It can be done but it requires a workaround. You'll need to setup those trigger commands in a more current remote (his 980 for instance), set them to IR output and then learn them into the 850. Then return the program to be RF. I've done this before and it does work however it's kind of a pain and I also believe I lost port routing when using the 850. I'd just upgrade him to another 980 for ease of use, consistancy, charge dock, etc. I think i wrote a step by step on how to do this a while ago, others have too, but that's the jist of it.