Got the creative spark? Design a layout for the new Pronto Professional TSU9600 and you could WIN! Philips and Remote Central are pleased to announce the launch of a brand new contest where you could win one of three prize packages totaling over $9,000 in value. But the best part is you'll be the judge of who wins!

The rules are simple: come up with the most breathtaking, imaginative, and original color XCF layout using Philips' ProntoEdit Professional editing software before March 15th, 2007. Submit your file to Remote Central and, once the submission period is complete, we'll begin the voting process where all Remote Central members will be given the opportunity to vote on which file is best. This contest is open to all residents of the US, Canada and Europe!

The grand prize is a 50" Philips plasma television, the Philips Pronto Professional TSU9600 color touchscreen control panel, plus the RFX9600 serial extender - total value of $5,797!

The second place prize package is the Philips Pronto Professional TSU9600 color touchscreen control panel and the RFX9600 serial extender valued at $1,898.

Third place receives a Philips Pronto Professional TSU9600 color touchscreen control panel and a RFX9400 WiFi extender valued at $1,598.

Full details can be found on the main contest page.

If you have any questions please ask them here!

Designs must contain at least 75% original graphics for consideration.

It's the word original that's confusing me here. Do you mean the original stuff from the galery or do you mean never seen before graphics?

"Original" as in of your creation (so no gallery stuff).

Sad that Australia and New Zealand are excluded this time around. I'd happily pay the shipping on the TSU 9600 if I ever got lucky enough to win any of the prizes and would forego the plasma. You have many visitors and users from A&NZ (if you take downloads from the A&NZ logo sets as a guide). Any chance of a rethink on this?

All previous design contests have actually been limited to the US and Canada, so opening it up to Europe is new.

Australia was a specific concern we had, mostly with some logistics regarding shipping the grand prize should an Australian win (I'm sure that shipping the remote wouldn't be an issue). I've already inquired about this and can tell you that if you wish to enter and DO win the grand prize that Philips will "make its best efforts to deliver in Australia".

So i have 2 questions:

1. Are buttons concidered something we should creat and not use from original gallery?

2. Does this XCF need to contain IR codes for everything? or is this just a graphical design contest?

1. Yes, create your own buttons.

2. This is a user interface contest - so what's important is graphical design, layout and overall operation. It doesn't have to be functional in the sense that it actually needs to control real equipment, but it ought to LOOK like it should.

For example, if I click a "Watch DVD Movie" button on the home page I might expect to see a macro transmit (which may entail a "please wait" type of screen) and then I would expect the remote to take me to a page with various DVD-related commands on it. But rather than using actual IR codes you can just use placeholder "delays".

There seems to be some confusion over the word "original", although this should be cleared up by the next guideline which mentions that configurations will be judged based on "how unique the design and graphics are".

However, I've changed it to read:

Designs must contain at least 75% original graphics (of your own creation) for consideration.

Could buttons be from another Pronto configuration?

Only if you created them.

Is the software available for download yet ?

[Link: remotecentral.com]

It's also available direct from Philips' Pronto site. You must create an account to download but they never spam. Also, it's good to have an account as software/firmware updates are usually a little delayed in getting to the files section on RemoteCentral.

I'll be trying to keep up-to-date on this particular software duing the contest. :-)

Contest eh?