OTHER TECH

The ProntoEdit software incorporates several timesaving features that will bring smiles to installers' faces. One is a Fast Learn and Fast Test mode for IR codes. Another is a channel-macro design wizard that quickly creates station-logo graphics for channel selection. This adds a custom look to the remote in mere seconds. Also slick is the ability to add WAV-file button sounds.

Two of the Pronto's real "gee whiz!" features come from Philips's partnerships with Escient (media servers) and Lutron (lighting control systems). While Philips bragged of "out-of-box control" over these company's systems, I assumed that it would require a good bit of programming to marry them together. I was shocked and thrilled to see that full integration required little more than a mouse click on the "Insert Escient Music Server" or "Insert Lutron Lighting System" icon. You simply type in the Escient's IP address, and it's done. Finito. Controlling a Lutron RadioRA system requires slightly more work, but not much. Lighting control requires an RFX9600 extender along with an RS-232 interface from Lutron. This interface is included with the Lutron Chronos system and sold separately for other RA systems. When you hear about companies partnering, this is the kind of synergy you hope for.

One "feature" that will likely be loved by some and lamented by others is that the TSU9600 no longer allows programming stored within the remote to be uploaded to a computer. This prevents users from heisting the custom graphics and templates developed by installation firms and posting them on the Web for public consumption - but it also means that if you lose touch with your programmer and need a change, you may have to start over from scratch. A compromise is a feature called PackAndGo that lets installers e-mail executable files to clients to update their remotes.

PERFORMANCE Merely sitting in its charging station, with its clear base bathed in a soft white glow, the TSU9600 just looks cool. The panel surface is perfectly flush with a gloss-black and silver trim that looks elegant. "Sexy" is such an overused term for describing electronics, but dammit, this thing really is.