Howdy Guys,

It has been a while since I have posted, I recently started another new job and that has kept me pretty busy.

My Pronto has always withstood a beating, I have posted in the past about how durable my Pronto was. It has survived some amazing abuse, I have dropped it and tossed it across the room accidentally more than once.

Last night it was dropped off an endtable and the backlight has stopped working. I read a few posts here that mentioned similar problem and that it is probably a little connector on the circuit board that was damaged in the fall. I plan to find a way to remove the screws and take a look to see if I can repair it.

If I do get it repaired I think it will make a nice secondary remote. This experiance has shown me how often I need to look at the remote to control some of my devices. I have always had a dificult time coming up with a CCF that was better than the TiVo remote, in fact I never did. It is hard to control because you navigate menus so often in your daily use.

I have decided that I need a remote with more hard buttons so I will not need to look at the screen so often. I still think the Pronto is an amazing remote, especially if you need to support technically challenged users. I do not have that problem so I can afford to go with someting with a little less flexibility if need be.

I am probably going to get the RTI Theater Touch as my replacement remote. It does not look perfect to me, but it seems more in line with my current needs.

What I really want is a remote like the Pronto only better. I want one with a touch screen about the same size as the Pronto's, but where we can use the whole screen and portions are not dedicated to enforced UI. I also want more hard buttons to go with that, in particular I want a navigation cursor with an "ok" button. I would also like to see a transport control and some generic buttons like the Right and Left buttons on the Pronto, except perhaps with three instead of two. I don't care about a number pad because that is something I rarely use and would not mind using the touch screen for it.

The more I think about it, the more I want to keep my options open. Here is a dream remote for you. Imagine the Pronto with some kind of solidly locking connection mechanism on the bottom. This would allow you to attach a small add on component in a VERY secure manner, that will have various hard button configurations on it. I could see one with a Navigation control and some other buttons, and a second one that had a number pad instead. This would let you configure your remote's hard button layout to be more in line with your everyday use. I know we will never see something like that, but you have to have dreams. :)

Thanks!

Will

Congrats on the new job!

You mentioned finding a way to remove the screws. I've created a little web page that describes how to open the case, just for situations like this. I hope you find what's wrong.

Just removing the batteries from the Pronto overnight, and/or hitting the reset button (in a hole on the back of the Pronto), may miraculously bring it back to life, too. It's worked for me.

As far as finding a better remote... Good luck. I'm not saying this because I'm a "fan", but because I've looked. About the only serious contenders that have emerged since my search may be the Home Theater MX1000 and, as you've mentioned, the RTI TheaterTouch T2. Daniel recently reviewed the T2, and his MX1000 review should be forthcoming shortly.

From what I can see, even these have limitations compared to the Pronto/RC5000, but they do have nice hard buttons and are more "handily" shaped.

We'd be interested to know what you decide on.

As far as the "dream" remote goes, I'd like something with all the capabilities of the Pronto, but with an LCD display that has raised, programmable buttons. You can program the three dimensions, shape, texture, and position of the raised buttons, just like you program the two dimensional ones now. You can also adjust each button's sensitivity (to touch). That would be even better than hard buttons you miss.

It will also be color (at least 64, but 256 would be better). It will be more handily shaped, and the software would have all the limitations of the current ProntoEdit worked out - totally redesigned, actually. The interface to the computer is wireless.

All that for under $300 MSRP!

Upon re-reading your message, Will, I see that it's only your backlight that's inop - so the reset/remove batteries suggestion doesn't really apply... I was thinking the whole thing was completely dead.

My guess is that it might be fixable. When my digital camera arrives (ordering it today, finally), I'll open it up and add some pictures of the innards to the "Opening the Case" page, and will get a shot of the LCD connector(s).

Failing all else (including your search for a "better" remote"), the LCD is replaceable.

>It will also be color (at least 64, but 256 would be better).
>It will be more handily shaped, and the software would have all
>the limitations of the current ProntoEdit worked out - totally
>redesigned, actually. The interface to the computer is wireless.

And the display would be as bright and readable as it is in the current Pronto advertisements!

Robert

Thanks, pictures are always nice. I would be interested in seeing the insides even if mine was not broken. :) I suspect that I will be able to fix it, I am not sure if it is a connector that comes loose or a part of the circuit board that breaks off. I am hoping that if it is the circuit board I can solder things together and get it working again.

I found that using a flashlight is not that painful in the short term. All I need to do is find a store that carries the Torx #6 screwdriver.

I hate it, there are many remotes close to my dream remote, but there is always something wrong to make it unappealing. The Crisp Solutions UCommand 616 is pretty close, except it could use more hard buttons and a more pronto like LCD screen.

The RTI T2 Theater Touch is a contender, but the touch screen does not compare with the pronto resolution or size wise limiting it's usefulness. I like the hard button layout even though I would personally change a few things (ie the numberpad). It is VERY close to what I want but misses it by a little bit.

The forthcoming Color Pronto sounds super cool to me, but I would expect it to have the same number of hard buttons as the current Pronto, which is my only real problem with the Pronto.

I placed an order for the RTI T2 Theater Touch today because I think that of all the under $1000 remotes it looks like it meets my needs the best. Actually it beats out the more expensive remotes too because if I can't program it myself I don't really want it. :)

After I get it and play around for a while I will write up a review for the new user review section describing how it handles my TiVo's. I don't expect it to be better than the orginal philips TiVo remote, but I suspect it will be good enough that I don't mind using it.

The RTI T2 is the best thing to come along in a long time and if someone breaks into your house in the night you can crack there head open with it.......
I is very well balanced and built like a TANK(as far as remotes go)Seen lots or cracked lcd screens in the last year and a half......
ALSO the T2 screen is not like the rc5000/pronto it does not show more finger prints then the FBI web site,
The screen is almost a stin finish instead of Gloss....
Best remote a GRAND CAN BUY...WELL WORTH THE MONEY.....
I will e-mail you a picture of The best reason to buy one..........

Taft,

While you are at it, why don't you post to the users of this forum the best way to take a hammer to your Pronto/RC5000...

After trying it last night, I realized that your hammer was also quite useful in daily sessions with Adobe, Quark, and Windows. But it became priceless when working with Regedit and MSConfig...