ok, i've posted only once here in the past as a newbie and i haven't worked on my TSU2000/ProntoEdit since then.

but, i have some new equipment and have to try and use the software all over again.

i've completely forgotten how to use it of course and had a question...

is there/are there any new remotes and/or remote control software customization packages that actually are easier to use these days?

i mean, prontoedit sure as heck isn't easy.

anything that has easy layout/design features and is more flexible with image creation/placement and alignment?

something with a nice pc desktop interface that is easy to manipulate and use?

or is prontoedit still the soup du jour?

also, any prontoedit experts in the chicagoland area that would be willing to do some remote control programming for cash?

thanks in advance.
George

There is Tonto [Link: giantlaser.com]

In Chicagoland....

E-Mail me.

And a word of advice to anyone else requesting local help...... Put your e-mail in your Profile. Even though you requested local assistance, this post could be constreud as "Advertising"

Tonto is great but one note of warning:

if you feel that ProntoEdit is waaaaay to difficult to use, don't expect the change to Tonto to move mountains. I myself use Tonto, but I doubt I would have found it super easy, had I not before used PE and become familiar with it.

My tip is just keep on going: if you did it some time ago, it won't take you so long to remember how it works...

thanks for the replies gang.

my home email address is: george@ajazi.com

when do you all think that we'll ever see something as simple as maybe a WYSIWYG editor with REAL alignment/image placement tools built-in?

maybe even an HTML editor/layout scheme with remotes that display "web pages" of panels. with the images/buttons being "hyper-links" or something.

a ton of people know HTML and/or could use a frontpage type software to design a layout for the screen size assigned.

then, being able to use ".gif" and ".jpg" files as graphics would make everyone's lives soooo much easier.

i can dream i guess.

thanks again.

-george

Since the Pronto Classic is at end of life, you won't see any changes in ProntoEdit.

The new format is in the Pronto 3000. It is kind of quite different, but also kind of similar. The new editor is ProntoEdit NG.

Some of the things you ask for such as HTML, .gif, .jpg would be great but would take up lots of CPU power and memory which are both at a premium for this type of product. Hopefully that limitation will go away as technology advances.

Peter,

I would agree with you if it wasn't for the fact that you can get a tricked out Pocket PC from Dell for $200.

So, a pocket pc with a 200-400Mhz StrongARM processor with a microsoft operating system, ton of ram, yadda yadda yadda...

You would think a remote could be built with 32MB RAM and a 100Mhz processor that has a watered-down OS and a nice little "web browser" built-in to display the pages edited/created with software on your PC specific to the remote all for something around the $200 price point.

Heck, you can get cheap Palm OS devices for $100-200.

No reason I can think of why some company couldn't take a Palm OS type device (older) and take off the graffiti entry part and build in a customized "browser" to display the pages that someone makes.

Then, just put in a juiced up IR transmitter/receiver to handle longer transmit/receive distances.

You'd have a higher res LCD screen and it could even be color (but keep B&W to conserve battery). Maybe even have a stylus so that you can make smaller graphics and still have them usable.

I just can't believe this can't be done for cheap.

My thought anyway.

Like Philips or Sony couldn't whip up a decent remote based on a cheaper Clie or something and put together a little HTML editing software package to design the pages/screens for.

There are many attempts for PDA remotes like you say (compaq and Sony tried making a remote/PDA, others made remote programs for PDAs). But if you build a device that is only a remote, then the market is much smaller and the R&D costs are less divided, that brings the price up.