LG PF85U LED Projector Review – Hardware 2

The regular remote is a smallish affair, about 5 inches long, so not that small, and definitely not a “credit card” remote.  In fact, it’s dripping in buttons. What it doesn’t have, though is a backlight, which would have been a real plus.

From the top left, the power, then an Eco button, and the Input selector button.  The next section is a numeric keypad, which can come in handy, especially when first configuring things.

With that keypad is a List button and a “Flash back” button.  Two large rocker buttons are below, with the left one volume up/down, and the other Channel Up/Down (which ties back into the smarts discussed elsewhere).  In between those rockers, are a Favorite button, an Info Button, and also one for Mute.

Navigation is next, with a round configuration for the arrows, and the enter in the middle of them.  Around the round disc is a square one, and across the top of that, you’ll find the Settings  button, then the Smart button (with a Home image), and a button for the Smart Apps.  Across the bottom of that square frame are Back, AV Mode, and Exit, which will close the menus.  Since the LG’s smarts let it control other devices, next down are the usual controls for a DVD or Blu-ray player, basically Stop, Play, and Pause on the first line, “rewind” and fast forward”  are below, along with a button for Aspect ratio control.

Other buttons  further down include Sleep mode, Blank, and SimpleLink, which should be LG’s HDMI-link control. Keys up and down, are next and then four color coded buttons with 1, 2, 3, and 4 dots respectively, that tie into the LG’s smart features.

And so that’s the normal remote control.  Now let’s look at the “gyro” style Smart remote control that also comes with the PF85U

I’ve already mentioned this one under special features.  It is gyro based, and either RF or Bluetooth, I haven’t figured that out yet.   It does work great, for moving around the cursor around the screen, selecting things.  It’s faster and more accurate than a typical disc pad or joystick that one might find on a remote control.

The black disc at the top is really three layers.  There’s an outer black ring.  With that ring, pressing the top powers up the projector.  The right side brings up the Smart screen, with menus and content.  The left side is the Back button, and the bottom of the ring activates the voice control (cool)!  The inner ring has four arrow keys in a round formation.

In the very center, in what looks like a cross between a track ball and a reverse Oreo cookie, is a scroll wheel  The round white parts are stationary, but that black center can be scrolled up and down, and works very well.  I found it worked nicely while reading the news online.  You can control the scroll speed, allow it to scroll at a speed or slow down and stop it…  Nicely done.

Below that area are – on the left, a Help button, and on the right, call it the quick Menu button.

Moving further down, are Volume Up/Down on the left, and Channel Up/Down on the right.  Right in between is a small white button for the Mute.

The cool part of this remote is that it works based on momentum.  It’s hard to describe, but years ago my old company sold “tons” of Gyration made remote mice.  Most presenters loved them compared to more traditional remote mousing controls.   Once you get the hang of it, you’ll love it too.