I agree on the IR experience. Still waiting for the IR Server Suite and/or CybrDisplay plugin to fully get along with the IMON hardware (LCD/IR) but i can use the Harmony (in combination with a custom imon manager setting) for the most basic stuff (no full MCE remote button mapping yet though, but Cybr is close).
Also i have to "rewire" the LCD to the mainboard to use power on/off with the remote but there for i need to open the lcd unit as decribed
here.
Dunno how the IMON plugins turn out but i would like to map the volume knob to NEXT/PREVIOUS in a audio/video playlist or something (prev/next in slidehow for pictures and prev/next channel when watching tv). Also using SPDIF so volume control is pretty useless.