Tip & Tricks

This page will attempt to give you ideas for some cool tricks that will help you use the full functionality of your remote as well as answering a few FAQ's.

It is not the intent of this page to give detailed instructions on how to do the actual programming as those instructions are already covered in the manuals (which can be found in the manuals section of this web site).

  1. Can I program functions to the device keys?
  2. Where can I program the input selects for my receiver?
  3. How best can I use the input selects in a macro?
  4. What's the 'Plug & Power' key for?
  5. Can I use the 'Plug & Power' button for anything else?
  6. How do I program a TV/VCR combo?
  7. My device needs 2 setup codes.

  1. Can you program functions to the device keys?
    No you can't. The only purpose the device keys can be used for is to put the remote in the correct mode for your device. This is probably THE most frequently asked question with these remotes. Most people want to program a macro that will set up all of the equipment for the intended device. Hopefully the next few suggestions on this page will show you another possiblitiy for accomplishing this.

    JP1 UPDATE: When you program your remote using JP1, you can program macros to the device buttons *if* there is an "extender" available for your remote. (An "extender" is a piece of software that you install into the remote itself).

  2. Where can I program the input selects for my receiver?
    I would suggest selecting a button that is unused for all device modes, such as one of the learning buttons on the Cinema 7 or 15-1994 remotes, and make this button the all purpose input select button. Personally, I use the 1S button on my 15-1994 remote. Then, use learning or key moves to move the input select for each device from the receiver device to the actual component's device. So, when you are in DVD mode, for example, pressing the 1S button will select the correct input for the DVD player on the receiver.

    If your TV has direct input selects, you can use another button for the TV inputs in the same fashion.

  3. How best can I use the input selects in a macro?
    If you have programmed the input selects for your receiver and TV in the fashion described above then programming a macro to use them is easy. Let's say that the 1S button selects the DVD input on the receiver and the 2S button selects the correct input for the DVD on the television. Let's also assume that you have programmed the same two buttons in all the other device modes to select their inputs. Then you can program a macro with the following sequence; POWER, 1S, 2S. Notice that I didn't include any device keys in this macro. So, let's say you run this macro is DVD mode, it will turn on the DVD player, then select the correct input on the receiver, then select the correct input on the TV, and leave the remote in DVD mode ready for your use. If you have also set up the other devices in the same fashion, this macro will work for them also.

    In CD mode, for example, you don't need to select an input on the TV, so you should leave 2S button blank, then the macro will also work in CD mode.

    If the input selects also turn on the device if it isn't already on, then that's even better, but if they don't, then here's what I suggest you do. Program, using either learning or key moves, the receiver's power function to shift/1S and program the TV's power function to shift/2S, then program the macro as follows:
    Shift/1S, Shift/2S, POWER, 1S, 2S

    Note: it may be necessary to put some delay in the macro if the receiver or the TV are not yet ready to receive commands having just been powered up. The easiest way to do this would be to include some presses of the current device's buttons before pressing the currect device's POWER button, like this...
    Shift/1S, Shift/2S, CH+, CH-, POWER, 1S, 2S

  4. What's the 'Plug & Power' key for?
    Radio Shack remotes have a device button labelled 'Plug & Power', this is intended to be used to control X10 Home Automation devices. These devices can be used to control various household items, the most common being the lighting. You would need to buy a device that converts the remote's signal into the the X10 signal, then you would need additional devices to either replace the wall switches that control your overhead lights, or devices that plug into the wall outlets to control table lamps or other electronic devices.

    Here's some links to Radio Shack and Smart Home where you can buy these devices:
    Radio Shack Home Automation index
    Radio Shack Command Console (IR543)
    Home Automation Net
    Home Automation Net (IR543)
    Smart Home X10 Index
    Smart Home X10 Command Console (4040)

  5. Can I use the 'Plug & Power' button for anything else
    Officially no, but I have discovered that the P&P button on the 15-1994 remote is really a CD device key in disguise, so you can program your CD player to the P&P button and then use your actual CD key for something else (like your receiver, perhaps).

    These is another option and that's to either learn or key move functions to the P&P button. This is a good idea if you have a device that needs most of it's buttons to be manually programmed (like the Apex DVD player), or if you have a device that doesn't have a setup code in the 15-1994 which means you will have to learn the commands, why not learn them to the P&P button.

    JP1 Update: When you program your remote using JP1, you can re-use the P&P device button for anything you want.

  6. How do I program a TV/VCR combo?
    If your TV/VCR combo uses two different setup codes, one for the TV functions and another for the VCR functions, you don't need to waste two device keys to program it. Let's say that you want to use the VCR button to control the combo, here's what you should do. First program the VCR button using the VCR code, then program the TV button using the TV code. Then use the 'key move' function to move the buttons that you need from the TV device to the VCR device, such as VOLUME, MUTE, etc. When you have finished, you can re-use the TV button for another device. If you want to use the TV button for the combo, but you have noticed that you'd need to move more buttons this way, then re-assign the TV button to be a VCR and re-assign the VCR button to be a TV, and then follow the process as above.

    JP1 Update: When you program your remote using JP1, you can create a combo code for your TV/VCR combo which eliminates the need for keymoves.

  7. My device needs 2 setup codes.
    Several receivers need two setup codes to get all of the buttons programmed (Sony 0158/0159), Kenwood 0313/0314, Aiwa 0406/0405 are such examples), but you don't need to use two device keys to program this. First you should decide which setup code has more buttons pre-programmed, this is so that you don't use up more memory than is necessary to program the device. Then program the device key using the setup code with less buttons programmed and use 'advanced codes' to program the functions to the correct buttons. Then re-program the device key to the other setup code, the buttons you just programmed will remain where you programmed them. If you need to program additional buttons using this setup code, go ahead and do it now.

    JP1 Update: When you program your remote using JP1, you can create a combo code for your such devices thus eliminates the need for keymoves.


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