Currently, I have HP's 5070-2583 remote as seen here:

http://i7.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/8e/f9/d280_1.JPG

It's the only remote I've used and is great - BUT it doesnt have a TV power button and the ones with TV power buttons don't seem to have a "Videos" button. Does anyone have any recomendations for a good remote with those two simple features?

Link http://www.pcalchemy.com/product_info.php/pName/microsoft-mce-remote-control-for-windows-xp-mce/cName/remote-controls

Depending on the cost and features you are looking for you can also check on Harmony remotes. They are great, and will help deal with a setup that includes tv's / receivers / dvd player / media center in a really easy way.

Thanks Richard, that one would be perfect but it doesnt have a button for Videos

I had looked at the Harmony remotes, they seem like a very versatile device, however the only device I need to control is my tv's power so the Harmony's seem like a bit overkill for that.

No video button, but its got power button for TV on/off and mapping for Vol up and down for amp or TV Vol

I have two of these remotes, how do you program it to turn the TV on/off

Using the Remote Control Learning Functionality

The TV, VOL +, and VOL – buttons on the remote control for Media Center PC can

"learn" IR commands from other remote controls. This feature lets you use the TV

button to turn on your TV and the VOL + and VOL - buttons to adjust the volume on your

TV or another device, such as an audio receiver.

Notes

• By default, the VOL + and VOL - buttons on the remote control for Media Center PC

control the system volume on your computer, and the TV button has no command

assigned to it until it "learns" one.

• Do not perform this procedure in bright natural or artificial light.

To program buttons on the remote control by using the learning feature

1 Place the remote control for Media Center PC head to head (2 to 3 inches apart)

with the remote control from which it is learning.

2 On the remote control for Media Center PC, press and hold the DVD MENU and OK

buttons at the same time until the remote control lights turn off

(2 seconds).

The remote is now in learning setup mode.

3 On the remote control for Media Center PC, press and release the TV,

VOL +, or VOL – button, depending on which command you want it to learn.

The remote control for Media Center PC lights blink once to confirm the selection.

4 On the remote control that is teaching the command, press and hold the button that

you want the corresponding button on the remote control for Media Center PC to

learn.

The remote control for Media Center PC lights blink twice to confirm the selection.

If the remote did not learn the command, the lights blink quickly four times. To try

again, repeat steps 1 through 4.

5 Repeat steps 1 through 4 for the other buttons that can learn commands.

To restore the default remote control settings

1 Press and hold the DVD MENU button and LEFT navigation button at the same time

until the remote control for Media Center PC lights turn off.

2 Press the OK button.

The remote control for Media Center PC lights blink twice to confirm that the buttons

have been reset. The TV button will have no command assigned to it and the VOL +

and VOL – buttons will adjust the Media Center PC system volume.

If the default settings were not restored, the lights blink quickly four times. To try

again, repeat steps 1 and 2.

Thanks much I will give it a try tonight!

If it had a video button, it would be perfect, too bad but thanks for the reply

Honestly, you can not beat any Harmony remote.  The cheapest one is the XBox 360 Harmony, which works perfectly with the basic MCE setup, no 360 required.  It's what I'm using and now that I have one, there's no way I'd use anything else.

 

Oh wow, I didnt know that - thanks alot

I gotta concure with Ghostlobster.  I absolutely love my Harmony 360, and in your MCE Activity you can program such features as 'My Videos', along with 'My Music', 'Recorded TV, 'Live TV' and 'DVD Menu'.

Dwight2001

Dwight2001:

I gotta concure with Ghostlobster.  I absolutely love my Harmony 360, and in your MCE Activity you can program such features as 'My Videos', along with 'My Music', 'Recorded TV, 'Live TV' and 'DVD Menu'.

Dwight2001

Yup...the 4 colored buttons for A-B-X-Y work perfectly for specific media center functions when in MC mode! 

 

I have no experience with this remote or this store, but this looks like what you are looking for - under $30 too .

http://store4pc.stores.yahoo.net/mcerecowiref.html