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| The Panasonic TH-46PZ80U remote is smaller than many of the gargantuan remotes shipped with TVs nowadays, however the control layout is not optimal for those with smaller hands. It also cannot be used as a universal remote to control other devices you may own. |
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 Ergonomics & Durability (6.05)
The Panasonic TH-46PZ80U's remote is smaller than those we saw from the JVC LT-47X899 and Vizio VO47L, which is a good thing for balance and accessibility as you don't have to move your hand about as much to access controls. At neutral, the remote is well balanced. There's a contoured back to help you hold it in your hand a bit better, but we didn't feel that it added much. The slick plastic may mean that you will drop it easily, but the smaller size also helps here as less shifting about means there are less opportunities for the remote to slip.
The buttons on the Panasonic TH-46PZ80U's remote are made of soft plastic, but not so soft they feel squishy or uncomfortable. We did wish that there was a bit more key travel, but tactile feedback was reasonable. The remote's plastic seemed reasonably scratch proof, but we are a bit concerned that the long battery cover may break easily with a hard drop. The latch does seem reasonably strong, and the buttons also seem durable. Overall we were more impressed with the Panasonic TH-46PZ80U remote's ergonomics and durability than we were with those we saw from either the JVC LT-47X899 or the Vizo VO47L.
Button Layout & Use (6.5)
The Panasonic TH-46PZ80U remotes' main controls are laid out across two-thirds the length of the remote, with the directional pad and menu button above and the Volume and Channel buttons in the middle. Although the remote is smaller than others we've seen this spread of controls is actually larger than what we saw from the JVC LT-47X899's remote. We found that someone with small or even medium sized hands may have to stretch a bit uncomfortably to reach from the menu button near the top to the volume or channel down buttons.
Shifting to reach other controls, however, is much easier on the Panasonic TH-46PZ80U's remote as it is significantly shorter than those seen on many other TVs. You will have to shift your hand slightly up to reach the power button and down to reach the number pad, but only a few inches at the most. The balance of the remote also remains good even when you move to reach the furthest buttons.
Labeling on the remote is very good, with a reasonably large text used that's easy to read. Unfortunately the remote does lack any sort of backlight, so you better remember where all the controls are if you are in a dark environment. We found that the angle of controls for the Panasonic TH-46PZ80U's remote was not as good as what we saw from the JVC LT-47X899 or Vizio VO47L. You can easily control the TV out to an angle of about 40 degrees, but beyond this you have to hit buttons multiple times and shift the remote about a bit to get the TV to respond.
Programming & Flexibility (0.0)
The Panasonic TH-46PZ80U remote does not have any programmable buttons, and it cannot be used as a universal remote to control other devices in your home theater.
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