If the iPronto development team would remove their heads from their rectums for a brief look at the real world, they would give the iPronto the ability to send arbitrary TCP strings to other devices on the network.

An iPronto that could send strings to a Global Caché GC-100 would become a killer product instead of a pretty,* expensive paperweight. As it is, a PDA with 802.11, NetRemote software ($15) and a GC-100 has more capabilities than the iPronto.

* comma is optional ;)

Whilst I do understand the point that you are trying to make I feel that perhaps it is not necessarily the ProntoTeam as such that this should be directed at. From the meetings I've had with both the UK Manager for Remotes and Accesories and the European Manager for Pronto Product Development they are aware of the comments that are put forward here however putting forward a valid business case for the development of those ideas is not straightforward.

What is required is for those *IN CHARGE* of the ProntoTeam to realise what the product they have in the iPronto could be capable of if they were to risk the development budget and really push the product. The hardware base is a cracker.

I have - on several occasions - put forward the suggestion/request that Philips implement either a software NetX or a hardware NetX with a serial port output rather than IR.

Phil

Hi

I totally share your frustration. I have been trying for over a year now to get the iPronto to control a complex home theater installation. Using one way IR code is just not good enougth, especially as some devices, such as my projector, need 2 way RS232 to control them properly.

I have been playing around with a software alternative to GC-100 from CharmedQuark. I can implement all the distributed control I need to operate house lights, amplifer, projector and software applications on my HTPC, but I am stuck for a handheld control device. My iPronto would be perfect - the right size, the right weight, the instant on etc.

BUT I CAN'T USE IT!

It won't send TCP strings. It won't allow me to run a fast version of VNC so that I can duplicate an interface on another PC. It won't run Windows .NET so that I can implement the interface directly. It's just an expensive paperweight that makes me sad evertime I look at it.

The CharmedQuark bulliten board along with other boards have many threads about people looking for a handheld touch screen device for home control. If you forget the expensive and closed devices such as those from Celestron and AMX, there is really nothing between large tablet PC's and small PDA's.

Why the iPronto team does not see this market opportunity and do something about it is beyond me? Perhaps it is part of the same lack of vision that is bringing down Philips as a whole.

PJG

Phil is probably right that it's not the iPronto Team that's to blame and I apologize for casting aspersions on them. The problem is undoubtedly higher up the food chain.

I don't see the need for a big development budget. Obviously, the iPronto can send TCP strings via 802.11 - it just can't send them at a time when they would be useful. The Gllobal Caché GC-100 could receive them (via a WAP or router). Instead of assigning a CCF hex code to a button, it could be assigned a TCP string using the GC-100 format (about the same size string). Where's the big cost?

2-way RS-232 I just don't see happening full stop as there is no easy way to slot that functionality (for handling incoming events and data) into the existing iPronto/Pronto type of programming environment. 1-way should however be possible.


At the risk of making myself sound like a complete tw*t, were you told that it could do all these things when you bought it - if so then you should be taking this up with your dealer. I haven't seen anywhere that the Pronto is capable of sending TCP/IP data (even though it obviously can) or that the user should have access to such functionality. If you bought the iPronto expecting it to do something without checking that it did then - unfortunately - more fool you. If you bought it knowing that it didn't do what you wanted but expecting that you could find a workaround or someone would hack the functionality into it then you took a calculated gamble which could still happen.

You can get such functionality from kit like Crestron and AMX so if you need that then go for it ... buy Crestron or AMX and pay the pricetag. I see what you're saying though - there's no reason why it *CAN'T* do what you want (other than the functionality isn't supported from the manufacturers) but the plain fact is that - at the moment - it *DOESN'T* do it.


I don't see Philips being brought down by a niche market remote control ... the marketplace for the iPronto is very limited, we probably sell more Pronto's in two days than we have iProntos in a year but it's a good bit of kit and does the job it was designed to do well. Of course there are things that shouldn't be hard to implement and would allow a much inproved functionality but whether they ever do get implemented is a different matter completely.

Phil

I didn't say big development budget - just development budget.

I get the feeling that there are not many people still working on the iPronto now that the actual project design is completed and the unit is out - I think we have people fixing bugs but that's about it..

Phil

Sounds more like they're digging its grave.

I understand this - which is why I would like to interface the iPronto to products like the GC-100 or CharmedQuark that can.


I did buy the iPronto expecting a lot of things. There was a white paper on the Philips site (no longer there I see) that talked of interfaces to other third party software for control of entertainment throughout the house. I did check all of the avaiable technical information before purchase. But you are right in that I did gamble that a company like Philips would fullfill its marketing promises.

The current web site still has under Technical Specifications

" Future upgradable multi-media card slot and USB port (accessable through future software upgrade)".

I could go on. The impression in all the Philips advertising was that the iPronto would be the center of a complete home automation system. Again from their web site:

"iPronto, complete control anywhere in your home.

Looking for benefits without hassle? Fun without fuss? It’s now within your reach! With iPronto!"

I am just sad that this is a good product that has failed to meet its expectations. I understand that its not the fault of the product team - if they have no money, they can't do anything.

To be fair - the iPronto is probably the best and most expensive programable IR remote control that you can buy. If thats what you require fine. But the extensibility to control other hardware and software over the wifi network is just not there.

PJG

Please don't think I'm knocking either you or the iPronto - I have a limited amount of access to a couple of people within Philips (and have had for a year or so) and believe me I do try as hard as possible to feed back any reasonable or sensible requests that are fed back to me from customers and also - to a degree - from here (even though I know too that representatives of Philips do look up here pretty regularly too).


Unfortunately I aquired a healthy distrust of anything that marketing material has listed as "For future expansion". But that's me being my usual pessimistic self.


Well as far as I'm aware there is something being worked on for the card slot at the moment but given that I can't remember who it was that told me then I'm not going to say any more than that - it isn't however anything like a "killer application" that we're all looking forward to.


*sigh* Yup ... I do see your point.


It just seems that they're not being allowed to develop the product. There's been a few times that I've actually managed to get into conversations with the ProntoTeam themselves and they do seem like they are enthusiastic about the product themselves however it just seems like their enthusiasm which could drive the product on is being reigned in by company policy elsewhere.


There are more expensive remotes - the Lexicon tabletop monochrome thing still sells for £1,500 over here (or it did the last time I looked) and that's a pile of poo next to the iPronto. The iPronto looks good (and impressive) on a coffee table and does serve a purpose.


I agree - it isn't there and I really would like it to be too.

Phil

Perhaps ... but I hope more like "Not actively developing".

Phil

I've been using the iPronto for about 9 months with no significant problems. What it does, it does well and I wouldn't be without it. However I too am disappointed that it does not seem to be being developed as promised in the white paper that was on the Philips website when I bought the iPronto.

I kept a copy of the white paper and it clearly shows a network extender with an RS232 connection. It also contains the words "For more extended status feedback, the network extender is equipped with a serial communication port" suggesting that two way serial control was planned at that stage. The white paper promises much more and states that Philips is (was?) working with partners to develop new applications for the iPronto. Have those plans now changed?

Mike

"Not actively developing" == deathwatch

If you could email me a copy of that then I'll bring it up with them and try to obtain comment.

Phil

Hi Phil,

Email sent.

Mike