A method and a device for determining what commands can be used to operate a receiving device (110) when a user operates a control device (105). After such a determination is made, a first command is transmitted to the receiving device from the control device (105) over a first communication interface and a second command is transmitted to the receiving device (110) over 5 a second communication interface. The communication interface that is selected depends on whether the control device can control the operation of the receiving device (110) with such a command directly or whether an intervening device (130/140) is required to translate the command from a first format to a second format.