Remote Shoppe is dedicated to Remote Controls

Finally, we have the official press announcement on the new Philips Pronto Professional TSU9600 that fills in all of the blanks. Read on to learn more about the Lutron & Escient support, Wifi and pricing details

Philips, a world leader in remote controls, is again redefining multi-room control with its latest and most impressive entry, the Pronto™ TSU9600 remote. As consumers’ lifestyles demand advanced control solutions throughout the home, not just in the entertainment center, the intuitive Pronto TSU9600 offers simplified convergence and control. Introduced today at the 2006 Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) Expo, the Pronto TSU9600 is poised to orchestrate an entire household of digital devices, from upscale home theater equipment and custom lighting (Lutron Electronics Co., Inc’s RadioRA® lighting control) to multi-room audio solutions (Escient® Fireball™ Media Manager).

The Pronto TSU9600 is equipped with a dedicated user interface to control Lutron RadioRA lights and shades and in turn, provide feedback on the remote’s 3.7” VGA screen on the activity performed. Mood settings enable the complete room setting to be illuminated according to the desired mood at the touch of a single button – individual dimmers and switches do not need to be controlled.

“Lutron is thrilled that Philips has integrated our RadioRA lighting control system into its impressive new Pronto remote, the TSU9600,” said Andy Wakefield, director of the Home Systems business unit at Lutron Electronics. “The connected, digital home is the future and this furthers the goal of living effortlessly and through technology.”

Learning from installers, Philips made the capabilities of the Pronto TSU9600 comprehensive and simple. By combining Escient’s reliable and efficient FireBall Music Sharing Protocol with Philips’ expertise in home control solutions, this multi-functional remote offers a simple solution to manage even the largest digital music, DVD and CD collections. Because of the remote’s advanced capabilities, there is no need to turn on the television to start listening to music throughout the house. Instead consumers can use the full on-screen user interface, displayed on a crisp, flush-mounted 3.7” VGA screen, and scrolling wheel to control the music library.

“Pairing Philips’ new Pronto TSU9600 with Escient’s FireBall Media Manager provides consumers with unmatched power, reliability and simplicity for browsing, selecting and controlling anything on a FireBall,” added Bernie Sepaniak, president of D&M Holdings, Replay TV, Escient and ACT divisions. “Both products offer uncompromising quality, sophistication and are among the finest tools for the digital home.”

According to a recent Consumer Electronics Association study, more than half of likely buyers of a new home consider the ability to customize the home important. More than 80 percent find that the variety of technology upgrade options also is vital. Fifty percent of new homebuyers purchased whole house audio systems, home theater systems or automated lighting control systems. The intuitive Pronto TSU9600 exceeds the demand for customized, upgradeable home technology by delivering simplified convergence and control of hundreds of different devices from home theater equipment to lighting.

The TSU9600 boasts:

A compact profile and flush-mounted, 3.7” VGA touch screen for the clearest and sharpest user interface. Features dynamic resolution and a wide (160 degree) viewing angle.

Best-in-class WiFi® wireless link for complete home control.

Pronto Edit Professional software for customization. Access to one of the largest databases of up-to-date equipment codes.

An easy-to-use macro channel wizard, supporting WAV audio files.

Access to one of the largest IR databases, which is updated quarterly. With MyDatabase, installers also make more efficient use of configurations already programmed, cutting down on repetitive work.

High-gloss, black front panel, blue-backlit buttons and a docking station that emits a comforting white glow, and 64MG1 memory.

Ergonomic grip with soft touch feeling; rotary wheel for easy content navigation.

Discreet, built-in stylus holder.

The TSU9600 is compatible with two optional extenders to maximize control. The RFX9400 provides premier WiFi and wired network compatibility and individual, addressable IR ports. To further increase reliability, the RFX9600 RS232 output can be hard wired to equipment to ensure commands are carried out exactly as they are programmed.

The TSU9600 will be available in October 2006 for a suggested retail price of $1,299. The RFX9400, also available in October, will retail for $299. The RFX9600 will be available in November for a suggested retail price of $599.

Click here for the Pronto site