What are some of the better touch screen remotes out there? I'm looking in the $500 to $1,000 price range and I'd like to be able to control my own macros, and I'd like to have the ability to create my own user interface.

I was looking at the Logitech Harmony 1000, but I don't know how much control one actually has using the logitech software. Can I control when macros fire? Can this remote learn IR commands? Can I create my own user interfaces? How DVR friendly is it?

Was also looking at the pricey Marantz RC9001 Universal Learning IR - WiFi Remote, but why would I ever use the WiFi in this?

The Pronto Professional TSU9600 or TSU9400 look good too.

Thoughts?

I suppose there aren't any Bluetooth remotes that can learn Bluetooth commands are there? Are there any in the works?

Do you know about the web site:
http://www.remotecentral.com
Plenty of info there. I kind of think that remote control's are such a personel preference kind of thing that it's really hard for someone to recommend one to another person.

Yes, that's where I found the information to post here. :)

I've programmed my MX-700 myself, so I am familiar with programming macros and, in my line of work, I'm a graphics designer so I know how to create interfaces.

I think I'm leaning towards the Pronto Professional TSU9400, but it looks like I can only download the software if I'm a dealer I think. That kind of sucks. I wonder if they'll give me access.

If you have done the MX700 and intend to do it yourself, I'd kind of nudge you towards the MX3000. It's in your price range and the learning curve will be minor.

FYI... you can download the software from Remote Central's file area here
http://www.remotecentral.com/cgi-bin/files/rcfiles.cgi?area=professional&db=other&br=programs&dv=philipsprontoprofessional

The Pronto Professional is pretty much top of the food chain with what's available today. Awesome screen & great design. RTI, Nevo both have new controllers coming and the MX3000 is the best from the URC camp. The Marantz you mentioned is their version of the Pronto 9600 and you'd be better off staying with Philips IMO. Philips will always release new firmware and software updates first and Marantz may never release them at all if history is any indication.

Excellent info guys. Thanks so much.

I'm pretty much going to go with the 9400. Also, thanks for the link to the software (I have already requested access to the Philips site, but who knows if I'll be allowed in.) I'm going to install it and check it out now. I hope I don't have to hook it up to the remote to see it's functionality.

I'm seeing the 9400 on bhphoto.com (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/503231-REG/Philips_TSU9400_37_TSU9400_Remote_Control.html)for $600. You think I could find it cheaper elsewhere?

Also, do you think RTI and Nevo have something coming in the near future that will be better than the 9400?

If you go with the 9400 HiDef Lifestyle has it a bit cheaper than $600 and they are an authorized dealer and a sponsor here.

The other most comparable remotes would be the UEI nevo Q50 which has just started shipping
http://www.mynevo.com/html.php?page_id=345

and the RTI T3V which is expected early next year
http://www.rticorp.com/products/T3v.html

Hi

The WiFi interface opens up a whole new area of control for remotes in this price range. For example I have a 9600 and I also have a Denon 5805, one of the things that always annoyed me about the receiver was that the on screen display info (volume,DSP mode and input) was only output in 480i so no display on the screen in anything upscaled. The 9600 allows me to network the reciever and query those settings from the Denon and display the info directly on the screen of the remote. Philips also has some modules available that interface with Escient and Lutron equipment (with more to come). I can display my movies and music in the remote and select what I want to watch/hear. I have a friend that has written a weather module using the scripting language and now the wife has a page on the remote where with the push of a button she can get a five day forcast. I see endless possibilities with this device through the WiFi.


Tom

That's pretty sweet.

Now I just wish I knew Javascript better. :)

I got the 9400 instead of the 9600. I'll probably regret not having the higher resolution of the 9600, but the 9600 looked a lot more bulky to me. Thoughts?

I have been a Pronto fan since 99 when the 1000 came out besides my 9600 I also have five 6000's that I use to control my whole house system. I realy wanted the higher resolution screen, however the base of 7000 & 7500 graphics should work fine for you in the 9400, there is a really nice collection on remotecentral. I was never good at creating my own buttons and such but was always able to adapt something I found there. The 9600 replace a Marants 9200 from the theater and while it is a little larger I really like it so far. I will probably replace some of the 6000's over the next year especially if Philips continues to support this remote. Rumor has it that programming support for the jog wheel and dynamic image downloading are coming before the end of the year as well as a new version of the editor and more interface modules. Good luck with your 9400, I'm sure you will enjoy it.


Tom

BTW

If you scan the posts in the Pro forum on remotecentral, there is a gentleman named Barry Gordon who is writing some interesting apps, one is a Slimserver interface and the other a library program that uses an XML file from DVD ProFiler to display your movies directly on the remote, and there is now some chat about a TV Guide type interface (not like the old Philips) that someone is looking into........

Thanks.

I've decided to cancel my 9400 order and order the 9600 instead. You guys cost me too much money. ;) J/K

Wait a second...just because I have an addiction it doesn't mean you have to. There are support programs that can help you. I'm too far gone but it's not to late for you, but once you start down the road to the dark side....well you know.

But if there is anything I can do to help you get started just let me know.


Tom

Ha ha!!! I just needed that extra resolution. Ever since I placed the order for the 9400, I was thinking to myself, "How am I going to place all of those buttons that I currently have on my single remotes onto a 240 x 320 screen?" I even downloaded the software and started creating pages and adding buttons, but I keep thinking that the buttons need to be a certain size for accuracy on the touch screen and then I was thinking I was going to have to create multiple pages and divide the buttons onto two screens. Pain in the neck.

So, the extra resolution will help. Plus, if there are folks out there creating apps that fit in 640 x 480, then I need to have a 640 x 480 monitor to display them without having to do a lot of additional work. I'd love for me and my wife to be able to check the 5 day forecast at a touch of a button. And it's like you said, the possibilities are endless.

I'm going to have to read up on Pronto Script now.

Philips has a dev guide for Prontoscript that you should D/L and read and there is a great javascript guide by Flanagan you can pick up at Barnes & Noble or one of those big book chains. I don't know if your a gamer or not but there are already a few written for the 9600, it's no GameBoy but I tell you that Asteroids game is awfully good...you can find them on remotecentral also....


Tom

LOL, I'm a gamer, but I have my PS3 for that. I'll leave my remote control to do remote control tasks. Gaming on my remote control is a little overboard. :)

I expect to learn some crazy stuff I can do with this and I hope one day I'll be good enough to write apps that will work on it, but, for now, I just want it to control my stuff.

At this point, I'd love two-way communication, but how do I find out if my devices are able to do that? I'm getting an Integra 9.8 receiver and I'd love for the remote to display the current mode (FM radio, HD radio, TV, DVD, Aux, etc.), volume level, surround mode, etc. And if I'm currently listening to HD radio, I'd like the artist, song title, etc. to show up too. I have no idea where to begin.

I got a 9600 the day it was available. It took more then a year for Philips to get Pronto scripts out to us. Now we have some great guys over at RC making cool things for the Prontos... but after working with them from the 1000 on. I have officially moved on to RTI. Just wasn't happy with the form factor and abilities of the 9600 (Over the last year) and when the 7500s were gone that clinched it.

There is one sitting on the shelf at the distro and strangely... all the dealers in my area bought 1. That one seems to have been enough for almost all of them.

I think the remote is completely marketed wrong. Its a device for people who want to play with it. People who enjoy coming up with interfaces and new modules... designing new web interfaces...

This is not a set and forget remote. But they want custom installers to sell it?

Chet


I D/L the manual for the 9.8 from the web, I see that it has both an RS232 port and a LAN port, I was unable to find anything on their website about serial or IP protocol control specs, the Denon I have supports both and I took advantage of the IP. If Integra does not support IP only RS 232 then you will have to spend some more money (sorry about that) for an RFX9600 to integrate a serial interface for the unit back to the remote in either case you will need to find the protocol specs for the unit. Denon has the info on their web for their units, you may have to contact Integra to get what you need from them.

Darian

You are right it did take a while for scripting to show up but the remote is highly usable even without scripts, it was a bit of an adjustment to go from the 9200 to the 9600 because of the screen orientation but the additional firm buttons and usable real estate more than made up for that. It appears that Philips original intent was the custom installer but apparently the distrbutor sold to another one who sold to people who put them out on the internet for sale, I don't think that makes them any less viable for a custom installer just a more difficult sale because of price point. I guess you could include me in that group of people who just love to play with this thing and the more I do the more it impresses me. good luck with RTI they also make great products.


Tom

Chet

I D/L the manual for the 9.8 from the web, I see that it has both an RS232 port and a LAN port, I was unable to find anything on their website about serial or IP protocol control specs, the Denon I have supports both and I took advantage of the IP. If Integra does not support IP only RS 232 then you will have to spend some more money (sorry about that) for an RFX9600 to integrate a serial interface for the unit back to the remote in either case you will need to find the protocol specs for the unit. Denon has the info on their web for their units, you may have to contact Integra to get what you need from them.

Tom

Tom,

Thanks for the info. Here (http://www.integrahometheater.com/model.cfm?m=DTC-9.8&class=Separates&p=f) is the information on the IP control on the 9.8:

INTEGRATION ACCESS:

Ethernet (E-control, AMX Device Discovery) http://www.integrahometheater.com/Images/nav/checkmark.gif(4)

I guess that means I will be able to get that 2-way communication without getting the optional RS232 extender. Now, how the heck do I program this thing to work over IP? :) I've downloaded the Pronto Script user guide. I've got a LOT of reading up to do.

Good thing is, after I get done doing this project, I'll be marketable to do this type of programming for others.

Did you check AMX's website, if they support it there MIGHT be some info there.


Tom

I checked AMX's site and maybe I'm looking in the wrong place, but I'm not seeing ANYTHING of this nature.

The TSU-9600 is a very sweet remote because it comes with a stylus and a lot of hard buttons for navigation. Having a stylus let's you use smaller buttons on pages eliminating multiple pages for a given device. The fit and finish on the remote is very well done, I've had one for six months now and I love it.

Got the 9600 yesterday from UPS. This thing is gorgeous. Can't wait to get programming.

The unit is MUCH smaller than it seemed when looking at pictures on the internet. Nice unit though.

Well, I've started to attempt to program this thing, but it looks like I may have bit off more than I can chew. Programming this thing is NOT going to be easy.

Although I have gotten confirmation that the Integra DTC-9.8 CAN be controlled by IP, it's like pulling teeth to get Integra to send over the IP protocol control specs. Even when they do, I have no idea how to program the TSU-9600 to communicate to the Integra. How is a guy supposed to program this remote if he doesn't know Javascript? Apparently this is something I'm going to HAVE to learn if I want to take advantage of this remote. Until I do so, it looks like this may become a paper weight.

Just an FYI. I was finally able to get Integra/Onkyo on the phone. They sent me the IR codes AND the RS-232 codes. The RS-232 code spreadsheet also has the Ethernet protocols. I have attached the spreadsheet here.

How is a guy supposed to program this remote if he doesn't know Javascript? Apparently this is something I'm going to HAVE to learn if I want to take advantage of this remote. Until I do so, it looks like this may become a paper weight.

What ever happened with this? Did you learn what you needed? Farm it out? Or do you still have the coolest paperweight in the office?

What ever happened with this? Did you learn what you needed? Farm it out? Or do you still have the coolest paperweight in the office?

Cool paperweight right now. :(

I don't believe in paying someone to do something that I can learn and do on my own. I have started programming some pages to do IR to the IR4PS3 that I bought. You can read more about that here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13090739#post13090739).

Wow, wish I would have seen this thread a while back. i think you'd have been much happier with the drag and drop simplicity of Nevo Studio Pro.

Good luck on your quest to program that there beast.

Just an FYI. I was finally able to get Integra/Onkyo on the phone. They sent me the IR codes AND the RS-232 codes. The RS-232 code spreadsheet also has the Ethernet protocols. I have attached the spreadsheet here.
Could you post the IR codes?

Wow, wish I would have seen this thread a while back. i think you'd have been much happier with the drag and drop simplicity of Nevo Studio Pro.

Good luck on your quest to program that there beast.
So can you use the Nevo Studio Pro to program the Pronto TSU9400? The programming itself is not too difficult but finding the frackin' device codes is amazingly difficult and the factory database is shameful. Seriously the only thing that Logitech has on Philips is the database of equipment.

I have been to the files section on Remote Central's site as well but honestly there is not a lot there either. Anybody know where to get updated databases of these device codes? Shouldn't Philips keep these updated as a file that we could download? That would be support...

Many thanks for any help or suggestions.