So, I had a rather interesting surprise when I went to set up my TV this weekend.  I have a Sony combo Surround Sound/DVD player device, which apparently is known in the business as an HTIB, or *Home Theater in a Box.  I output the audio from the cable box to this device so I get the good sound when watching cable.

I wanted to hook the Comcast Universal Remote up so that I could control the sound with one remote.  Should be easy, because when I was in MN I had Comcast and it worked just fine.

Yeah, not so much.

Turns out Sony HTIB devices don’t work with a Comcast Remote anymore. Some time ago Comcast changed their remotes so now they take a 5 digit code instead of a 4 digit code. In that process, support for my device was axed.  Not sure if it was by Comcast (the worst company on Earth) or by Sony.  Doesn’t matter. Either way it doesn’t work.

Anyway, after some digging online, I found a workaround.  It requires manually programming function codes into the remote to override the existing function codes.  Don’t worry, it’s easier than it sounds.

I don’t know if this will work for other Sony combo devices, but it worked for my Sony DAV-FR8.

Programming a Comcast Remote for a Sony DAV-FR8

Set your AUX to 21232 (a sony code for TV/VCRs).

Then do the following:

  1. While still on AUX, press and hold SETUP again until the remote blinks twice
  2. Type 994
  3. Press and release SETUP
  4. Type 32975
  5. Press and release VOL+

The remote should blink twice. That should reprogram the VOL+ to work with your Sony device.

For each of the following function codes, follow the same steps and use the codes listed below:

Vol- = 31951
Power = 32719
Mute = 33743

Thanks to Fixya.com for the info.