A system for activating an appliance responsive to one of many transmission schemes includes a transmitter, memory holding data describing the transmission schemes, and a controller in communication with the transmitter and the memory. The controller is operable to store a fixed code. If a fixed code is stored, then the controller transmits a sequence of fixed code activation schemes, based on the fixed code and data held in the memory, until input indicating activation of the appliance is received. If no fixed code is stored, then the controller transmits a sequence of rolling code activation schemes, based on data held in the memory, until input indicating activation of the appliance is received. The controller stores in the memory an indication as to which activation scheme activated the appliance based on the received input. The controller generates an activation signal based on the stored indication and a received activation input.