Customer Reviews

Philips TSU3000 13-Device Pronto Universal Touch Screen Remote Control

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I am an owner of a TSU-2000, and I recently upgraded to the TSU-3000.

I upgraded because I felt that the TSU-2000 lacked perfection in only 3 areas. First, the graphics (specifically the contrast) on the 2000's screen are mediocre, although they are very usable. Second, the 2000 lacks a physical toggle/cursor. Third, the 2000 uses batteries and, like any device that does, they must be replaced (or recharged) from time to time.

The TSU-3000 does admirably solve the first 2 issues, and I never expected the third to be solved in my lifetime. The TSU-3000's graphics are very good, and it has a toggle.

The TSU-3000's performance on the third issue, batteries, is illustrative of my faulty thinking when I upgraded. It never occurred to me that the upgraded model would perform significantly worse than the old model in lots of areas, but the performance of the 3000 is significantly poorer than that of the 2000 in many, many areas. In other words, not only does the 3000 need its little batteries recharged too often, but its performance in other areas is also deficient when compared to the 2000.

I am woefully familiar with remote central dot com. The forums there are very helpful, and very informative. Evidently, when the 2000 was upgraded to the 3000, the starting point was the processor. The Motorola processor used in the Palm Pilot and the 2000 was discarded in favor of a processor made by Mitsubishi. Unfortunately, the newer Mitsubishi processor doesn't work as well as the old Motorola processor. The new processor required new graphic software for the 3000 and, you guessed it, the new software does not work as well either. The list of performance deficiencies goes on..... I'd recommend reading the whole saga at remote central. The problems appear to plague all the new Pronto models--the 3000, the 7000 and the iPronto.

So, older is better. Oddly, prices reflect this, too. As of a few minutes ago, refurbed 3000s sell for less than refurbed 2000s. Now, if that doesn't make you stop and think, nothing will. Hmmm..... Is this another case of a company building a great product and then cutting costs in a new model, hoping to make money from past performance?

I don't know the answer to that question, but I do know this: my 2000 is going to my bedroom, and my 3000 is going to my closet. For my living room, I'm going to buy a refurbished 6000, the one with the Palm Pilot processor.

Bottom line: When compared to the 2000, the 3000 doesn't make it. Perhaps satisfaction IS purely a matter of perspective, and maybe my views are too influenced by the fact that I already own the best, that being the 2000, and the 3000 does not compare favorably.

I've likely put in no less than 100 hours configuring this remote using the PC software, and this is after I reused artwork and icons from many others who share on remote central. The result is a an attractive and easy to use display which can drive everything in my home entertainment system. Unfortunately, even with all the effort babysitters may still struggle to make everything work right. This remote and its software provides you great flexibility, but you have to really put the time in (on the order of weeks and months)to set everything up nicely. I rather enjoy doing all that, but I believe most people will not.
The greatest drawback with this device though is the battery life. I went through a set of 4 AAAs every few days. I therefore went to rechargables which I have to recharge every 2 days. I want to recommend this remote, but given the difficulty many will find in programming it and the battery life I have to stop short.

I owned a TS-1000 (the first version of the Pronto) and spent about 80-100 hours learning how to program it and getting my whole system working. Once it was programmed, my system - a front projector, electric screen, and 10-12 components in three rooms - was easy to use. Press a single button and the PJ turned on, the screen came down, the amp turned on, the volume was set, the (chosen) component was selected, and a Pronto screen with the most common controls for the component was brought up. Want to watch a DVD on the Jukebox? Hit a key, type in the slot number (from nice coffee table-style book thanks to dvdprofiler dot com) and everything switches automagically.

Well, I sold that house, and the Pronto went with it. I've just rebuilt a more modest setup, and the standard universal remotes just didn't cut it. I picked up a used TSU3000. It turnes out that some of them will lose their ability to sucessfully connect over the USB port, so I have a pretty, touchscreen paperweight right now. However, before I realized that it wouldn't connect, I looked at the new software. It's better than the old, but you can expect 20-40 hours learning to program (10-15 if you're an old Pronto user) and probably as much or more creating your first configuration. You've really got to love programming, and be a bit of a masochist, to really like these remotes. There are issues with the firmware from time to time, so even the best programming may not be able to do everything. As for batteries, the rechargables I put in the remote about a month ago, without using the remote, had about 1/3 charge left in them.

The entire support system from Philips is, perhaps, the absolute WORST of any consumer item I've seen. If you have problems, you may as well throw the dice and call tech support, 'cause you're not going to get any help on their web page. The software is generally very manual and couterintuitive (you can't edit multiple instances, there's practically no documentation, and the default system for creating configurations is byzantine and labor intensive - so much so that it's easier to bypass them entirely).

All that said, if you've got a bunch of spare time, a good helping of patience, some programming ability, and a desire to eliminate the clutter and really make your AV system look sharp, (and you don't have the extre $300 to get the color verion), you just might find this a fun experiment. IF you have a full time job and kids...well, you may never get the software up and running smoothly. Fair Warning.

BTW - I haven't tried the software for handhelds, mainly because (1) I don't have one with an IR LED strong enough and (2) I really like the "hard buttons" for volume, mute, and channel.

The Philips Pronto is the ultimate universal remote for those who want total control and flexibility, and are willing to invest the money and time. Although not required (but recommended), Windows based PC software is provided for designing and programming your screen/button configurations. A USB cable is included to exchange (download and upload) configurations between your PC and the Pronto. IR codes for many products are included and/or can be learned from your existing remotes.

There are a few downsides. The Windows based ProntoEdit software although good, does not have all of the tools that one might like to have for designing and tweaking the screen/button configurations. As a result, button alignment and distribution (consistent spacing between buttons) can be very time consuming. The software is a little quirky, has been known to crash and to corrupt configurations. You can avoid problems though by being careful and making backup copies of your configuration files.

The manual isn't great but 3rd party programming assistance is out there, for instance a better design/programming reference is available on the Pronto Wizard web site. The battery life is very short especially during programming cycles so I recommend purchasing the DS3000 docking station which comes with a rechargeable battery pack and acts as a charger. The IR range is very good, but if you would like to control devices from a distance of more that 30 feet or in a different room, the RFX6000 RF extender is an excellent product.

I bought this remote to replace 6 remotes of my new system.
Bought 4 months ago, and had trouble getting it to work right.
The default interface is horrible, and no wonder an earlier reviewer thought so badly of the image in a bright room. Don't expect to use the default programing, you MUST add a prerecorded interface to make this remote worth the effort and money. Go to http://www.remotecentral.com/cgi-bin/files/rcfiles.cgi?area=prontong&db=systems&br=&fc=
There are over 50 setups that people much smarter than me share. These formats are MUCH MUCH better than the default program.
Found Windows ME does not work well when programing system. Windows NT and XP work fine for programing. You can cut and paste from the various files posted to make a very readible and useful remote. However, I could NEVER get the progamming to recognize my components. I had to teach the Pronto EVERY button's function by teaching from the originial component's remotes. Fortunately, this is pretty simple and I had all buttons programed in about 20 minutes for 5 components. Now I have a very nice and useful remote. I can actually retire 5 remotes.

Unfortunately, I have not learned to program my new VCR/Hard drive component, and when I do, and want to program the Pronto, I will loose all learned formats for all components. Mickey Mouse, but worth the effort to get rid of so much clutter. The Pronto has an upload feature to upload existing formats into your PC. That feature does not work, and is a waste of time. Accept the fact you will have to relearn all buttons when making programing changes.

Bottom line: great remote if you are willing to spend the time to learn and program.

I've been using this remote for about 7 months now, and I like it a lot. My wife and I use it in our theater room to control a projector, reciever, cable box, DVD player, VCR, and lights.

A few tips:
1. Get the docking station and the RF/IR extender. These are a must. Setting the remote in the docking station twice a month for 45 minutes is no hassle at all. You can use it while it's charging. If you have the RF/IR extender you never have to aim it at anything.
2. Adjust the contrast, calibrate the screen, and download the latest firmware and software updates before doing anything else.
3. Use Pronto Edit - not the remote's built-in UI - to learn from other remotes. This will save the IR codes to your hard-drive with your configuration.

As others have said, programming the remote is hard work. I spent an entire Saturday (about 6 hours) trying different button layouts until I got everything exactly how I wanted. Since then, I've spent an hour here and there making small tweaks. When I created the cable box screens, I added macros for our favorite channels and downloaded images of the channel logos to use as buttons. To go to a favorite channel, I just touch the logo - very cool.

But I quickly found the limitation of macros. My projector (Panasonic AE700U) has toggle states for some of the video modes (there is 1 composite/s-video button and 1 pc/hdmi button). The result of pressing one of these buttons depends on which mode the projecter was already in. I wanted to add a "Watch Cable" button that switches the receiver and projecter to s-video input, and then displays the cable screen. But I still had to add an extra "video mode" button to toggle the projector to the correct video mode if needed. I also wanted to add macros to switch between the projector's user-defined video settings. Couldn't do this either because the projector's menu cursor always starts next to the item that was last selected - so I can't be sure where the cursor will be when the macro starts. This certainly isn't a problem with the remote - but rather a problem with my projector not being "macro-friendly". Unfortunately, this isn't something you'll know about most equipment until you buy it.

A few issues I noticed:
1. Sometimes immediately after reprogramming the remote, the buttons can be slow to respond at first. This goes away as you press each button for the first time. No big deal.
2. While using the Pronto Edit software, on 2 occasions some of the system graphics got corrupted and appeared as a block. The only way to fix it was to start a new configuration file from scratch (or re-open an older good copy) and copy/past my work into the other file. This was a bit of a nuisance. I think both times it happened after importing some images.

Since I've spent far more time using the remote than I spent programming it - and it works very well once it's programmed, I rate it highly. I should mention I'm a computer programmer, so I kind of knew what I was getting into when I bought it.

Got this years ago - don't think they make it any more. You may be able to find one on E-Bay. If I was smart, I'd get a replacement NOW before they're all gone.
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Freakin' AWESOME design. Handles just about EVERY IR interface out there. RF available also.
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You can find EVERYTHING you need to support programming this device at http://www.remotecentral.com/
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If you DON'T enjoy tweaking and logical design, stick with the Logitech Harmony, or equivalent. If you'd rather do it yourself, and get EXACTLY what you want - then THIS is the controller for you.
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You can mix and match graphics from any of the designs uploaded at Remote Central (all free), and store code sets from just about any remote you need. If the code sets haven't already been stored for download, you can capture them using your computer and the included software, then attach them to button icons, and you're off and running.
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It probably took me 3 - 4 weeks (part time) to set up the 6 remote controllers that I needed to replace. Some of that time was spent learning the programming software. I also bought a rechargeable battery for this thing - - you CANNOT afford to replace alkalines!
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Sure - - the newer color screen units LOOK nicer, but they are REALLY NOT more functional, and they EAT batteries more quickly!! The Pronto is the PERFECT mix of economy and function.
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Like I said - - if I was smart, I'd get a second one NOW, before they're all gone.
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Merlin

After spending an additional $150. to have it professionally programmed following purchase (as the earlier version programmed of Phillips Pronto couldn't be "converted"), the LCD screen "died" within only months of purchase and couldn't be repaired. The repair company representative told me he has seen this several times with the Prontos and urged me to try a different brand (Aurora), which I have.

I have had no problem with programing the remote. all of my top end sony products are bulit in to the remotoe and with the site www.philipspronto.com the remote has endless potential. the other reviewer must not be able to follow instructions.

I can't speak form how the item works because I never did have a chance to evaluate it. philips sent my order broken in two areas. Missing parts in the battery compartment, and the USB connector to program the unit was broken off of the printed circuit board ( and they told me it had the latest update. How I don't know). My biggest complaint is with their customer service. If companies strived for the worst customer service possible, philips could write books and give seminars in how to achive this feat. This is without a doubt the worst customer service I have had the misfortune of dealing with. The quick summary of my ranting; After three days of calls (hours on the phone getting bounced around) and emails concerning an item that was delivered unusable, I had to resort to filing a dispute with my credit card company to recover the money I spent on the item. The only thing this company was quick to do was take my money. If you order from them pray the unit works or you are in for countless hours of frustration.