Genie Remote Controls:
I am interrupting my discourse on Liftmaster garage door openers because I need a break for a day, want to keep you hanging on, and because I am thinking of Genie with the light... red blinking light (hmm, I don't think I have much of a future as a poet)....

Genie remotes have different generations, much like, but different from, Liftmaster. Therefore, they are not cross-compatible, even though they use some of the same frequencies. Caveat: see my continuation of Liftmaster next week for two glaring exceptions to all my compatibility rules thus far.

The most enigmatic of the Genie remotes in current production is the "Master Remote", the GM3T-BX. It is called the master remote because it can effectively be programmed to Genie garage door operators made from at least the late 1980s to today. Because it is so versatile, it is necessarily trickier than most other remotes to program. It will program to Genie garage door openers (gdo's), that have 9 two-position DIPswitches, to 9 three-position DIPSwitches on Genie Gate operators, to 12 two-position DIPswitches on gdo's, and also to the various Intellicode rolling code versions. Therefore, you must carefully follow the instructions for the specific operator that you have in order to achieve success. Gary at garagedoorsupplyco.com has posted some great instructions online, along with a utube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzMBdxey0HI  where he goes visually through the steps to program which is really great for those of us who are visually oriented. In my blog I am going to just use simple descriptions and sometimes pictures to try to contribute to the overall knowledge base available for this 'supercharged' Genie remote. First of all, this remote transmits on two different frequencies. It transmits on 315 Mhz when you press the button one time. The next time it transmits on 390 Mhz, and just alternates every time. So, if your door doesn't open the first time you press the button, press it again to make sure you have sent on the correct frequency for your machine.

GM3T-BX
the Genie Master Remote

Let's start with the intellicode programming, in order to build a base for understanding the other methods:
First: Open the back of the remote control -- this applies to ALL programming methods on this remote!
If there is plastic slip under the battery terminal, remove it so the remote will have power. Make sure the battery stays in the holder.

Inside the back of the remote you will see at the top, a 12 three-position DIPswitch which we will discuss later. It is not used for programming intellicode machines. Then below that a curved strip of tape with A, B, C, D on it. Underneath these letters are small switches. These switches select the programming method. For intellicode machines, the "A" switch is the only one we will be concerned with.
Below the tape switches in the battery, rests a commonly found CR2032 lithium watch-type cell. To the bottom right of the battery is a small amber LED. When any one of the above switches is pressed, this light will blink for about 30 seconds, indicating that the remote is in programming mode for the selected method or technology.

Three steps are required to program to Intellicode machines: 1) selecting the "A" button; 2) pressing the "learn code" button on the garage door operator; and then 3) pressing the selected button on the front of the remote. Let me give the details:

back of remote with battery cover removed

1) selecting the "A" button:  press "A" until the amber light inside the remote starts to blink. If it doesn't, press a bit harder. If that doesn't work, check the contact fingers on the battery to make sure they are bent down enough to make good contact. Once the light starts to flash, move immediately to the next step
2) press the "learn code" button on the garage door operator: Do NOT hold this button down for more than about a second or you run the risk of erasing the memory. Most programming mistakes occur where one remote is being programmed and all the other remotes previously programmed to it quit working. This is due to holding the learn code button too long. After about six seconds, the memory on the operator is erased, and no other remote devices will work until they are re-programmed to the machine.
3) press the selected button on the front of the remote:  The master remote has three buttons on the front, with a small LED cleverly hidden between the middle and bottom buttons. --If you have one or two garage doors to program to, I recommend the top and/or middle buttons. The bottom button is pre-programmed to Genie's short-lived Intellicode Series III system, and doesn't work without switching modes on any other series or even the DIPswitch models. To determine what mode you remote is in at any time, especially if you have been having trouble getting the remote to work suddenly, press the button you have been using (after it has been programmed) for a few seconds and check the LED between the buttons. If the light is solid red, while holding the button, you are in intellicode mode. If it is blinking red, you are in DIPswitch mode. If it should be green, you are in Series III mode. Should you find your button in the wrong mode, hold the button down for up to about 15 seconds, and it should change mode. You may have to repeat the process until you get into the correct mode.-- ANYWAY, on to the instruction: You have selected the "A" button, and immediately pressed and released the "learn code" button,. Press your selected button on the front of the remote and release it. Repeat this last step up to four times within 30 seconds, until the door operates. BTW, it is wise to start with your garage door in the down position. This ensures a best chance at verifying the programming as opposed to being confused by other potential problems, such as safety sensor malfunctions, which have confounded many customers. Ask me about that if you have questions....
Well, this has gone on long enough, so I will have to talk about the B,C, and D buttons next time, and further revelations on Liftmaster next week.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone, and remember to thank God for all the blessings we enjoy as Americans, not the least of which is our right to thank God personally every day for all He does for us. May He continue to bless us and keep us FREE, and may we never forget He is the Creator.