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On the whole, the RHT497H is easy to use. Power it up for the first time, and it runs through a series of installation screens with fetching graphics, setting the language and clock, checking the antenna and tuning in the digital channels to save you doing it later.

From then on, most of the deck's functions are accessed from the Home menu by pressing the well-signposted button on the remote. LG hasn't updated the GUI found on last year's models, but that's no bad thing given its clear and attractive nature - and we're glad that the dissolving menu transitions are still there. Once again we find the Home menu sporting the horizontal bar across the top, breaking down the options into movie, music, photo, TV and setup with icons next to each one. It's satisfyingly responsive and each of the submenus is well structured and easy to read.

The remote hasn't been updated either, but should have been - the layout is cluttered and the programme change, EPG and Record keys are initially hard to spot. Many of the buttons are also too small and you can't use the remote to toggle through the recording modes - annoyingly you have to enter the setup menu to do so.

You can record a programme on the fly as you watch it, or schedule recordings from the eight-day EPG. The layout of this is fairly basic but at least that makes it easy to find the programmes you want, and we're pleased to see it superimposed over live TV. Unusually you can't jump forward and back 24 hours, instead you have to select the date and hit OK. The yellow button lets you switch to a Now/Next single channel view, while the blue button brings up the programme synopsis.

Although this EPG is easy to use in most respects, we're still not impressed by the way Freeview+ has been incorporated. Like last year's models, when you select a programme to record a menu appears offering four cryptic options: ‘Simple recording', ‘It can be recorded as series', ‘Impossible to separately record the program' and ‘No recommended program information'. Although we get the gist, they're hardly the most user-friendly descriptions - what's wrong with ‘Record Once' and ‘Record Series'?

The Freeview info banners are much better, using large boxes and an impressive array of information, including the aspect ratio, presence of MHEG content and the genre.

Recordings are stored in the impressive Title List menu, which displays all the titles with a moving thumbnail, as well as the name, date and duration. Recordings can also be filtered using the genres down the left hand side. You can also access the editing menu from here or rename titles with a virtual keyboard. After a recording has finished playing, it stops and returns you to live TV. It's also worth noting that the unit records subtitles, which turn on automatically when timer recordings start, although they can be turned off during playback.

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