Dumb TRC-3 Tandberg remote

Image of TRC3 remote
TRC-3
 For the multitude of users of expensive Tandberg MXP-class video conferencing appliances, a cry is being raised about the crippled function-impaired remote control provided with the systems. I'm talking about the infamous TRC-3.

One of my measures of usability is the number of button presses or mouse clicks required to accomplish a given task.

Note to Tandberg: Fewer is Better.

In that regard, the TRC-3 remote fails for a great many of the tasks we find ourselves faced with day-to-day.

For the folks who only need to originate or receive simple calls, you may not notice the number of times you need to access the configuration menu; but for anyone who needs to access particular functions, significant menu searching is requred, such as:

  • Far-end camera control functions for access to Codian video servers;
  • Multiple cameras or other video resources

The older black Tandberg remote had the dedicated buttons which are missing from the wretched TRC-3. What happened?

It was only by accident that I discovered that Tandberg does indeed manufacture a replacement remote which includes all of the buttons required: a model TRC-4. I called my Tandberg rep for a quote: $270.00 . . Ouch.