Vista Media Center remotes have been suprisingly missing in the marketplace. Some are finally beginning to trickle in to the retail channel. The latest offering is from Keyspan. The remote itself looks fairly basic.
Unlike an infrared remote, the Keyspan remote is RF-based and does not require line of sight to the RF receiver. This allows you to manage Media Center from more areas within the room or even from other areas of your house. I think this remote could have potential, especially if you have your media center in a server room out of sight. The remote has a range of 90 feet.
One other interesting note is that the RF remote is compatible with the IR blaster that might have been supplied as part of your Media Center PC hardware bundle, allowing your PC to control other AV equipment such as a TV, VCR, etc. by sending IR signals to these devices.
The Keyspan remote will retail for just under $50. Buy.com is currently selling the remote for $39.99. Not a bad price for a media center remote though it might lack the bells and whistles of higher end remotes.
Via Missing Remote.
Wed, Aug 8, 2007
Remotes