diff --git a/firmware/main.c b/firmware/main.c
index 8cb8ce1..2ba1cd8 100644
--- a/firmware/main.c
+++ b/firmware/main.c
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ volatile bool power_flag = false; /* a change in the power or fan */
 volatile bool ir_flag = false; /* to process a burst */
 volatile bool pwm_flag = false; /* to trigger a PWM tick */
 volatile bool channel_flag = false; /* indicate a change in the channel PWM values */
+volatile bool learn_flag = false; /* learn an IR command for an action */
+enum IR_ACTIONS to_learn = IR_ACTION_END; /* IR action to learn */
 
 /* UART receive interrupt */
 ISR(USART_RX_vect) {
@@ -208,6 +210,115 @@ void ioinit(void)
 	sei(); /* enable interrupts */
 }
 
+void help(void)
+{
+	printf("commands:\n"\
+	       "\thelp                       display this help\n"\
+	       "\tpower                      show power state\n"\
+	       "\tpower on                   switch power on\n"\
+	       "\tpower off                  switch power off\n"\
+	       "\tfan                        show fan speed\n"\
+	       "\tch X Y                     show channel [1-2].[1-5] brightness\n"\
+	       "\tch X Y Z                   set channel [1-2].[1-5] brightness [0-255]\n"\
+	       "\tir learn power             learn the IR command to power on/off\n"\
+	       "\tir learn mode              learn the IR command to change between modes\n"\
+	       "\tir learn brightness up     learn the IR command to increase brightness\n"\
+	       "\tir learn brightness down   learn the IR command to decrease brightness\n"\
+	       "\tir learn channel next      learn the IR command to select next channel\n"\
+	       "\tir learn channel previous  learn the IR command to select previous channel\n"\
+	);
+}
+
+void uart_action(char* str)
+{
+	const char* delimiter = " ";
+	char* word = strtok(str,delimiter);
+	if (!word) {
+		goto error;
+	}
+	if (0==strcmp(word,"help")) {
+		help();
+	} else if (0==strcmp(word,"power")) {
+		word = strtok(NULL,delimiter);
+		if (!word) {
+			if (PINB&(1<<nPS_ON)) {
+				puts("power is off");
+			} else {
+				puts("power is on");
+			}
+		} else if (0==strcmp(word,"on")) {
+			PORTB &= ~(1<<nPS_ON);
+		} else if (0==strcmp(word,"off")) {
+			PORTB |= (1<<nPS_ON);
+		} else {
+			goto error;
+		}
+	} else if (0==strcmp(word,"fan")) {
+		if (tachometer) {
+			uint16_t prescale = TIMER2_PRESCALE[TCCR2B&((1<<CS22)|(1<<CS21)|(1<<CS20))];
+			if (prescale) {
+				if (timer2_ovf<0xff) {
+					uint32_t speed = ((60*F_CPU)/(prescale*(uint32_t)tachometer))/2; // calculate speed. 2 pulses per revolution
+					printf("fan speed: %lurpm\n",speed);
+				} else {
+					printf("fan is off (or not detected)\n");
+				}
+			} else {
+				printf("fan speed measurement not started\n");
+			}
+		} else {
+			printf("fan is off (or not detected)\n");
+		}
+	} else if (0==strcmp(word,"ir")) {
+		word = strtok(NULL,delimiter);
+		if (0==strcmp(word,"learn")) {
+			word = strtok(NULL,delimiter);
+			if (0==strcmp(word,"power")) {
+				to_learn = POWER;
+				learn_flag = true;
+			} else if (0==strcmp(word,"mode")) {
+				to_learn = MODE;
+				learn_flag = true;
+			} else if (0==strcmp(word,"brightness")) {
+				word = strtok(NULL,delimiter);
+				if (0==strcmp(word,"up")) {
+					to_learn = BRIGHTNESS_UP;
+					learn_flag = true;
+				} else if (0==strcmp(word,"down")) {
+					to_learn = BRIGHTNESS_DOWN;
+					learn_flag = true;
+				} else {
+					goto error;
+				}
+			} else if (0==strcmp(word,"channel")) {
+				word = strtok(NULL,delimiter);
+				if (0==strcmp(word,"next")) {
+					to_learn = CHANNEL_NEXT;
+					learn_flag = true;
+				} else if (0==strcmp(word,"previous")) {
+					to_learn = CHANNEL_PREVIOUS;
+					learn_flag = true;
+				} else {
+					goto error;
+				}
+			} else {
+				goto error;
+			}
+		} else {
+			goto error;
+		}
+	} else {
+		goto error;
+	}
+
+	if (learn_flag) {
+		puts("press button on remote to learn code");
+	}
+	return;
+error:
+	puts("command not recognized");
+}
+
 int main(void)
 {
 	ioinit(); /* initialize IOs */
@@ -234,8 +345,11 @@ int main(void)
 			puts("can't store setting");
 			return 0;
 		}
+		puts("settings created");
+	} else {
+		load_settings();
+		puts("settings loaded");
 	}
-	load_settings();
 	
 	while (true) {
 		/* calculated PWM values */
@@ -276,7 +390,16 @@ int main(void)
 				c = input[command_i++];
 				putchar(c);
 			}
-			uart_action(c);
+			if ('\n'==c || '\r'==c) {
+				if ('\r'==c) {
+					puts("");
+				}
+				if (command_i>1) {
+					input[command_i-1] = '\0';
+					uart_action(input);
+				}
+				input_i = command_i = 0;
+			}
 			uart_flag = false;
 		}
 		/* handle power state */
@@ -308,7 +431,18 @@ int main(void)
 					ir_repeat = 0;
 				}
 				if (ir_repeat==0 || ir_repeat>3) {
-					ir_action(ir_data.address,ir_data.command);
+					if (learn_flag) {
+						if (to_learn<IR_ACTION_END) {
+							ir_keys[to_learn][0] = ir_data.address;
+							ir_keys[to_learn][1] = ir_data.command;
+						}
+						save_settings();
+						puts("IR code learned");
+						to_learn = IR_ACTION_END;
+						learn_flag = false;
+					} else {
+						ir_action(ir_data.address,ir_data.command);
+					}
 				}
 			}
 			pulse = 0; /* reset burst */
@@ -318,82 +452,40 @@ int main(void)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-void uart_action(char c)
-{
-	switch (c) {
-		case 'l':
-			PIND |= (1<<LED);
-			printf("LED: ");
-			if (PIND&(1<<LED)) {
-				puts("off");
-			} else {
-				puts("on");
-			}
-			break;
-		case 'a':
-			printf("switching power supply ");
-			if (PINB&(1<<nPS_ON)) {
-				puts("on");
-			} else {
-				puts("off");
-			}
-			PINB |= (1<<nPS_ON);
-			break;
-		case 's':
-			printf("power: ");
-			if (PINB&(1<<PWR_OK)) {
-				puts("ok");
-			} else {
-				puts("ko");
-			}
-			break;
-		case '1':
-			//ch_1[0] = (ch_1[0]+1)%(LEVELS+1);
-			channel_flag = true;
-			break;
-		case '-':
-			if (OCR0A>0) {
-				OCR0A--;
-			}
-			printf("decreasing LED: %u\n",OCR0A);
-			break;
-		case '+':
-			if (OCR0A<0xff) {
-				OCR0A++;
-			}
-			printf("increasing LED: %u\n",OCR0A);
-			break;
-		case 't':
-			if (tachometer) {
-				uint16_t prescale = TIMER2_PRESCALE[TCCR2B&((1<<CS22)|(1<<CS21)|(1<<CS20))];
-				if (prescale) {
-					if (timer2_ovf<0xff) {
-						uint32_t speed = ((60*F_CPU)/(prescale*(uint32_t)tachometer))/2; /* calculate speed. 2 pulses per revolution */
-						printf("fan speed: %lurpm\n",speed);
-					} else {
-						printf("fan off (or not detected)\n");
-					}
-				} else {
-					printf("fan speed measurement not started\n");
-				}
-			} else {
-				printf("fan off (or not detected)\n");
-			}
-			break;
-	}
-}
-
 void ir_action(uint8_t address, uint8_t command)
 {
-	if (0==address && 72==command) {
-		printf("switching power supply ");
-		if (PINB&(1<<nPS_ON)) {
-			puts("on");
-		} else {
-			puts("off");
+	enum IR_ACTIONS ir_code = IR_ACTION_END;
+	for (ir_code=0; ir_code<IR_ACTION_END; ir_code++) {
+		if (ir_keys[ir_code][0]==address && ir_keys[ir_code][1]==command) {
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+	if (ir_code<IR_ACTION_END) {
+		switch (ir_code) {
+			case POWER:
+				printf("switching power supply ");
+				if (PINB&(1<<nPS_ON)) {
+					puts("on");
+				} else {
+					puts("off");
+				}
+				PINB |= (1<<nPS_ON);
+				break;
+			case MODE:
+				break;
+			case BRIGHTNESS_UP:
+				break;
+			case BRIGHTNESS_DOWN:
+				break;
+			case CHANNEL_NEXT:
+				break;
+			case CHANNEL_PREVIOUS:
+				break;
+			default:
+				printf("unhandled IR action: %u\n", ir_code);
+				break;
 		}
-		PINB |= (1<<nPS_ON);
 	} else {
-		printf("IR addr: %u, command: %u\n", address, command);
+		puts("IR command not learned");
 	}
 }
diff --git a/firmware/main.h b/firmware/main.h
index 5aff61d..5cffe39 100644
--- a/firmware/main.h
+++ b/firmware/main.h
@@ -31,5 +31,6 @@ extern volatile uint8_t* DDRS[CHANNELS_1+CHANNELS_2]; /* channel I/O configurati
 extern const uint8_t BITS[CHANNELS_1+CHANNELS_2]; /* channel bits */
 
 void ioinit(void);
-void uart_action(char c);
+void help(void);
+void uart_action(char* str);
 void ir_action(uint8_t address, uint8_t command);
diff --git a/firmware/settings.h b/firmware/settings.h
index 53413fb..41e2d22 100644
--- a/firmware/settings.h
+++ b/firmware/settings.h
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ enum IR_ACTIONS { /* the actions for the infrared remote control */
 	MODE,
 	BRIGHTNESS_UP,
 	BRIGHTNESS_DOWN,
-	CHANNEL_UP,
-	CHANNEL_DOWN,
+	CHANNEL_NEXT,
+	CHANNEL_PREVIOUS,
 	IR_ACTION_END
 };
 extern uint8_t ir_keys[IR_ACTION_END][2]; // the IR NEC values (address+command) for the actions