For years, I've had a Phillips Widescreen TV (HD ready). It now serves as second TV for another family member.

We replaced it with a Techwood labelled model - a cheap and cheerful TV that showing it's worth and more inputs to boot.

I found that when I intergated it with the Sky Box, I didn't have to change remote codes on the Sky Remote.

Coincidently, friends of ours replace their ageing Bush CRT TV with a new flat screen Sharp model with contemporary inputs as standard.

Again, they found they didn't have to change their remote codes.

Are there certain firms that gladly share their codes with other rival firms, or is it pure coincidence that we switched to the right TV's?!

There's a whole range of code sets. Most are specific to manufacturers, but other companies use them under a license agreement.

Each manufacturer will stick to a small number of code sets for their TVs. So the chances are that one Techwood remote will operate nearly all their TVs

The risk of using a common code it that two similar products will respond to one remote commander. However, unless you run two TVs in the same room then there's little chance that there would be a problem.

You were just lucky that the Sky remote's default code was the same as the TV's code set.

Philips use the RC5 remote system, and this is the most popular format in the world - as well as being a TV manufacturer, Philips are also a component manufacturer (previous known as Mullard - now Philips Components).

So they sell remote control chips to anone who wants them, in this particular case all three sets are just cheap badged ones (Vestel) which use RC5.

Incidently, the default (none programmed) remote code for early Sky remotes was Sony, but after a few years it was changed to RC5 instead.

True. And convenient as the resident remote with for the other TV and its accompanying Sky Box is increasingly sluggish. Will probably invest in a fresh Sky Remote for it soon.

You wonder if the likes of Sky have a vested interest in companies like One For All, or work with the likes of them when designing a remote.

I would have thought just the opposite - the Sky remote removes much of the need for One-For-All remotes.

Incidently, the original Sky remote was manufactured by Philips for Sky.

You're probably right about that, although how close do the design of OFA remotes come to looking like Sky Remotes without breaching any copyright?!

I have noticed that both Sky and OFA remotes have similar sticky labels inside the battery cover for noting remote codes

I know that Phillips are Dutch. Aren't OFA a Dutch company too?

Or is it just that one of the caller support centres is based in Holland?

Probably standard Chinese labels?


Probably, I thought OFA was American?.

OFA is a brand name owned by UEI who are based in the US and The Netherlands.