Read my FIRST post rolandv, and you'll see that I immediately admit that "many on this forum may not have the need for this" . I was hoping to not have to waste my time (and everyone elses ) explaining why I "need" it, but since you seem to have a problem with my reason for it, here goes :
My entire house is wired for home automation, whole house audio, computer network, security cameras, automated lighting etc. All wires are home-run to a distribution hub in an equipment closet, where all of my equipment is housed, including my Dish network receivers .
I ran into this problem when I hooked my TV2 output to my Niles whole house audio system so that I can listen to the new Sirius channels . The Niles controls all of the sources hooked up to it using IR . There is the problem . Yes, I had to change it around and hook it up to TV1, but I'd also like to use TV2 with the system so that if someone wants to listen to another station in another room, they can do so .
I also have security cameras, lighting control, thermastats, etc that I want to be able to control using 1 "all-in-one super remote" which can do much more than the Dish remote . This was all explained in my very first post if you read it .
This is how it's done in high-end installations such as mine, and Dish will be losing out on such customers if they can't control their equipment using IR . Again, as I said in my first post "I'm hoping that if Dish monitors this post, they will consider it" which was my purpose for this thread, not to be answering why I would have a "need" for it to those who don't .