User reviews for the Philips Pronto TS-1000 from Philips Electronics. Ratings Reviews MSRP (USD) Average: 4.11/5.00 Median: 4.33/5.00 39 $399 This Philips Pronto is one of the most popular LCD remote controls in the marketplace. It features a high-resolution backlit touchscreen display and the capability to control a nearly unlimited number of devices. Also applies to the European RU890. Message Forum Our Review Clicker Picker Specifications Add Your Review Find universal remotes at:

Written by Ray T from Ottawa, Ontario. The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.

Review 18 made on Wednesday November 22, 2000 at 12:43 PM. Strengths: - Amazing programmability of the look and layout panels through PC software. - User community (here) for support and source of configurations and codes. - Every button acts a macro - Discrete codes can be entered or downloaded. - Can truly replace all remotes. - Good battery life (several months) - Fast interface Weaknesses: - Price - Setup time is steep - No advantage if you don't have PC software - Fragile. May break if dropped. - Could use more hard buttons Review: Let me say that the Philips Pronto is one only remote that allows my wife to control all aspects of my home theater. No small feat consider I already own a Marantz RC2000Mk2 and a HT Master SL-9000. The key to the Pronto's power is its programmability which is its most significant advantage over its competition. Using the optional PC software called ProntoEdit. you can design your own panels for the remote. You can define the size, position, appearance, labelling of each button. People have come with some truly unique configurations which are shared on this site in the form of .CCF files which you can download and use. You can pick and choose things from other people's configuration. Since you can use bitmaps for buttons and static elements, you can design creative panels that look very fancy (for example, you can create panels that look like those found on Star Trek NG displays). For those less artistic types, this site has many premade controls and design elements that you can download and use. I have pages with the TV channel logos as buttons. Pressing each button will turn to the appropriate channel. It looks cool and works very well. The macro ability of the Pronto is the next most significant feature. On the Pronto, every button can execute macros. As well, the ability to add discrete codes that perform functions that were not available on your original remote is a godsend. Discrete codes for your component are found on this site and can downloaded and used. The most useful has to be separate buttons for ON or OFF (as opposed to POWER buttons which toggle the state). Since many companies support discrete codes, you can truly set up some impressive macros. I have a button called "Watch DVD" that turns on my TV, RECEIVER, DVD, sets Video 2 on TV, sets Video 1 on Receiver, 5.1 mode on receiver and the remote will go to the panel with the DVD transport controls only. The volume button will move the receiver's volume instead of the TV's. And then I have a button called "watch TV" turns the TV on (if not already on) and the tv mode back to TUNER. This wouldn't be completely possible without discrete codes. And my wife can now watch DVD without worrying if all the modes are set correctly. It's an expensive remote, yes, but you cannot duplicate its ease of use in any remote that costs less. There are a number of competitors that offer similar functionality, but the Pronto's programmability still exceeds all of them. The setup time is quite steep and the newest version TS2000 will help address that with a built in database of codes. Quality: Features: Value:

Written by MICHAEL DE CHELLIS from SAN JOSE, CA. The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.

Review 17 made on Tuesday November 14, 2000 at 2:54 PM. Strengths: Potentially powerful programming capabilities that should easily satisfy any AV Junkie such as myself !! Weaknesses: Not very well thought out with regard to actual usage. Review: These LCD devices have got to be the most poorly thought out piece of equipment yet. I admit I was bedazzled at first when I asked my wife to buy me one for Christmas but after sitting down and thinking about how I would use it to control my AV system I realized how @#%@@&# dumb these really are. How the heck are you supposed to point to equipment in different parts of the room and also be able to see the LCD screen to press the appropriate button. Most people I know who would use these devices are not unlike me in that they have equipment in more than one spot even within the same room. Even a simple RF conversion isn't going to solve the problem for units which are not in the line of sight of an RF/IR transmitter and then there's the AC cord on the RF converter transmitter to trip over if you have to place it on the coffee table in front of the equipment. Then there are The signal relay devices with their stick on emitters which really make me ill as they are such an amatuerish afterthought and are not even supplied with the remote at any rate. Finally I have to wonder if these people that design these devices ever actually use them ! Quality: Features: Value:

Written by Todd from IN. The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.

Review 16 made on Monday November 6, 2000 at 4:57 PM. Strengths: flexibility to program any thing you want Weaknesses: if you have componets that do not have discrete on/off codes. it would be be nice to set a variable/switch on a button to know if it is on or off. the IRdatase is a good concept, but needs expanded. I bought mine recently for $265. it is stilla little pricy. what about a RF add on base for future. Review: the remote replaced all my remotes in the house. I am very pleased with the remote. even my wife can use it and doesn't mind using "1" remote. it is great. congrats to Philips Quality: Features: Value:

Written by Todd Garant from Alberta, Canada. The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.

Review 15 made on Wednesday October 25, 2000 at 1:29 PM. Strengths: The unlimited screens and learning functions. It definately replaced all of my other remotes. Another strength is being able to download other users ccf files and designs and being able to design your own through prontoedit. Weaknesses: Bad user manual. The pronto edit software should have come with the remote especially with that heavy price. It's a great remote but the price is way too high. Review: I don't regret buying the pronto at all but the price is a little to high for a remote that doesn't come with a very good manual and no software CD. The functions on it are incredible and endless. Overall, it's a great remote. Quality: Features: Value:

Written by Pete Anolick from Ohio, USA. The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-2 years.

Review 14 made on Wednesday October 11, 2000 at 12:32 PM. Strengths: > Truly replaces all your IR remote controls with one easily (once learned) configurable control. Weaknesses: > Backlighting is weak at best. > For the price, the software and documentation should be provided and more professionally packaged. > Appears a bit delicate (I've dropped it on carpeting and it went blank. Popped it on the recharger and 10 seconds later it beeped and reset itself... I've had to do this at least 4 times over the last year!). Review: Coming from a developer background I had no problem learning or "programming" the pronto using the downloadable software. While it would be nice to have programmable "Return" statements, I quickly developed a programming style for the pronto. I initially set up each remote control device as a separate macros, then developed several different "scenario" screens (such as a "Watch TV" set of screens that incorporated codes from my TV, Cable, and Receiver). While I love the pronto, I am still amazed how much they cost! Quality: Features: Value:

Written by Anthony Philippoussis from Quebec, Canada. The reviewer has used this remote control for 6-12 months.

Review 13 made on Wednesday October 11, 2000 at 10:52 AM. Strengths: CCF files, Bitmaps of any size, Memory efficient, IR strength Weaknesses: That the RC5000 and the Pronto don't have the same software features, the buttons on the macro page are not configurable, the name of the L/R buttons is on the screen. Review: It would be nice if Marantz and Philips added all the features to both remotes, if the remote can do it why not, it would be nice to make a movie (x page jumps) with a sound track (Beeps). As for the L/R buttons every time I give the remote to someone new, they read the names of the R/L buttons and press on the screen. It would be nice if there was a way of having the name appear directly on the buttons. If you are looking for a remote and you don't mind the price then this is definitely (at least for now) the way to go. Quality: Features: Value:

Written by BURT KRITT from LOS ANGELES CA. The reviewer has used this remote control for 6-12 months.

Review 12 made on Tuesday October 3, 2000 at 7:24 PM. Strengths: Totally replaced all my remotes (seven). Very easy to customize. Contrary to some other opinions, I find it very easy to hold. Superb PC interface programming. Weaknesses: I had it for about four months before I got a Phillips Tech who was able to make mine work. The instruction book says place the Pronto and the old remote 6 to 8 inches apart. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. At least for me it turned out to be 1 to 2 inches apart. Also, when I connectetd to my PC serial port, I did not realize that between the two ports available, I was at first connected to one that was already used by another component. Anyway, after about four calls to Phillips techs, I found one who gave me the information that I need to make it work. Review: Bottom line: Once you understand how to program it and get it working it is sensational. I would prefer it to be a little brighter and have a few more hard buttons. Quality: Features: Value:

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