Television and Home Theater

Does anyone have a solution to the so-say universal remote that doesn't want to work?

 I have an old Emerson VCR 875 that I use for a back up system.  The remote control is almost shot so I bought a Sony Universal remote RM-V202 to see if it would work for the VCR.  I have followed all the operating instructions in the manual, but to no avail.

-The TV works with the remote so it is functioning.

-The VCR works.

-The old remote still works with the VCR.

So far I have had 2 Philips type 25PT4458/05 25" tv's delivered via IT HIRE. They had a batch which were purchased new and then used at the BRITISH OPEN. They are now selling them on EBAY. Both sets have displayed the same symptoms. At the left hand side of the screen the picture tends to have an area of "green hue" which comes and goes. I've tried moving the set in case the problem was environmental but without success and of course my 20 year old Tatung is not displaying these symptoms. Does anyone know if there is a known design problem with this set.

I need help understanding how to fully view subtitles, captions, and news headlines that scroll across the bottom of the screen of our Toshiba 46HMP94P HD DLP widescreen TV.