Hmm,

This is pretty scarey. I bought the Ipronto because the technology sounded to be exactly what I needed. When I recieved the product (on-line purchase) I spent about an hour setting the whole thing up. It's worked perfectly, flawlessly for about a month now. I hope not to have the same problems.

I came across this site looking for high quality channel graphics. I have a somewhat complex setup and just wanted to dress it up a little. EPG update is very fast and I never notice it at 4am each morning. I never use it though because it's too messy anyway. It's a breeze to use and configure. Before the Ipronto I had ten remotes and my wife couldn't watch tv in the Great Room. (However, I still won't let her touch the Ipronto, she breaks everything). I keep mine plugged in all the time and it stays on all the time.

I hope you get your problems worked out. I'm more than happy about the purchase of the product. Perhaps a bit more robust operating system and java control pages. Hmm, ok thats pushing it. Or is it?

[email protected]

Ethan, I would suggest you read the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act, before you waste money on lawyers.
From reading it myself it seems that Philips would have to refuse to allow you to send it in to be repair for it to be applicable. Even if I am wrong, I am sure that posting on an internet forum is not adaquate notice to Philips.

To whom it may concern:

The iPronto is the biggest piece of crap on the face of the earth.
This email that you have sent me is indicative of the type of technical support that Philips provided with the iPronto. Your testing and quality assurance is pathetic at best and this hilarious display of trying to fool your patrons into believing that their opinion is worth something is as big a lie as the product you peddle.

Tim Perry

________________________________________
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, February 06, 2004 1:25 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Congratulations! You have been selected to participate in an iPronto beta test.


Dear iPronto user,

Congratulations! You have been selected to participate in an iPronto beta test.

Since the launch of the iPronto, Philips has received a lot of valuable feedback
from extensive users of the iPronto such as you. Most of this feedback came
down to issues that prevent users to make optimal use of their iPronto. Therefore,
Philips has selected you to participate in a beta test of new iPronto software.

This beta test will last until the end of February (approx. 3 weeks), and will require
you to report regularly on your test experiences, by means of a web based tool. Before
being able to start the test, you will be required to read and sign a Beta Test Agreement.

To be eligible to participate into the test, you are required to own an iPronto.
Please be aware that during the period of testing, your iPronto system software
will be updated to a beta version.

If you would like to join this beta test, please reply to this email with the subject
"applicant for iPronto beta test". Applying to become an iPronto beta tester will
be possible until Wed Feb 10, 12 PM.

Thank you in advance for your support!

The Philips Prontoteam

ONE THING I KNOW FOR SURE; I-DO-NOT-AGREE-WITH-YOU.
There's nothing wrong about this great product!

regards,
Kees

ps. I received the same mail from Philips and I see this as an oppurtunity for all of us iPronto-users!

This message was edited by Kees van der Meer on 02/06/04 16:37.

Likewise. My iPronto has worked perfectly from day one. I love it. If I had to levle one critism at it it would be that it is slightly too bulky to be used as a one handed remote but then it was never intended to be used as such and I never expected to. I forgave that to have the gorgeous screen.

MY iPronot has been flawless, not locked up once, not crashed, behaved perfectly in every respect. Had great fun programming it and also see the received e-mail and offer of beta testing as a positive step from Philips to include their customers in helping to further improve the product.

I just guess some people are never happy.

Hey wattsn,
That's not nice. Your IPronto worked. That's what it's supposed to do and that's why your happy. If the other guys doesn't, then he is understandably dissatisfied. To say "I just guess some people are never happy" is unfair.
I read a lot of posts from people dissatisfied with the product, so either they're all "just never satisfied", or maybe they have a point.

or maybe they are just expecting it to do more. Seeing as all these products come from the same factory with the same spec it just seems strange that many are working perfectly and many are not.

I just wonder whether it isn't an expectation thing after spending a lot of money or even a setup/user issue. An awful lot of the problems experienced appear to be to do with the network access / upgrading part of it and, after all, that could be network issues unrelated to the iPronot itself.

My comment "I just guess some people are never happy" was in relation to the fact that some whose device is not working correctly then complain further when Philips offer to involve them in a process that could actually help them. Instead of complaining about involvement in a beta program why don't they just accept it as (likely) intended. After all, maybe this beta program is to develop a version of firmware and new features which will get around a lot of these issues (whatever they are as I don't have them). The fact Philips wants to involve us owners is fantastic and should be welcomed with open arms rather than flaming them.

All I see is a lot of people making excuses for the product. YES, if you send big bucks for something, then it should perform as it was supposedly designed to do. Maybe some are just trying to rationalize the purchase by lowering expectations. If fact, any product, regardless of the price should work. If the average person can't get it to work, then that's a design flaw. As far as a beta program, that is supposed to be prior to a products release. If a company releases a product that does not consistantly perform, then asks the people who bought it to participate in a program to fix the bugs, that just means they brought it to market too soon. If they are reputable, they would offer payment for not living up to the promise in the first place.

Accepted. But I, for one, do not think they brought it to market too soon. Mine works perfectly, exactly as intended and expected. I just wonder, therefore, whether it isn't some other external influence (network settings etc) which may be causing the problems.

The only single problem mine has ever experienced was about 2 hours ago when the 8 navigation buttons down the left of the screen stopped responding to presses. A quick rebbot (about 60 seconds) and all is fine again. I'm afraid I accept odd glitches like this as part of 'technology'. hey, my Windows PCs give me way more trouble than any pronot remote ever has and I've owned everyone since the RU890 (and still onw a TSU3000, TSU7000 and iPronto). Call me mad if you like :)

Vincent, you have hit the nail on the head.

Wattsn, you are one of the lucky ones. You received a productg that worked as intended right out of the box.

I on the other hand, wasted days of time and hundreds of dollars in shipping costs trying to get just one good one. My experience was horrific. Take the time to roll back and see what type of experience that I had. I didn't get one bad unit but two bad units. My problems were not about programming. Any individual with reasonable intelligence can do that. My problems were brand new units that had not been QA'd. One unit had a bad screen that was obvious at the time of turning the unit on. The other was due to a crack in the motherboard. Both issues could have been caught at the manufacturer if it had properly been tested. Philips lack of QA and inconsistancy is a huge issue for consumers.

My experience with their technical support team was just as disappointing. Go read about it and then pray that you do not have to deal with them. Again, if Philips is going to sell a $1600 remote control then they should support it.

I returned my iPronto long ago but I haven't forgotten my experience with Philips. I still have my pound of flesh to take. My lost dollars worth, you might say.

And a last word about beta testing. Could it be that they are trying to apease you? As there are so many disappointed owners it's easier to try to give them a word or a voice to make them feel important. Beta testing should be left to professionals. Do you have a clue as how to test a unit properly? Are you aware of the specification documents that should be generated prior to test? Or even how you would approach a systematic test? I bet not. I've been in the software systems development profession for 25 years and customer beta testing programs are offered only to unhappy customers. It's just smoke and mirrors.

I feel its important of prospective iPronto owners to see other peoples experiences before they buy. They need all of the information. Some may be happy and some may get burned, like me.

Now that's an attitude Hammer! So that's how you or the company you work(ed?)for as IT-director, is treating unhappy customers; let them become beta-testers? And you warn us against Philips? And in your opion, we iPronto-users are not professional enough to become Beta-testers?

Your experience is a very sad one but, enough is enough! This is not the right place to confront us with your with very negative and insulting attitude. If you don't have your iPronto anymore, then I should think it's time to leave this forum. Please go and fight your war against Philips elsewhere and not on this beautiful place. Daniel Tonks doesn't deserve this.

Ditto!!!!!!!

Remote Central is a great source of information for everyone, including myself. But you're correct, I've had my say about Philips and now I will venture into another area to find the perfect remote.

good luck with your iPronto's and I bid you farewell!