What I'd like to do is to launch xbmc and control it with a remote. Preferably something that takes less space than a full keyboard and magic trackpad.

Any suggestions would be welcome! 

You could add the Apple Remote profile to your Harmony and then control XBMC on your Mac via Remote Buddy and an USB IR Receiver (the IR Receiver in the new iMacs fell victim to the slimmer design). Good choices there are the Keyspan IR Receivers as found on the Remote Buddy Hardware page - or compatible eHome/MCE receivers (like the Manta TR1, which is currently on sale for 19.99 CAD$ at http://twistedmelon.com/shop/).

Best regards, 
Felix Schwarz 

They said that as usual IR devices need "line of sight" to function. But an indirect line of sight may also work. 
To quote them to avoid misunderstandings. 
"That can be via indirect line of sight through bouncing the signal off walls even when the receiver is partially hidden, but you can't for example have the receiver on one floor of the house and use the remote on another."

Now the Manta is out of stock at the moment so I'll try my luck with a $13 Philips OVU412000 from eBay/China.

Last edited: 27.02.2014 11:13:32 

I am about to retire my old trusted Mac Mini HTPC (with Plex) and the replacement won't have a built-in IR receiver.

All the external receivers suggested here on the site are either out of stock or discontinued - can you suggest current IR hardware that works with RB (Apple Remote functionality would suffice - EyeTV is not an option, I don't want to have EyeTV running in the background just to use the remote). It has to be IR, as I would like to keep using my universal remote (no smart phone app, no bluetooth remote).

Thanks. 

Just checked about the Philips OVU412000 which I got from eBay a while back, and it's still available for $10. :) 

If you're looking for an IR receiver with good availability, you can buy a Manta TR1 for (currently) 18$ + shipping at http://twistedmelon.com/shop/

Full support for multiple Apple Remotes is currently only available for built-in Apple IR receivers. I hope to have news regarding this later this year, though.

Remote Buddy can still forward the Apple Remote ID for each button press to other applications, though, so that you can still use f.ex. Plex' own built-in Harmony remote support.

Which universal remote are you currently using?

Best regards, 
Felix Schwarz 

I searched on Amazon(AT) and geizhals for some of the listed receivers, but most of the Philips OVUs are not in stock or have lacking or no description at all..

Sorry to derail this here a little, but do you see a way to use a FLIRC with RB?

If all fails I will have to buy a receiver from abroad/ebay and try my luck.