Programming of remote control operational modes

1. A method for programming a remote control to control a device in an entertainment system, the method comprising:

entering a programming mode to program the remote control to control the device;

while in the programming mode, receiving a first input from a user, the first input being a control code identifying the device for controlling;

while in the programming mode, subsequent to receiving the first input, receiving at least an additional character provided with the control code from the user indicating a selection of a limited mode of control for controlling the device, the limited mode of control preventing the issue of at least one command to the device, the at least one command being allowed to issue to the device in a normal mode of control;

exiting the programming mode; and

subsequent to exiting the programming mode, operating the remote control in the limited mode of control for controlling the device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the device is part of an entertainment system, and wherein

the at least one command comprises only commands to the device that render inoperable the entertainment system.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one command comprises only commands to the device that change an input monitored by the device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one command comprises only commands to the device that change an output of the device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one command comprises commands to the device that change a broadcast channel of the device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one command comprises commands to the device that change an audio volume of the device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing a set of commands for controlling the device on the remote control; and

selecting the at least one command from the set of commands based on the possible effect of each command in the set of commands on at least one of the input and the output used by the device.

8. A remote control for use with an entertainment system having a first component and at least one second component, the remote control having a first mode and a second mode of operation and comprising:

a user interface configured to

receive user instructions to issue commands to the first component and the at least one second component, and

receive a user selection of one of the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation for the remote control;

a transmitter configured to transmit commands to the first component and the at least one second component in response to the user instructions; and

a control circuitry configured to

in the first mode of operation, issue a first set of commands via the transmitter to the first component and the at least one second component in response to the user instructions,

in the second mode of operation, issue a second set of commands to the first component and the at least one second component, the second set of commands being a subset of the first set of commands, and

in the second mode of operation, prevent any issue of commands in the first set of commands not included in the second set of commands.

9. The remote control of claim 8 , wherein:

the second set of commands consists of all of the commands for the first component in the first set of commands and less than all of the commands for the at least one second component in the first set of commands.

10. The remote control of claim 8 , wherein:

the control circuitry is configured to determine the second set of commands based on input received via the user interface.

11. The remote control of claim 8 , wherein:

the user interface is configured to receive a user input to initiate a programming mode to enable the remote control to issue commands to the first component and to the at least one second component; and

the control circuitry is configured to set the remote control to issue commands to the first component and the at least one second component, and to set the remote control to operate in the selected mode of operation in response to the user selection during the programming mode.

12. The remote control of claim 8 , further comprising:

an enclosure for housing the user interface, the transmitter, and the control circuitry;

wherein the user interface comprises a switch obscured by the enclosure, wherein the switch is configured to receive the user selection of the mode of operation for the remote control.

13. The remote control of claim 9 , wherein:

the second set of commands excludes one or more commands of the first set of commands that, if issued, would prevent the at least one second component from receiving programming from the first component.

14. The remote control of claim 9 , wherein:

the second set of commands excludes any commands of the first set of commands that, if issued, would change an operational state of the at least one second component in a way that places the entertainment system in an inoperable configuration.

15. A method of operating a remote control for an entertainment system with multiple components, the method comprising:

receiving first inputs from a user to program the remote control to transmit commands to control each of the multiple components;

receiving second inputs from the user to select one of a first operational mode and a second operational mode for each of the multiple components;

receiving a selection from the user to control one of the multiple components; and

in response to receiving the selection, operating the remote control according to the selected operational mode for controlling the selected component;

wherein, when in the first operational mode for the selected component, the remote control allows any command for controlling the selected component to be transmitted to the selected component; and

wherein, when in the second operational mode for the selected component, the remote control prevents at least one of the commands for controlling the selected component from being transmitted to the selected component.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

initiating a programming mode for the remote control, wherein the first inputs and the second inputs from the user are received during a programming mode; and

exiting the programming mode, wherein the selection from the user to control one of the multiple components is received after exiting the programming mode.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein:

receiving the first inputs from the user comprises receiving a control code for each of the multiple components; and

the second inputs from the user selecting the operational mode for each component of the multiple components is received immediately after receiving the control code for the corresponding component.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein:

the programming mode is initiated in response to a user instruction.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

allowing a change in the operational mode for at least one of the multiple components only while in the programming mode.