System and method for configuration of a controlling device to enable selection of media streams

A method for configuring a controlling device having a configurable key to command a functional operation of an intended target appliance, the method comprising:

• using a data reading device associated with the configurable key of the controlling device to read data from an overlay that has been placed on the controlling device proximate to the configurable key of the controlling device;
• causing the data read from the overlay to be provided to a server device in communication with the controlling device whereupon the server device uses the provided data read from the overlay to identify command generating data;
• receiving at the controlling device the command generating data identified by the server device;
• and
• using the received command generating data at the controlling device to generate a command to command the functional operation of the intended target appliance in response to an activation of the configurable key of the controlling device.