I am programming my MX980 to work with my Pioneer Elite SC05 Receiver. Currently, I selected the SC05 [AUTO FUNCTION][AXD 7520] IR Database. My DirecTV receiver connects to the receiver through HDMI 1. So, in programming the DirecTV key from the Watch page, I have a Macro that, among other things, turns on the SC05, waits a few seconds, and then selects the HDMI 1 input through an ALIAS command.

I have found that sometimes the receiver switches to HDMI 1, and other times it does not.

In fact, when it does not work, I do see an image on the screen for about one second, suggesting that the correct input (HDMI 1) is selected, but then it changes to the TV input. Very odd.

I have tried different DELAY parameters, moving the SC05 POWER ON command earlier in the macro, adding a second ALIAS command to select HDMI 1. But nothing seems to work consistently.

When I select the HDMI 1 command from the remote (from within the AUDIO selection), the receiver switches to that input flawlessley.

Should I try another SC05 IR database, like MAIN1 or MAIN2? Should I try to learn the HDMI 1 command manually? Any suggestions?

What are the differences between the various IR Databases for the SC05? Are they different codes?

I did a trouble-shoot for someone on this same issue and for the life of me I can't remember all of the details. Sorry about that - it might be a CES fog.
Do you have HDMI Control turned ON or OFF for the SC-05?
What display are you using? Is HDMI Control On or Off?
A little of the situation just came back to me and I think it has to do with HDMI Control.

I had HDMI Control ON for the SC05 and for the Pioneer Elite KURO 141. And I think you are exactly right. I turned off HDMI Control on the TV and now all seems well. Should I turn it off on the receiver as well? and should I turn it off on the Pioneer Bluray player?

If you know, what features (other than remote control) am I missing by turning off HDMI Control??

I finally remebered the details.
The Pioneer display wants the TV input on the receiver as the default. In the manual there is mention of connecting optical to the receiver's TV in.
The only advantage to HDMI control with Pioneer components is onscreen the receiver function confirmation display (volume, input, dsp). In the situation I was working with before they wanted that display. Since it was a Motorola cable box I convinced them that there was no picture advantage with HDMI so they ran component to the SC-05 TV in and kept HDMI Control On.
I'm not sure what you mean by losing remote control features. The OSD with HDMI Control is nice but the control features are pretty clunky and as you found the defaults can screw with your RC macros. Fortunately all of those components have all the discretes you need.

I think you are confused a little with HDMI control and the SC-05. HDMI control will only give you OSD for volume, that is it. The other advantages are that it will let you turn on/off each component each time you hit the power button if all the components have HDMI control on and if you also have a Pio BD player, you can use PQLS when listening to music.

If you want to display volume, input, surround modes, etc., you will need to hook up a SR+ cable from the receiver to the Pio display. The other advantage of using the SR+ cable is that if you are using IR, the IR in the receiver will not be used and the IR on the Pio display will be used instead so the remote would only have to be pointed at the display. I have an SR+ cable on my Pio BD player to the receiver also so I can control the BD player using the display's IR. There is only one catch to using the SR+ cable, the older 8th gen Pio displays used SR+ (with the + meaning video) whereas the newer 9th gen Pio displays using just SR (no video). As a result, the newer Pio displays will not have OSD for volume, input, etc.

Thanks for the info.
Yes SR+ is gone from the new displays.
You may be right about the Input & DSP aon new models too as I haven't tested HDMI Control with them. I have a PRO-950FD (that does show the info), SC-05, and BDP-51.
I should know all of this but the company (you can guess which one) doesn't always give us enough info or time to test everything.