This design was created with specific ergonomic objectives in mind:

1. Ease-of-vision, particularly by senior citizens. This dictated using relatively large, primary-color icons against a white background. The color scheme was devised by Mr. Gary Hoover, a retired famous movie-industry colorist and graphic artist.
2. To provide self-contained instructions. On each page, depressing the owl "professor" icon leads to one or more text instruction pages.
3. No more than two screens to operate any single device.
4. To use the hard buttons as much as possible.
5. K.I.S.S. i.e., pass the "wife" test.

Most of the graphics are original and were created with Paint Shop Pro 8. The instruction screens were created with Photoshop Elements 2.0.

RUNNER UP! This is a completely custom PCF, with an emphasis on navigation and simplicity. The top area of the design remains consistent from one screen to the next, making operation of the remote fairly intuitive. An "All Devices" button on every screen gives the user access to a given device within two button presses. I've avoided duplicate buttons (like having 4-way toggles on screen) that might confuse novice users. All graphics (with the exception of the Favorites show icons) are 100% original.

This is a PCF for the Pronto 3000. It contains 99% original graphics in the 16 shade pronto palette. It also has several test pages for expermentation of graphics and different ideas. The background will be changed on future versions.

All you Trekkers out there will love this one... is there a GUI interface out there (movie themed) better that that of Star Trek? I think not! Even if you are not a fan you have to agree!

This is a PCF file that I designed 100%. It contains many devices and has a consistent easy-to-use layout throughout. The system page contains a modified version of the chrome Pronto symbol that is used as a home page button. There are two satellite boxes, each with all available DirecTV channel icons, as well as channel icons for my cable TV channels - located in the TV device. The DVD jukebox contains jackets for over 300 DVDs and allow you to jump directly to that disc. The CD jukebox currently has a sample page with CD jackets, I haven't loaded my changer yet. In the discrete codes section there are macros to get to any of the 400 discs in the DVD jukebox and the 400 discs in the CD jukebox.

The file is large, but will download to the remote and simulates very well. The learning curve is very small. Enjoy it!

This layout is an evolution of my TSU3000 layout. It is activity-based and makes heavy use of macros to control my two zones of equipment and home automation. The layout of hard and soft buttons for each device follows a pattern, making it fairly simple to learn to use. It also contains a fairly extensive help system. This look is the result of my wife asking me to do a layout that matched her favorite purse!

My system design is based in a completely custom operating environment with all custom graphics and animation. It was designed for ease of use and to have a high WAF rating. (That’s Wife Appreciation Factor!) It can operate on either device or action based depending on the user’s preference.

Device based operation is accessible by simply touching the device banner at the top of the screen and selecting the desired device from the list. Action based operation, including system power, is accessed by pressing the home button. The lower left hard action buttons are direct access to a surround mode and a multi zone page. All page navigation within each device can be accessed with either the side toggle or the 4 screen hard buttons, which have selection feedback to identify each page. All page transitions use a simple morphing animation. I believe that the design’s best feature is that my wife actually uses it to control my bedroom system without my help and with very little explanation of how it works.

This layout is an evolution of my TSU3000 layout. It is activity-based and makes heavy use of macros to control my two zones of equipment and home automation. The layout of hard and soft buttons for each device follows a pattern, making it fairly simple to learn to use. It also contains a fairly extensive help system. This look is the result of me playing around with transparent buttons.

A sample PCF file from Philips with three sample cursor control interfaces.

An all-new design with device specific buttons, backgrounds, and bottom “activity” bars for the four hard buttons at the bottom of the touch screen. I personally prefer pages with as few buttons as possible, so my PCF file reflects this minimalist approach. The way one changes devices in this PCF is by using the “NavMode” hard button at the bottom of the remote. On every page this button will take you to the “Device Overview Template” page, where you can then switch to different devices.

I have reworked the majority of the buttons I created for the TSU3000 in color for the TSU7000. I’ve also created several new color buttons as well. “Action buttons” for a variety of activities are included as well as logo “panels” for labeling specific devices from a number of different manufacturers. New color television station buttons are included in the “Surf” section of the Tivo device and the Hughes DSS device. Hope you enjoy my work!

Special credit goes to www.DigitalBlasphemy.com for the background anemone images included in my .PCF file.