If the remote control is poorly realized, it doesn't bode well for the rest of the user interface. Some remote controls have as many as 75 buttons, with little or no grouping of similar functions. Different shapes also help decipher what a button does. Similarly, the play command for a DVD player may be a triangle pointing to the right. Infrequently used controls should be hidden behind a small flip-open panel to reduce confusion.
Some remotes offer buttons that glow in the dark for easy location.
Others light up the remote with the push of a button. Other receivers have a system in which you push the input-select button several times to scroll through the various inputs until the input you want appears in the display. It's also helpful if the display readout tells you the name of the source, such as laserdisc or dvd rather than just video 1 and video 2. Build Quality Reviews of A-V receivers talk about a product's build quality, which describes the solidity of the mechanical construction, parts quality inside the unit, and electrical construction techniques. I've reviewed A-V receivers whose manufacturers took every possible shortcut to save money.