PS2

  News 
  Reviews
  Previews
  Hardware
  Interviews
  All Features

Areas

  3DS
  Android
  iPad
  iPhone
  Mac
  PC
  PlayStation 3
  PlayStation 4
  Switch
  Vita
  Wii U
  Xbox 360
  Xbox One
  Media
  Archives
  Search
  Contests

 

DVD Remote Control
Score: 70%
Developer: Thrustmaster


Function:

More and more games show up every month for PlayStation 2, and even though the release cycle isn't as aggressive as we might like, there's no shortage of DVD movies out there. In fact, I find myself renting more movies, maybe because they're small or maybe because I don't have to worry about rewinding. Maybe I just need to get out more... Whatever the case may be, with a PS2 at home, I'm forever freed from VHS tapes and all the bulky, rewinding headache that goes along with them. But, for every excellent appliance, we need an equally excellent remote control. I've tried my fair share of remotes for the PS2, and haven't been incredibly impressed. Thrustmaster's entry for the field is good, and better in many ways than what came before. It has a few interesting features, and does what it should, but at least a few drawbacks might make you want to wait. It's way better than hustling over to your PS2 to fiddle with the controller in the dark, that's for sure! Thrustmaster's remote functions fine for both DVD and CD playback, but it falls short for a stand-in game controller. Although at least one company went for the hybrid controller-remote, this one is all controller.

Performance:

The first thing I can say for the Thrustmaster unit is that it has a logical button layout and design. Where I found the Saitek remote solid-feeling and more stylish, Saitek dropped the ball bigtime when they mapped the buttons. Menu choices are made with a small, offset button that isn't even labelled correctly. Thrustmaster did things right, following the idea that it's not smart to make people hunt for buttons in the dark. A clump of directional buttons on the front-center make navigating menus easy, and smack in the middle of four directionals is a Select button. This makes running through DVD menus or CD song-lists a breeze. Playback buttons including search features, live on the bottom of the remote, while buttons on top and each side control fine tuning of audio, titles and moving between high-level DVD menus. Buttons are consistently sized and shaped, which doesn't help much for tactile recognition, but placement really is everything in my book.

On the PS2 side, we have something interesting. Instead of deciding between pass-through port or nothing, Thrustmaster chose a sort of compromise. A base unit, which serves as storage for the remote when not in use, also has the infrared receiver and two plugs. One plug goes to the Controller 1 port, and the other plug serves to route controller input when the remote isn't being used. The stand itself doesn't rest far from the PS2, but the extension plug gives you another foot or so on the controller. The combination remote port and extension cord is kind of cool, but where to place the stand is the question. One last piece of goods, a soft rubber skin that goes around the controller, was split when I took mine out of the package. Mostly this looks like a design flaw, and the skin is barely useful in any event. The remote functions fine without it. Batteries are included, and response for the unit seemed fine.


Features:
  • Remote control for DVD and CD playback on PS2
  • Infrared receiver includes port for controller, with extension cord
  • Batteries included
  • Included rubber skin protects remote and makes it easier to hold
  • Easy to install and use; button layout is very intuitive

Drawbacks & Problems::

The rubber skin included with this controller is a joke. Notwithstanding the fact that it was broken when I unpacked it, there's no way to put the remote in its storage base with the skin attached. So, most people will end up storing the skin somewhere safe and out of the way, just sticking to the remote in all its plastic glory. There's a lightweight quality here that makes the remote feel cheap, but response and button layout don't suffer. The receiver-unit attached to the PS2 is nice for people who have space to put it somewhere, and probably will be a better fit if you're going vertical. With the PS2 on its side in a cabinet, the Thrustmaster remote base is tough to place. It's nice to think you can put the receiver in a place that it will always have a clear signal, but if you're hurting for space, you might consider a more compact option. The remote isn't too small either, but it does the job. Given a choice between this and the Saitek, I'll still take the Saitek, but mostly because it feels higher quality and doesn't take up the real estate in my cabinet. With more attention to materials and a more simple pass-through port, this remote could have been much better than average.

-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications
AKA Matt Paddock

Sony PlayStation 2 DVD Remote Control Nintendo GameBoy Advance RoboPower Rechargeable Unit

 
Game Vortex :: PSIllustrated