BLUE SECTION, top 8 buttons POWER: Turns lights on or off. The current effect is saved when Power is turned off and it will be restored after a power cycle. SPEED: Adjusts speed of effects. Speed is indicated by a flash of light on the string. DIRECTION: The left/right arrow key sets the direction of some effects. BRIGHTNESS: Steps through different brightness levels. MEMORIES: There are 3 memories for saving your favorate settings. Hit SAVE followed by M1, M2, or M3 to save in a particular memory. Hit only M1, M2 or M3 to recall that memory. RED SECTION, bottom 8 buttons, preset color effects E1-E8: Pick an effect that uses preset colors (such as random colors or color wheels). GREEN SECTION, middle 16 buttons, user-selectable color effects. U1-U8: Pick an effect that uses user-selectable colors. The user can select up to 3 custom colors for effects U1-U8. The colors are named C1-3. You can select a color by pressing the color key C1-3, then using the UP or DOWN arrow to step through a color wheel. Release the arrow key when you like the color. Or press C1-3 followed by the DEL key to delete that color. If all 3 colors are deleted, then effects U1-8 will pick random colors. After picking colors hit U1-8 to see an effect. SHOW buttons SHOWU runs a show of effects U1-8 picking effects at random. SHOWE runs a show of effects E1-8 picking effects at random.