JVC LT-42WX70 LCD HDTV Review - Remote Control

Remote Control Summary
• Comes with a long, thin remote • Channel and volume buttons are well placed • Menu and directional buttons are too high on the remote for comfortable use
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Ergonomics & Durability (5.0)

The remote for the LT-42WX70 is a long, thin affair that has buttons across most of its length. It is pretty lightweight, but the buttons and case feel like they should stand up to extended use without problems. Many of the buttons on the remote don't control the TV itself; they are designed to control an optional TV tuner (the TU-CX100). If you don't use this TV tuner, this means that more than half the buttons are useless. Given that most users will be using this display either with a computer or with a probably incompatible device such as a cable set-top box, we would have preferred that JVC included a simpler remote that didn't include the useless buttons.

Button Layout & Use (6.25)

The long, thin layout makes for an attractive looking remote, but it has an impact on the usability, as it means that some of the buttons are at the far end. In this case, JVC made the wise decision to put the channel and volume controls in the midle of the remote, so they fall under then  thumb and are easy to use. However, the menu button and 4-way control buttons are more awkward; they are located at the top of the remote, and you have to shift the remote in your hand to reach them.

One interesting and slightly unusual feature is the 4 input buttons; one for each of the major connections. Most remotes have a single imput button that cycles through the inputs, but this one gets a button for each input, which is significantly quicker if you frequently switch between devices connected to different inputs.

Programming & Flexibility (0.0)

The remote cannot be programmed to emulate other remotes or be programmed to control other devices than the TV. However, the LT-42WX70 does support device control over HDMI, which allows certain devices to be controlled through the HDMI cable. This is not widely supported, though, so it is of limited use.