Avalon AV has Prontos in stock for $369.00US
shipping included. They posted this today in
alt.hometheatre.misc. Tel. 609-654-7752.

Did somebody say 'price war'?

Your move Jack.

War? No war.

When supllies are limited, pricing is generally upheld, unless one doesn't believe they will sell what they can get, perhaps because they aren't really sure just how great teh rpoduct is.

In addition, unless one has spent two days learning software, one doesn't really know just what a Pronto can do, do they?

Some sell products strictly on price, others sell products along with insight on what the products can and cannot do.

Your move. Go for it.

Jack, as much as I like to agree with you concerning pricing I think you could go a long way by coming down a little. I have paid a higher price for something because I was more comfortable buying it from a certain individual many times. BUT...You have a forum here that you could sell this product and offer advise and if you do come down then you are clearly the market leader with price and service. I most likely will choose the Pronto over the HK and when I do I will have to factor price into the equation especially with this forum being a good spot to get ideas on programming. You seem to be a resource for info on this product. When I purchase this I am hoping that you are competitive so I can purchase it from you and get the personal help you seem to offer. calling for a price war is crazy...I would much rather trust the person I am buying from.

With all due respect fellas, I wasn't completely
serious about calling for a 'price war'. I was
just presenting an alternative to Metronet.

As well versed as Mr. Schultz appears to be
on the Pronto, it's software, and their
collective potential, I would say most internet
shoppers care about availblity and pricing first.
Most internet shoppers are not local customers
and may in fact be international. So I personally
don't buy the 'extra service and knowledge'
routine. This may be more applicable to someone
who lives within reasonable vicinity to Metronet
and can directly benefit from personlized service.

I also feel buisiness gleaned from the web is
'gravey', and as a courtesy to those of us who
are forwarding the cause and spending our sheckels
online, we shouldn't be charged full MRSP.

Most everything peddled on the net has some sort
of discount over retail pricing.

I see it as very simply that if we "stoop" to a price driven equation, then we must also do so in our home market, which of course we have no intention of doing.
When I shop, I like to know that the product or service I am shopping for is going to be supported directly by the seller, in this case, the dealer.
Has anyone checked the Philips site (mmmhometheater.com) for the delaer listing to see if their supplying dealer is a Philips dealer? Have you also checked their website to see if they support Philips accordingly? Or is this just a quick grab and run?
I am a beta site because I have chosen to spend MY PERSONAL time to develope close relationships with individuals at Philips (and other vendors) because I feel that if I am providing a product, I had better really know that product, or I shouldn't be representing that I do. The future for Pronto owners is very bright in the software department and EVERY OWNER will benefit from teh input that is provided by beta testers.
We've invested our time, aren't we entitled in some way to benefit from this too?
Perhaps I should just withdraw from the site postings all together and only provide insight and support to those who purchase from Metronet? Is that what everyone would prefer? If so, no problem. My future is not dependant on selling Prontos (or anything else) on the Internet. I know that I get what I give and that what goes around comes around.

PS. to last message:

We all have computers right? Anyone interested in contracting a virus transmitted through a Pronto?
I should think not.

This is just one of the potential problems which has been ADDRESSED and ELIMINATED within the beta test program.

Philips is taking a very responsible overall approach with respect to software for the Pronto product so we all can have the greatest possible pleasure from the Pronto experience.

Technology really is very good, isn't it?

Jack, please don't let one person trying to save a buck discourage you from posting here.

I have gone with the cut throat pricing and paid local dealer list prices. You generally get what you pay for in the long run.

I think Ben should of just asked if there are any "Discount Mail order Houses" and not started up this "You should not be charging MSRP on the web". There was nothing wrong with posting Avalons price and I'm sure Jack and others appreciate that. But beyond that...I don't know.

I also don't believe sales on the web are gravy. Packing things up and mailing them are pain, returns are costly, long distance trouble shooting can be difficult and expensive.

If margins get too low everyone loses.

Jack, is not "One Call" with huge volumes, he is a local (and apparently quite knowlegable) installer. He made his offer, either take him up on it, pass or maybe call him and try to negotiate.

It's all supply, demand and quality of service. Quality of service can sometimes better over the net.

P.S. I'm pleased as peach that my shop4.com IRIQ order got messed up, because it was painless trying the IRIQ from my local dealer and returning it the next day and getting to try a pronto (when he gets them).

George,
This is the first that I've heard that you got to try the IRIQ. I was actually waiting to hear your first impressions, especially since you made the argument for tasks over devices.
Did I miss the thread?
Thanks

What you pay for something is usually dependant on how popular the item is, how new it is, how hard it is to get and how good it really is. With the Pronto, there really is no call at this time for dealers to lower the price. Stock is hard to get, the item is extremely new and popular and it really is a good product.

I made my feelings pretty clear in the Remote Control IRIQ forum. Read the other threads also.

[Link: sunstorm.com]

Keep in mind that this is from someone that was very motivated about the IRIQ.

It sounds like to me that the Pronto's "macro groups" is there way of doing "activities" albeit a bit lame compared to the IRIQ (in this area). But it sounds like with the PC software you can pretty much do what ever you want on the Pronto.

Still waiting painfully for my dealer to get his Pronto's in. I promised I'd buy one or the other for letting me try both.

George,

I am a new Pronto owner (thanks to Jack)and also liked the idea of an activities based remote. However, I believe I have accomplished that with the Pronto very nicely. As Daniel noted in his review of the Pronto on this site, you can attach macros to the device buttons. What I have done is attach various macros to each of the devices, so when I push the DVD device button, not only does the receiver input change to the DVD input, the TV changes to the DVD input, and the Pronto changes to the DVD template screen. There is no reason the macro couldn't also perform any other function you wanted, such as turn on a projector, lower a screen, turn out the lights, etc. I have similar macros attached to other devices such as TV, SAT (renamed DBS), etc. Therefore as long as I am at the home screen (which is very easy to get to if not already there), simply pushing the applicable device button controls the entire "activity" associated with that device. I don't know if this would accomplish what you are thinking of or not, but it certainly has for me.

I don't know why Philips didn't put this capability in their manual because I think it is a very nice feature. I'm really glad Daniel learned about it and told all of us.

Scott

I think I understand what your saying (and adds to the confusion). Sending out a macro as you SELECT a device is usefull but not what I'm looking for (RC2000 also had this feature). I want macros on ANY button once I'm on the main page of the device. I want several different macros on a page along with the normal device buttons. Maybe one to pause the DVD and turn on the lights, another for the reverse. Another to turn on AC-3 compression for night viewing which might take a few clicks and another for the reverse.

That's my "Activity" watching a movie which often involves pausing when the phone rings, or someone yelling it's shaking the house :-)

You can do this on the IRIQ directly and Jack and others have confirmed to me that the stand alone Pronto can not do this at the moment (without jumping around or staying in a 5 button macro group page). If the Pronto hardware is better than what I saw with the IRIQ and the PC Pronto software solves my needs (by Jacks description it sounds like it does) I'll be a happy camper.

I have been reading this discussion with great interest, and have a comment to Ben:

I am a potential international buyer as I live in Norway and want to get the Marantz RC5000 (for reasons of aestethics I think I will prefer this to the Prono). From earlier experience I expect this remote to be available in the US a full year ahead of my local dealer. This means I will probably order the RC5000 over the internet, and will have to make a choice; Whether to buy one based on price only or to plave emphasis on other factors only. It is my experience that trying to save money can be very expensive, and I will happily (fairly happily anyway) pay USD100 extra, and feel reasonably secure that I am handing over my money to a dealer that: 1) I know (from this forum) that actually exists - in this case Metronet, 2) Seems to know the product well - in this case Jack Shultz and 3) Seems to respond to the customer's questions and needs.

I will, when the time comes (can someone tell me anything new on when the RC5000 is expected) place my order with someone I trust rather than trying to save a few dollars on what may turn out to be a con. In conclusion, therefore, I thin non-local buyers may be even more interested placing their orders with someone they trust than locals, who can after all go and break a dealers knee-caps if he screws them.

Christopher,
I would expect an update on the Marantz RC-5000 the second week of January (after the CES show).
CES runs 1/7-1/10 and you can bet that Pronto will be a HOT topic for many vendors and attendees.
I will be happy to post once I have better feedback from the show.
Cheers.