@pibitvillage - Is it possible that your smart TV's remote control is not infrared based, but perhaps 2.4GHz wireless? I've only come across a problem teaching my VIP remote control InfraRed remote control codes when I was playing with a air conditioner remote in an office.
A quick way to double check would be to grab your smart TV's remote, pick up your phone and start the camera app, then switch to the forward facing camera (selfie-lens). If you point the smart TV's remote at the lens on your phone, and press a button, can you see an LED/LEDs light up on your phone's preview of the camera's image? If you can, the code being sent is infrared, and the VIP should be able to learn it. If you see no LED(s) lighting up, it is likely that the remote doesn't use infrared.
It might be worth trying to teach the VIP codes from a different remote (anything will do for a test, old HiFi, DVD player etc), also I don't think all the keys on the VIP can be re-programmed, I've stuck to using the colours at the bottom.
As Mat mentioned, in terms of re-orientating the VIP remote's phsyical location and orientation to match the cursor on your screen, try moving the VIP in the opposite direction to an extreme, and the cursor should catch up a little. Difficult to describe in words, sorry.