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Topic:
Question to current Pronto Owners
This thread has 21 replies. Displaying posts 1 through 15.
Post 1 made on Tuesday November 24, 1998 at 10:40
Clay W.
Historic Forum Post
Hi,
I have been thinking about the differences between the HK Take Control and the Pronto. One of the advertised features of the HK is organization by activities. However, based on the Pronto literature from the web, it would appear that the Pronto could be programmed much the same way.

For example, one of the things I would like to do is have one or two pronto screens (device templates) organized for channel surfing. Since each button can be programed with a macro, this should be possible as follows: For each button on the chosen template, relabel the buttons HBO1, HBO2, TLC, FOX, CH 11, etc. Each button could then be programmed to switch to the correct source and change to the correct channel. I think this can be done even without the software package currently in Beta test.

When we are able to re-porgram the Templates, it should be simple to use further customize these surfing screens to configure the buttons to look like the DSS on-tv-screen channel buttons and/or the broadcast channel Logos.

This same programing idea should also work for other devices: From the macro screen, devise each macro like an activity - selecting the *Watch TV* macro could switch the source to your TV tuner source (a VCR in my case), and activate the corresponding devise template.

My question is: Have any of the lucky Prono owners tried this approach and did you succeed? Or, if this plan will not work, is there a different option that would achieve a similar goal?
Thanks,
Clay W.
OP | Post 2 made on Tuesday November 24, 1998 at 12:02
George Mills
Historic Forum Post
I'd like to know some of the answers to your questions as well.

I tried the "activities" approach with the RC2K
MK-I (a device based unit) and got real close. But because I had to rearrange so many "screens" the stupid thing ran out of memory.

Another important thing to get these remotes to work just like we wish to use them is to not treat macros in any special way. They should not have to say "Macro" on the button, you should not have to hold the key different to execute them, you should not have name or button shape restrictions, you should not have number of macro restrictions and you should not have to go to special pages.

It appears from what people have described that the Pronto could be activity based but requires a lot of rearranging like the RC2K did. The fact that Microsoft considered this from the start is impressive to me.

OP | Post 3 made on Tuesday November 24, 1998 at 13:14
bill rubin
Historic Forum Post
clay...ive had my pronto a few days and have done this... i changed a macro button to read menu. thats my default page. it always ends up there. on that page i have watch tv
watch dvd
watch vcr
turn off
when you hit one of theese it is a macro command so it sends out all the necessary beams to make it happen, for instance i hit tv and it turns on projector, changes preamp, puts guide on dss and the dss page pops up ready to roll. standard macro stuff. so if you set up a macro page you could put 5 channels on it that would all be macroized, sending out multiple beamage. but if you made a standard page one button controls only 1 thing.. the limit of 5 buttons on a macro maybe can be changed with software later on so you could have a dozen or so that were all multi beam buttons. the hk looks like it will be more comfortable to hold and the wheel could be perfect for surfing. cool toys!

OP | Post 4 made on Wednesday November 25, 1998 at 07:20
Phil
Historic Forum Post
Bill,
You're talking about "holding-comfort". Will and Daniel said they found it very easy to use with two as well as only with one hand. Do you think different about this? (maybe you have especially small hands? :)
OP | Post 5 made on Wednesday November 25, 1998 at 12:23
Daniel Tonks
Historic Forum Post
One of the great things about the Pronto is the underside is shaped to sit on your leg without falling off! A concave impression keeps it nice and safe, while the same indent makes it confortable for holding. The general build quality is exceptional; the unit feels very solid. Nothing can bend or twist on it. Nor does anything rattle.
OP | Post 6 made on Wednesday November 25, 1998 at 14:10
bill rubin
Historic Forum Post
phil
hey, watch what you say about my hands. they are VERY manly hands and i'm damn proud of both of em. Anyway the pronto is not quite up to ergonomic snuff in the holding dept. i predict phillips will add some antislip material around the sides so it doesnt slide around your hand so much and it also needs a ridge in the center back so you can hold it with one hand better a la rca dss remote. i double sticked one on the back and you can really manhandle that baby now. unfortunately it wont fit in recharger with said contraption on. the hk just looks loke you can hold it better. minor stuff. i like the pronto just fine The only real problem is with greasy fingers and touchscreens leaving smudges. Now i eat my pizza with tongs and keep my manly hands clean for button pushing.
OP | Post 7 made on Wednesday November 25, 1998 at 15:56
Will Cunningham
Historic Forum Post
I am pretty happy with the ergonomic's of the Pronto, though I do know what you mean about the slipperyness. It seem's to have a tendancy to want to jump out of my hands every once in a while. Thankfully when it's there, it's seems very comfortable to me so I am all set.

The remote does sit on your leg really well, but it fit's great on your shoulder too. I don't know why, but that is where I like to keep my remotes. I think I started that because I had too many remotes for them all to fit in my lap. :)

I agree whole heartedly with Daniel about the sturdy construction. I ended up putting it to the test a few days ago. I had it on my shoulder when I got up to answer the door... Much to my horror the remote flew off my shoulder and slammed into my coffee table, where it then bounced to the ground with a sickening thud. I was very relieved after I tested it and everything still worked. Heck, the battery pannel didn't even pop off!

I laughed out loud when I read the pizza comments! I have been trying to come up with a solution to this problem too. So far the best I have come up with is eating with one hand and remoting with the other. Here's an idea for an accessory! Imagine a snug, almost see through (with the aid of the backlight) paper towel baggie that you can put over your pronto to protect it while you eat. Kind of like a bib for your pronto. :)
OP | Post 8 made on Wednesday November 25, 1998 at 16:16
Phil
Historic Forum Post
Well, there are some kind of transparent plastic sheets which are selfsticking. Maybe you can put this on your pronto and after enjoying your pizza and making pizza-spots all over the LCD you just pulled off the plastic sheet.
Or maybe it would just be easier to control the pronto with your toes! :)
OP | Post 9 made on Wednesday November 25, 1998 at 22:48
bill rubin
Historic Forum Post
or just eat the pizza with your feet. voila!
OP | Post 10 made on Thursday November 26, 1998 at 00:01
Scott "popcorn"
Historic Forum Post
Actually, a baggie is a good idea. Get a zip-lock "snack" bag and place the remote in it. I do this for a JVC remote which controls a TV used in a bathroom to keep water out of it.
OP | Post 11 made on Thursday November 26, 1998 at 14:21
Steve
Historic Forum Post
Clay, what is the limit of 5 buttons per macro you are you talking about? When I create a new macro group it makes 5 pages of 5 buttons each (check out the scroll buttons when recording a macro). This makes a total of 25 macros per group. The number of groups, I beleive, is limited only by memory.
OP | Post 12 made on Thursday November 26, 1998 at 14:24
Steve Mahon
Historic Forum Post
Sorry Clay, my previous question was to Bill Rubin. Bill?
OP | Post 13 made on Friday November 27, 1998 at 15:01
BILL
Historic Forum Post
STEVE, YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT SCROLLING MACROS. I WAS TALKING ABOUT GETTING A LOT OF BUTTONS ON ONE MACRO PAGE FOR CONVENIENCE, BUT IF YOU DONT MIND SCROLLING AROUND YOU DO HAVE MORE PAGES TO PLAY WITH.
OP | Post 14 made on Saturday November 28, 1998 at 17:46
Steve Mahon
Historic Forum Post
Well, I have to agree with Bill here. In fact, why differentiate macros from other button types at all. ANY button should be able to be a macro, especially a device button. Why is this so difficult for remote manufacturers to understand!
OP | Post 15 made on Friday December 4, 1998 at 20:25
George Mills
Historic Forum Post
Thank you Steve.

I agree, Macro's may need to be differentiated when programming. But when using the remote there should be no need to ever know a macro even exists. A Macro page makes no sense when using the remote. Task page yes, Activity Page yes, Device Page yes, Macro Page (or group) makes no sense.

My guess is, until I get my hands on a Pronto is that a Macro group is just a menu of related items that execute other buttons. They might represent just one IR code that gets executed. But they are implemented as Macros. Perhaps the only problem is they perhaps should of called them a Menu Page or Activity Page (but since they are implemented as Macro's and the user is often the programmer they stuck with the term Macro page). Strange though that they had to limit these "Macro pages" to 5 buttons (perhaps to make it look like a simple menu).

Am I making sense Pronto owners (considering I don't have one yet)?
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