If your equipment is out of sync when you turn on the activity, you'll find a small button, called fix, on the appearing screen. It opens a small overlay screen where all the devices can be turned on and if the input is incorrect it can be corrected as well. This is so straightforward that I could learn it my girlfriend.
Here solution for out of sync problems was turning the activity off and on again (which also works but is not elegant)
There are discreet buttons for turning on and turning off. Turning on and off is well implemented. Sometimes a device stays on when turning everything off, but that is usually caused by pointing the remote the other way around when it is still busy shutting the devices down.
Now to answer your questions, first of all when switching from one activity to another the remote doesn't turn off the devices of the old activity (all devices stay on). You definitely cannot program hex codes in the remote, you'll have to learn the ir code or they must be in the database. So I think you're right and that you cannot use this remote. I can guarantee you that you will be frustrated.
But your problem was exactly mine, all remotes which come close to what I want are not do it yourself and need to be purchased including installation of a authorized dealer and then you have still no access to the software and updates. So until better options are available I stick to this remote.
