Thanks, some of those links were helpful. But unfortunately having followed them through, they don't seem to provide the information needed.

• The laptop doesn't have serial connections - it uses USB. I can probably get a Hauppauge or similar USB IR receiver on ebay, but the guide assumes a serial based one and doesn't state what to do if yours is USB. (It also states "Choose your COM port" - but not which COM port, or at what point is a COM port specified, or how to identify the correct value - help?)
  
• Two of the pages go directly into coding material which is of use to a developer only.
  
• Darkain's RMX which sounded promising, seems to have vanished.
  
• BSP Definitions Manager indicates it can be used with Girder, then dives into technical speak about "Sendmessage" which assumes a lot of background I lack. It also doesn't say how to use the information to get your remote working.

That's roughly where I got to, and what prompted the above post. I'm sure these are pretty common questions which is why I was a bit surprised not to find a fairly comprehensive "sticky" from the basics up, on "HOW TO GET BSPLAYER WORKING WITH REMOTE CONTROL" :) I'm fairly capable, but the questions above are the ones I got left with, after trying to find answers on the forum. Can you help? :)

Thanks :)