Just wondering if anyone knew about converting a pocket pc into a touch screen or stylus style remote. I was just about hooked on a pro until i ran into an article that was talking about using it as a remote. in particular i was looking at the ipaq 3870, 3835, or 3765 ...if anyone has knowledge on which model would be best fit for a remote please let me know!

im sorta a newbie to the pronto and pda world, so im sure these questions have been posted before, but if anyone knows the pros and cons of using this instead of a pronto pro, please let me know as well =)

many thanx in advance!!

jR

Here is a thread with a lot of discussion on this.

[Link: remotecentral.com]

I paid $250 for my Pronto about a year and half ago. It is not color and is rather bulky (compared to the Ipaq)

Last month I purchased a Color Ipaq 3765 on Ebay for $310.00 using TV Remote Controller 3.0. I used my preexisting CCF's from my Pronto and now I have a color remote a lot cheaper than a ProntoPro.

I found that even though it uses my current CCF, I had to teach it all of the Ir commands.

thanx for the link =)

also, does anyone who use their pda have any problems using it as a remote, i.e. it freezing up, commands not learning, etc?

Nope, the only "problem" is, that the TVRemote-Controller Software sometimes "forgets" the codes that are on the hardware keys. Then you have to stop the software and start it again. This only happens once a week or so and starting and stopping take only seconds, so thats not really a problem.
The only codes that it cannot reproduce are the codes from the Pronto's internal library. Since memory is not the problem I learned the codes anyway. My ccf is about 500kB which is nothing compared to the 64MB the iPAQ has. I'm really fine with it.

Wilhelm

Well, I bought the Marantz 5200 and I also run Tv Remote 3.1.

If I had the choice today, I'd go strictly with TV Remote 3.1 and a PDA. You get to use the same software and make the same screens that behave the same. You don't need an IR extender.

I am quite impressed with this software...

-Mc

one problem with the PDA's is their IR range. However both the newer Sony and the brand new 3900 series IPAQs have a beefed up IR for controling consumer electronics. Combined with whatever software you choose, these PDAs with their superior displays, huge memory, superfast chipsets, expandability, and versatility make the choice between high-end remote divices easy. Check out the specs on the pronto hardware and you'll see their technology is obsolete. As long as suitable software exists, which I believe it does for most users, the PDA is vastly superior.

hmmm - i agree with you that these pda's are vastly superior from the standpoint of hardware technology. no question about it. i also agree that value for your dollar, pda's are vastly superior to a pronto-based remote. if you wanted to buy ONLY one device and use it as a remote control and also do some personal computing, well then obviously a pda would be the way to go.

Anyone out there with experience of using a HP 568 Pocket PC as a remote....what is the IR strength like.....or is it that the iPAQ is really the only option among the Pocket PC family.
Another question.........does anyone produce a RF (Compactflash) attachment so that equipment can be controlled from another room without the need for a IR extender such as the pyramid....?

Andrew

I can't answer your question about the HP 568 but I can answer your RF question. A PDA-ir/rf CF card has been developed but it is still a few months away as it requires FCC & CE approvals before it can be marketed. We also have to solve a packaging problem. It will not fit in a standard Type I CF form factor like PDA-ir does and custom plastics are prohibitively expensive.