Philips Pronto TSU3000 LCD Touchscreen Remote Control
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- Type: Universal Learning
- Universal Remote Control Type: Learning
- Broadcasting Type: IR
- Applicable Devices: TV, VCR, DVD Player, Cable\Satellite Receiver, Amplifiers, Tape Deck, CD Player, Tuner, Camcorder, Receiver
- Devices Controlled: 13
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TSU-3000 Another Marriage Saver Remote Control!
Pros
Very flexible and just plain cool!
Cons
Like you'd expect, it is pricey.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
The next to the ultimate toy for the home theater.
Introduction
The Phillips TSU-3000 is the next generation of touch screen remote control. Phillips actually calls the device the "Pronto next generation." It is very similar to the more expensive TSU-6000 (ProntoPro) color version. In many ways this control is better and in others not as good. Since this remote is very similar to the TSU-6000 in terms of functionality, some of this review will sound redundant to the review I did on the TSU-6000. I provide a link to that full review and I have tried to highlight the differences in this review.
What you get
Unlike the ProntoPro, the TSU-3000 is not bundled with a charger. The docking station and rechargeable battery needs to be purchased separately. The TSU-3000 comes with an adapter to allow you to power the unit with four standard AAA batteries, although I would not recommend that as they don't last very long.
In addition to the TSU-3000 there is a USB cable for connecting the unit to your computer for downloading the configuration and a CD ROM that contains the ProntoEdit software and user guide.
Configuring the Pronto
There are two ways you can configure the unit. You can use the ProntoEdit software or the unit tools built into the unit itself. I have found the ProntoEdit software to be a much easier method myself. Also by using the ProntoEdit software, you can import bit mapped graphics to use as icons in your configuration.
The TSU-3000 ProntoEdit software uses a different file format than the ProntoPro and TSU-2000 predecessors. The ProntoEdit software supplied will allow the importing of the earlier file types, but in many cases it will not be complete. In my case I used a ProntoPro .ccf file that I wanted to duplicate in a monochrome format. The basic configuration was imported pretty well, (there was some hard button differences that just were ignored) but all of the basic screen configuration was imported. Not that this was that simple however as none of the color bit-mapped icons were imported!
At first panic started to set in thinking I would have to recreate all of these bitmaps. The idea of using the TSU-3000 was sold based on a demonstration using a ProntoPro color version and the Pronto representative has assured me the same configuration could be run in the TSU-3000. Well this turned out to be true… eventually. Turned out that the color bit-mapped files could be manually loaded into the configuration one by one and with the gray scale display capabilities of the TSU-3000, they worked out pretty well. The bad news for me was I had some 550 individual bit-mapped files that had to be loaded individually. Still took quite a while, but at least I didn't have to work on each one of them.
To get a description of the configuration I used you can use this link: http://www.epinions.com/content_110745194116
Basic Controls
The heart of the remote is the touch screen of course, but in addition to the limitless buttons you can configure on the touch screen, there are several conventional buttons that are available for your use as well. These buttons are used for the basic control of your system. There are five buttons to the right of the touch screen. I think of these as the Master Control Buttons and are generally configured to provide the same operation regardless of which screen is displayed on your Pronto, although this is not fixed and you could decide to change these buttons as different device screens are displayed. The following is a list of the five buttons and the use normally assigned to them:
Volume Up/Down Buttons
Uppermost on the right of the unit is a pair of buttons labeled with a plus sign (+) and a minus sign (-) on the buttons. These are normally used to provide the Volume Up and Volume Down functions. The " +" button will increase the volume level and the "-" button will decrease the volume level.
Mute Button
Below the Volume buttons is a button that has a symbol on it that looks like a little speaker with an X through it. This is the Mute button. Pressing it will cause the speakers in your system to be muted. Pressing the Mute button again will restore the volume out of your speakers to what it was before.
Channel Up/Down Buttons
The bottom pair of buttons on the right side of the unit are normally used to provide channel up and channel down functions.
All of the buttons are configurable by you in a manner that will be transparent to the state the system may be in. For example if you select the satellite receiver as your video source via a selection page, you can have the Channel UP/Down buttons configured to change the channel on your satellite receiver. However, if you select your VCR as a video source, you can have the Channel Up/Down buttons configured to change the channel on your VCR. The changing of the button configuration is automatic and seamless as defined by your configuration.
Action Buttons
Along the bottom of the screen are 4 additional physical buttons that are labeled by text fields at the bottom of the screen as you desire. Depending on the way you choose to configure your Pronto these can perform anything you want with exception of the leftmost button. It is defined to be the "TOOL" button and is reserved by the unit for this use. When this button is pressed the Pronto will reassign the other three action buttons to what is required as you traverse through the TOOL menus.
Other Buttons
Below the Action Buttons there is a cluster of buttons that Pronto has assumed you will use them in the following manner: Toggle, Free programmable, A four position cardinal cursor, OK and Home. The Home button has a fixed operation like the TOOL button described above and will cause the Home screen to be called up on the display. The other buttons can be configured to the operation of your choosing when there is a user configured page called up on the display. When the unit has one of the TOOL menus on the display these buttons may have particular significance to those screens.
Also on the left side of the unit there are three buttons. The uppermost button when pressed will cause the backlite of the screen to occur. The backlite will eventually turn itself off to conserve battery life when inaction has occurred. Below that button is a button pair that has two different uses. Use one is the Page Up/Page Down function that allows additional navigation through the screens configured. Use two is to change the contrast of the screen which requires holding the backlite button in while adjusting the contrast with these buttons. Once set, the contrast normally does not need to be adjusted again.
Macros
One of the handiest features of this type of remote is the macros that you can configure. Simply stated a macro is a series of actions you would like the Pronto to accomplish with a single key press. For example, the Power On button may send out the appropriate IR codes to turn on the TV, to turn on the receiver for the audio, turn on the satellite receiver and set the inputs on the various devices to where they need to be. This can be a marriage saver! Imagine spending all of the megabucks on equipment and the wife not is able to watch TV! It happens.
Conclusion
While this remote can be a lot of fun configuring, it can be frustrating as you never feel you have finished your configuration. There is ample memory to accommodate a seemingly endless quantity of screens and functions.
The Phillips TSU-3000 is the next generation of touch screen remote control. Phillips actually calls the device the "Pronto next generation." It is very similar to the more expensive TSU-6000 (ProntoPro) color version. In many ways this control is better and in others not as good. Since this remote is very similar to the TSU-6000 in terms of functionality, some of this review will sound redundant to the review I did on the TSU-6000. I provide a link to that full review and I have tried to highlight the differences in this review.
What you get
Unlike the ProntoPro, the TSU-3000 is not bundled with a charger. The docking station and rechargeable battery needs to be purchased separately. The TSU-3000 comes with an adapter to allow you to power the unit with four standard AAA batteries, although I would not recommend that as they don't last very long.
In addition to the TSU-3000 there is a USB cable for connecting the unit to your computer for downloading the configuration and a CD ROM that contains the ProntoEdit software and user guide.
Configuring the Pronto
There are two ways you can configure the unit. You can use the ProntoEdit software or the unit tools built into the unit itself. I have found the ProntoEdit software to be a much easier method myself. Also by using the ProntoEdit software, you can import bit mapped graphics to use as icons in your configuration.
The TSU-3000 ProntoEdit software uses a different file format than the ProntoPro and TSU-2000 predecessors. The ProntoEdit software supplied will allow the importing of the earlier file types, but in many cases it will not be complete. In my case I used a ProntoPro .ccf file that I wanted to duplicate in a monochrome format. The basic configuration was imported pretty well, (there was some hard button differences that just were ignored) but all of the basic screen configuration was imported. Not that this was that simple however as none of the color bit-mapped icons were imported!
At first panic started to set in thinking I would have to recreate all of these bitmaps. The idea of using the TSU-3000 was sold based on a demonstration using a ProntoPro color version and the Pronto representative has assured me the same configuration could be run in the TSU-3000. Well this turned out to be true… eventually. Turned out that the color bit-mapped files could be manually loaded into the configuration one by one and with the gray scale display capabilities of the TSU-3000, they worked out pretty well. The bad news for me was I had some 550 individual bit-mapped files that had to be loaded individually. Still took quite a while, but at least I didn't have to work on each one of them.
To get a description of the configuration I used you can use this link: http://www.epinions.com/content_110745194116
Basic Controls
The heart of the remote is the touch screen of course, but in addition to the limitless buttons you can configure on the touch screen, there are several conventional buttons that are available for your use as well. These buttons are used for the basic control of your system. There are five buttons to the right of the touch screen. I think of these as the Master Control Buttons and are generally configured to provide the same operation regardless of which screen is displayed on your Pronto, although this is not fixed and you could decide to change these buttons as different device screens are displayed. The following is a list of the five buttons and the use normally assigned to them:
Volume Up/Down Buttons
Uppermost on the right of the unit is a pair of buttons labeled with a plus sign (+) and a minus sign (-) on the buttons. These are normally used to provide the Volume Up and Volume Down functions. The " +" button will increase the volume level and the "-" button will decrease the volume level.
Mute Button
Below the Volume buttons is a button that has a symbol on it that looks like a little speaker with an X through it. This is the Mute button. Pressing it will cause the speakers in your system to be muted. Pressing the Mute button again will restore the volume out of your speakers to what it was before.
Channel Up/Down Buttons
The bottom pair of buttons on the right side of the unit are normally used to provide channel up and channel down functions.
All of the buttons are configurable by you in a manner that will be transparent to the state the system may be in. For example if you select the satellite receiver as your video source via a selection page, you can have the Channel UP/Down buttons configured to change the channel on your satellite receiver. However, if you select your VCR as a video source, you can have the Channel Up/Down buttons configured to change the channel on your VCR. The changing of the button configuration is automatic and seamless as defined by your configuration.
Action Buttons
Along the bottom of the screen are 4 additional physical buttons that are labeled by text fields at the bottom of the screen as you desire. Depending on the way you choose to configure your Pronto these can perform anything you want with exception of the leftmost button. It is defined to be the "TOOL" button and is reserved by the unit for this use. When this button is pressed the Pronto will reassign the other three action buttons to what is required as you traverse through the TOOL menus.
Other Buttons
Below the Action Buttons there is a cluster of buttons that Pronto has assumed you will use them in the following manner: Toggle, Free programmable, A four position cardinal cursor, OK and Home. The Home button has a fixed operation like the TOOL button described above and will cause the Home screen to be called up on the display. The other buttons can be configured to the operation of your choosing when there is a user configured page called up on the display. When the unit has one of the TOOL menus on the display these buttons may have particular significance to those screens.
Also on the left side of the unit there are three buttons. The uppermost button when pressed will cause the backlite of the screen to occur. The backlite will eventually turn itself off to conserve battery life when inaction has occurred. Below that button is a button pair that has two different uses. Use one is the Page Up/Page Down function that allows additional navigation through the screens configured. Use two is to change the contrast of the screen which requires holding the backlite button in while adjusting the contrast with these buttons. Once set, the contrast normally does not need to be adjusted again.
Macros
One of the handiest features of this type of remote is the macros that you can configure. Simply stated a macro is a series of actions you would like the Pronto to accomplish with a single key press. For example, the Power On button may send out the appropriate IR codes to turn on the TV, to turn on the receiver for the audio, turn on the satellite receiver and set the inputs on the various devices to where they need to be. This can be a marriage saver! Imagine spending all of the megabucks on equipment and the wife not is able to watch TV! It happens.
Conclusion
While this remote can be a lot of fun configuring, it can be frustrating as you never feel you have finished your configuration. There is ample memory to accommodate a seemingly endless quantity of screens and functions.
