1) just cover the ir-emitter and wipe the screen with a dry cloth or hold down an inactive hard button or take out the batteries.

2) you have to go to learn mode on the minidisc screen to see the buttons because there are no codes preprogrammed so buttons don't show until you teach them codes. If you wish, you can use label mode to label them first and then teach them codes, but they still won'y show up in use mode until you teach them codes.

3) look for the small hole (like an earphone stero microjack) it is on the lower left of the pronto. On the same side as the backlight and contrast buttons.