Re: Remotes

["alcinababe" <alcinababe@xxxxxxx>]

I have the 2Mb B&W Pronto (I forget which model it is!).  It's
fabulous.  My only gripe is that the backlight is a little dim for my
aged eyes.  I don't have the cradle so I was expecting the batteries
to run down weekly, but they're still going strong many months on.
The cradle I think though makes it look nice on the table :)

> The CCF thing does make me a little nervous - It really detracts
>from
> instant WAF


No, no, no!  I read that you need a Nuclear Physics degree to work out
how to use the ProntoEdit software, but my Music degree seems to
suffice :)  The software is really easy, think web pages (how to
navigate between the layouts) and DTP (how each layout looks).  Take a
look at www.remotecentral.com and download some other people's ccfs.
The great thing is you can nick the graphic bits you like from other
people's ccfs and integrate them into your own.  I'm particularly fond
of having the actual station logos as "buttons" for changing the
tv/onDig/Sky chanels.  I think it looks rather swish.  Even my
technically challenged mother managed to change the chanel on the tv
using the Pronto.  My visually challenged friend finds tapping the
picture of a tv or a satellite much easier than peering at 15
identical buttons trying to see which one says tv and which one says
Sky.  The graphical nature of the Pronto really makes it much easier
to use than the remotes which require strange non-intuitive button
combinations to work.


> I'll have to have a play with the software and simulator before we
get the
> device.


It will take time, particularly if you are replacing a lot of remotes.
And even when you've programmed it you'll be tempted to change it :)
One thing to note that took me ages to find out is that if you have a
'button' but there is no action associated with it then the button
will not appear in the simulator (or on your Pronto) even though you
can see it quite plainly in the editing screen.  Every time I create a
new button I've got into the habit of assigning a '0.25 second delay'
to it, just so that it appears in the simulator, before I assign its
eventual action - which may be some considerable time later.

How easy your Pronto eventually is to use by SWMBO (or anyone else) is
determined by how well you design the layouts and links.  So a little
forethought is probably vital.  And it's great fun!

Alcina