not certain if this is the right forum, but perhaps if not, someone might help me to get my post where it needs be..i really do need some help and it is my first time here...thank you in advance :)

i bought the unit above from CompUSA when it was going out of business a couple of years ago -- without the remote (assuming i could use a generic or the remote that comes with Direct TV...after spending the past 2 hours using all codes listed under Sony on the user help files of Direct TV, then calling them and getting additional codes, no matter what i program in will NOT make the remote work...i am using the Direct TV remote on AVI 1 mode as they instructed me and even went thru all the codes on the AV2 mode just to make certain...can anyone help me with programing either a generic remote or the direct tv remote so i might use this device i spent over 200 dollars for and never even turned on! (i hope it was not a broken unit as CUSA has a pretty decent reputation and i would hate to think they did this :(