Add a remote to your Vista media center for $14.99
(Credit:
Woot)
Know how I'm always going on and on about TV tuners and Windows Media Center? One ingredient that's almost always missing from the equation is a remote. Enter the Pinnacle Remote Kit, which lets you operate Windows Media Center from afar (or from the couch, anyway). Woot Sellout has the remote on sale for $14.99 (plus $5 shipping), a decent savings over the $29.99 list price.
To use the kit, you need Windows Vista Premium or Ultimate. (Rumor has it there's a hack that'll allow it to work with the XP version of Media Center; try Google.) A TV tuner is optional, though definitely recommended if you want to make the most of Media Center. The IR transceiver, which plugs into a USB port, includes a suction cup so you can mount it in an out-of-the-way location.
As with all Woot deals, when this one's gone, it's gone--so don't wait if you're in the market for a remote to control all that hot Media Center action.
Rick Broida, a technology writer for nearly 20 years, is the author of more than a dozen books. In addition to writing CNET's The Cheapskate blog, he oversees BNET's Business Hacks. Rick is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CBS Interactive. Disclosure. Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers. Follow Rick on Twitter at cheapskateblog. 
