Philips @ CEDIA - Hands-on with the Pronto TSU9600

by Matt Burns, posted Sep 16th 2006 at 10:45PM

We have played with a lot of remotes the last few days but yet the Pronto still surprised us with a 3.7-inch VGA screen. It takes color touch-screens to the next level - way above what the $499 Logitech 1000 has. But then again this Pronto remote targets a whole different market and you will not be able to find this remote in local Best Buys. Plus, we don't think a Best Buy or Circuit City salesmen could convince someone to purchase a $1,299 remote. Oh no, this remote is meant for custom installers who understand the Pronto platform. That extra cash above the Logitech's $499 gets you a lot better feeling remote. This thing isn't light but at the same time feels like something. The buttons are larger, including a rotary wheel for easier navigation, the screen is brighter and the entire layout can be customized. It isn't really fair to compare these two remotes but we just can't help ourselves since this is who Logitech obviously is targeting. This remote is better in almost every way but the price.

Click-on for more pics.

Filed under: Reviews

Tags: cedia, philips, pronto

Subscribe to these comments

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

Vincent J. Murphy @ Sep 16th 2006 11:27PM

"This remote is better in almost every way but the price. "

Well, unless the method of programming the Pronto has changed within the past couple of years, I think the Harmony remotes have a lot more going for them: ease of programming being the first. With the Harmony, you don't NEED a customer installer. Or to fiddle with the remote for hours. I gave up on my Pronto after about 3 months.

Does Pronto now has a way to save state in their remotes (which I would hope it does by now)? That is, to know what's on and off? That's another reason why I like the Harmony.

Neutral

motech @ Sep 17th 2006 11:37AM

and no rf.
what kind of lame 1300$ remote doesnt have an RF repeater system ?
besides the fact the the prontos interface looks o so lame (though the remote itself looks good)

Neutral

BigScreen @ Sep 18th 2006 5:34PM

motech,

The Pronto interface is completely customizable. The appearance and operational flow are completely up to the customizer that is creating those elements.

This flexibility is the Pronto's biggest strength, but the complexity that goes along with the flexibility scares most people, which is why Pronto's are marketed to custom installers who know what they're doing and can create a customized solution for each client.

This Pronto is aimed at the Crestron's of the world, not 6-in-1 universal remotes that cost $24.99. Once programmed, Pronto's can be very easy to use.

The Best Buy shoppers should stick with something like the Harmony from Logitech. It's hard to beat the Harmony for its Plug & Play functionality and low price, so long as you can live with the limitations of their approach.

Both products have their place in the world.

'Wuhhh!!' See Bayonetta without its visual effects Warhound being 'reevaluated' by Techland, not officially canceled Mega Man demo released for Atari 2600	Re:Subj: threaded discussion via browser or email Twitter's new frontier: World of Warcraft?! Enthusiast posts source code for 13 Atari classics...legally?
iPhone vs. Pre: The best air-travel companion Sirius XM app soars even without Howard Stern FinalPrice shopping app released	Who is the Russian accused of stealing Goldman's top secret trading codes? A FormFactor play is possible, but it's not for the squeamish U.S. Justice Department turns an eye on the telecoms
New Halo Wars Achievements reveal new maps (again) Ben Heck molds Jasper Xbox 360 into new and improved laptop Jump for joy: N+ is XBLM Deal of the Week	Goodwood Festival of Speed 2009 Mega Gallery VIDEO: Ken Block works it out on Top Gear with Captain Slow in tow Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 7.6.09
BioWare founder believes games can be entirely story-driven Fallout LARP actually looks cool Ubisoft to open new development studio in Toronto	Police Confirm Gun Belonged to Kazemi Jeff Fisher: The Steve McNair I Knew Would Want Me to Say 'Sorry' Vikings' Winfield Frustrated by Contract