear and for a stb review I did. The section headings are in bold with typical contents suggested in curly brackets.

I tend to include or leave out sections depending on relevance.

I'm happy for anyone else using it if helps them writing up a review.

Introduction/Background

{what brought me to do a review}

{A few details on how the review was done}

{Summary conclusion of review}and Well my avr-pre pro search is over !

The equipment:

{equipment used to do the review}

Acknowledgements

{Anyone to thank? for supplying the gear, for being part of the review, helping with the review}

The trial gear

{Info on the equipment demoed/reviewed. including links to info, discrition of appearance, main features, styling, accesories, any standout features of merit, any apparent features lacking}

The material:

{listing of material demoed through the equipment during the review, including dvds, cds, movie telecasts, indicating surround decoding used, telecast features etc}

Part 1 - {Description of Part 1}

{Review part 1 details, review body text}

details of as an AVR using my usual test DVDs, hi-res discs & everyday digital TV viewing.

Part 2 - {Description of Part 2 of review - if there is a part 2, different viewing session, different tests}

{Review part 2 details, review body text}

Part 3 - {Description of Part 3 of review - if there is a part 3, different viewing session, different tests}

{Review part 3 details, review body text}

Some conclusions

{list the conclusions from the demo & comparisons done as part of the review}

{overall impressions?}

{recommendations?}

{who would this product suit}

{any limitations, any standout plusses?}

Where to from here ….

{From my perspective...is the product a goer for me ?}

Links

{links to any photos from the review}

Heres a bit of a review template I've been using. Have used it for reviewing AV gear and for a stb review I did. The section headings are in bold with typical contents suggested in curly brackets.

I think that's very good.

I participated in some industry reviews in the early days of DTV. One of the major shortcomings was the NON-compliance with the Australian DTV Broadcast Standards of most tested products.

This problem needs to be addressed, too many new products are designed to work from a recorded data stream and not to the AUS standards. ABC Perth is a good example of that atm.

Compliance with http://www.dba.org.au/index.asp?sectionID=77 needs to be incorporated into any template.

Could reviews be done in conjunction with new products listed in the DBA newsletter? i.e. a 'first look'?