Windows Media Center IR Hardware not detected

Hi,  I'm getting stuck at the "IR Hardward not detected" when trying to set up TV.

I'm in Australia and have a wireless component receiving my digital signal from another room.  www.cocoonsystems.com.au  I'm running a Haupaggue (spell?) TV tuner.  The TV tuner can view the signal coming from my cocoon via their product called WinTV.  It is viewed on the Composite connection.  (PC is a new Dell desktop with Vista loaded)

So, when I go to set up Media Center to see the signal also I conduct the following:

1.  Set up TV Signals

2.  Region Australia

3.  Choose Antenna

4.  Select Digital Terrestrial

5.  Select Yes (to view through a set top box, because the other option doesn't find my signal)

6.  It finds picture and sound playing through Composite 1, so I select this

7.  IR Hardware not detected.

Media Center will not let me by-pass step 7 if I don't have an IR connection.  I don't need my PC to change channels because I use the digital tv remote to change channels through the cocoon system.

Is there any way anyone knows that I can by-pass this annoying question of IR Hardware not detected?  I can only assume if I had my Video Camera connected through the Composite connection I would have the same problem also, as that doesn't have a remote either.

Anything I can do?

It's been almost 5 years... what... is... the... fix??? I have no IR Hardware of any kind plugged in.  In that situation, why would it say I have an IR receiver that's missing things?? More importantly... why is everyone forced to abandon Windows Media Center because there isn't a "skip this irrelevant step" option??

.

.......by the way my previous reply was formatted so everyone could actually read it without thinking I'm a lunatic, but somehow it has been posted looking like I can't speak without taking a breath. Also sorry for using inapropriate language but in Australia the word that was censored from my post (the word that rhymes with sap) is hardly inapropriate.

I have this exact same problem only this was not an issue until WMC did an update (not my choice, accidentally must have allowed it to update). I've found the most common causes of microsoft issues are irrelevent updates that in turn throw the very unwelcome spanner in the works. I've had TV working through my PC for the last 8months without a problem.

Connection is Digital STB- RF loop to AVerMedia H751 Hybrid Analog /DVB-T tuner card RF input at rear of PC. As well I have S video cable from STBto S video input in tuner card. Granted the tuner card is old but as I've stated it's all been working fine. When this issue started I tried to rescan for my channels and came accross the " NO IR HARDWARE " **** again.

I seem to remember that I had this when I first set-up my new PC and fixed it by realising I hadn't inserted the USB (thing?) not sure what it's name is but it's a small, black plastic USB stick, (10mm)is all that extends from socket when plugged in. I originally thought it was just a blank USB plug to stop dust getting into unused ports so left it in the box when setting up. Anyway it all worked fine and has been for as I said 8 months. When I go into the TV set-up in WMC I receive a signal through the S video. I should also point out that the STB and television are working just fine, clear as a bell, no signal issues there. I try to set-up and scan and like all the others that seem to have been dealing with this since 2009 I am stalled at NO IR HARDWARE DETECTED. I've been into device manager and updated drivers even though there were no issues ! detected in DM, no hardware changes detected, running the latest drivers, I'm at a loss as to what to do now. The remote also is working as with yours it changes the volume and functions inside WMC, so the device is being picked up and functional but just NOT DETECTED ???????

Why does Microsoft not just install the original program that comes with the TV card, which might I say has all the same (simillar) features and more (troubleshooting QA etc) rather than issue people with a half baked program of thier own that is not at all user friendly and requires third party download fixes that are also not reliable and specific to this issue for all cards!

I'm a single parent of an 11yr old daughter and to keep the peace on the issue of what we watch on TV, I watch on the PC and she gets the TV and it's worked out fine, we're both happy and in the same room (I've get to wear the headphones) but we still interact and often end up watching the program the other starts to watch. ANYONE PLEASE ??

i don't understand why this problem hasn't been fixed since it's been known for years .

i have a remote and ir receiver . they work . they were designed for the wmc . you can see the volume change and it makes changes on the screen .

yet it says  no ir device detected and forces me to cancel the setup .

you should be able to bypass this step as with my other comp where it let me setup the MC , the remote doesn't work , i need to use the set top box remote to change channels .

isn't there a fix that will let me use the very expensive combination graphics/tv tuner card w/remote that i bought specifically to use with WMC .