Can a Pronto do these?

1. Press and hold a button for x seconds (example, of turn volume-down for 10 seconds so that volume becomes zero)

2. Have logical programming like;
press BUTTON, if time=6-7PM, then ACTION1,
if time=8-10PM, then ACTION2 so forth


I know that #2 is most likely wishful thinking. But My guess is that the Pronto can be made capable of this. Imagine the application of such a command!

1. Yes, you can simulate this with a macro. I have programmed a button for my reciever that I call 'low-level'. It is just a series of alias' to the 'volume-down' button. I include the low-level button in my 'watch-tv' activity macro so that the volume is dropped down to a nice low level before I un-mute the receiver.

2. No, pronto does not include boolean logic. Yes, you could do some wonderful things with this feature if it existed.

About the closest thing you could do is creat some timers. I have one that will pause my DVD player, change my reciver over to cable, and change the chanel to what I want. I also have it set to play a little song about 1 min before the show. So if I forget, it will remind me. :) But, there has been a LOT of talk about boolean commands on here. Maybe one day. But, I wouldn't hold my breath. :)

I don't see why it couldn't be done. The remote does have a clock, right? I don't see how it would be difficult to impliment. The Lexicon 700TRF already has rudimentary logic for its sense inputs. (If pre-amp sync is on, then [insert command]) Any hackers out there?

Shaw, Why would it not do it.

IF [time = 6pm]
{then Push macro device 1} (* macro device 1 is = to all power on *)


Say you want to use your pronto and stereo as a really cool alarm clock. Using your timers set up events that take place at a given time and point the remote at the unit to be controlled

{if time = 8pm}
Push [pronto Home, System off] (* pronto all off *)

What this means is if you set up your home page as a macro page to do system power on and a system power off button,the timmers can issue out sequences or IR commands at given times. Although I have never done this with a pronto I have seen people do it. that is use a pronto and a stereo as an alarm clock or set it up as a VCR event record timer. To say something like
at 8pm vcr on, change to channel 4 start record at 8pm finish at 9:00pm next timer 9:01 rewind vcr tape next timer 9:03 power off vcr. If you had a AMX or CRESTON system this is a frequent question and very easy to do.
However, these systems are very very expensive and require computer code writting. I hope this wilkl give you some ideas on how to get started.

Thanks for the comments. What I was wanting to achieve is to create a button called "Watch News", and for the Pronto to goto Channel 9 if it is 6PM, alternately goto Channel 2 if it is 7PM.

It would be nice if the next version of Pronto Edit incorporate this. I feel that it should be possible. The Pronto has an internal clock.

Shaw:
If you know you want to watch the news at 6 and at 7 all you need to do is create a macro that changes the channel at 6 to 9 and at 7 to 2, then you don't need to even push buttons.

But what you want is not part of the firmware, (it was not built to work that way).

Make a "Watch News" button that jumps to a news options screen.

On the new option screen, have two options: "Press me for 6:00 news", and "Press me for 7:00 news".

In fact, if there is the possibility of morning and lunch time news, just add them to the list. Then, since you the human are far superior in intelligence than your Pronto, watching the proper news at the proper time will be two button taps away.

Dave ;-]