OK, I'll admit it, I'm a gadget-freak. A gadget-freak with at least 20 remote controls in the house.Everything I buy seems to have a remote with it. I've tried a five-into-one remote control before, with mixed results, so it took me a while to pluck up the nerve to invest in another remote-control ... Read review
Advantages: Controls anything and everything Disadvantages: Needs to be setup
OK, I'll admit it, I'm a gadget-freak. A gadget-freak with at least 20 remote controls in the house.Everything I buy seems to have a remote with it. I've tried a five-into-one remote control before, with mixed results, so it took me a while to pluck up the nerve to invest in another remote-control controller. I had the opportunity to play with this model at the Live 2000 show , and found that it had potential to solve my problems. The biggest selling ... ...customisable - both text and button size, and as you can have four screens of button for each device, you don't need to miss off features.
The box is a 'learner', so you point your existing remote at it's base, press the button to assign a command to, then beam it keypress from your normal remote.
It's pretty intuitive, although setting up a complex remote, such as Sky Digital does need a little bit of design work. Setting ... more
OK, I'll admit it, I'm a gadget-freak. A gadget-freak with at least 20 remote controls in the house.Everything I buy seems to have a remote with it. I've tried a five-into-one remote control before, with mixed results, so it took me a while to pluck up the nerve to invest in another remote-control controller. I had the opportunity to play with this model at the Live 2000 show , and found that it had potential to solve my problems. The biggest selling point for me is that it's touch-screen are all fully customisable - both text and button size, and as you can have four screens of button for each device, you don't need to miss off features.
The box is a 'learner', so you point your existing remote at it's base, press the button to assign a command to, then beam it keypress from your normal remote.
It's pretty intuitive, although setting up a complex remote, such as Sky Digital does need a little bit of design work. Setting up my TV, I could use the default suite of buttons on the SRC-2000, and was up-and-running in a couple of minutes. Sky took around 10 minutes to get how I wanted it, and now works a treat.
Other useful features include a timer (to switch my Sky box to other channels when I'm out), and a macro (to switch my TV to satellite, and tune it in to a specified channel, or to fast-record something. Overall, it's a good unit- slightly bulky, but beautifully backlit, and the screen is pretty responsive to keypresses. I still use the normal remotes for TV and video, but the hi-fi and satellite are exclusively run from the SRC-2000 now.
There are no clues as to who this is made by, other than that it's Taiwanese. UK price is around £100, and mine can from www.lektropacks.co.uk, although I've seen them in Hi-fi stores
In day-to-day use, it's still quicker to grab the right remote, but makes for a much less cluttered coffee table!
Advantages: Get rid of that army of remotes you currently use Disadvantages: A bit bulky and takes time to setup
I have owned a Philips Pronto Remote for over 6 months now.
So how good is it?
The remote is physically bigger than I had expected. All the pictures you see are from above, but from the side it is wedged-shaped with a thickness at one end of about 20mm and at the other about 50mm.
I bought the rechargable battery and docking station (an extra £50) but it is worth it. Changing batteries every 3 weeks is not fun.
On this point, one problem that ... ...and the battery runs itself down. I have found this is due to the contacts inside the battery housing bending down into the unit and so not making contact with the battery. worth being aware of anyway.
So how does it perform? fantastic! You really need to use the PC software provided. It comes with a PC emulator, so even before you buy the remote, you can download this software (www.pronto.philips.com) and start designing your screens.
You can ...
Uncle_Cel 11.01.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of LittleTom - Philips Universal Remote Control
Advantages: Easy to program, attractive design, comfortable to hold Disadvantages: Only works 2 devices
I thought that I would write this as I looked for ages for a cheap and decent on-for-all remote control that did not look hideous. The Philips Universal controls a TV and a video from the same handset and is very easy to program as well as looking good, rather than like a prop from 1960's Star Trek like many of the others.
Another bonus was that unlike some of the others that I had tried, like the One-For-All four remote, it actually worked all ...
LittleTom 11.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of LittleTom - Philips Universal Remote Control
Advantages: universal,intelligent,affordable, really useful Disadvantages: Don't buy it in the High Street, prices are way too high there
Not only will the Philips Pronto intelligent remote control all audio visual eqipment, it can also automate your home without rewiring.
Have a look for example at www.ptech.org.uk where you can buy it for £146 as against High Street prices (D*x*ns) of £250
So far there is nothing comparable on the market (except the same machine under the Marantz badge and more expensive.)
Other good websites to see the full potential of the Pronto are www.remotecentral.com ... ...to control electrical appliances such as lights,curtains, door locks - in fact almost anything electrical - has great benefits not only for people who love new technology but also for the elderly or infirm who have difficulty doing ordinary things about the house. Then there are plain ordinary people who just have too many complicated individual remote controls .
Finally there are endless possibilities to customise the Pronto by linking it to your ...
ptech 02.06.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of LittleTom - Philips Universal Remote Control
