Sony Bravia KDL-32L5000 LCD HDTV Review - Remote Control

Remote Control Summary
• Feels comfortable in the hand • Large well-labeled buttons • Volume and Channel controls are poorly placed
	Viewing Effects	Page 8 of 18	Connectivity

Ergonomics & Durability (6.9)

The Sony Bravia KDL-32L5000's remote is identical to the one we saw on the Sony KDL-52V5100. This is generally good as the remote is well designed. It's not too large or heavy, with a textured back that lets you hold onto it better and a comfortable indentation for your forefinger on the back when you hold it with your thumb on the directional pad. The balance is good, thanks to the light weight, so as you shift your hand along it's length you don't feel unbalanced at any point. The buttons are soft plastic with good key travel, although the tactile feedback could have been better. One big drawback is that there's no backlight on the remote, so if you're watching in the dark you better know exactly where the buttons you want are.

Button Layout & Use (5.5)

Unfortunately the button layout on the Sony Bravia KDL-32L5000's remote is not as good as it's overall design. The biggest problems is that the directional pad is separated from the volume and channel buttons by almost half the length of the remote. This requires you to shift your hand down in order to access these important buttons, which is very annoying. The buttons are large and well-labeled, however, and we were able to control the HDTV from a good range of angles.

Programming & Flexibility (1.0)

The Sony Bravia KDL-32L5000 does not work as a universal remote, however it does support Sony's proprietary Bravia Sync technology. This allows you to use the remote to control other Sony devices, which is great if you happen to own a Sony-only home theatre setup. For most people, however, this isn't very convenient, as such we're only awarding a point for this functionality.