ProntoPro Color Programmable Remote Control
There's
nothing more annoying than having a separate remote for every piece of
gear in an A/V system. Some come with universal features to help consolidate,
but few live up to the expectations of serious users. The Pronto line
of remotes has offered a powerful solution with their fully programmable
features. Not only can the keys be programmed for specific functions that
can be the same or different than the original, the whole display can
be fully customized with any combination of buttons in multi-menu hierarchy.
We took the ultimate Philips ProntoPro for a test drive by programming
our entire A/V system into this one remote. The end result was impressive
with a single remote capable of controlling every aspect of our complex
home theater system.
The Philips ProntoPro remote control utilizes the Motorola MC68328 DragonBall™ processor and features a 256 color LCD touchscreen, 8MB of memory, RF transmission and a pickup sensor that activates the screen when the unit is moved. The docking station automatically charges the internal NiMH battery. The unit snaps in nicely to the base station avoiding a poor connection. A built-in universal database supports over 500 brands in 13 different device categories. This extensive database covers almost all current products on the market. If not, the remote has the capability to learn any command from any remote using the built-in IR reader. Five buttons on the right side of the unit hold the Mute, Volume Up, Volume Down, Channel Up and Channel Down. The left side of the remote has a contrast control and the backlight button. The lower part of the ProntoPro has four programmable button defined by the menus. Virtually unlimited macro capability produces many sequential commands with a single button push. For example, one macro button can turn on the TV, receiver and DVD player and start playing the disc.
If you would rather not customize every panel, the Pronto software has templates that can be used to simplify commonly used functions found on most remotes. For example, CD players will have Stop, Play, Pause, Track+, Track-, Scan+, Scan-, etc. These can be found on the predefined panels, all of which can be modified by the user if needed.
The Proto and ProntoPro remotes have become so popular over the years that manufactures are now providing full interface files (CCF) for their products. This allows the user to download the predefined panel(s) to operate equipment without having to spend the time to create the panel from scratch. The user can also easily modify the predefined panel to suit their personal preferences.
Games too?
There are even a couple of hidden games in the unit, although it's probably
the most expensive handheld game player you have ever owned. While holding
down the backlight button and the two lower left buttons, enter the keystrokes
Mute, Channel+, Mute, Channel+, Volume- and then release the first three
buttons. To enter the second game, use the same sequence, but hold down
the two lower right buttons instead of the two lower left ones.
Using
the RF mode
An RF extender (RFX6000), which can be used to extend the range of the
remote, is also available for the TSU6000. The RF signals sent out by
the ProntoPro are received by the RF extender and then translated into
IR commands for routing back to the components. Normally, the IR signal
has a range of about 30 feet and requires a clear line-of-sight to the
component receiving the signal. However, the optional RF extender allows
the ProntoPro to be used anywhere within range and can pass through walls,
thereby greatly extending the places it can be used.
Pronto Edit Software
The Pronto Edit software used to create the panels for the ProntoPro is
not exactly simple to use. It does take time to learn the program before
one becomes efficient enough to create custom panels. Even with a bit
of experience, creating panels and implementing them takes a lot of patience.
We were able to successfully design all the panels needed to support our
components with complete custom user interfaces. Many of our components
required several panels to include all of the functions the original remote
had on it. However, this is where you the user can decide what functions
are most important and where to place them. Once the design is complete,
it can be downloaded into the remote using the RS232 cable. Firmware updates
can also be downloaded from this cable.
Conclusion
The Philips ProntoPro is a powerful remote control capable of controlling
your entire A/V system. The non-color versions offer many of the same
features, but certainly don't look as good. Fully user-defined user interface
panels make the ProntoPro very flexible, only limited by one's imagination.
However, learning the software can be time consuming with rewards at the
end. This product has set the benchmark for custom handheld remote controls.
The price may set you back, but the features are worth it.
-
Kevin Nakano
