Did the same thing, picked up two from Sound Advice (said tweeter on the invoice) with no batteries or cradles. One was dead with LCD problems, but if you call tech support at phillips, give them your serial, they will tell you your warranty is expired. Tell them you just bought it (you will be transferred to "Entitlements" ask for Kelly if possible, she is very helpful), you will need to fax them a copy of your receipt, they will renew te warranty for one year. Then call them up, tell them it is busted, walk through all the steps in their manual, eventually, if they can't get it to work, they will offer a replacement. Just keep hammering at Customer Service until you get it fixed. I just sent back the one with the busted backlight on the LCD for replacement, no charge. Since you just purchased, they told me as long as I could prove it (the receipt fax they requested) it would be covered.

The second one required Tonto and "Undeading" and I did a firmware update. Don't know what I did, or if i did it in the right way, but it fired right up after that. Prior to that the screen was stuck on the "ProntoPro" and never went to "Please Wait..." and load the .ccf.

The absolute hardest part so far is getting the cradles. So far, I have been unsuccessful in picking one up for less thant the 75 bucks philips wants.

Again, all of this is you mileage may vary, but I have full warrantee's on both of them I bought, after speaking with the CSR, but you have to be tranferred to the "Entitlements" department and work from there. It is well worth it, I bought the two remotes for a hundred bucks.

You can get serial cables off ebay (made my own), or I am sure someone around here sells them. If Remotecentral has a link, use it so they get some cash (if that is how it works) because this site is a godsend!

Good luck, and call phillips in the morning, check their website, Jake