First, this message is *not* intended to gripe about the NEO and its little bugs. About the only thing the NEO does not do exactly as advertised is properly learn commands, and one of the only annoyances that remain aside from that is that the clock has to be reset whenever an upload or download happens. I think it's safe to assume that Philips is aware of these problems already and will (hopefully) address it in some future firmware update.

Philips has already demonstrated that they are willing to add new features to the remote (as per the inclusion of the web-style back and forward commands, backlight "On" setting, etc.), so in that vein, what would you like to see them add next?

For the purposes of keeping this discussion nice and sane, please keep in mind the hardware and physical limitations of the remote - IE it would be pointless to ask for more hard buttons, built-in carger, higher res screen, etc. Go buy a pronto if you want that. This is intended to discuss things the NEO *could* be capable of giving us.

Following is my list:

1) Variables and simple if/then/else logic for macros. This really wouldn't be all that tough for Philips to implement. 10 or 20 variables that could contain a single byte value could be sufficient to do things like - link a button to a certain action depending on the value of a variable, flip to a certain screen depending on the value of a variable. This would open the field for very very useful macros and even some simple games would probably surface - especially if philips would include a special feature that flips to a random screen in a device :) That would be neat.

2) Timers. A lot of people want this. The NEO has a clock in it, yet it serves no purpose (save telling time) except to clock small delays inside of macros. Adding timers, though, may be a bigger job than it sounds like, and though we may never see it on the NEO, it still belongs on my wishlist.

3) More flexible behavior of the hard buttons at the bottom of the screen. I'd like to be able to assign commands to all four of them, and to be able to change their function between each page in a device (although the last part is optional)

4) Accept Pronto Hex codes and Pronto NEO codes directly in NEOEdit. It's pretty ridiculous that it's so easy to do with NEOHacker, yet so inconvenient at the same time. Philips is probably better at writing a Pronto->neo code converter as well since they know exactly how the codes are formatted and the best that we users can do is trial and error testing.

5) Select default device page in NEOEdit. Again, since this is so absolutely easy to change with NEOHacker, why not just make it a standard feature?

As much as I'd like to see these features implemented on the NEO, the sad thing is that a lot of them probably will never make it simply because there has to be something to convince people to buy or upgrade to the Pronto. Personally, I think that the larger screen resolution, larger memory, built in recharging ability, and larger available base of pre-made configurations are reason enough, but likely Philips feels that they must withhold some software features from the NEO product as well. I only hope this is not the case. I bought the NEO mainly for the price and secondly for the hard buttons. Initially, I was very dissapointed with it and was going to return it and get a regular Pronto, but gradually I began to realize that the remote is quite a bit more capable, thanks to the user community, than it might otherwise be. I am very happy with my NEO - now that i've FINALLY been able to get it to control all my junk. I just hope Philips recognizes that they can easily turn this somewhat mediocre-performing product into a truly great remote. I know they'd sell a heck of a lot more than they are now!

I would like the ability to program all the hard buttons. Don't really care if those are the "mode" and "device" buttons. Put them on the touchscreen or something. I think Phillips is making a mistake by without things so we will upgrade. Unless they are going to make a new remote, the hard buttons make it unlikely that many will consider a TSU2000 a big upgrade. I believe they could however, lure a few current TSU2000 users if the bugs went away just because of the hard buttons.

I'd like to add the following request: allow entry of the UEIC extended function (advanced) codes. They are using UEIC technology (the device library, I'd guess), so why not permit entry of three digit codes instead of learning or pasting those hex Pronto/Neo codes.

1. Fix the firmware problem which prevents the Neo from learning or transmitting codes from or to the Lutron Spacer family of light dimmers.

2. Backlight and date/time setting get screwed up when you download. Doesn't sound like a biggie, but after resetting then for the 50th time patience gets thin.

Jon

My NEO crashes often, needing a reset. It would be helpful if the reset button hole were accessable without having to pop the battery cover off.

1) Publish the Greyscale palette so that in Paintshop Pro or what ever you use - you could edit the .BMPs and have them display properly (2 bit greyscale is a pain).

2) Allow the hard buttons to be programmed to do different functions if you hold them down. It seems like a waste to have the Setup button do nothing if you just press it, but go into setup mode if you hold it down. This has to be a simple setting. Plus it could add at least four more hard buttons(by doubling the current four) - adjusting the hold time would be helpful as well.

3) As an alternative - set the backlight button to turn the setup screen on when depressed for 4 seconds and have the setup button fully configurable.

4) Have time and contrast set by the NCF file.

5) I use girder and a IRman to control my PC with a ProntoNEO. I would love the ability to select more than one IR code bank within a single device. Then I could have say three different VCRs code banks that I don't own and assign those codes to control my PC. It would beat having to use a separate UniversalIR to program the codes into the ProntoNEO - which is what I do now (pain in the rear).

Just my US$.02

Dustin Mets

Just have it work like it is advertised where it will learn all the codes that a cheap $15 remote will learn.
Pat

Pat,

I 100% agree!!!

Jon

Add an option to NEOEdit, when saving, to not update your device page.

I'd like to see documentation on the serial protocol. A call to Philips about an earlier issue resulted in frustration as the customer support rep claims they do not support NeoEdit.
If that's the case then I'd like docs on the NCF format and serial protocols so I can build my own NeoEdit for other platforms. (Linux, MacOS)

I also second the request for simple conditional logic and variables.

1.Infrared up and downloading to Neoedit.
2.Allow overlapping icons.
3.Moving setup access to the light button is a good idea.
4.Custom configuration of all hard buttons.
5.Simple conditional logic.
6.I would like to see user definition of the startup screen.