Remote for a Laptop

[abigsmurf]

I'm looking at turning a bargain laptop I got into a media center (the WD HD player is very nice but ultimately still falls down on some formats and doesn't handle poor encodes well).

Something that's of big importance is having a remote control. Ideally I want one that can actually control windows with but I'd settle for one that can just control windows media center. A big feature would be being able to take the laptop out of standby or hibernate by remote.

Anyone got any suggestions for a remote control that is good for this?

[Strolls]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/USB-PC-Remote-Controller-for-Media-Center-XP-Control_W0QQitemZ320329944195QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Mice_Trackballs?hash=item320329944195&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1308#ht_2358wt_909

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-USB-Media-Center-Remote-Control-For-PC-Laptop-C41_W0QQitemZ220340360851QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Collectables_InputDevices_RL?hash=item220340360851&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318#ht_2590wt_909

A search of eBay for "usb media centre remote" brings up a bunch more.

You can get official Microsoft remotes like this - I think they bundle them with some TV cards or OEM versions of XP Media Centre Edition - and that those work fully with the Media Centre software (they have a magic Media Centre button that takes you back to the main menu or brings up options or whatever). I don't know that these above remotes are compatible with that, but I would expect them to be.

[Strolls]

Here are some with the green magic-Media-Centre-button - they should work properly with Media Centre:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Compro-VideoMate-K100-Microsoft-MCE-Vista-Remote-Control-Kit

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PC-Remote-Control-4-Microsoft-Media-Center-MCE-Vista-XP_W0QQitemZ310117052851QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Collectables_InputDevices_RL?hash=item310117052851&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318#ht_4545wt_909

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Genuine-Microsoft-Media-Center-Remote-Control-NEW_W0QQitemZ270332599709QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Collectables_InputDevices_RL?hash=item270332599709&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318#ht_500wt_924

[abigsmurf]

ordered a remote (apparently the one Dell gives away with its media centers). Looks a bit tacky but to get a non-tacky looking remote you have to spend £40+