Skip forward 30 seconds!
OK, I know this isn’t a computer article. And those who don’t have Comcast cable, feel free to read something else. But, for the rest of you…
One of the minor annoyances I had with Comcast (after switching to them from a satellite provider) was with their DVR remote. The other company’s remote had a button allowing me to fast-forward a recorded program 30 seconds at a time. Since commercials are either 30 or 60 seconds, I could press the skip button 4-6 times and quickly blast past all of the commercials. Yes, Comcast allows you to fast forward, but I found that most of the time I’d fast forward past the end of the commercial, and then have to rewind so as not to miss any of my show. (OK, I told you it was a minor annoyance – that should be my biggest problem, right?)
Most people don’t realize that you can program additional behavior into your Comcast remote control. Just press a few codes and turn a button into a “skip” button. Which button? Any one you want. Me, I used the Live button, since I found I rarely used it anyway. (Fair warning – before proceeding, read the disclaimer at the bottom of this article. By proceeding, you’re assuming all risk – if you fry your remote, explode your DVR or melt your entire SpongeBob Square Pants collection, don’t come crying back to me. All I can tell you is it worked great for me!)
Rather than detail all of the steps here, just click on the link below to go to an excellent tutorial at Moe’s Home Theater.
http://moesrealm.com/home-theater/guides/30-second-skip-for-motorola-dvrs/
And, if you decide you don’t want that skip button any more, or want to program in a different button, here are instructions on how to reset your remote back to factory-fresh condition. (Keep in mind, you’ll need to re-program your TV and any other devices after resetting your remote.)
1. Press and hold the “Setup” key until the remote blinks twice.
2. Type in the code 980.
3. If successful, the device will blink FOUR times.
Next article, will be computer related. I promise.
This article is provided by Steve Smith, The Computer Psychic. All content is protected by applicable copyrights, and may not be reproduced without express consent of the author.
The information in this knowledge base article is provided “as-is” with no warranty, express or implied, as to the suitability or validity of its content. It is up to the reader of this article to determine if the steps outlined herein are appropriate for his or her use. As with all tasks on the computer, be sure to have a current backup of your data before proceeding.
