virtual remote ? from a newbie

[dishnewguy]

I am new to tivo and i have a drd212 store demo unit that didnt come with a remote. I bought several universal remotes that didnt work and i bought one off ebay that never was deleivered. I finally saw the virtual remote app and thought it would be my savior so ive got my cable built but i have no idea how to get the sendkey file to the hard drive on the tivo unit so i can actually use this app.

I plan on only using this SA unit for recording my video servielence system and not for anyt tv use so the remote functions i could do with this app would serve my needs perfectly.

[dishnewguy]

ive looked at several thread pertaining to zmodem and file transfer but they all see directed to non SA units. Im unsure if Sa units behave different then non SA units or if the methods of working with them might be different.

Another thing that concerns me is that this unit was a store demo as i said and has never been activated. it boots as usual to a screen with 4 options:

1. start demo mode.
2. ?????????/( cant remember )
2. prepare tivo unit for sale to customer.
3. record sample programs for customer.

I have yet to find anyone that knows what im talking about in regards to this screen and i would hate to screw the system up by attempting file transfers and hacks incorrectly without a back up.

[dishnewguy]

well it turns out i dont have to use virtual remote. Even though everybody said there wasnt a universal remote that did all the functions i finally found one , phillips universal. It even does the thumbs up and thumbs down functions ( pip = thumbs up toggle = thumbs down )
So now all i have to do is do some reading on how to get this unit to beleive it has guide data and i should be able to record my security systems video.

[dishnewguy]

Actually Walmart does have one but its 16.99 not 9.99. Its a phillips universal with learning functions, they have anouther model for 12.99 that looks exactly the same but doesnt have the learning capabilities however it may do just as well , i bought the 16.99 one in hopes maybe i could borrow a tivo remote and teach it but the tivo codes worked right off the bat for it.

Even though the buttons are not named the same they work the same here are some examples:

power button = tivo button
pip button = thumbs up button
toggle = thumbs down button

I was even impressed with using the unit on my tv since ive never found a universal that would provide me with a change video mode button and this one did. I can now switch from aux input to coax input using this remote, hell i have eliminated my stereo , tv, sattelite, vcr , and of course the tivo unit with just this one unit. Something else i thought was cool is that it doesnt really care what mode your in when you program it . For example since i was using the vcr mode for the tivo unit i pushed the cable button and tried my vcr code and now it will work my vcr in cable mode.

Just an update i let the unit dial in last night and the guide unavailable screen eventually dissapeared and i could record my security cameras . Is this unit going to have to dial in every day just to do this?