Rating: 
Summary: Happy with my TC1000
Review: I read the not so flattering reviews on the 'net, but decided to buy the TC1000 anyway. It is a GREAT remote. I was able to retire 10 remotes to the "junk shelf." It even operated my X-10 light/appliance modules! Organizing ALL of ones remotes by "Activities" is intuitive and better than searching multiple screens/devices to press one button. Use the provided software to take full advantage of the TC1000.
Rating: 
Summary: Great concept, but Philips Pronto better investment
Review: I really wanted to like the Take Control. The key innovation that this remote brought to the (coffee) table is task-based operation. Instead of dealing with lots of individual home theater components, it can be set up to work the way you do - "watch a movie," or "watch TV." This makes a complicated system accessible by anyone who wants to use it (read: wife, kids, friends), not just the resident equipment geek (read: me). The setup process is also greatly simplified - a wizard walks you through choices, you select what you have, and you're done! Great, right?Yes. But. While the concept works, the software is not flexible enough to make it work the way you want it to work once you're finished with the initial set up. And, as many other reviewers have noted, the ergonomics leave something to be desired. This would be forgivable if it were less expensive, but at this price point, there is an alternative - the Philips Pronto. The Pronto has two things going for it, and one major strike against it. The pros: it's infinitely flexible, and allows you to set up a task-oriented interface (the major plus of the Take Control) customized EXACTLY the way you want it to look and operate, even down to the graphic for the "home" icon. To help you make the most of the remote's power, there's a whole Internet community ready to give you completed set-ups and control codes (www.remotecentral.com) you can download into your remote, including Star Trek themes, codes and icons for French sattelite TV stations, and tabbed interfaces. The con: unlike the Take Control, initial Pronto setup requires this customization - you can't start with a wizard. Note: It only took me 20 minutes to get an ugly but functional Pronto configuration set up, but you can spend months tweaking away - I'm still playing with the thing months later (it's fun!). For "set it and forget it" types, the Pronto is a bit too open ended for it's own good. Rumor has it Philips is working on an improved setup routine for a late 2000 update. For some people, this product is expensive but perfect (hence my 3 star rating), but if you're willing to invest a little time playing with the thing, the Pronto is a much better product.
Rating: 
Summary: Easy programming and configuration with software
Review: I saw this offered ... which seemed like a good deal after reading a few reviews and seeing it sold elsewhere. Now that I've used it, I'm pretty impressed with the ability to progam and synchronize it with my PC, as well as find codes for download from the internet from other people who have the remote. I have two problems with this remote though, one is the dim LCD and the second is that Harman Kardon and Microsoft have discontinued manufacturing it and ceased developing software updates for it.
Rating:
Summary: Easy programming and configuration with software
Review: I saw this offered ... which seemed like a good deal after reading a few reviews and seeing it sold elsewhere. Now that I've used it, I'm pretty impressed with the ability to progam and synchronize it with my PC, as well as find codes for download from the internet from other people who have the remote. I have two problems with this remote though, one is the dim LCD and the second is that Harman Kardon and Microsoft have discontinued manufacturing it and ceased developing software updates for it.
Rating: 
Summary: Dog slow
Review: I tried one of these (I forget if it was this exact model, but it was one of the two or three using the MS co-developed platform) in a local show room and the scrolling response was abyssmal --- on the order of a second to go from one menu item to the next. I would make sure to get hands on before buying.
Rating: 
Summary: Big, Heavy, Dumb.
Review: I've wanted a programmable touch-screen remote for a long time. While I worked at microsoft, I saw details for the prototype before it was released and decided I just had to get one. Big mistake. For one, I shouldn't have expected so much from a microsoft product. The unit itself is big and heavy, enough to be inconvenient. It's only BARELY configurable without plugging it into a computer. If you don't have a windows machine to use to configure it, you're stuck with the pre-defined layouts which are nearly useless. If you do manage to customize it with your computer, it ALMOST becomes usable, but the size and slowness of the operating system make it more worthwhile to just find your real remotes. My TC-1000 has been sitting on the lower shelf of my coffee table for 4 months, gathering dust.
Rating:
Summary: No remote is good enough to cost $350.
Review: The ability of this controller to learn the commands of other remote controls is about the only thing that sets this unit apart from dozens of other $20 controllers. For $350 it should be able to read my mind and choose the programs I like and set up my VCR's to record them all on its own. I suspect Harmon Kardon is simply reeling in as many suckers as it can before reducing the price to what it should be. And that would be $20 to $40. Do yourself a favor and buy one of the many fairly priced universal controllers on the market. Harmon Kardon obviously has way too high of an opinion of themselves.
Rating:
Summary: A good idea, but poorly realized
Review: The general idea behind the TC-1000 is a good one, but the product itself is much more trouble than it's worth. The unit is exceptionally annoying unless you invest a good deal of time in custom programming, and the software would try the patience of a saint. My TC-1000 was gathering dust for many months before I finally found the Philips Pronto, which is all that the TC-1000 ought to be (and a little more).
Rating:
Summary: Nice idea, so-so execution
Review: The PC software used for programming the remote is very easy to use and a nice surprise coming from the kings of bad user interface design--Microsoft. You will have no trouble setting it up nor will it be difficult to modify the setup at a later date. Unfortunately, the remote itself eats batteries (I use NiMH rechargeables, but they still only last a month or so) and the touch screen is balky (it has trouble accurately sensing pressure at the edges in particular.) You can do anything with this remote, but its just not the panacea I had hoped for. I would not recommend it, nor would I condemn anyone for buying it. If you have very, very complicated home theater needs, it will certainly be able to meet them.
Rating:
Summary: Nice idea, so-so execution
Review: The PC software used for programming the remote is very easy to use and a nice surprise coming from the kings of bad user interface design--Microsoft. You will have no trouble setting it up nor will it be difficult to modify the setup at a later date. Unfortunately, the remote itself eats batteries (I use NiMH rechargeables, but they still only last a month or so) and the touch screen is balky (it has trouble accurately sensing pressure at the edges in particular.) You can do anything with this remote, but its just not the panacea I had hoped for. I would not recommend it, nor would I condemn anyone for buying it. If you have very, very complicated home theater needs, it will certainly be able to meet them.
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