We do have ethernet throughout the house including in back of the TV, so this is what I think will work in order to use a TV or DVR remote control: smarthome.com/8115/Global-Cache-Home-Network-Adapter-8115/p.aspx What do you think?
It looks like it will work for your application but you will need more than just that device.
The network adapter is another device on the network so you will need to connect it to a router or switch if you already have other devices, such as computers, on the network. Doing so would allow you to install the control software on any computer on the network. You can use a crossover cable from a computer to the network adapter if it will be the only device connected to a single computer.
For the IR part, you still need IR emitters from the network adapter to each component to be controlled and of course you have to get the originating IR signal to the network adapter before it can distribute it to connected devices. Conceptually it would be the same as using an RF basestation with emitters attached to it and placed in front of the components to be controlled, except that the IR will be sent over ethernet and then blasted from the IR outputs on the network adapter.
So a reasonable solution would be to purchase an RF remote and basestation and the network adapter. You'd need to connect one output of the RF basestation to the network adapter and then other emitters from the network adapter to the components to be controlled. Being RF, you can put the basestation anywhere as long as you can get the one emitter output from the base to the network adapter.
