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Topic:
Last (sad) news from Ipronto Team
This thread has 19 replies. Displaying posts 16 through 20.
Post 16 made on Sunday April 10, 2005 at 11:09
colintve
Lurking Member
Joined:
Posts:
March 2005
7
ATARIMAN "Well, it's really only down to marketing laws."

I see where you are coming from, but I doubt Philips will be quaking in their boots about this issue, and will almost certainly ignore you on the legal issue. They can easily afford a defending lawyer, and your costs would be huge if you could find someone to take the case on against Philips. You should watch a documentary made about the people who took Hoover to court over a marketing issue in the UK, theyu have lost lots of money, and overall still lost their case, and this issue was clearly Hoovers mistake.

I think if you wrote to them to ask for your money back and send the unit back to them they may oblige, but they should take a amount of money off for the time you have owned and used it in the state it was in when you bought it. This would probably equate to the same amount of money that you would receive if you sold it on the internet, so I belive that may be a good solution to your issue.

Most companies make marketing statements that they intend to keep but fail. Its virtually part of all marketing campaigns. They are usually written at the point of a launch of a product with all the good intentions that you would expect. Look at Tivo, promises of all sorts in the beginning, Sky's backing, till they found their own agenda etc. I am just being realistic in a world that runs on business and money issues, I really think you will be wasting a lot of time and energy if you pursue it, but its obviously up to you. I would sell it on ebay and find one that does what you want (good luck :) ). I am in marketing by the way :).

I just am glad that Philips have put their input, money and expertise into this market, as without them we would all be stuck with those "other" remotes out there. I would bet Philips have not made as much money as they would have liked from this market, as it hasnt exactly taken off yet, even if everyone does have four remotes in their house.

I think the best way to try and get the other bits working is to find enthusiastic owners of remotes who are programmers, and hope they take it on. It happens in the games industry, and a few others. Dont know where to start looking though. Anyone got any ideas, might be worth placing them here.
Post 17 made on Sunday April 10, 2005 at 13:34
Barry Gordon
Founding Member
Joined:
Posts:
August 2001
2,157
I am more or less satisfied with my iPronto, but I use it in a very limited manner, more like the control screen of a crestron.

In the crestron systems I am familiar with the handheld screen is "DUMB" and does nothing more than a stripped down iPronto with out the EPG capability and web surfing. All of the real work is done by the Crestron controller, a dedicated PC like device with a lot of software running in it.

I built my system based on this design, never use the EPG and never go web surfing with the pronto. I do control an Audiotron (Audiotron control is web based) from it and can control my house since the house control system is web based. Basically the iPronto emits IR commands in a fixed protocol (NEC) to a PC that has a NEC receiver/decoder on an RS232 port. the PC sees device code, function code. I wanted to do RF but the Netx is whole other story of disappointment.

I am still annoyed with the performance of the iPronto just doing its basic stuff (emit IR when I program it to, and change to a new screen when I program that). At times the dealys are unreasonable!. Sometimes the audible click is there sometimes it is not. The IR is received by a PC which does all of the logic and emits IR to each component that needs to be told what to do, or RS232 or X10... In effect I have a Crestron for about $2800 in hardware costs and a lot of programming time. But my time is free to me!.

I have been working on a stripped down version of the program that I may distribute. It is based on an inexpensive IR receiver and an inexpensifve IR transmitter, both running off a PC, and each costing about $50. The transmitter can directly connect to a Xantech network and accepts from the PC standard pronto hex format (lerned codes)

Now my Gripes / frustrations:

The iPronto should never have to be reset. The whole industry should be ashamed of the fact that many microprocessor based devices have to be reset (rebooted), and we as consumers should never let them get away with it.

The iPronto should always respond (and very quickly) when the iPronto is moved or the side button pressed, by turning on the backlight. I am debating leaving the backlight on for a much longer time than 1 minute and see what happens to the battery drain (and more important the backlight life span). Anybody have thoughts on this?

I still am positive in my decision to by the iPronto, but I use it in a very limited manner. I am very negative in my opinion of the Philips organization and no longer buy their vapor ware products. (by that I mean if it has the Philips brand I reject it out of pocket).

I am not bashing Philips, but I am not a fool nor do I expect large corporations to change. I just eliminate them as suppliers.
Post 18 made on Sunday April 17, 2005 at 13:23
sparticus
Long Time Member
Joined:
Posts:
March 2003
30
Regarding the backlight "life" issue, I am one of the very first owners of the iPronto and I never unplug mine....consequently the screen is constantly on, 24/7. I've never had any screen/backlight issues to date. (so of course, NOW I will, since I'm bragging about it....)
Post 19 made on Tuesday April 19, 2005 at 23:19
Barry Gordon
Founding Member
Joined:
Posts:
August 2001
2,157
I plug my iPronto in every night. The backlight screen does not stay on. What am I missing
Post 20 made on Wednesday April 20, 2005 at 22:47
sparticus
Long Time Member
Joined:
Posts:
March 2003
30
In the "general" settings page (after you hold the scroll wheel down) I have the setting that adjusts "LCD power when AC plugged in (min)" set to ON. (it adjusts from 1 to 14 minutes, and clicked one time past 14 minutes, it will change to "on". That way, (if you so desire) you can have the screen on constantly as long as it's plugged in and you never have a "wake up" delay. And like I mentioned, being one of the very first users of the iPronto, mine has never been dark and the screen has lasted at least THIS long......knock on wood.
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