Your universal remote can operate a variety of brands of components. In order for your universal remote to control your components, you need to program the remote with the codes that match the components (see Code Lists enclosed or go to rca.com/codefinder). These codes enable the remote to communicate with your components. Each brand and each component has its own "language," and, by programming the correct codes into your remote, you tell the remote to "speak the same language" as your components.