I am a retired engineer and have for the last 8 years have been able to use my Philips ProntoNeo TSU500 universal remote control to control my home theater which includes a Comcast / Scientific Atlanta cable box. Very recently my old box had a problem and Comcast replaced it with a new, all digital, Cisco RNS150N. Now I am unable to "teach" my remote the IR codes for the RNS150N so that I can continue to use my universal remote. I have spent hours on the Internet trying to get any information and on the phone with Comcast but to no avail.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what might be different with the new cable box?


Please see the link below to view thread in Discrete Code Hunter forum

[Link: remotecentral.com]

According to 3FG in the Discreet Code Hunter Forum the discreet code for POWER for the CISCO RNG150N is:

0000 006C 0012 0012 0008 0023 0008 0043 0008 001D 0008 006E 0008 0033 0008 0033 0008 002D 0008 0068 0008 01F3 0008 0023 0008 001D 0008 001D 0008 001D 0008 001D 0008 006E 0008 001D 0008 001D 0008 0C45 0008 0023 0008 0043 0008 001D 0008 006E 0008 0033 0008 0033 0008 002D 0008 0068 0008 01F3 0008 0023 0008 0048 0008 0048 0008 001D 0008 001D 0008 006E 0008 001D 0008 001D 0008 0C45

I entered this into my ProntoNeo TSU 500 using Neohacker and it created the following Pronto code:

0 f 6c 9 60 91 8 1d 23 2d 33 43 48 68 6e 3f 5f 88 13 3e 4d c3 f4 f0 7b
81 44 44 f8 44 f0 1b c9 2b e2 84 4f d3 30 3d fc 5e 20 3c 3c 11 3e 11 7c 3

This did not work and there is no transmission (output LED doesn't turn on)

I learned the "Power" code from the Comcast remote and it is:

0 f 6c 8 5f a4 9 1b 69 21 31 41 2c 46 3f 7f 30 50 10 20 40 40 60 20 0 bf 17
30 10 10 10 10 20 10 10 0 bf a4 f0 a 3 5 1 2 4 4 6 2 f0 7b 1 3 7 7 1 1 2 1 1 f0 d

it is very unreliable, works sometimes but only maybe 1 in 10 tries.

Does it work if you hold the button instead of using it in a macro?

no

Personally, I'd upgrade to a TSU7x000 remote and go from there. I'd stay away from the TSU3x000 remotes as they have had screen issues.

Sure, it will mean a rework of your config but let's face it. I think you'd like more landscape and also the addition of color. Plus, you'd be able to use standard CCF files and not have to "hack" the ones on the Neo.

If the idea of moving to the NG series of remotes frightens you, I'd also recommend the Marantz RC5200 or RC9200 as it has the 4 way cursor and the extra hard buttons just like the NG series.

You should be able to pick up any of these on Ebay relatively priced.

Can the Marantz units be programmed using a PC? I downloaded the manual and it looks to me that you have to do every thing from the device itself. I like being able to create and save configurations on my PC rather than fumbling with the device,

Yes, TouchScreenSetup for the RC5200/9200. Just need a computer with a serial port or a Serial to USB converter (see the FAQ).

I recommend the Philips NG model TSU7500 over the Marantz RC9500 though. The Philips NG units are programmed by ProntoEditProNG PPENG available on this site. The Marantz NG units are programmed by a software named wizz.it.

I really am putout with Comcast. I was perfectly content and could control all 6 of my devices with the ProntoNeo TSU500. Then Comcast uses the stupid Cisco RNG150N with XMP IR protocol and now I'm screwed. I still do not know why the TSU500 cannot correctly learn the XMP codes and why the codes it learns occasionally work.

Changing to a new device will cost $$$ that I hadn't planned on.

But if you go with the TSU7500, I bet you will be tons happier.

Post #3 in this RNG110 thread may help to explain why remotes have trouble learning XMP.