# Using my own universal remote with TiVO Mini



## bondmanp (Dec 9, 2015)

Is there any way to program a programmable remote to operate my Mini? The TiVO remote works fine, but I am used to controlling all my components in my home theater system with one universal, programmable remote.

When I attempted to program the universal remote by pointing it head-to-head with the Mini remote, my universal remote did not read any signal from the TiVO remote, so programming was not possible.

IIRC, the TiVO remote is both IR and RF. If so, shouldn't there be an IR remote code specific to the TiVO Mini remote that I can use to program my universal remote?

Any help is appreciated. TIA.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

That's strange. I know RF is device specific. but I thought the IR mode was the same for both (all?) TiVo devices.


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## dahacker (Jan 14, 2004)

If you are trying to have your Universal remote "learn" from your Tivo remote, you need to first switch your Tivo remote to IR mode as indicated here:

https://support.tivo.com/articles/Features_Use/TiVo-Remotes-RF-Pairing-Instructions

"To enter IR mode, press and hold the TiVo+Red C buttons until the activity indicator on the remote control lights. The remote remains in IR mode until you manually put the remote into RF mode."


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## mdavej (Aug 13, 2015)

Tivo codes are built in to most universals. Should be no need to learn, unless you just have a lot of time to kill.

Need to know what make/model of remote before I can tell you the Tivo code.


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

The Mini responds to the same IR signals as your TiVo.

It obeys the same addressing scheme as the TiVo, but you only have to worry about setting address IDs if you have a Mini and a TiVo, or two TiVos, in the same room.


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## bondmanp (Dec 9, 2015)

Thanks, all.

My universal remote is:

NXG NX-RM505

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001K9JM36/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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## mdavej (Aug 13, 2015)

That one is pretty old and may not have a code after all. If 090 or 177 doesn't work, you will indeed have to learn after using dhacker's instructions on the Tivo remote. Or learn from any other Tivo remote you might have that's already in IR mode.


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

It should have TiVo codes. TiVo has been around for a long time and remote code 0 hasn't changed. There may be some new buttons but the base knew haven't changed. 

That said, i tend to do 100% learning on new remotes. Using codes and adjusting is just too much hassle when you can just line up the remotes and go through the buttons. 

The mini remote does have to be changed to IR to learn, though. I did two of them a few months ago.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

If it's a Mini V1 it's already IR.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

In case there is any question:
http://tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=10482584#post10482584


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## mdavej (Aug 13, 2015)

TonyD79 said:


> It should have TiVo codes. TiVo has been around for a long time and remote code 0 hasn't changed. There may be some new buttons but the base knew haven't changed.
> 
> That said, i tend to do 100% learning on new remotes. Using codes and adjusting is just too much hassle when you can just line up the remotes and go through the buttons.
> 
> The mini remote does have to be changed to IR to learn, though. I did two of them a few months ago.


Codes are perfect. Learns are not. Yes, they usually work fine. But if you're learning others besides Tivo, repeating and toggling protocols like volume commands use can be problematic, as can complex protocols like XMP. I recommend using learns as a last resort or for signal analysis purposes only. Plus there are many commands that simply can't be learned. There are several such Tivo commands, like discrete captions and standby.


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

mdavej said:


> Plus there are many commands that simply can't be learned. There are several such TiVo commands, like discrete captions and standby.


I presume you mean they can't be learned only because TiVo remotes don't generate them. My Harmony learned *CC On* and *CC Off* from a Samsung cellphone with an IR app. It also had to learn *Standby* from another Harmony remote because the Harmony command set that included *A/B/C/D* didn't also include *Standby*


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

mdavej said:


> Codes are perfect. Learns are not. Yes, they usually work fine. But if you're learning others besides Tivo, repeating and toggling protocols like volume commands use can be problematic, as can complex protocols like XMP. I recommend using learns as a last resort or for signal analysis purposes only. Plus there are many commands that simply can't be learned. There are several such Tivo commands, like discrete captions and standby.


As far as I can tell, the remotes that are available that can accept discrete codes are very few. However, you can have a remote that accepts discrete and learn those commands to your main remote.

Anyway, most of us get along just fine without the discretes such as you mentioned. CC on and off is pretty easy in TiVo. And many of us never put our boxes in standby. I actually cannot think of a single thing on tivo that I need a single button for that I already don't have. While I have issues with how somethings work, none of them would be solved by discrete codes.

I'm glad you like them and you have access to them.


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## mdavej (Aug 13, 2015)

Yes, unlearn-able because they aren't on an original remote. Only XMP is truly unlearn-able in most cases. 

Just pointing out drawbacks of learning. I don't use standby either, but caption and stop commands come in handy. 

I can name at least 200 remote models that take discretes.


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

mdavej said:


> I can name at least 200 remote models that take discretes.


Pointing out a few would be helpful.


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

ej42137 said:


> Pointing out a few would be helpful.


Yes. Maybe there is something I and others aren't thinking of. Although I don't need a stop or an easier way for CC, there may be something else.


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## mdavej (Aug 13, 2015)

Low end would be nearly ever UEI remote ever made (partial list below). High end would be most URC, Pronto, RTI, Crestron and many smartphone/tablet remote apps (iRule, etc.)

http://www.hifi-remote.com/wiki/index.php?title=RemoteChart

UEI is one of the largest remote makers in the world, making all DirecTV, Dish, most cable co., One-for-all brand and OEM to many like Yamaha, Vizio, etc. You can pick up such a remote on eBay for around $4 shipped and add every possible command for every possible device. Add an $8 programming cable and do it all from PC/Mac/Linux.


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