+1 on that. My remote still works, all current sw is still available on the old Pronto site.
But lot's of people lost their jobs.

In the light of iPad's and IP (and z-wave or similar) controlled devices, maybe they realised that the time for a mostly IR based home automation device is gone. 

For myself ... ;) Let's hope for GPL'ed code, and rfx9600 on discounts ... 

After talking to some of the distributors I don't think the Fat lady has sung her song just yet..

Their are companies interested in buying the IP and keeping it all going but only time will tell if we will see that actually happen, and the ball is really in Philips court on that one I guess.

Hey it's a $20m dollar lottary here tonight.. That should save it :)

Don't know about AMX but Creston isn't as much anymore.. yes it can get VEERRRYY expensive but it's all up to how you design it. if it's for a one room solution, crestron can now be VERY competitive with pronto. try and attend their design course and you'll see for yourself.. they really pushing that "cost effective" solution strategy because a good part of the market is moving there now..

Last time I've checked the better remotes where still very expensive (€4000 or so). The simple controllers are "cheap" (<€1000).

I've been numb since the news. I know the prontoteam members feel worse so I shouldn't complain, but it really hit me.

I would support a letter writing campaign to senior executives at Philips. Not sure if it would change their decision to get out of this business, but we could influence them to allow the IP to live on, somehow.

Comments ? Anyone knows who the best recipients (most meaningful) at Philips would be ?

Paul

It is sad to hear what happened. I feel for sorry for the staff that would lose there jobs. I ll hang onto my remote for awhile and the day it dies I will look elsewhere unless as some have mentioned that will takeover where philips has left. But I do agree though why go through all that trouble in developing that new site.

Very sad news. Best of luck to all the team in Belgium.

very sad news, it is the end of an era.
I also wish good luck to the people working in the Pronto division, I can’t imagine how hard it is for them.

This is very sad news..... :(

With the current PEP V2 and associated remote firmwares, I'm not sure I would want to upgrade to V3 given that it might not be a supported product. I hope somebody purchases and rebrands..... SJ

Yeah... sad news....BUT:

Not entirely unexpected.

Let's face it, 3 years ago the Pronto (TSU9600 & 9400) was a good bet when compared with it's more expensive rivals (Crestron & AMX).

3 Years later Pronto has changed very little but the market has shifted massively.


As a CI installer I can say it's an extremely difficult sell, trying to justify over £1K for a 3.5" touchscreen remote that, in reality; has far less functionality than the ubiquitous ipad/ipod - which liked it or not, is the yardstick by which these devices are judged & less than 1/2 the price.

So how did they plan to respond? - with an in-wall panel that looks 3 years out of date before it's even been released..... Pronto seriously dropped the ball - do they even have a market research dept FFS??

So yes, it's not good news; but then at least the decision has been made and we can plan for the future - surely it can't be that hard for someone to create a hardware device like the RFX9600 that has a built in webserver.........?

Would be cool if there was an iPad application that emulated the pronto in capabilities (and the ability to program). That combined with some type of extenders (like the RFX9600) to integrate with your various components as well as direct network control since more and more components are networked these days. Maybe that is where we are headed. However, for now, my Prontos still work great and I'm still sad (especially for the employees who have really put so much into the products over the years)..... SJ

These ideas were being thrown around an investigated to some degree.. I was all for emulation and the ability to download an XCF to it (somehow).. Who knows maybe who ever gets the IP might look at that as an option.

Completely agree with that idea. I think that our forum is strong enough to find a new way out of this situation. I just can’t stand still looking all that effort from people all around the world is thrown away.

Hi to all !
Of course it's a real pity for the Pronto team loosing their jobs because of Philips' decision. I feel with them.
A few voices here already stated that the Pronto series didn't grow up with the iPods and iPads out there. I fully agree with that. But it is not only the hardware that makes the device sexy and influences the price. I had an iPod touch for a few weeks and use now an iPad. Both gadgets are great but I don't wanna use only the iPad to control my stereo or homecinema. The iPad is too big the iPod too small. An iPod Touch with a few hard buttons could make it. I hope Savant or some other manufacturer invent something nice...

But what really hurts is not that there will be no more new software to our Prontos. To be honest: Most of the the firmwares and Pronto Edits where quite boring to me. I think at Philips they never realised that most of the Pronto buyers where freaks like me who want total control over their equipment and that "we" don't want a third party to program our device. I hope, I don't only speak for me alone...

The real tragedy today is not that there will be no more new hardware or software. The tragedy is the end of the line. From this point now there is no vision to where to carry my (better our) efforts. Like most of you I nearly have owned every Pronto modell the last ten years now ending up with a 9400. Yes, it would be cool if Philips had introduced a newer Pronto line with multitouch or implemented webbrowser and so on. But for these gadgets we can use our iPads.

What really hurts is the loss of our work. Every pixel on my Pronto is designed by me and no one else. My Prontos saw dozens perhaps a hundred different configurations of my homecinema and was able to handle them all. From time to time I find buttons on my Pronto which were designed ten years ago. And I re-use the graphics or the codes behind that button.

With every new device I found workarounds and created new optics and found sometimes new functions with the help of my Pronto and remote central of course. The option to load "standard" IR-Codes from other users here was always great. Sometimes I had my Pronto reconfigured for a new device before the device arrived. All with your help.

The Prontos can do things which are essential like macros on every button, delays and a few things more. My Pronto configuration hold buttons and codes which run since five years. I cannot even remember how it works, but it works. I don't want to re-invent them. I always thought that I will transfer these ideas to the next generation Pronto. But as far as I see this option died with Philips decision and this is the real tragedy in my eyes.
Nocko!

I know for a fact that someone is looking at taking an xcf and using it to set up the majority of the base for an iPad. Clearly the graphics and, image placement, extender operation (issuing commands to extender like devices) are all practical. Handling the code (Prontoscript) is another issue mainly because of the way the iPad is structured internally and Applies policy regarding code on an iPad. Yes I know about jailbreaking. Probably doable to some degree, but non trivial.

Meanwhile all the code I have on my Pronto's will continue to work, and I can add new features and change equipments with what is out there today (PEP 2). I do not actually see a time when I will not be able o do what I need (not necessarily want) to do.

The world is not ending merely an era.