I will post a few thoughts on the RC9800i after having a couple days to play around with a demo unit. I will touch on a few areas and then will be happy to answer questions about the remote.
First the overall look and feel to me is excellent. I was pleasantly surprised at the size since it was smaller than I expected. Looking at pictures it seemed as though it would be larger and bulkier than what it is. It also feels very sturdy and solid enough to withstand falls. In addition it fits comfortably in my hands and was easy hold. The screen is very crisp, sharp and easy to read. The touch screen is also very responsive and accurate even when touching some small buttons during programming.
Setting up the remote was easy to figure out. You go through a series of questions. First you tell the 9800i the rooms you would like to control. Then you choose your equipment for each room. Finally you program the codes for each piece of equipment. When programming the codes for your equipment you can either have it auto scan or learn the codes from your previous remotes. I used auto scan for setting up my equipment. The 9800i will run through a series of codes and when you equipment responds you tell the 9800i by tapping a button that says �my equipment responded�. You then test the codes for different commends to make sure you selected the right one. It may take several tries on some equipment that have several possible codes to make sure all commands work properly.
I have played around a little with the network abilities of the 9800i so far. It located my wireless network and connected to it with no problems. You can download and personalize a TV schedule directly onto you 9800i. To set this up you need a wireless network and a free registration at Phillips website. During registration you enter you zip code and answer a few questions like do you have over the air, cable or satellite service. You will then see all the channels available in your area and can easily uncheck ones you do not want downloaded TV listing from. This is very easy to setup and not only cool to use but also convenient.
If I can answer any questions feel free to ask. I hope this brief review helps and gives you some idea of the abilities of the RC9800i.
