I've got an MCE remote and an MCE keyboard, both using the standard microsoft MCE receiver, and the receiver keeps blinking sporadically even when I'm not pressing any buttons and not interacting with the computer in any way. I even took the batteries out of both the remote and the keyboard to make sure they weren't sending any signals, but the blinking still continues. Does anyone have any idea what this is about?

You are probably getting interference from another device. I've seen similar issues with Panasonic Plasma TV's. Anytime the MS IR reciever was infront of the TV, the light would remain solid. Put it behind the TV, and the reception was great.

Try moving the IR reciever around until the light stops blinking.

just remember that IR (infrared) is still light and is around us all the time. the MCE IR reciever picks up IR from almost everything. if you have a digital camera with an IR range finder and you depress the shutter button just slightly to focus and point it at the MCE IR reciver it should blink wildly. conversly if you press any button on a IR remote control and look at it through the LCD screen you can see IR flashing from the remote. just a little science lesson for everyone

My Mum's wireless door bell causes the same problem

Well, I have no idea what was causing it because I have no other IR devices near the receiver other than the mentioned. It stopped when I moved the receiver from the top of the TV to the side of it. *shrug*

My TV sends out IR light to detect the light level in the room and brighten/dull the display accordingly. It could be that.

I get this when I have my main light on.  Dimming the light stops the receiver from flashing.

nice work bumping a 2 year old thread

Nice one emuu101 ... my MCE IR receiver on my VMC box just went haywire. I couldn't figure out why until I read your post here. Turns out I had just installed a new Panasonic plasma HDTV, and that was the cause!

I moved the MCE IR receiver back a bit, and that solved the problem!

I had this problem, but worse. Not only would the light blink for no reason sometimes the video would stop.

Long story short, after pulling out lots of hair. My laptop had an IR port that was constantly looking for a friend and was sending all kinds of signals. I disabled it in Device manager and all was well.

Classic IR problems.  Gotta love it.  Give us a blinking light and all kinds of problems/questions come up.

Things that produce IR: Sunlight, Incandescent Lights, Plasma/LCD TV's, Cell phones, and any IR Remote control. There are many "plasma proof" IR Recievers, I don't know of any for the pc though....

 Let's bump this thread again :-) Same thing here. Red light flashes randomly on a Microsoft model 1040 receiver. Turning off my fluorescent spotlights make it stop! Funny thing... light.