I had the same predicament as my Avant didn#t have a STB-C built in but I had a lintronic box so used that - the great thing about programming it yourself is that you can get the buttons to do what you want and you remember how to use it - for example I don't access channels directly so was abole to program information on button 1 instead of having to press Go and then 1.

 On another note, I gather that the lintronic box can now be linked to Masterlink - presumably this means no more need for external IR Receivers and you can use the ones in your B&O products, so it should be integrating more seemlessly and from any linked room. Has anyone tried it? - information is on their website

The Lintronic website details instructions to connect a cable between the Lintronic IR converter and a Beosystem in order to use just one IR receiver. However, Lintronic does not make the cable to do this. It would be necessary to have an understanding of the correct pin connections and the skills to solder in order to make this cable ourselves.

Last weekend, I urged Michael at Lintronic to make, market, and sell a ready-made cable for this purpose; however Michael responded that he didn't think that there would be much of a demand. I would think that most B&O users would be using a Lintronic IR converter in conjunction with a Beosystem and that such a cable would be very useful for most Lintronic/B&O users. Perhaps more of us should encourage Michael to make and sell such a cable.

I've found that the Lintronic products can provide excellent and much-needed solutions to supplement our B&O needs. However, the products seem to require quite a bit of technical understanding and skills to take full advantage of them. It would be wonderful if Lintronic could provide more ready-to-connect solutions (such as the correct cables) for those of us without such technical skills. I say this not as a criticism of Lintronic but rather as an encouragement.  

i am a fan on the lintronic too but how well does the Beo4 function with Non B&O set-top boxes and those with PVR's. I was under the impression that all their functions would work with Beo4 as long as they were in the list of supported units in hte software of hte TV but is this right?

I can only speak for a US-spec Avant. The installed IR codes in the Avant will control many if not all of the essential functions of my sources. Importantly though, not all the sources' IR commands. I think this is exactly as it should be, otherwise the screen overlay would be cluttered with all kinds of "minor" functions.

I can only wish that the IR converters built into B&O were customer programmable such as with Lintronic, with the added ability to design overlays. Alas, I know this is asking waayyyy too much. I know I'm not the "typical" customer.