Request Feedback on: Learning Remote Touch Screen & Hard Buttons

Kyle Tippett · 04-02-2003, 11:59 AM

I am looking for a very nice a/v learning remote with a touch screen and learning hard buttons. Max price: $600.
Dark colours preffered, but not essential. Thank you.
Looking at, DENON, Pronto, but still looking around.
I like the look of the MX-1000, anyone used it??

Chuck Kent · 04-02-2003, 01:33 PM

Kyle: I'm a pretty big Home Theater Master booster (I own 2 MX-500's and an MX-700. Just great remotes!) So are many others over at the HTM forum at remotecentral.com. But the MX-1000 is not well thought of by any of us. HTM had PC program problems that they never really ironed out and they have recently announced that they will not be doing anymore updates to the MX-1000's programing. So, the MX-1000 is a BIG buyer beware. If you want to inferface it to your PC, it's quite likely you'll have troubles...(I guess it does ok by itself but that means probably no PC backups.)

I guess HTM is working on some touchscreen ideas but their focus for now is button-based (which is my own personal preference.)

MikeSRC · 04-02-2003, 05:58 PM

You can get a Pronto Pro TSU6000 for a few dollars more than $600, or, if having a color screen's not a must, a TSU3000 for less than half the price. For $100 more you could have RF capability as well. Home Theater Master is working on a touchscreen model but it won't be out until later this year.

I wouldn't bother with the Denon Atkis remote. It's very limited compared to a Pronto.

As Chuck said, the MX-1000 has some software issues (although it's fully programmable without the software) but works well within its limitations. It will likely be replaced toward the end of this year.

John Sully · 04-02-2003, 06:28 PM

I'm a big Pronto fan, have been since they came out in late '98. I'm currently using a TSU 3000 (just have to have the latest and greatest) and it is a good improvement over the original. The 16 shades of grey screen is easier to read and the touchscreen is more sensitive than the original one. The extra hard buttons are handy and most devices can be compressed down to one screen, which makes it nice and easy to use.

There are some issues still with the firmware, with some people reporting speed problems although I have not noticed them myself. Also two of the hard buttons are not available for programming with the current revision of the firmware, a fix is promised real soon now. Overall, the 3000 is a nice remote and will probably get better with time -- for example Philips promises state variables in a future software revision, this will be real cool.

Jeff Bamberger · 04-03-2003, 08:49 AM

I have a Pronto 1000 nd love it, so I can only assume that the 3000 or the Pro would be awesome units.

**HTF Ads**

Brett DiMichele · 04-03-2003, 09:08 PM

2 Year Pronto Pro user (TSU6000) and I wouldn't go back
to a non color LCD for anything!

If you can live with a full LCD with not many hard buttons
then the Pronto line is for you. Some prefer hard buttons
I am not one of those people buf if I were I would buy the
HTM MX500

Kyle Tippett · 04-04-2003, 10:15 AM

But does the colour significantly kill the battery? I had said earlier that i liked the style of the htm mx1000.. got some neg. FB on that, so looked away.. what about the pronto neo... that looks pretty sweet too... plus... the marantz line started to kinda steal my heart a bit yesterday... is the ware on them the same as all the prontos, or just specific ones?

Brett DiMichele · 04-04-2003, 12:02 PM

The battery in my Pronto Pro lasts me a whole day of useage
I have my screen brightness set at 75% and I have the LCD
Timer set to 60 seconds.

The lower the brightness level the longer the charge will
last, but I place my Pro on the cradle every night so dead
batteries are rarely an issue and if they go dead it takes
about 10 minutes charge time to get it in shape for another
couple hours use

Joe Cole · 04-26-2003, 11:29 PM

John,

Since you have a model 3000 do you know if the model 2000's docking station will work for the 3000?

Having to buy a new docking station if I upgrade from my 2000 is a little annoying. Surely they could use the same charging circuits in the new model.

Mike O'Connell · 04-27-2003, 09:13 AM

The 2000 docking station will not work with the 3000.

Mike

MikeSRC · 04-27-2003, 07:13 PM

Also, the DS3000 docking station is different than the TSU6000's docking station, even though they are similar in appearance. The connector on the DS3000, while the same as the 6000, is offset from center. With all the problems Philips had with the DS1000 used with the TSU2000, it's not surprising that they changed it for the 3000.