Needs to control:

Sony TV w/ 2 tuner PIP
Sony VCR
Boston Accoustics Surround Sound system
and a satellite reciever (to be purchased)

What's my best option?

Hmm, for $2-300 you'd probably be looking at the Take Control for easy setup, the Marantz RC2000 MkII if you must have real buttons, or the Pronto if you want total customization (at the expense of setup time).

Daniel, I know how much of a true supporter of the Palm Pilot you are, but you forgot to mention it! :)

If you have the money. The Pronto is your best bet. If you want physical buttons, go with the Marantz, however it is not as nearly customizeable as the Palm Pilot or the Pronto or the Take Control.

I've heard bad things about the Take Control, but haven't had any experience with it. Check out the forum on it.

The Palm Pilot is functionally as good as the Pronto without the bells and whistles, and is the cheapest of the three. You'll find more than enough info on my thread on the Palm Pilot.

What should you do? DON'T BUY A REMOTE YET! Assuming all your equipment is listed and you do not have an infinite budget (although, don't people who spend this much for a remote have some cash just laying around anyways!)...spend your money on new equipment! DVD Player, CD Player, CD Jukebox, Receiver with DTS/Dolby Digital, etc., etc.! You'll find MUCH more enjoyment from a new piece of equipment compared to a remote.

I didn't mention it since I knew you'd fill him in. However, it really depends on how musch importance Doug places price over customizability or, well, the other features the Pronto can offer.

But I do agree with you: he may be best to spend the money on other more crucial home theater components first. I won't comment on the enjoyment factor though, since most of these new remotes really are fun even after many months of use! :-)

Sony CD Player is coming with the girlfriend, and I'll probably buy a 5 DVD changer shortly. But the remote thing is going to bother her and, to be honest, I like most of you am a gadget freak. Is the "Take Control" a bargain at $250.00, or should I just hold out and see what the Mosaic premiers at?

Unless you've heard otherwise, I believe the Mosaic will coming out next year. The "photo" on their site is a computer-generated mockup.

Doug, I presently own a Home Theater Master, Take Control, and Pronto remote. Aside from setup time, Pronto is BY FAR the best remote of the three. The HTM is great if you like tactile response and don't mind mapping some functionality to buttons that don't quite make sense or may be difficult to remember. The Take Control is bulky, slow, and not much easier to setup than Pronto, even with the software. Pronto is responsive, completely customizable, and a helluva lot more fun to play with. And unlike the TC, guests can actually figure out how to use it.

B.