Well, I'm not an expert, I've never owned a Pronto & this is my first 'learning' remote, but I will tell you what I think of it. I've always both desired and detested the Pronto. I love the 'cool' factor, but I hate the idea of being forced to look at a screen for EVERY A/V function I wish to perform. Sometimes, laying on the couch in a dark room with the remote in your hand is important. Feel and sightless operation are important. And with a TiVo, I needed more than channel & volume up/down.
To me, the Neo is moving more in the right direction than even the Pronto Pro. I don't much care for a color screen (RF would be nice). Sure the resolution is much worse than a Pronto's resolution (personally, the simpler the better in my mind). Get used to just plain buttons and no more than a dozen or so buttons per page (and trust me, you'll probably want less than that to avoid false pushes). But the form factor is a dramatic improvement. The four-way switch is great. Plus, it still has a major cool factor among your friends.
What I dislike: No RF Still a few hard buttons short (2 more would be great) No 'in unit' recharging for batteries (you have to recharge them externally) Programming limitations (that'll hopefully be fixed) - Example: the main menu (device menu) doesn't allow for custom actions to be assigned to the device buttons as this menu is dynamically created.
What I like: Form factor (buttons, buttons, buttons) Looks cool Good price (I wouldn't pay more than 250 for a remote - and yes, I know I can get a low end Pronto for that on EBay)
What I can live with but others many not like: lower resolution lack of ability to create 'flashy' pages
My goals for A/V control: A remote like the Neo with RF and recharging cradle for simple day to day operations. A wireless tablet PC for complicated operations. Dynamic menu capabilities, large color screen. Why buy a Pronto Pro? Get a tablet PC and get web access as well.
So far, 1 week in, I really like it. I had some bad times, but I muddled through those. I might have more fun with a Pronto, but this feels like a more practical solution.
