Response from Keith at Emotiva that I sent to Jason... long story short: the new XDA-3 will likely have "product identifier" specific codes. So, the Skip database has "XDA series preamp", but those may not work with the new one.
"All of the IR codes for our products, and almost all other products out there today, follow a standard format (sometimes known as "the Philips Pronto standard").
This means that they can all be programmed into a true learning remote or one of those remotes that "learns" codes from other remotes.
However, in theory, each individual product has a "product identifier", and the codes are supposed to be unique for each and every individual product.
The codes on some of our specific products do actually intentionally overlap - for example the codes for our XMC-1, XMC-2, and RMC-1 are the same.
So, for example, even though a few of the buttons on the remote for the XMC-1 and XMC-2 do different things... ALL of the buttons on those remotes send the same CODES.
You will also find that the "mini" remotes on some of our BasX products use a few of the same common codes as some of our larger processors.
But... in reality...
- there is sometimes some unexpected overlap and some codes may work across multiple products
- the way the codes are sent is actually somewhat sloppy (so individual codes that are "close" may work for products other than the one they are intended to operate)
(this is why a certain code, or sequence of codes, from one remote may quite unexpectedly cause another product to do something)
- overall you will find that, with many products, common codes like VolUp and VolDn are the same or close enough to "overlap"
There are several different kinds of "universal remotes"...
The simplest ones simply have a "library" of the codes for several hundred popular products stored in them.
These are the ones that ask you to pick your product by entering a three or four digit number from a list.
Other "true learning remotes" actually allow you to enter codes - either manually or with an editor...
And many of that type also give you the option of downloading sets of codes from an "online library" (like the Logitech Harmony).
Others can actually record codes (you point your original remote at the programmable one, press record, press the button on the original remote, then assign that code to a button on the new remote).
Yet others use a sort of trial and error method (they try various codes for each command... and ask you to confirm when the command worked... or choose to try another one.)"
