How to Set Cable Remotes to Work With TV
By Maya Austen
Most of the remote controls that come with cable TV service are universal remote controls. This means that in addition to controlling your cable box, you can also program your cable TV remote to control your television set and other audio and video devices. The quickest way to set up your remote to work with your TV is to enter the TV manufacture code for the brand of television you are programming the remote to link to. However, you do not necessarily have to have this code to program your remote; the process just takes longer when you don't.
Comcast or Cox Cable Universal Remote Control
Step 1
Turn on your television set.
Step 2
Press the "TV" button on your remote control once. Press and hold the "Setup" button until the TV button blinks twice, then release.
Step 3
Enter the search code 9-9-1. When a valid code has been successfully entered the TV button blinks twice.
Step 4
(For Cox Cable, and Comcast Cable universal remotes with the gray "OK/SEL" button) Aim the remote at the TV. Alternate between pressing the "Power" button and the "TV" button on your remote until the television set turns off. When the television set turns off it means you have found the working code for your TV.
(For Comcast universal remote with red "OK/SEL" button) Press the number "1" button on your remote. The TV button will blink twice. Aim the remote at the TV, press the "Power" button, then continually press the channel up button on the remote until the TV turns off.
Step 5
Press the "Setup" button on your remote to lock in the working code.
RCN Remote Control
Step 1
Turn on your television set.
Step 2
(For "REDESIGN" remotes) Simultaneously press and hold the "OK/SEL" and "Mute" buttons on your remote until the power mode buttons at the top of your remote begin to blink sequentially.
(For "Contec's CheckMate" remotes) Simultaneously press and hold the "Devise" and "Mute" buttons on your remote until the power mode buttons at the top of your remote begin to blink sequentially. Press the "TV" button to make it illuminate.
Step 3
Press and hold the channel up button on your remote until your television set turns off, then release.
Step 4
Press the "Mute" button on your remote. If the TV turns back on, proceed to step 5. If the TV does not turn back on, continuously press the channel down button on your remote until the TV does turn on. When the TV turns on it means you have found the working code for your television set.
Step 5
(For "REDESIGN" remotes) Press "OK/SEL" to lock in the working code.
(For "Contec's CheckMate" remotes) Press "TV" to lock in the working code.
References
Tips
- Rather than using the search code to manually search for your TV's manufacture code, you can look up the TV manufacture's code for the cable TV universal remote you have using the reference links in this article. If you enter the TV manufacture's code instead of the 9-9-1 search code for Comcast and Cox cable remote controls, following step 3, aim the remote at your television and press the "Power" button on your remote control. If the television set turns off, you've successfully programmed your remote. If the set does not turn off, repeat the steps using another of the listed manufacture's codes for your TV brand (most brands have more than one code listed).
Writer Bio
Maya Austen began freelance writing in 2009. She has written for many online publications on a wide variety of topics ranging from physical fitness to amateur astronomy. She's also an author and e-book publisher. Austen has a Bachelor of Arts in communications from the New England Institute of Art and currently lives in Boston, Mass.