METHOD FOR UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL CONFIGURATION

A controller is connected to one or more media devices. Each media device includes an associated native remote control. The controller includes a data store comprising one or more descriptions of remote control protocols. The user presses a button on the native remote control. The controller receives a resulting signal and compares the signal against the stored remote control protocols. After at least one and preferably less than three key presses, the controller identifies a single remote control protocol associated with the received signals, and thus identifies the media device whose remote control is being used. The user may subsequently use a controller remote control to issue commands to the media device through the controller. The controller may identify a plurality of media devices, and allow the user to issue complex commands. The controller may receive updates to its data store from a server through a network connection.