I'm not sure I want to get into my Marantz to add an RF transmitter, especially if C&W are going to change their boxes at some point (no doubt this will happen some time).

Is the suggestion to get the company to add an IRDA transmitter of some description, I'm not sure how an RF transmitter would help.

Marcus, it sounds like you might be onto something? Especially if you can do it from C&W!

Anyway, I'm still open to buying one of these remotes for 30 quid if it would help.

Steve

Steve,

We don't need an RF transmistter, I think that the response from Lets Automate was just an example of what Video Precision can do. What I was hoping for was some sort of IRDA transmistter that could be triggered by conventional IR codes from the Pronto. The chap at Video Precision suggested that our best bet would be the One For All as he's used it with the Pronto for other similar situations. However, before you buy a One For All, you must make sure that you can obtain the correct codes for our particular type of cable box. I've still not had a reply back from them. Does anyone know a more direct way of contacting them?

It would be brilliant if we could solve this problem with a One For All and I'm glad that you're prepared to buy one Steve. But until we know whether the One For All will support our cable box, it's worth trying to pursue this with Philips.

I've still not got an address from the chap on the ProntoEdit forum who suggested that we send a spare remote to Philips for investigation. As soon as I get the address I'll try to progress that route.

Teresa

I have in my collection a one for all 6, upgradeable. Problem being that I cant find the instruction book.

Has anyone got the 0800 number for the help line.
and I will try
8)
Marcus

The Number for One for All Helpline is...

0800 966 194

It can get REALLY busy, so keep trying.

I a in the same situation....so I hope we can resolve this once and for all...

Thanks..

Tony

A reply from One for All....

6 weeks....if people keep chasing then they may speed things up..

The email address that I got a quick reply from was: [email protected]

I agree that we should chase Philips...as they make the Pronto after all !!! If one for all can come up with a code...surely someone like Philips must have the resouce..

Dear Mr. Smith

Thank you for your e-mail.


Unfortunately the code for this Pace cable digital receiver is still in
our laboratoryes in America. I have to say that this procedure might
take up to 6 weeks.
Once this code is known I obviously will be in touch with you as
soon as possible. I am sorry for any inconvenience caused and that we do not
have a solution yet.

KInd regards
Camelia Mocan
Forwarded by: [email protected]
Forwarded to: [email protected]
Date forwarded: Mon, 29 Nov 1999 18:31:18 +0100

I seem to have got a second reply as I sent 2 emails to different places...!

Thought I would post it to show that a solution could be on the way....!!!

Dear Mr. Smith:

Thank you for your e-mail.
If I am not wrong you are refferring to the new Pace Cable &
Wireless Digital Box.
At this moment we don't have a code for it yet. However our
colleagus in the United States of America are developing a new
code that will work with this device. In the meantime we will keep a
copy of your e-mail and once we have the code we will contact you
to let you know.

Please let me take this opportunity to apologize for the trouble and
the inconvenience and to thank you for your patience.

Kind regards,
Ana Tauler
Ronald Vermeer
Customer Service Europe

Please reply to [email protected] and include the original message
You can also visit our website at www.oneforall.com

I've just had a phone call from a One For All representative in response to my email. She said the same as in the email replies, but she also said that they were having difficulties because the codes were not standard IR ones. She said to contact them again in about a months time.

I hope that they manage to work out the codes. If they can't, then Philips probably wouldn't be able to either.

Teresa

I've also had a reply from Jack Schultz on the ProntoEdit forum:

-----------------------------------------
Teresa,
I have gone to the mountain and unfortunately C & W chose a strange arrangment without a carrier for their IR scheme. It's also not possible for Pronto to recreate as it's being done within an ASIC in the remote.
The good news is that there are discussions going on to somehow get past this problem which will be dependant upon Pace and C & W's willingness to be flexible (aka responsive to end users) on the subject. It may require some sort of an external dongle or similar to provide a "normal" type of input capability.
Stay tuned as details develop. The Belgium team is "connected" on the subject.
----------------------------------

So if people haven't already done so, please write to Telewest or Cable & Wireless asking for a solution. The more people they are aware of that find this a problem, the more likely they are to do something about it.

Teresa

I wouldn't bet on One for All being a solution to this problem. If you think about it, for the One for All remote to control a C&W box it will have to put out an infrared signal that is identical to (or at least a very close approximation of) the original remote. So if Pronto can't learn the signal from the original C&W remote, it probably won't learn it from the One for All either.

The One For All remote has been used successfuly before for programming the Pronto for similar IRDA devices, so it still might work here.

However, I spoke to the Marketing Manager at Telewest who was sympathetic with our problem and said that he would look into it. He suggested that I talk to the engineers who were due to come out to see me about the widescreen switching problem. I showed the engineers my Pronto and explained just what could be possible if we could program our Prontos. They realised how much of an inconvenience and irritation it is and said that they would look into it. Telewest seem interested in our problems, now we have to wait and see whether anything gets done.

Teresa

Teresa
I too am going thru your pronto/pace grief....I also noticed that your last message contained a widescreen switching problem....Could you tell me more....I have a Toshiba 56 inch widescreen projection TV....I have my Telewest-Pace box set to widescreen....I am far from convinced....Tell me are these pictures being broadcast in widescreen....Frankly, my TV's internal circuitry seems to do a more realistic stretching of a 4:3 picture....Do you have the set top box in 4:3 or 16:9 mode (I assume you have widescreen TV)...

For Info:
I don't have a 'PRONTO' but this week One-For-All updated my OneForAll 6 (URC-7560) with a test version of their code which DOES NOW WORK with my PACE D1000T digital cable box (Telewest). Some buttons are not quite there yet but major functions seem to work OK.

Peter,

This is amazing. I'll try to email One For All again and ask them about this. I'm desperate enough to buy a One For All remote just to try this out, unless there's someone out there who already has.

I'll let you all know how I get on.

Teresa

Peter,

Any more news on these codes yet? Having finally managed to get ProntoEdit to work (using an emulator on a Mac!) I'm keen to finish off my uber-ccf...

Seb

I have been in contact with One For All and they have confirmed that their One for All 6 now supports the cable box via the telephone upgrade. I have just bought one but have to wait until tomorrow before I can call One For All for the upgrade. Keep your fingers crossed.

I'll let you know how I get on. If I'm successful with the Pronto, I'll post my ccf. If not, at least I'll be able to watch cable using one remote (ie channel surfing, volume control and TV picture aspect ratio).

Teresa