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Programming RCA RCRF03B Universal Remote

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Programming the RCA RCRF03B 3-Device Universal Remote w/ Flashlight

This remote is already programmed to operate most RCA-branded TVs, VCRs, DVD players and satellite receivers. Just press the corresponding key - VCR/DVD for a DVD player, TV for a television, SAT/CBL/DTC for a satellite receiver. 

To use this universal remote with other brands of home entertainment systems, you must first program it control those devices. There are four ways you can program the universal remote to operate your devices:

  • Auto Code Search - goes automatically through all the codes for the device you're trying to control. It's the easiest method, but it can sometimes take longer than some of the other programming methods.
  • Brand Code Search - searches through codes for select brands of devices.
  • Direct Code Entry - lets you enter a code from the accompanying code list for your brand of device. This is potentially the fastest method.
  • Manual Code Search - lets you manually go through all the codes for the device you're trying to control.

Notes:

  • Throughout the programming of each key, be sure to keep the remote pointed at the IR sensor of the device you are currently programming the remote to control.
  • Test the remote with the device to make sure the device key is programmed with the correct code for maximum functionality. If some features don't work, try a different code. See the "Testing the Code for Maximum Functionality" section below for more information.
  • During the code searches, the remote ignores key presses that aren't part of the search.
  • The search times out after two minutes (the On/Off key blinks four times and turns off, and the last programmed code under that device key is retained).
  • The On/Off key blinks four times and turns off when the remote has gone through all the codes. The remote then exits the search. If your device hasn't turned off yet, try a different search method.

Auto Code Search

The Auto Code Search goes automatically through all the codes for the device you're trying to control. When you find the one that operates your device, you can stop the search and store that code. To exit without saving a new code at any point in the Auto Code Search, press the Go Back key.

  1. Manually turn on the device you want to control.
  2. If you're programming the TV or SAT/CBL/DTC key, go to step 3. If you're programming the VCR/DVD key, you need to tell the remote which kind of device you want this key to control, VCR or DVD. Press and hold the VCR/DVD key. While you're holding it down, use your other hand to press the number key for the type of device you want to control with this key: 2 for VCR, 3 for DVD.
  3. Press and hold the device key you want to program. While you're holding down the device key, use your other hand to press and hold the remote's On/Off key at the same time.
  4. Wait until the On/Off key comes on and stays on. Then release both keys.
  5. Point the remote directly at the front panel of the device you want to control. Press Play on the remote and wait 5 seconds. The remote is testing a batch of 10 codes on your device.

    Did your device turn off?
    Yes: Go to step 6.
    No: Press Play again. The remote tests the next batch of 10 codes. Keep pressing Play every 5 seconds until your device turns off.

  6. When your device turns off, press the Reverse key on the remote and wait at least 2 seconds. The remote tries the last of the previous ten codes.

    Did your device turn on?
    Yes: Press the Stop key. You've programmed this device key.
    No: Press Reverse again. The remote tests the next code in the batch. Keep pressing Reverse every 2 seconds until your device turns back on. When it does, press Stop.

    Note: If you accidentally press the Reverse key after your device turns on, press the Forward key. Then, wait two seconds to see if your device turns off again.

Brand Code Search

The Brand Code Search goes through only the codes for one of the select brands listed in the accompanying code list. If your brand of device is listed, this search can be very quick and easy. To exit without saving a new code at any point in the Brand Code Search, press the Go Back key.

  1. Manually turn on the device you want to control.
  2. If you're programming the TV or SAT/CBL/DTC key, go to step 3. If you're programming the VCR/DVD key, you need to tell the remote which kind of device you want this key to control, VCR or DVD. Press and hold the VCR/DVD key. While you're holding it down, use your other hand to press the number key for the type of device you want to control with this key: 2 for VCR, 3 for DVD.
  3. Find your device's brand in the Brand Code list section of the accompanying code list. Circle the number for your brand and keep the list handy.
  4. Press and hold the device key you want to program. While you're holding down the device key, use your other hand to press and hold the remote's On/Off key at the same time.
  5. Wait until the On/Off key comes on and stays on. Then release both keys.
  6. Look at the number you circled for your device's brand code number. Press that number on the remote keypad.
  7. Point the remote directly at the front panel of the device you want to control. Press On/Off on the remote and wait 2 seconds. The remote is testing a single code for your device's brand.

    Did your device turn off?
    Yes: Press the Stop key to store the code. You've programmed this device key.
    No: Press On/Off again. The remote tests the next code for your brand. Keep pressing the On/Off key every 2 seconds until your device turns back on. When it does, press Stop.

Direct Code Entry

Direct Code Entry lets you enter a code from the accompanying code list for your brand of device. It's not as easy as the other methods, but it's potentially the fastest method.

  1. Manually turn on the device you want to control.
  2. Find the code list that came with the remote. Locate the section for the type of device you're trying to program, and find your brand in that section. Circle the codes for your brand and keep them handy.
  3. Press and hold the device key you want to program, the On/Off key comes on.
    While you're holding down the device key, use your other hand to enter the first five-digit code for your brand in the code list, the On/Off key goes off after the first digit.
  4. When you've finished entering the five-digit code, keep holding down the device key and look at the On/Off key.

    Is the On/Off key on?
    Yes: You've programmed this device key.
    No, it blinked four times and turned off: You have either entered a code number that is not in the code lists or missed a step in the code entry procedure. Try step 3 again.

Notes:

  • If your brand isn't listed in the code list, use one of the Code Search methods to program the remote control.
  • If you release the device key any time during the Direct Code Entry procedure, the On/Off key blinks four times, and the process is exited. The last programmed code under the device key is retained.
  • Test the remote with the device to make sure the device key is programmed with the correct code for maximum functionality. If some features don't work, try a different code in the list.

Manual Code Search

The Manual Code Search lets you go one-by-one through all the codes for the device you're trying to control. When you find the one that operates your device, you can stop the search and store that code. This method may take a long time because the remote searches through all of the codes in its memory one-by-one. If your brand is listed in the Brand Codes or the Code Lists, first try the Brand Code Search or the Direct Code Entry method. To exit without saving a new code at any point the Manual Code Search, press the Go Back key.

  1. Manually turn on the device you want to control.
  2. If you're programming the TV or SAT/CBL/DTC key, go to step 3. If you're programming the VCR/DVD key, you need to tell the remote which kind of device you want this key to control, VCR or DVD. Press and hold the VCR/DVD key. While you're holding it down, use your other hand to press the number key for the type of device you want to control with this key: 2 for VCR, 3 for DVD.
  3. Press and hold the device you want to program. While you're holding down the device key, use your other hand to press and hold the remote's On/Off key at the same time.
  4. Wait until the On/Off key comes on and stays on. Then release both keys.
  5. Point the remote directly at the front panel of the device you want to control. Press On/Off on theremote and wait 2 seconds, The remote is testing a single code for your device.

    Did your device turn off?
    Yes: Press the Stop key to store the code. You've programmed this device key.
    No: Press On/Off again. The remote tests the next code for your device. Keep pressing On/Off every 2 seconds until your device turns back on. When it does, press Stop.

Tip: Because there are so many codes, you may to press the On/Off key many times - possibly hundreds of times.

Testing the Code for Maximum Functionality
  1. Try a variety of the device's functions with the remote. If some device features don't work, go to the next step to try a different code.
  2. Repeat the Code Search Method of your choice from the beginning. When your device turns off, do not stop searching. Instead, with the unit now off, continue to press the Play key every 5 seconds (Auto Code Search) or the On/Off key repeatedly (Brand Code and Manual Code Search) until the unit turns back on.
  3. Once the unit turns back on, press the Stop key (Brand and Manual Code Search) or press the Reverse key on the remote every 2 seconds until your device turns off again and then press Stop (Auto Code Search).
  4. Test the key's functionality again by attempting to control a variety of the device's functions. If the code that has been stored controls the majority of the device's functions, programming is complete. If the code stored does not give maximum functionality, try another code.

Code Retrieval

Once you've programmed the remote to control your devices, you may want to record the codes for future reference.

  • If you used the Direct Code Entry method, this is easy. Just find the codes you entered and make a note of them.
  • If you used one of the Code Search methods to program your remote or if you used the Direct Entry method but don't remember the code, you will need to retrieve each device's five-digit code.

To retrieve your codes:

  1. Press and hold the device key whose code you wish to retrieve. The On/Off key turns on. Keep holding the device key.
  2. While holding the device key down, press and hold the Info key. The On/Off key turns off. After holding down both keys for three seconds, the On/Off key turns back on.
  3. Release both keys. The On/Off key remains on.
  4. Starting with the number 1 key, press and release each number key on the keypad in the order of 1-9, then 0. The number that causes the On/Off key to blink is the first number of the code. As you find each number of the code, write it down for future reference.
    Note: All TV codes begin with the number 1; all VCR and DVR codes begin with the number 2; all DVD's the number 3; and all satellite receivers, cable boxes and DTV converters, the number 5.
  5. Repeat step 4 until you have retrieved all five numbers in the code. After the fifth number is retrieved, the On/Off key blinks briefly, then turns off.

Tip: To exit the Code Retrieval Mode at any time, press the Go Back key.

Note: If you press an invalid key during the Code Retrieval process, the remote will not respond. If you do not press a valid Code Retrieval key (TV, SAT/CBL/DTC, VCR/DVD, Info, Go Back), Code Retrieval times out after 15 seconds. The On/Off key blinks four times, and then turns off.

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