Hack #85. Program Your Remote with ProntoEdit

Download and set up the ProntoEdit software for programming your Marantz and Philips remote controls.

If you've got a programmable remote control, don't even bother with the instructions detailing how you can program the remote by hand. That process is incredibly time-consuming and frustrating, and doesn't make available even half of the remote's true capabilities. Instead, head on over to the Mecca of remote control web sites: Remote Central (http://www. remotecentral.com). There, you can find files and utilities for every conceivable remote control, and especially for the Marantz and Philips units. The program you're looking for to get the most out of those models is called ProntoEdit, and you can find it by clicking the Files link in the top menu bar of the Remote Central web site. (Drill down into Phillips Pronto & Pronto Pro, then into Original PC Software, and select Philips Pronto Series.)

Tip

Mac users are out of luck; as of this writing, there are no Mac-friendly versions of ProntoEdit, and Remote Central provides only PC-compatible software.

When the Files area comes up, select your brand of remote control. The Philips Pronto and ProntoPro as well as the Marantz RC5000 lines use the same program. If you've got a newer model, such as the Philips TSU3000, there is a separate link; you'll also find a number of other remote controls represented, along with utilities and setup files. Still, if you've got a unit that works with ProntoEdit, ...

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