Edmund, thanks for your responses, but it was a no go---just to clarify a few things
---like I mentioned, currently I have the internal mute "on" for my tv so that my Yamaha remote/Yamaha receiver is running the volume---do I need to take that off before going through your steps?
--for the first "tv" step, I assume that you are meaning that I need to slide the switch on the directtv remote from dtv to the tv option, correct? and then complete steps two and three of that section?
-- then to move into the next two sections of your instructions, I slide that same directtv remote switch to Av1, correct? and then keep it in that same Av1 position for the following two sections of instructions?

If I am correct above, when I go through that and then try to use the volume on the directtv remote, it just tries to use the tv volume to change the volume (which comes up with the tv screen "error message" (my words) that it is 'not available' since I have the tv internal volume mute on).....aarrggghhh frustrating...

So am I missing something?? Thank you for your help!!