A system, method and apparatus for controlling consumer electronic (CE) devices. A control unit obtains CE device command codes and 'metadata' from an interactive, wirelessly accessible database. The control unit uses the metadata, which is data relating to the unique control behaviors of a CE device, to translate between a universal control command and one or more of the command codes associated with the CE device. A wireless access method is used to download the CE device metadata and command codes to a central server or to the control unit itself. The control unit provides an interface by which end users can provide feedback concerning downloaded metadata and command codes, such that erroneous data may be corrected or so that other users may determine whether the data is worth accessing.