In addition to the touchscreen, the RC9800i comes with hard buttons for volume control, channel up/down, and satellite or cable program guide surfing. This is handy when you don’t want to look at the remote.

I’ve tested other remote controls that claim to have extensive code sets in memory, but often find them wanting. I have a Panasonic combo TV/VCR in the den, one of its most popular and longest-running models, which for some reason has a code set that isn’t related to other Panasonic TV and VCR models. The RC9800i is the first universal remote that I’ve come across that had the proper codes to control the Panasonic TV—it even had the codes for my Runco (NEC-sourced) CRT front projector.

WiFi connectivity has the remote control talking to my wireless router and broadband internet connection, enabling automatic retrieval of Philips’ electronic program guide for local over-the-air TV channels, your local cable service, as well as for DirecTV and Dish Network satellite sources. They do require you to sign up for the service via the Internet, but the first year of service is free. At press time they hadn’t decided what, if any, charge would apply after the first year. I found it useful for local channel listings, but I wouldn’t bother with it for satellite or cable, as these companies already provide detailed on-screen program guides with their services anyway.

The media manager PC software Philips provides comes from its Streamium family of universal plug-and-play (UPnP) compatible components. It allows the RC9800i to communicate with the computer, and wirelessly retrieve music files as well as digital photos. When the remote is parked in the charger cradle, MP3 sound files from the computer can be delivered to the A/V system via a stereo mini jack on the back panel. That could be a boon in instances where the family computer is in another room in the home far away from the A/V system.

Presently, only MP3 music files and M3U playlists are supported––songs downloaded from iTunes are different file types and are not supported by the RC9800i. The remote comes equipped with a USB cord that allows the user to download future firmware upgrades, which you should do prior to initial setup.

The user interface is refreshingly simple and logical. Once configured, the remote offers choices called activities, such as watching, listening, and browsing. It’s macro-based, meaning one button press activates several commands and functions across several components. The difference here is that I didn’t have to go through the tedious process of creating macros. The remote created them automatically because I told it which components I had in which rooms during the interview process. I especially like the “all off” command which turned all of my components off with one touch.


The activities are also room-based, so when I choose the theater, I get one set of command choices, and when I choose another room such as the den, the remote is ready to control the equipment there. And the macros are extensive, turning all the relevant equipment on, choosing the right inputs on the TV and the A/V equipment, etc.

Unlike Pronto remotes, the RC9800i doesn’t let you edit the touchscreen buttons or rearrange them. So occasionally you will see buttons appear that don’t have relevance to your particular components, such as a red record button in the DVD controls––obviously there for DVD recorder control, but I don’t have one of those.

The RC9800i is an instant-on affair, with a simple touch of the sharp and colorful screen or one of the hard buttons, which are backlit whenever pressed. There is an adjustment for the button backlighting time, as well as another adjustment for the power save mode timing when the screen goes blank. The specs call out a battery life of three hours of continuous use, which is quite generous, and the remote is equipped with a lithium-polymer battery pack, which promises longer operating life compared to nicad rechargeable types. It’s not user-replaceable however, requiring a visit to a service center if ever necessary.

Obviously, lessons learned over the years from the Pronto remote control family have been applied to the RC9800i ––it has a powerful but easy-to-use interface, and the device setup experience is the slickest I’ve yet encountered. I think Philips has another winner on its hands here.