Samsung LN32B360 LCD HDTV Review - Remote Control

Remote Control Summary
• Long, thin remote with 39 buttons • Volume and channel buttons are poorly placed • The remote cannot control other devices
	Viewing Effects	Page 8 of 18	Connectivity

Ergonomics & Durability (7.2)

The LN32B360 comes with the same remote as most Samsung TVs, which is a large remote packed with buttons (39 in total). It has a long, thin design with a curved back that fits comfortably in the hand. The long thin design means that uch of the remote is above the hand, but most of the weight is in the bottom, so the remote doesn't sag in the hand. One very useful feature is a backlight; hit the backlight button in the top left corner, and the buttons are illuminated with a soft blue glow. That's very useful if you are using the remote in a darkened room.

Button Layout & Use (4.85)

There are an awful lot of buttons on the remote, and they aren't always logically placed. The channel and volume controls in particular are a bit higher on the remote than we would like; they don't fall under the thumb if it is held in the left or right hand.  Instead, the directional controls and menu buttons are the ones that fall under the thumb, and those aren't going to be used that much once the display is set up and calibrated. We had no major problems using the remote; it worked from a decent distance away (15 feet and more) and was usable at an angle, as long as we could see the right side of the front of the TV where there remote sensor is.

Programming & Flexibility (1.0)

Despite being a button mashers paradise, the remote that came with the LN32B360 can't be programmed to control other devices. This is a pity; modern HDTVs don't live in isolation; they live alongside Blu-ray players, cable boxes, game consoles and any number of other devices that require remotes, and the human race is fast running out of couch space to store them. So, the ability to use one remote to control multiple devices would help us all out, but Samsung isn't helping here.