[power]

Ok,


Just getting a rise outta you Pronto users out there (i know there are many). This thread is for an alternative LCD remote that is considerably cheaper, if anyone owns a Palm Pilot, old or new, this little beast could control your entire Home Theater! This may have been discussed before but seems to be a VIABLE alternative so experimentation is in order. I myself would spend $300+ for a Pronto, but when you consider this same piece to cost $600 Canadian then that is what i consider unjustifiable(the real reason is if i were to spend $600 on a remote, my wife would simply kill me). Even the $300-$400 US is too much for many to spend on a remote, even if it fully automates one's Home Theater. Rather this thread should be an in depth discussion of this thread:

http://www.remotecentral.com/cgi-bin...a/thread.cgi?3


The Palm Pilot 111c looks as though it would make a great remote with some implementation. It is customisable, programable, can do all or most of what the Pronto can do. Did i mention this remote has a colour LCD panel just like the new Pronto pro. Looks like 1/4-1/3 the price, so definitely worth looking into as an alternative to the king of remotes, namely the Pronto.


Looks as though the IR on the Palm Pilot is a little weak but an IR repeater should take care of that. Has anyone experimented with Palm?

 

[Dave T]

Check out this thread for a similar discussion.


What do you mean by an "IR Repeater"? Something you'd connect to the Palm to boost the IR range and angle? Is there such a thing?


- Dave

 

[ggolamco]

Dave T,


There is a product that will do that. It is from Terk and it is called the Remote Anywhere. Basically it fits right over the end of your remote and converts the IR into RF. It then beams it to another unit that converts back to IR and shoots it to your components.


I've actually been trying to find one of these. It's pretty new, but all of the press releases say it should be available. If anyone has any information on where I can find this thing, I'd appreciate it.


Note that this is different from the current IR repeaters which are usually for use in a different room. Since the current models don't fit over the end of the remote, they don't block the original IR signal, and if you use the remote in the same room as the IR extender, you run the risk of "double counting" the signal.

 

[power]

Ok, i just purchased an entry Palm M100 PDA and purchased the omniremote software as well as the ordesktop software to create customised screens for my PDA LCD remote control. The M100 has very good range and the built IR transmitter works very well now that it is mounted on the front unlike the older PDA's.


Even at reasonable angles, it works perfectly! I purchased my M100 for $150 Canadian with a free case and snap on front faceplate to customise the look of my M100. Of course, it would be much cheaper in the US for the same piece but the price doesen't mean squat if the PDA can't do it's job properly as a remote control. For less than $100US with the software, you can have your own LCD customiseable touchscreen remote. No it's not a pronto killer, but considering the price vs very reasonable performance, i think it's a bargain.


Learning codes from My Act3 remote, my Toshiba DVD and my DTC 100 remotes all went well. The distance between the 2 remotes is about from 1-5 inches apart and only once did i have to go back and reprogram one button since the M100 did not learn the code properly the first time.


I still have to program in some codes for my HTPC and set all of my macros and with one or two pushes of a button, my theater will autostart itself including my HTPC. My new remote is doing what i was hoping for, the only accesory i would like is an RF infrared extender to further enhance the operating angles of my PDA remote. Currently, it operates all of my equipment at 17 feet away. I bought it as an experiment and now i'm definetely keeping it.

 

[marcusschoo]

Quote:

Originally posted by power I still have to program in some codes for my HTPC and set all of my macros and with one or two pushes of a button, my theater will autostart itself including my HTPC. My new remote is doing what i was hoping for, the only accesory i would like is an RF infrared extender to further enhance the operating angles of my PDA remote. Currently, it operates all of my equipment at 17 feet away. I bought it as an experiment and now i'm definetely keeping it.

Sounds like you have a cool setup. How are you getting the palm to communicate with you HTPC, I am wanting to use my TRP pro to control Window Media Player XP. Any ideas?

 

[pawn]

The problem with Omniremote, is that it's pug ugly. The entire hook (for me) for a Pronto is the stunning graphics, and customization features.


Someone should write software for a Palm that reads pronto database files.