I stumbled onto this forum a couple of weeks ago and have been getting increasingly interested in the Pronto based on the comments here. I was actually ready to buy one without ever having seen or touched it.

I was pleasantly surprised today when I found one at my local dealer (they'd just gotten them). I played with it for about 20 minutes and had a lot of trouble with it ignoring button selections. I had the salesman reset the unit. No luck. I kept playing and figured out that it was the way I was touching the screen. The only way I could get it to work consistently was to angle my finger/thumb so that only my fingernail touched the buttons. I found it extremely awkward to operate, especially so when using the one-handed approach with my thumb on the controls.

Now I'm no freak with fat fingers, so this was rather disappointing and caused me not to buy it. All the features in the world can't redeem a remote if the ergonomics aren't there.

So, am I the only person with this complaint? Are there any kind of touchscreen sensitivity controls I missed? I assume I could solve the problem by making larger buttons for my custom controls (although that would suck as I'd only be able to fit about 12 buttons on there), but what about re-sizing the standard controls (I had real problems with the scroll arrow at the top of the screen)?

(BTW, I had no such problems with the RMAV2000, but I really, really want the custom button labels offered by the Pronto).

Initially I had the problem where it didn't sense various presses, but over the past while it seems to have become much more sensitive (broken in?).

The AV2000 uses a different type of touch-screen (you can actually "see" the physical squares) that's hyper-sensitive.

I agree with you.....just tried the Sony av2000.
What good is it with all the gizmos if I still can't read it under circumstances and all these cutsy little squares on the screen for which there is absolutely no tactile feed. You just push an area and hope it will do what you were trying to do (and to be fair, it did).

Matt,
Any user "training" needed on the Pronto in my oppinion is far and away outweighed by it's graphic nature. You ask about resizing buttons? How about importing your own buttons? Like perhaps an icon for ABC, CBS, NBC, A&E, DSC, DIS etc etc etc. It would seem to me that this feature (any size you want up to the size of the screen) and the fact that if you need more, then just croll one menu down etc etc etc.
The ProntoEdit PC software provides this power and is expected to become available in release in about 2 weeks to coincide with the CES show.
I've been playing with beta version and all I can say is it's great! The release version is expected to be even better.

Hi Jack,

If it were only a matter of retraining myself I wouldn't have a problem. Strangely enough I was having a conversation with a friend at work about what I'd want in a remote (this was before I knew about the Pronto). When I stumbled onto the Pronto its list of features was eerily similar to what I wanted. The more I read, the more I wanted one.

I'd sacrifice alot to get these features, but the way I was forced to touch the keypad was physically uncomfortable to an extreme I couldn't deal with on a day to day basis. It's not just a matter of retraining myself to the new interface.

Based on Daniel's comments above, perhaps I should try another one or maybe convince the dealer to let me live with their demo unit for a week.

Matt,

sounds like you need a new set of fingers. the keypad is a breeze to use, only the page up/down keys are a small problem

Matt,

If the touchscreen is that insensitive, perhaps it just needs sensitivity training :-) No really, I agree that you should try another as this is not my experience and let's face it, every mfr has a bad unti from time to time for whatever reason.

Matt,

I'm pretty sensitive to the problem you are describing and pretty damn fussy in general but it generally works well. I do get a miss now and then. IMHO it is not a one handed remote. It takes two hands and you do need to look at it. You can't use the full "pad" of your finger, it's generally too big. Pushing with the tip of finger works and you don't have to use your finger nail.

The Scroll Button is kind of tight, but the idea is to set the things up so scrolling is minimized.

It might be worth recalibrating the unit (see setup menu, I used a Knitting Needle).
If it's a demo model someone may of fiddled with it. Reset/Reboot does not forget anything.
I'm not sure what a "factory reset" does regarding calibration. And I don't know if the dealer rebooted it of factory reset it.

It does take a little getting used too how much pressure is needed as well.

The hard buttons are also available for an array of functions that you can operate without looking at it and even use one hand.

If all else fails at least try one other unit before you write it off.

I think maybe you have to get used to the touch screen type remotes. My friend has one of those $3000 touch screen units by Crestron and it feels almost the same. The sensitivity is very similar to the pronto. the only difference I see is that his is color and bigger, and you need a pro to set it up. My Pronto works nearly 99% of the time any way I touch it. It is however more sensitive to the tip, mostly nail, of the figertip.

Matt,
I've been using the pronto for 3 weeks or so now. And I'm pretty happy with the touchscreen, no problems im sitting in my chair. The only complaint about its handling is when i'm lying it's just a bit too heavy for a vertical one-handed holding position ;) but I can deal with that.
The scrollbuttons are indeed the buttons I sometimes need to press twice or three times, but with the software you won't need to scroll that much again or you can use the hardbuttons for scrolling (I think).
Phil

This is just a suggestion, but maybe you coulkd use a stylus like those used by HPC's. I have had no trouble with my Pronto's screen since I set it up, but had to use a stylus to calibrate it because it was really screwed up at first for some unknown reason. (Works great now though!!!)

Barry, You're not using a stylus for daily use are you?

Based on the responses here, I've got to believe that this particular unit is just not working correctly. I tried many variations of touch pressure and contact area and was only able to use the tip of my fingernail to get it working consistently.

When I referred to reseting the unit, I just meant the recessed button on the backside. I'll be going back this weekend to buy a bunch of A/V cables and I'll try to get them to go through the calibration from the setup menu or try another unit if that doesn't work. Hopefully that will take care of things, and I'll be free to spend another $350 or so, 8-).

I'll let you all know how I make out. Thanks for the suggestions (except 'Fingers' that is ;-)).