Pronto vs Palm vs HTM MX-500 and Touchscreen vs Buttons for Remote (1 Viewer)

[David J Wang]

Please give me the most objective answers possible
1) Pros and Cons versus these three remotes.
Pronto TSU2000
Palm/Handspring Omniremote
Home Theater Master MX-500
2) Pros and Cons of Touchscreen vs Buttons
3) What are advanced codes? An example would help.
4) Who sells these remotes?

 

[Rob Robinson]

www.remotecentral.com
will answer all this plus wayyyy more.
also, try searching the archives, or look at any of the currently ongoing discussion regarding universal ermote selection.

 

[John Garcia]

A few friends with touchscreen remotes stated that batteries were a relatively sizeable issue. Even rechargeables did not last very long.
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All progress is based upon a universal, innate desire on the part of every organism,
to live beyond it's income.
ITRCA ** Link Removed (sorry, car guy)

 

[george kaplan]

Just a few thoughts.
The pronto has a very strong and wide signal path. I've got a palm (but I don't use it as a remote), but from what I've heard the signal when using it as a remote is very weak and needs to be aimed dead on.
Hard buttons are nice, but don't have customizable labels. On every non-pronto remote I've had, I've had to assign some buttons to something counterintuitive (e.g., angle function on dvd, but the remote doesn't have a button called 'angle', so you have to assign it to pip instead).
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13-time NBA world champion Lakers: 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001

 

[OliverG]

George,
"Hard buttons are nice, but don't have customizable labels."
Not true anymore baby! That's the beauty of the MX-500. The hard buttons DO have customizable labels. oh yeah right sir!!
Oliver
3rAd|k8ter
damn damn i luv dem dawgz

 

[Brett DiMichele]

OliverG,
I beg to differ... The Hard Button Remote camp's major
gripe against the LCD TouchScreen is that "You have to
look at the remote to see what your pusing" Well, The
MX-500 is no diffrent! You still have to "Look" at the
(very small) LCD screen at the top of the remote. You
can not physicaly label the buttons themselves. So we
are at a crossroads. Would you rather look at a GUI
in a large Touch Sensitive LCD Display or would you
rather have some hard buttons and a small LCD display
that you STILL have to look at for advanced functions.
Unfortunatly there is as of now, no perfect remote.
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Brett DiMichele
My Home Theater Site!
[email protected]

 

[Scott-C]

A few friends with touchscreen remotes stated that batteries were a relatively sizeable issue. Even rechargeables did not last very long.

That's interesting. I have a Pronto TSU2000 touchscreen remote and have not had this challenge with the batteries (but it might be because I use my remote less than others do???). I used a pair of regular alkaline batteries for months before they wore out, and now I use rechargeables and a docking station. Battery power lasts quite a long time for me (probably at least a month before they need to be recharged).
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[Charles Guajardo]

Brett DiMichele,
The problem with the Pronto remote or any LCD touchscreen remote is the lack of tactile buttons, regardless of the label. Whether the label is a LCD character display or a decal is beside the point. I do not "read" the chapter skip button on my traditional remote, I "feel" it. You cannot do this with a Pronto and in no way can a well designed CCF ever make up for this shortcoming. While Pronto users poke around their CCF, I'm watching the flick.
David,
I think the MX-500 is the best remote I've tried, and I've had the Pronto for nearly a year. My only advice is try both. I didn't know I would miss the hard buttons as much as I did until I had the Pronto in my house for months.
-charles
[Edited last by Charles Guajardo on November 14, 2001 at 12:10 AM]

 

[OliverG]

Brett,
Wrong manolo, the problems with the Pronto are:
- Poor contrast. I have used both the TS1000 and the TSU2000. very difficult to read without the backlight on.
- horrid ergonomics. awkward to hold. can't use it with one hand unless placed on leg.
- no tactile buttons for custom commands.
- ask anyone who has used one how they touch the screen. you have to use the back of a fingernail to get consistent and accurate touchscreen response.
- Unlike the MX-500 the Pronto makes you look at the screen for the MAJORITY of commands. The MX-500 has hard buttons for transport controls, numeric keypad, and a joystick for menu navigation, leaving only a MINORITY of the commands relegated to the LCD screen hard buttons.
-oliver
3rAd|k83r
vinny vinny vinny

 

[Brett DiMichele]

You can have all the buttons in the world.. I don't need
to look at my remote but one time.. Hit one button and the
lights dim, everything turns on and I am enjoying a movie.
And if by some chance I need to look at my remote, god forbid
I may actualy have to pause the DVD
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Brett DiMichele
My Home Theater Site!
[email protected]

 

[OliverG]

I would recommend a remote with one button on it then.
totally 3rAd|k8t3D

 

[Andrew Pratt]

David as you've no doubt now found out peoples oppinions on which style of remote is as personal as boxers vs briefs Personally I value my pronto more then any other remote I've tried, for me it simply works. Of some of the problems listed some are valid and some have work arounds. I get around 4 months or more with a set of normal batteries that I buy in bulk. I always use black buttons so they have a higher contrast and always have the backlight on. There's an online example of my old CCF on my web site if you want to see what its like.
Oh and http://www.jandr.com

 

[Ray Tsui]

I have three remotes: HTM9000, Pronto and RC2000Mk2. I prefer the RC2000 because of the tactile cursor keys and transport but my wife likes the Pronto because of its discrete code macros (activity based) and ease of use. I think the Pronto is a bit frustrating to use sometime because you really do have to look at it to use it and that's hard when you are trying to navigate those hard-to-navigate DVD menus.

 

[Brett_B]

I'm sorry, but I do have to make a comment about a particular gripe with the Pronto.
People are stating that they don't like the Pronto because they have to look at it to use it. Are you implying that you never look at any of your remotes when using them? How do you find the remotes in the first place if you don't look at it? If you don't look at it, how do you know when your batteries are dying?
People make it seem that they are entranced by the Pronto and have to stare at it for long periods of time in order to control it. I only glance at mine for a split second to make sure that I am hitting the correct button. I didn't realize that looking away from a movie for maybe a second is a valid reason not to get the Pronto.
The Pronto is only as tough as the programmer (owner) makes it.

 

[OliverG]

Try navigating a menu of any kind with a Pronto. This includes DVD menus, mp3 navigation, changing recievr or VCR parameters. After you try it, remember to stop yourself from slitting your wrists.
Here is the problem in brief. Say you want to navigate to a particular chapter on a DVD, or go through some of the supplemental material (lets say a sequence like down, down, right, right, select, right, right, select). Here is the typical process with a Pronto.
1. look at your TV
2. look at the Pronto
3. press Down
4. look at your TV to make sure the cursor went down and see where to navigate next
5. look at the Pronto
6. press Down
7. look at your TV to make sure the cursor went down and see where to navigate next
8. look at the Pronto
9. press Right
10. look at your TV to make sure the cursor went right and see where to navigate next
11. look at the Pronto
12. press Right
13. look at your TV to make sure the cursor went right and see where to navigate next
14. look at the Pronto
15. press Select
16. look at your TV to make sure you selected and see where to navigate next.
17. look at the Pronto
18. press Right
19. look at your TV to make sure the cursor went right and see where to navigate next
20. look at the Pronto
21. press Right
22. look at your TV to make sure the cursor went right and see where to navigate next
23. look at the Pronto
24. press Select
25. look at your TV to make sure you selcted
26. SLIT WRISTS
Here is the same process on the MX500
1. look at remote and put thumb on joystick
2. look at TV
3. move joystick down WHILE you are looking at TV
4. move joystick down WHILE you are looking at TV
5. move joystick right WHILE you are looking at TV
6. move joystick right WHILE you are looking at TV
7. push joystick to select WHILE you are looking at TV
8. move joystick right WHILE you are looking at TV
9. move joystick right WHILE you are looking at TV
10. push joystick to select WHILE you are looking at TV
notice that at the end of the MX-500 process you do not need medical attention
try ta similar proceedure using a Pronto numeric keypad and then add up your medical bills.
thoroughly 3rAd|k83D

 

[John Morris]

Put me down as another one who tried a Pronto but ended up with the MX-500. Additionally, my wife just hated the Pronto so it was also a matter of SAF for me too.
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Take Care,
merc
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God Bless America!!!

 

[Brett_B]

quote: The Pronto is only as tough as the programmer (owner) makes it.

 

[Charles Guajardo]

Brett DiMichele,
I think I found a better remote for your one button system:
Link Removed
Let me know what you think, I can get a good deal on it for you.

Brett_B,
since we are quoting ourselves here:

in no way can a well designed CCF ever make up for this shortcoming

[Edited last by Charles Guajardo on November 15, 2001 at 11:24 AM]

 

[Charles Guajardo]

DP
[Edited last by Charles Guajardo on November 15, 2001 at 11:46 AM]

 

[OliverG]

Brett_B,
Unless you have memorized the DVD menus on all your DVDs, equipment menus, and MP3s the answer is obvious: when you are navigating you usually don't know what the next button is going to be. Even if you did know, you can't have your finger "on" the button with a Pronto anyway. I suppose you could press a button, and keep the back of your finger hovering over the same spot hoping that the next press will be a repeat. Not really a success in ergonomics IMHO.
While you and other Pronto users are feverishly bobbing your heads up and down to get to the directors commentary and endlessly shuttling between home and the chiropractor, the 3rAd|k83r and his trusty steed the MX-500 will be hacking and slashing through all manner of menus and navigation screens. uh-rah get some!
hope this helps guys,
the eratically eradicating 3rAd|k83r
>How come in steps 9 to 18 (and also 2 to 7) you are
>checking to see if your finger is still on the same
>button? Are the buttons you made that small?
>
>Just curious.
[Edited last by OliverG on November 15, 2001 at 04:17 PM]