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Despite its appearance in photographs, the remote isn’t particularly small and measures 2.0” wide, 5.75” long and 1.25” thick (5.0cm by 14.6cm by 3.2cm). It weighs 4.94 ounces (140 grams) with batteries, or 3.28 ounces (93 grams) without. Build quality on the RM-EZ2 is surprisingly good – the remote seems quite sturdy with thick plastic and absolutely no possible lateral twisting. The large snap-in battery compartment lid on the back is easy to remove when desired and robustly constructed. The RM-EZ2 is a very basic remote and doesn’t support channel macros or the reassignment of the [Cable] button.
With huge buttons, strongly contrasting labels and few secondary functions, the RM-EZ2 definitely achieves its billing as an “easy to use” remote control. It should appeal to young children, the elderly, those with physical disabilities, or to those who really just want a simple TV remote.
Infrared performance & remote operation.
All four remote controls feature a single exposed infrared emitter. Most universal remotes have two, three or even four powerful emitters for strong signal strength and wide dispersion. With just a solitary emitter to work with, the RM-V402 rated low on our Menacing Thick Fluffy Blanket (MTFB) infrared performance test by earning a middling score of 2.0, the same score generated by the Sony RM-VL700, which has two emitters.
As expected, remote operation is quick and simple – pick your device and start pushing buttons. In terms of key placement, I particularly liked the oversized volume and channel buttons and how they fell right under my thumb. After some use, the [Mute] and [Recall] buttons seem a little too close to the menu cursor, but fortunately raised plastic ridges between the cursor keys help prevent accidental pressings. The three small buttons below the menu cursor would have worked better with more space above and below them. And finally, although the transport controls are positioned low on the remote, they were still easy to reach.
The final word.
With good styling and an overall pleasant feel, the Sony RM-V402, RM-V302, RM-V202 and RM-EZ2 represent good values in the preprogrammed-only remote control world. It’s amazing that you can get a nice, fully functional universal remote for the price of a DVD movie!
If the Sony RM-AV3000 could be compared to a Mercedes S-Class, then these preprogrammed models are more like Mini Coopers. They’ll get you around, but the ride isn’t especially smooth. If you plan on using a universal remote with at least four devices, I recommend you look a little further up the model spectrum to at least the level of the Sony RM-VL700 or RM-VL900, which are both relatively inexpensive and infinitely more customizable. It’s nice to have the exact function you want in the exact place you want it!
But if this is the limit of your search, remember to double-check that your component brands are covered, and know what you’re purchasing: a simple universal remote control for operating basic device functions. With nifty styling!
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