RC User Reviews: Philips ProntoPro NG TSU7000 & TSU7500 Remote Controls (1)

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User reviews for the Philips ProntoPro NG TSU7000 & TSU7500 from Philips Electronics.

Ratings	Reviews	MSRP (USD)
Average: 4.30/5.00 Median: 4.67/5.00	9	$999

The Philips ProntoPro NG TSU7000 features a 16-bit full-color TFT LCD screen, USB interface, 32 megabytes of memory, a total of 20 hard buttons, tilt sensor and much more. With the ProntoProEdit NG software, the remote's interface can be completely customized. The TSU7500 upgrades memory to 48mb.

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the Philips ProntoPro NG TSU7000 & TSU7500 remote.

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Written by GlaCial from Australia.

The reviewer has used this remote control for under 1 month.

Review 9 made on Wednesday June 27, 2007 at 1:48 AM.

Strengths:

Large LCD screen, easy to program with plenty of support

Weaknesses:

Doesn't wake up

Review:

I've had my TSU7500 for about a month now. It didn't ship with the latest firmware. Don't bother trying to download the latest firmware from Philips, because their website is a disaster that will consume more time than it is worth. Instead go straight to http://www.remotecentral.com/c...philipsprontong. Then again don't bother, as this remote isn't worth buying. Irrespective of the new firmware if, the remote falls to sleep for a significant period of time (oh lets say an hour or so) the only way to wake it up is to pull the battery out and put it back in again. And this isn't a one-off either. Dig around the forums and you will find many with the same issue, placing into doubt the quality of this remote.

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Written by benadler_66 from Chicago IL.

The reviewer has used this remote control for under 1 month.

Review 8 made on Saturday June 23, 2007 at 3:08 PM.

Also owned:

MX-1000

Strengths:

Looks (You design it) Controls anything

Weaknesses:

I don't think this exact model is still sold? Even the latest firmware did not have codes for my Samsung Blue Ray and Yamaha AVR, both of witch are popular models and sold at popular retail stores such as BB and CC. So setting up the remote without the help of this site could be next to impossible, that said ....This site is here and together it was not so bad. Philips does need another firmware update.

Review:

I thought that I was happy with my MX-1000. When the local tweeter went out of business I picked up the TSU 7000 for only $149.00! The only thing missing was the software which I downloaded here along with the latest firmware . Now that I am finished and it looks and works great all is well. I would however strongly recommend that anyone who gets involved with this remote bookmarks this site. Without experience and with a large amount of equipment, it could take an extremely long time to set this remote to look and work as you want it too but this site cut that time way down for me. First thing I did and I would recommend everyone do is download Daniels system and use the hidden gallery (I work LONG shifts, 6 days a week) without this site my remote would be decoration for the coffee table. Then I found someone who had a file with the codes to my Samsung B-Ray which I had broken the original remote. Again saving hours or days! The remote works great but unless you have lots of experience setting them up, don't try it without this support group.

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Written by steeltipped from Chicago, IL..

The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.

Review 7 made on Thursday March 8, 2007 at 5:44 PM.

Also owned:

logitech 6xx series

Strengths:

Customizable up the waazoo!!!! Bright screen. great touch screen response.
good battery life. learns IR codes flawlessly.

Weaknesses:

cheap feeling hard buttons. horrible backlighting on hard buttons. software takes some getting used to.

Review:

I am new to using the prontos. I've used a logitech 6xx remote for a few months, and I did not like it at all. I don't have a very complicated sytem, about 5 total components, but I wanted a remote that would make my system as simple as possible for any user (Especially my wife - the final end user;)

The software is slightly difficult to use at the beginning, but once you play around with it for a while you can pretty much get the remote to do anything. The amount of customizing is endless. I purchased a pronto guide from RemoteQuest.com that really helped with my design layout. Another great addition to the remote is this web site, the community is awesome and their layouts and designs are incredible! You can incorporate any button or background to work with your layout, which saves a ton of time, and its all FREE!

As I have seen mentioned before in the forums, The hard buttons are pretty cheap (feeling). The backlighting for the hard buttons is a joke. Other than that the remote is pretty solid, and at this point I don't think I would trade it for any other remote!

I purchased my remote on ebay, so I didn't pay the $1000.00 price tag, but I feel the remote would be worth every penny.

So, with the bright screen, updated ProntoProEdit NG, Updated firm ware, great touch screen response, unending customizable features, a huge support group like this web site where you can borrow some awesome art (which saves a ton of time) and two thumbs up from the wife, I have to highly recommend the tsu7000!!!!

Now if I could only get the remote to bring me a cold beer It would be the ultimate - maybe on the next firmware upgrade!!

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Written by Philthy from Nottingham, UK.

The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.

Review 6 made on Sunday January 1, 2006 at 12:56 PM.

Strengths:

Almost infinite customisability (is that a word!!). Bright screen. Accurate screen button presses. Plenty of hard buttons.

Weaknesses:

Terrible software (buggy, user unfriendly). Feel of hard buttons.

Review:

This is my second Pronto, having upgraded from the original B&W RU940, which I had (still have!) for about 4 years. I simply imported my existing .ccf into the software, jazzed up the graphics and interface, and was up and running in about 2 days.

This is some remote! You can make it is advanced or simple as you like. The brightness of the screen is 1000% better than the old Pronto and the hard buttons, if programmed with some thought, can cut down on the need to use the screen drastically.

Unfortunately, the feel of those button is lacking somewhat.
The cluster of eight at the very bottom are fine, although Philips have seen fit to put the OK button not in the centre of the navigation curser, as found on probably 99.9% of remotes, but above to the right. No, the problem is with the four 'firm' keys, directly beneath the screen, and the five to the right (vol+/-, Chan +/- and mute).

These keys, although they look nice, are almost flush with the case and almost merge flush with each other, seperated with perhaps a 1/2mm gap. With the old pronto, these buttons stood proud of the case and were distinctly seperate, the result being that you could use them by feel alone.

The design of the 7000 is such that you cannot be sure of these buttons by feel alone and have to look at the remote to find the button. Not the end of the world, I know, but surely Philips research these things first?

The other thing with the buttons is the feel of them as they click. They just don't 'feel' expensive. A remote like this should just ooze quality, but I'm afraid this falls short.

The other minus point has got to be the software. It seems just as quirky as the old version, and just as buggy. Frequent crashes - Save your config file regularly. Perhaps Philips could build auto-save in to a future version?

I would recommend anyone considering this remote to download the software first and have a play with it. If you can't get used to the software, you ain't gonna get the most out of your remote. And I promise you, it IS worth persevering with.

Despite the above comments, this is a great remote. It does everything I want and a lot more. I have configured it into two seperate sections, 1 for me & 1 for the missus so even she can use all the functions she needs, without being confused by a miriad of redundant screenware.

Look, it's a lot of money for a remote, but considering it cost about 5% of my entire AV setup and that it gets used every day and allows the wife to control everything without pestering me to do it for her, it's worth every penny. And if it lasts as long as my original Pronto (which is still going strong, BTW), I will be well pleased.

If you are procrastinating buying one of these, just go for it.. You will not be disappointed.

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Written by Jermand from North Carolina.

The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.

Review 5 made on Monday November 7, 2005 at 10:53 AM.

Strengths:

The custom design features are this products strong point. You can make the screens for only button you want to be bothered with.

Weaknesses:

Some RF transmission problems with feeding clear signal to IR. But I have only owned for a weekend and have not tweaked it the IR coding yet or used the IR emmitters.

Review:

The product is awsome!!! If you are not technically savy or don't have time or pateince to program this remote you will not be pleased with the out come out of the box. You might want to consider paying some one. Then shortly after you'll regret it. This remote has become my new hobby. The configuration options go as far as your imagination.

I thought I was going to have a couple of beers, chit chat withh the wife and program this thing on the first night. I WAS WRONG!! This remote requires full attention to make sense out the configuration structure. The samples on this site helped a great deal as well. They actually made the difference. Day two, I was up and running with a bare bones configuration. Maybe could have been up and running before if I read the instructions but where's the challenge in that? Plus that time was better spent getting comfortable with the remote and the configuration software.

Day three (approx. 5 total hours in between more beers and football,) I have the remote up and running with a nice graphical layout. I'll use this as my base configuration and move forward. I've created pages for my wife which made our (my) home theater idiot proof. One button turns on the devices needed and changes inputs on the pre-amp, another turns them all off plus she has her own page with channel icons that changes the chnnels for her. No more frantic complaining about "what's wrong with the system," "It never works for me."

This is definitely a great remote. I'm even more pleased that I consolidated all my other remotes, don't have to buy batteries and point it into a closet to get my conclead audio components to work.

Not sure why they couldn't make this thing cheaper. Paid $680 including RF extender. High, but worth every penny!

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Written by Jim Grotto from saratoga springs NY.

The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.

Review 4 made on Friday April 1, 2005 at 9:01 PM.

Strengths:

I originaly bought a tsu3000. I did not like the color of the screen. " Everything was blue" even the gray and black and hard to see. I took it back and got a TSU7000. Wow, screen color better then expected. Nice and brite and adjustable. The commands are fast and tru. No need to point. commands are recived within 35ft. My lutron maestro dimmers are at a 50 degree angle to the left and IRs are recived on time "perfect". I made a slant stand out of glass so the unit sits with the screen at 50 % up facing the viewer and commands get to there devices with no problem. I love the remote. Taught it codes and was using the remote within 2 hrs including macros. The owners book is better then what most people say about it. I am not the sharpest tool in the shed and I was using my remote within 2 hrs. I did it by myself. the Tsu7000 is a great remote.

Weaknesses:

I did not like the fact that you have to use a single touch button to get the hard buttons to light up. 3 or 4 seconds of light is frustrating. Price is a little step. You can get a decent lap top for 899.00 or 1000.00 after rebate. 999.00 is alot of money for a remote. But after using it I trully did not think about the price , so I guess its worth it.

Review:

ALL In ALL a good experience, and a great remote. I wouldent ever want to go back to home theater with out this in my corner.
In essence a full function home remote, it will start your car in the morning and even get the coffee going if you want. If you can afford it Buy it.
Jim

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Written by Bill from Rockville, MD USA.

The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.

Review 3 made on Saturday March 13, 2004 at 6:42 PM.

Strengths:

Seemingly INFINITE configurability; flawless learning; very strong IR; amazing TFT color display, sharp and bright; great editor (PPENG) to let those of us graphically impaired to "borrow" the great ideas and graphics on this website! Macro learning, editing, and testing couldn't be better. Flipping screens/devices FAST.

Weaknesses:

Backlighting of hard buttons - 3 seconds and not configurable at all, not activated by touchscreen OR hard buttons - must press the "light" button; only one light level for the hard buttons, "pretty dim." PPENG, the infintely capable computer editor (that only SEEMS a bit obtuse until you get use to it) does crash on my XP computer with 1gb RAM - but only perhaps 1 use out of 25, and "that ain't bad." However, since it can and does happen, the oft-touted advice here is very true - "save as" often! As often discussed here, there is a delay in sending IR; seems a bit less than the TSU-3000, but if it could be halved, it would make the "rapid fire" keypresses so useful with Tivo's fast forward/rewind a bit better.

Review:

Three Sony universals, and the change to a Pronto DID take some time; the initial resistance to page flipping has been overcome by careful layout and, well, you CAN fit a lot onto the first screen if you want (but that covers up the beautiful background images that you carefully insert... be they from the canned Philips gallery, this website, or your own creations).

At first I thought I had to press rather hard on the touchscreen - but learned that if I tap with the edge of my finger (with the fingernail gently touching the screen instead of just my fingerpad) the response is easy and accurate. The hard buttons are well thought out ('cept the backlight, why didn't Philips either use waste light from the flouresecent backlight or make this one brighter and configurable?). I search for programs to watch/record on a Tivo and a Motorola cable box DVR so there is a lot of "menu hunting." It didn't take me long to get used to the "OK" being the "check mark" key to the upper right of the joypad, but the pad itself is a little hard to press for my 15-30 minute menu hunting sessions; on the plus side, it IS precise, no mistaken keypresses.

I have the TSU-3000 for another room and have to say the EL backlight just isn't enough for my moderate lighting conditions. I was hoping the TSU-7000 would address that and it far surpasses my expectations. Working with graphics and buttons on the TSU-3000 in (dim) black and white (OK, blue and shades of grey) isn't very rewarding once you begin to use the TSU-7000!

The bright-blue LED charging indicator lights on the base let you know if the unit is charging successfully when you put the remote in the cradle, and extinguish when charging is done. Charging is fast! Speaking of the battery, I've had to learn not to worry too much about the battery "status" bar; sometimes it looks like my battery is about to need charging after only moderate use - but it often bounces back. I've used the remote for several of those long "search for program" sessions in the same evening and never exhausted the battery (even with a few upload/download configuration sessions).

This has to be Philip's best so far, and was well worth my tax return! I'm rating the "value" above average, because ?perhaps? the price could be a bit lower?

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