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Secret "Learning Remote" with Sony
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Posted by: indigovic

I finally got my Sony DirecTiVo, and noticed that Sony failed to document the remote's limited learning capacity.

Yeah, the interface where you select your TV or A/V Receiver's brand onscreen is cool, but there are a couple good circumstances where the learning capacity is quite useful:

1) If your equipment isn't one of the onscreen choices, it's a lot easier to use the learning feature than that clunky Code Search feature.
2) If you want to make one of the buttons do something other than the expected task, this is the only option.

In my case, I use the learning feature for both reasons. My processor doesn't appear to be in the list; also, I've programmed the "mute" button to toggle closed-captions on my TV.

Here's the process:

Place the TiVo remote and the remote that it will be learning from head-to-head.

Press both the TiVo button *and* the TV Power button on the DirecTiVo remote, and hold them until the LED stays lit.

To assign codes to control a TV, enter "0975" on the remote. To assign codes to control an A/V reciever, enter "1975". The LED will flash three times.

Within 30 seconds, press the button on the remote that you want to program. (You can choose TV Power, Mute, Volume Up, or Volume Down.) The LED will flash.

Press the appropriate button on the other remote, and hold it until the LED flashes three times. (If it doesn't work, try repositioning your remotes, and try again.)

Repeat with any of the other buttons you want to program.

Press "Clear" to exit learning mode.

Note that by using *both* the 0975 and 1975 options, you can have the same button send two IR commands with a single press.

I haven't tried it, but I assume that if you flip the switch on the side of the remote to "TV", you'll probably be able to program most of the buttons - not just the four listed above.

-Vic.
.

Posted by: Intrepid-NY

Thanks, that's great. I wonder why Sony did not document this in the manual.

Posted by: newsshooterderek

I have a Mitsubishi TV. I tried programming the Sony remote's "mute" button to act as the "go to" function, to skip from the channel I am watching to the channel I was watching. It didn't work.
I pressed TiVo and TV power till the lite stayed on, entered 0975, then the lite went out. I then pressed the "mute" button and the "go to" on the TV remote. I held it for a while, but the red lite just stayed on, probably because I had the "mute" button pressed. Anyhow, the LED never flashed three times. It just stayed lit for as long as the "mute" button was pressed. I tried it several times.
What am I doing wrong?

Posted by: indigovic

Well, you may be doing a couple things wrong. Did the light blink three times immediately after you entered 0975? If not, you didn't enter 0975 fast enough, so it never actually entered learning mode.

Also, you don't hold "mute" down after that - just press it once quickly, and then press the appropriate button on the other remote. Then it should blink three more times.

In an unreleated note, I also found a little quirk after I did my initial programming - when I pressed and held "Volume Down," it would send the signal once, and then stop. But if I held "Volume Up," it would repeatedly send the signal until I let go (which is a good thing for me). I'm not quite sure what caused that, but I reprogrammed V-Down, and it worked fine the second time.

By the way, this is all documented in the booklet that comes with the standalone Sony TiVo. I really can't imagine why they left it out of the DirecTiVo booklet. It reduced the number or remotes I regularly use by 2/3!

-Vic.
.

[This message has been edited by indigovic (edited 11-19-2000).]

Posted by: Intrepid-NY

newsshooterderek:
The learning feature does NOT work when the switch on the side is set to TV.

Posted by: newsshooterderek

Thanks, Intrepid-NY. I was just about to reply a question about the same. If the remote won't learn on the TV side, what things can you program the remote to do on the Sat side? You'll have to excuse me. I'm new at this whole thing. I just wish I could afford a Pronto, but the Sony remote does do so much more than the Phillips remote does on the TV side...that much I know!

Posted by: Intrepid-NY

see indigovic's post above for programming on the SAT side

Posted by: nmiller855

Does this mean that I can program my SAT-T60 remote to have a timer like my TV remote? If so, do I follow the instructions above. I don't want to mess anything up by trying it if it won't work

Posted by: newsshooterderek

At the risk of sounding really dense, here goes...So I can only program a TV function in the SAT setting, which means I will only be able to control that TV function in the SAT setting, not the TV setting? Is this correct?

Posted by: indigovic

>what things can you program the remote to do on the Sat side?<

You can program any of the four buttons (Volume Up and Down, TV Power, and Mute) to send any signal you can get from any other IR remote. I know that the TV Power button can be programmed to send any *pair* of signals - teach it one signal using 0975 and the other signal using 1975. (I don't know if that works for the other three buttons - I haven't tried it.)

-Vic.
.

Posted by: Jekyll

Controlling my Sony reciever, I had the same oddity with the volume down issue. I'm not sure what exactly did it, but after reprograming it a couple times it worked as it should. I'm not quite sure how it works, but for some reason, if I had 3 of the 4 buttons programed (it could actually count as 4, as I had 2 commands associated with the TV off button (TV off and receiver off), it wouldn't work on the others.

So, right now.. I have Volume Up/Volume Down controlling my reciever (as it should - hold it and it continues to go up or down), and my TV On powering on/off my TV and receiver (I had some trouble at first - for some reason it sent the commands twice so it's power off/on the TV and receiver quickly), and my mute button doing what it does by default - mute the TV (which currently doesn't do a thing, as my receiver controlls the sound).

Posted by: JonJon8320

As long as we're talking about remotes, instead of starting a new topic, I just wanted to ask if anybody has the Sony touchscreen remote. And if so, does it control DirecTiVo functions? I'm sure not going to buy a Pronto remote, although it looks pretty decent....I'm a Sony man. I have all Sony equipment...and just want to keep it the same. But the determining factor will be if the Touchscreen remote can "learn" the DirecTiVo functions. I know it is a learning remote, but, I don't know about all the DirecTivo commmands....thanks....

Posted by: Alcatraz

Is this just a Sony feature, or can the Philips remote be programmed in this manner as well?

Posted by: indigovic

The Philips remote is apparently not programmable.

-Vic.
.

Posted by: BoulderGeek

I am so pleased with discovering this info!

I just got a Sony T60, and have been settingit up like my dead defunct Hughes.

I like the asymmetrical sony remote more then the Peanut. But I did like the peanu't feel. I always got it upside down though.

By using the SAT/TV switch on the side, and the instructions above, I can now do everything I need to with just the Sony DirecTiVo remote. The TV power fires up BOTH the TV and Sony AV center receiver (which is required since it switches optical audio and SVideo to the TV).

With the switch in SAT mode, the volume quickly scrolls the receiver volume. In TV mode, the TV gets the input. Same for Mute. So each are individually controllable via the Sony TiVo remote.

The Sony remote also controls vdeo sources, so I can switch to DVD easily without findinghte TV remote. I just went from 5 remotes to 2!

Thanks so much for documenting the learning functions!

Posted by: Otto

Holy cow you found an old thread! :D

Posted by: falconerz

I found this old thread, too, and if anyone (Otto) is listening, can a Sony SAT-T60 remote be programmed to control a Hughes DirecTiVo?

Posted by: Want1394

No - totally different.

Posted by: JLWINE

;) :p :) :D Thanks a bunch Indigovic. Ever since I got my new Anthem processor in January I have been unable to use the Tivo remote because there was no code listed. I even called both Tivo and Sony to see if there were any undated codes or undocumented learning capability. I was told no by both of them. So you post today came as a very welcome surprize.

Posted by: JLWINE

quote:
Originally posted by JonJon8320
As long as we're talking about remotes, instead of starting a new topic, I just wanted to ask if anybody has the Sony touchscreen remote. And if so, does it control DirecTiVo functions? I'm sure not going to buy a Pronto remote, although it looks pretty decent....I'm a Sony man. I have all Sony equipment...and just want to keep it the same. But the determining factor will be if the Touchscreen remote can "learn" the DirecTiVo functions. I know it is a learning remote, but, I don't know about all the DirecTivo commmands....thanks....

I have the Sony Rm Av2100 and like any remote that has learning ability you can teach the buttons to do what you need for Tivo. However, although many people love the touch screen remotes I do not. I like to be able to feel the buttons and not have to look at the remote. In additional to this remote I tried the Pronto and although It was REALLY cool it was not for me. As a matter of fact I still have the Sony remote and would sell it to you cheap if you think you might like it. The remote I used and love is the Home Theater Master MX-500. Contact me if you decide you want the Sony remote.

Posted by: narcisse

This post rocks....My girlfriend has one of those lousy TV/VCR combos...just programmed the sony remote to grab the info from its remote.

This board never ceases to amaze me. Sometimes I think DTV/Tivo tech support are searching this board while your on the phone with them.

Right on!

Posted by: vasa

There must be a way to "unlearn". How do I get the remote back to it's factory settings?

Posted by: crazyjoekuta

^^Why would you need to unlearn?

anyway, this procedure worked great, tnx!

However, because my Yamaha receiver uses 2 power buttions (power on, and standby), i was unable to set the remote to turn the tv+a/v both on and off.
I set it to turn everything on, though, b/c when u want the TV on.... u just want the damn TV on!!!
\
tnx again

Posted by: Polekat

I also would like to know if we can unlearn. I have the T60 and I programmed it to control my Stereo reciever. The problem is now I HAVE to switch the little tv/sat switch on the side to control the tv volume and I want to get it back to the way it was, which was the volume controlled the tv without having to switch the tv/sat switch. Does anyone know how to do that? I don't use the reciever to watch regular tv, usually just movies.

Posted by: Otto

Put the battery in backwards for a split second. I usually find that works on some remotes.

Do this at your own risk, I take no responsibility if it explodes in your face! :p

Posted by: Dad

Okay, speaking about remotes, I have one of the original RCA DTv only receivers with the RF remote. Unfortunately, the remote is dead (hit the ground once too often). Does anyone know of a replacement remote that does not cost $$$?

Thanks

Posted by: Polekat

Ok, I found out how to set the remote back to factory settings, in case others wanted to know.
1) press and hold the Tivo button and the Power/TV button at the same time (about 3 seconds) until the red light comes on and stays on.

2) enter 0981 to restore factory settings on the remote.

if you want the Power/TV button to turn on your stereo reciever and your tv at the same time do step one above and in step two enter 1999.

By the way, Otto, not sure if you were joking or not so I tried it - the battery in backwards trick with no luck. I then removed the batteries overnight thinking it would reset but that didn't work either.

Posted by: Nihilator

Hey, cool! Just so's y'all know, this works with the SA Sony's remote, as well. I searched all forums looking for an expanded list of codes for the remote because my "temporary" GE television (other one died in a thunderstorm, along with a VCR and the SA's modem) didn't respond to the codes that TiVo offered.

I just "learned" the remote and now it works just fine! Back to one remote!

--Chris

Posted by: paulzane

Thank you so much for posting this. We just got our second SAT-T60 and I spent 6 hours on the phone with Sony and TIVO tech support---neither of who would even admit the SAT-T60 has a remote learning feature.

The Sony SAT-T60 instruction manual has the wrong codes published, and only claims you can program a small group of televisions. Thanks to your posting, now the single original SAT-T60 remote turns on both our HDTV and our Sony audio receiver--and controls the audio volume on the audio receiver---plus has all the tv feaures by setting the remote to TV. THANK YOU!

P.S. How did you ever find this information about the learning feature on the Sony Remote Control?

Posted by: Kanati

I have a Sony SVR2000 (30 hour I think) and just purchased an APEX 27" flat screen TV to replace a dead Sharp 27". I wasn't too happy to find out that there were no codes for the tv in setup, but thought maybe another TV code would work so I came here. Just as I was getting ready to resolve myself to using both remotes I ran across this.

THANKS A LOT INDIGOVIC!!!

I had no idea that remote was a learning remote. I have no idea why they never advertised that.

Kanati
:D :up:

Posted by: Otto

Leaving batteries out doesn't work, BTW. I recently had to pull my Tivo remote out of the closet and toss in some batteries since my MX500's died and needed to be charged for a few hours. So, I tossed in some batteries and was amazed to discover that it still controlled my TV and AV device. It's been in there without power for at least 6 months or so. Must be a permanent memory thing in there.

Posted by: A.C.

quote:
Ok, I found out how to set the remote back to factory settings, in case others wanted to know.
1) press and hold the Tivo button and the Power/TV button at the same time (about 3 seconds) until the red light comes on and stays on.

2) enter 0981 to restore factory settings on the remote.

if you want the Power/TV button to turn on your stereo reciever and your tv at the same time do step one above and in step two enter 1999.

By the way, Otto, not sure if you were joking or not so I tried it - the battery in backwards trick with no luck. I then removed the batteries overnight thinking it would reset but that didn't work either.

I tried this, and it didn't work. Well it did and didn't.

Here's what it did.

I pressed the TV and Tivo button until the light went red. Then entered in 1999. I was then able to turn off my Sony receiver (by hitting the TV button), but the red light says on. When I hit the clear key then I can't control the power on my receiver anymore, and the TV button turns my TV on and off.

Any ideas???

Posted by: A.C.

Got it figured out. You have to press the enter key after the 1999 making sure to wait until the light stops blinking after entering 1999.

Posted by: GadgetFreak

quote:
Originally posted by Kanati

I had no idea that remote was a learning remote. I have no idea why they never advertised that.

Kanati
:D :up:

Actually it is documented in the SVR2000 manual.

Posted by: timf

And the SVR3000 manual as well.

Posted by: mattdrury

This rocks. Thank you very much!