How to Program a GE Universal Remote

How to Program a GE Universal Remote

A step-by-step guide on how to program a GE universal remote control to operate various home appliances such as televisions, VCRs, and DVD players.

Most devices come with their own remote controls. If you happen to lose your remote control, however, you can purchase a universal remote and use it for all your appliances. Universal remote controls are designed for a wide variety of products and appliances—your television set, your VCR, your DVD player, and more. One of the more popular universal remote manufacturers is GE, which sells universal remotes under the Jasco brand name. Here is how you can program your GE remote and use it for your appliances.

• Turn On. First, turn on the appliance you want to program. Naturally, you will need to turn the device on manually, since the universal remote cannot be used yet because it has not been programmed.
• Code Search. After turning on the appliance, take the remote control and aim it at the device. Press the code search button so the remote can be configured with the specific code corresponding to each brand of appliance. If you cannot find the code search button, refer to the manual that came with your universal remote and look at the button diagram.
• Enter the Code. Now that you have activated the code search, enter the code for the particular appliance you want the universal remote to control. Check the documentation that came with the universal remote, where you will usually find a list of codes for various appliance brands. These are typically three-digit codes. In some cases, you may not find a specific code for your appliance brand; if this happens, try choosing another code from the same manufacturer, as manufacturers often use the same codes across their product lines.
• Aim. Now that you have programmed the universal remote control, position it so that it is aimed directly at the appliance you want to control, within a range of a few feet. Press the off button and watch to see if the device turns off. This indicates that the programming was successful.
• Check the Functions. Turn the appliance back on using the newly programmed universal remote. Test various commands, such as increasing or decreasing the volume, opening and closing the disc tray, or changing channels. If these basic commands work, you have successfully programmed the universal remote. Otherwise, you may need to repeat the procedure, perform another code search, enter the codes again, and check if the remote now works.

If you are working with a particularly rare brand of appliance, it may take a few attempts before you find the correct code. Following these steps should enable you to program a GE universal remote on your own.