Hiding all of your media components allows your flat screen TV to look all sleek. But it totally defeats the purpose of remote control if you have to get up off the sofa to open the cabinet anytime you want to change the channel or volume.  That’s where a Hidden IR system comes in.  You place a discrete IR sensor somewhere near your screen.  A single wire runs to a a small distributor box in your enclosed media storage, and controls up to eight devices with little wired IR "flashers" that you stick on the IR sensor area of your components.  It plugs into an ordinary electrical outlet, and is super easy to install. $109.99 (or $69.99 on "open box" special) at smarthome.com. 

NB: Save 10% on any smarthome.com order through 3/20/07 using the above link and coupon code ESPRING10