I thought I'd share...

In an effort to gain better control over my new Sanyo HT30744 HDTV, I've been using my old OFA Cinema7 to learn the IR commands from the TV's original remote. Then I load them into IR, look at the device, subdevice, etc., which I use with keymapmaster to create a complete new device mapping to load into my newer OFA 6012.

In this process I learn which EFCs (000 to 255) relate to each button on the original remote. And I also learn which EFCs are NOT. With the old Cinema7 I then send each of the unknown EFCs to the TV to see what happens. In this process I discovered that EFC 129 will discretely tune the TV to it's Component2 input.

So having found ONE discrete input EFC, I'm hoping more are to be found. I'm also having a problem receiving HDTV signals in my area, so I decided to call Sanyo's 800 number for help.

Sanyo's help line folks were VERY pleasant and patient. The first person I talked to referred me to another. The second (a "technician") was able to help me with the antenna problem, but referred me to a third (an "engineer") for help with discrete codes.

According to this engineer, discrete tuning is NOT a feature of this TV. I told him that I COULD get directly to Component2, and he insisted that I must be mistaken since that was "impossible". I tried to explain how using my Cinema7 I was able to try several IR commands NOT available with the TV's remote, and that for example I'd found a code to get me directly into the service menu. At that point the "engineer" suggested that I must know more about this TV's functionality than he did, and I was going to have to answer my own questions. He couldn't. He said as far as he knew, the only way to access the service menu was by unplugging the TV, then plugging it in while holding down the volume(-) button on the TV.

So it was a bit of a frustrating day. But it points out that by delving into the potential of these OFA JP1able remotes, we have moved far beyond any manufacturer's expectation of us. I suspect that there are remnant command sequences in the programming of modern TVs and electronic devices, left over from "old code" used in some prior device. Just like winXP, the device's OS has gotten bloated to the point where no one person knows how it works anymore. It's only we adventurers that find the lost bits, by daring to throw every EFC at a TV.

Now I wonder... If SANYO now knows that they have "sloppy" code that lets someone with a OFA remote access hidden or "lost" commands in their TVS, will they consider that a problem and "fix" it in the next model? Or will they realize the potential and give us MORE discretes and finer control over our devices? I'm hoping for, but not counting on, the latter.

Dave B.

I wouldn't expect it would be nearly that easy to get to talk what we would call an "engineer" (someone involved in the design of the firmware, electrical, mechanical, or other techinical aspects of the product). Of course you know that, which is why you put "engineer" in quotes.


I doubt that happens much and really doubt that explains this case.

I think some QA engineer insisted on inserting one discrete code into the firmware because having it made some part of the QA process simpler. They would avoid telling any customer contact people about such things because they don't want to lock themselves into supporting something that wasn't intended as a customer feature.


I doubt there is enough meaningful feedback from customer contact people to designers to have any risk of that sort of influence. So "SANYO" doesn't now know that. Some customer contact "engineer" heard it and forgot it.

Here is a list of the advanced/discrete codes for Sanyo TV's.[Link: hifi-remote.com]

You can also find advanced/discrete codes for your other devices at [Link: hifi-remote.com]

As you will see, EFC code 129 is not listed, so if you can verify that the TV will go from any input you have it on directly to video 2, let us know so the Robman can add it to the above list.

In reply to the last paragraph of your posting: Neither.

I don't know if I read your posting correctly, but you do know that you can send the advanced/discrete codes directly from the Cinema 7 to the 6012, right? So, if you find another one you need in your 6012, this will save you the trouble of keymoving the advanced/discrete into the Cinema 7 and then sending it to the 6012.

I really don't know what you mean by all that.

I assume we all know that you can test an EFC on the 6012 the same way you can test it on the 7800, so he didn't really need the 7800 for that part at all. But the Magic key on the 6012 is a lot less convenient than on the 7800, so if you want to do a lot of them, the 7800 is a clear better choice.

Once you find one, you want it in the functions list in you KM upgrade, not JUST sent to the 6012.

Most of us would find it easier to create a test upgrade with lots of EFCs and test that using the 6012 rather than use the direct EFC test method even on the 7800.

That's especially important when looking for discretes, because whatever base state you use for the search will miss a discrete for that state, so you need to run through the whole set of EFCs at least twice.

Your right John, the cinema7's setup button is far easier to press and hold than the same button on the 6012. And on my 6012 I've got an extender installed that has disabled the SET button altogether.

As for taking more than one pass through the EFC, in several cases it has taken me three or more passes, simply because of the state of the TV. For example some buttons only work when in MENU, and so would do nothing if I sent their EFC when the TV wasn't in MENU. And looking for a discrete OFF would require the TV to be ON (one state) while hoping to find a discrete ON would require the TV to be OFF. Tuner discretes might be found for all the inputs you aren't currently on. But you'll have to be on another input and try the EFCs to find that original input discrete EFC.

I referred to the "engineer" as engineer because the technician put me on hold while he contacted the "engineer" (his word). When the engineer got on the phone, he answered "Engineering. This is (his name). Can I help you?"

Dave B.

My bad. I didn't notice I was talking to a Founding Member who would know this. I was merely trying to point out that you didn't need to keymove an EFC into the 7800 so you could send it to the 6012, but that you could send it directly without using the middleman.

Oh, well, maybe this little bit of info will help some noobie who reads this later on.

Thanks for that pointer, Ron. But you can see by looking at that link that the list is not sorted in any obvious way, has several redundant entries, and lists no discretes for anything. I started there, but realized it would be more productive to to simply make my own list that related to my specific TV, both new and HDTV. I've posted my list in a message in the Discrete Hunter's forum, relative to Sanyo TVs. [Link: remotecentral.com]

Dave B.

I've always made my own lists. From the first time I discovered advanced codes accidentally with my Producer 8, without knowing about Remote Central or even what an advanced code was, I have been doing the 000-255 thing with every new component I get. Sometimes I even find something to send to the Robman to include in his listings.

I think the Robman does an exemplary job with these lists, but it is true the more verbose listings would benefit from being put in either alphabetical or numerical order.

And each time I reply, I will try to be sure to check out who I am replying to.

Just FYI, the advanced code lists on my site are all in the format I got them, except for the fact that Devon ran a Perl utility on them to reduce the large EFC numbers down to the 000 thru 255 range. This particular list, like many of them, is a UEI generated list, hence the layout and redundancies.

Of course it would be a good idea to arrange the lists in a better format, but who has the time for that sort of thing! :) If the answer is that any of you do, then by all means re-work the lists and send me updated copies. I just need text files with the codes in them, no HTML is needed. My CGI utility will wrap HTML around the list and will display the file using a <PRE> delimiter.

This message was edited by The Robman on 11/02/04 09:50 ET.

Hi, I know nothing about special buttons or discreet codes but maybe someone here could help me. I just went out and bought a Universal Remote RCA RCU403, because I lost the remote for my TV, Sanyo Flat Screen, and I can't get to the Video or Componet, unfortunatley my new remote doesn't have an "input" button. Is there any other way I can get to the Video or Componet? And if it's a code, would you please tell me step by step? Maybe I can become a remote hacker too... Thank you for your help.

Not with that RCA remote, or any other, they're CRAP!

nhenson, if you look at top of this forum you will see that it's for "One For All" and "Radio Shack" remotes. If you had one of those remotes we could give you a step-by-step, but the only useful advice that I can give you regarding an RCA remote is this...

1) Pick it up
2) Take it to trash can
3) Drop it in