Thanks folks....well I have started to get things right.
I guess the hardest part of this is task-orientation. The one-touch system power finally works as intended now that I figured out my Samsung TV from hell requires one power signal for ON, but TWO for OFF (go figure). Fortunately two for ON works just as well as one...so there we go.
Now the hard part....making the task buttons work as intended. I need some discrete codes for the inputs of a Samsung TX-P2730 TV set (Namely Component in, tuner, and S-Video). I am scouring remote central as I am typing this....if any of you folks have these codes, I will be rather grateful.
Thanks again!