the equipment without requiring user choice since a choice is required in the example given the user selects the desired empty channel in a step 60a this information too is transmitted by tuning system 24 to microprocessor 38 step 62 the final identification of the cable converter to be controlled can take one of a number of forms in the illustrated example a prompt is displayed on the screen which tells the user to press a certain button or buttons until the cable converter to be controlled changes channels when the cable converter changes channels the user is told to release the button tuning system 24 transmits the signal caused by pressing of the button or buttons directly to remote controller transmitter 37 step 64 in response the remote control transmitter energizes led 45 to transmit for example channel up signals in different formats associated with different manufacturers when the correctly formatted signal is received by the cable converter it will change channels the user in response will release the button or buttons this information is again transmitted by tuning system 24 directly to remote control transmitter 37 step 64 the transmitter now knows that the last sent command was in the proper format future commands will be formatted accordingly release of the button or buttons completes the identify routine step 66 and the program is returned to the idle step 50 once the cable converter has been identified in accordance with the above described routine a user controlled channel change is carried out as illustrated in fig4 as shown in fig4 the user first selects the cable converter or other external tuning device by means.