The conclusion that some people have drawn from this is that I’m advising against the 3View box specifically, and I certainly am not doing that – I haven’t had one here to play with, nor have I yet asked them if they will be getting Digital Tick certification.

However, they have confirmed that they will be able to decode the Freeview HD EPG, which is an agreement separate from the Freeview logo certification, so they aren’t reliant on other people for that very important aspect of the device.

Ultimately, it’s a question of consumer confidence and certainty. If you know that a product has an agreement in place that allows it to decode the Freeview HD programme guide, and is DVB compliant, so it will pick up the standard guide too, then for some people that will be sufficient to make them happy.

Others may prefer to look for a box with the various certification marks, which imply not only that, but also the presence of the interactive MHEG engine, and ability to accept updates broadcast over the air.

A simple certification scheme is easiest for less technical buyers – it should give them certainty, even if they don’t understand the technologies involved.

For those who are more aware of the implications of a different approach, I’m not going to advise against choosing a specific box about which I know very little. But I will stress the need to find out exactly what is included, what is omitted, and how much of the functionality relies on things over which you have no control.