I use a pronto TS1000 for most critical learning. a TS1000 or TSU2000 is necessary for the steps below.

1. Using the OEM remote, I fire a series of codes into my pronto, learning them on the spot. It is important to learn a good ~10 just so you know they are within the same device code set.

2. Laptop: I connect my keyspan usb to serial, ([Link: tripplite.com]) configure the ports, and fire up Prontoedit ([Link: remotecentral.com]). I upload the file from my pronto (including the codes I just learned).

3. I go through button by button in prontoedit of the hex codes I just learned. Then I fire up IRScrutinizer. ([Link: hifi-remote.com]) I copy and paste each code I have learned to make sure they all have the same protocol and device number. I notate the object number for the codes I have learned. If they are different protocol and device number, you may need learn different buttons from the OEM to have a larger starting pool.

4. Knowing the protocol and device number, I fire up makehex ([Link: hifi-remote.com]) and edit the .txt file to reflect my device number. I drag and drop to generate the entire code set into another txt file. This is explained in the help file.

5. I now have a .txt file with all 255 (or half that if you have Sony15 protocol) possible commands that this device might accept.

6. I fire up IRPanels ([Link: remotecentral.com]) on my laptop. I copy/paste the txt file I generate above to generate a CCF file (pronto format).

7. Back to ProntoEdit where I open the file I just generated, downloading it back into the pronto.

8. Onward to the device. I then painstakingly fire each of the 255 (or whatever depending on your IRP) possible codes at my device. I manually notate how the device responds to each command.

9. Using the makehex .txt file, I copy paste into Word add a description to each of the different objects. (Input 2, Power-Off, etc).

10. Log into RC. Make a new post. Receive the adoring praise of someone in the future ten years from now looking for that rare PC input call of some TV company that doesn't exist anymore.

Now, if you are lucky, the manufacturer has provided an .pdf or excel file for you listing all of their codes like Integra does. If you are REALLY lucky, the manufacturer has made a file for you that you can directly import into IR Library Manager. Yamaha does this. IF you are somewhere in between, the manufacture may provide a PDF document with a list of object numbers, device, and protocol set that you have to generate the codes yourself.

If you are ridiculously lucky, someone has done all the hard work for you, and you copy and paste the codes from this site or JP1 or avsforums.

Hope this guide helps. It's probably in the wrong section.

Happy hunting. Go make a friend with someone who has a pronto. Or go make friends with a pronto.