Vista WMC cannot detect IR Hardware

I have a TV Tuner card on my new HP Pavilion Elite m9398d Desktop PC. I'm
trying to set up Vista's Windows Media Center to work with the HP Remote
Control that came with the PC. WMC detected the TV signals from my Cable
Set top Box with no problems. However, it kept insisting that the IR
hardware is not detected. Hence, I've not been able to set up the HP Remote
Control. Someone said I needed the eHome IR driver for the the built in
IR hardware to detect the Remote Control. Then another person said Vista
has built this in the OS already. Yet another person said I needed to buy
a Microsoft Remote Control and IR Receiver to work with WMC because
Microsoft had rigged Vista so that only its Remote will work with WMC.
I'm utterly confused. In any case, I've tried googling for this eHome
driver (for Vista) without success. Any help. Thanks

Hi ... I have th e Dv6000 and use it with the remote control , no problem, I
use Vista Home Premium

Yes, it is true that Windows Media Center requires a special remote. You
can usually tell if the remote you have will work by checking to see if
there is a "Windows" logo key on the remote - this is the Media Center
button. If there is no Media Center button, then the remote is not going to
work no matter what you try to do with it.

You may also need to load Media Center support drivers for the remote and
sensor, those should be on the HP web site if needed.

"TV Tuner card on my new HP Pavilion Elite m9398d Desktop PC"

There are some rather complex issues with TV Tuner cards and Vista/Media
Center. (Mostly software related)
For instance my "new" HP laptop was supplied with two remote controls--One
mainly used for HP's
Laptop presentation capabilities, and one used primarily for Media center.
Talk about a split personality!
A major issue seems to be the lack of Media Center support for a specific
type of "QUAM"? encoding used by cable companies on other than broadcast
channels.
Microsoft has evidently declined to support this on "existing"? Vista SP-1
systems, unless the system is returned to OEM "Brick" non SP-1 status, and
the OEM has the Media Center upgrade available. Evidently the system can
then be "upgraded" to SP-1 and the additional capabilities might be
retained. Since this seems to be an ongoing issue, I have no idea what will
ultimately be the final result.

Had I known about this Fiasco, I'd have bought a very basic Laptop instead
of a "Multimedia" model with a TV Tuner.