First, thanks Daniel for this great site.

Does anyone know how to operate Radio Shack's remote-controlled A/B Video Switch using either RS 15-1994 or RS 15-1995 remote controls? I just found this coupon on Radio Shack's site for 50% off an IR A/B switch.

[Link: radioshack.com]
scroll down and you will see coupons for both the A/B switch at $19.99 and the RS 15-1995 for only $49.99. The coupon is only good until June 19 but RS told me it would be on sale again in July.

For those of you who might be interested....
the reasons I'm using the A/B switch is so that I can record a program on my VCR while watching another program on the TV. Since the switch itself is operated using an IR remote control, I figured that I could just program it on either my 1994 or 1995 (I have both). Of course, those of you that have more than one video input on your TV do not need to do this.

Thanks for any assistance.

Rodd

Most odd devices with simple functions can be taught to your learning universal remote. All you'll need is the device's original remote, and to follow learning instructions that come with your universal remote.

Dave

I have been meaning to dig my remote A/B switch out just to get the adv codes. OK, this is totally from memory but the code for the A/B switch is in the manual under video accessories. Looking at the device code lsit, you should try device code 0160. I think you have to put it on a VCR key. The channel up and down buttons switch it from A to B.

The reason that I've been meaning to dig mine out (I don't use it anymore) is to see if there is a toggle code.

Also, there is no need to waste a whole device button on this little device. Once you've set up a VCR button to work it, simply use the 994 function to MOVE the buttons over to some unused button on the TV device, then you can re-use the VCR button.

Rob.
[Link: stormloader.com]

Hey Rodd,
I've just re-read your post and I'm not sure you need an A/B switch.

Does your TV have both a coaxial input and RCA style (ie, video) inputs. If so, why don't you simply run the cable into the VCR and then run a coaxial cable from the VCR into the antenna input on the TV. Then run an A/V cable from the VCR outs on the VCR into the RCA style input on the TV.

Even if your TV only has the one input, when you are recording something on one channel, simply press the TV/VCR button while the remote is in VIDEO mode, and then change the remote to TV mode and switch to the channel that you want to watch.

The reason that I used to use the A/B switch was because I used to need a cable box to view the scrambled channels but the network channels could be viewed straight off the cable, so I used the 'A' mode for the cable box and the 'B' mode for direct cable. Then I could program the VCR to record network channels using the regular channel numbers (when in 'B' mode), and I could watch the scrambled channels using the 'A' mode.

Rob.

OK, here are the advanced codes for the A/B switch (model # 15-1957).

437 - 'A'
725 - 'B'

They are mapped to the CH+ and CH- buttons on the R/S remotes, you will need to program them using the adv codes on the Cinema 7.

Use device code 0160 on the CABLE button.

Rob.

Rob, thanks for the informative response. The code works great. The reason why I don't take your suggestion on not using the A/B switch is for the same reason that you used to use one (ie., to watchtotally switching modes scrambled cable channels while recording network tv). But I also want to be able to only have to use the cable box to view and change channels so that I can continue to use the home theater mode which has all my programmed keys in one layout rather than to continuously operate the remote using another device's keys. Thanks again for your help and your great site.

I used to have a manual A/B switch feed the VCR and the remote A/B feed the TV. I'd split the incoming cable into two, with one cable going to the box and the other going to the B input of the manual A/B.

Then I'd split the output of the box into two, with one going to each of the A inputs of the A/B switches. Then I'd feed the manual A/B into the VCR and then the output from the VCR into the B input of the remote A/B. Then the remote A/B would go into the TV.

The reason behind all this was that my wife used to record alot of network shows, so most of the time the VCR was used to record direct from the raw cable, but the A/B gave us the ability to record HBO if we wanted to. When we would watch TV we could use the remote to select the A channel for HBO, etc, and the B channel for "broadcast" (ie B, geddit) shows or the VCR.

Are you going to use my suggestion of moving the two A/B buttons over to either the TV or VCR device keys? If your TV doesn't have PIP, you could use the MOVE and SWAP buttons.

Later,
Rob.

Rob, I didn't really have time to think through your A/B connection explanation but I'll come back later and read it again and let you know what I decided to do. As for moving the A/B buttons to TV or VCR keys, I just programmed my tuner device key as an accessory key (by remapping the mode from TUNER to CABLE and then from CABLE to VIDEO ACCESSORIES. Since I don't use my TUNER device key for anything, I'll just use the channel up and down keys in TUNER mode to toggle between the two.