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RF Testing
The remote is a RF remote, and not an infrared. The benefit is you do not require a direct line of sight to the receiver from the remote, so in theory, walls should pose no problem.
This test is a quick one to just see how useful the remote can be in switching music tracks from another room, another floor, and even outside the house. How practical this is, I don't know, but for those of you who have speakers set up around the house, this test would be a good indicator if hooking up your PC to this central stereo setup were at least possible.
One room away, single wall, 10' from receiver: Pass
Two rooms away, three walls, 20' from receiver: Pass
One floor away, one ceiling/floor, directly under receiver, ~15 feet: Pass
Two floors away: two ceilings/floors, directly under receiver, ~ 30 feet: Fail
Outside the house, single wall (brick), 10' from receiver: Pass
Outside the house, single wall (brick), 25' from receiver: Fail
Final Words
The ATi Remote Wonder is one of those products you may or may not need, depending on what you use your PC for. As a remote control for a multimedia PC, this is a must have, especially if you got a TV-tuner. I suppose if you intend to stay in your computer chair while watching TV, or a DVD, it isn't necessary, but couch potatoes will find the remote useful.
As a mouse replacement, the Remote Wonder doesn't really fit the bill. The drivers have improved to a point where the cursor control is not an annoyance, but the truth is, if you're sitting at your desk, just use a mouse. Action gaming isn't really an option, as it's just not fast enough from keeping you from getting fragged. Application and Windows navigation is serviceable, but unless you're on a wireless keyboard, 10 feet away from the PC, using the remote as a mouse doesn't make sense to me.
Even if you lack a TV-tuner, the remote is a nice device if you do like to kick back and watch a movie, or listen to tunes, as the remote does enough to keep you from needing to get up to switch DVD chapters, or music tracks. You can shut down your PC without needing to get up and do it, but it's a shame you can't turn your PC on with it.
In the end, this is a product you'll need, depending on your needs and level of lazyness. I do use my PC as a TiVo, and I work harder than anybody to do as little work as I can, so the remote was a perfect fit for me. It may or may not be that case for other users, but the device works as advertised, and it does have its uses. Only you can tell how useful it'll be for you.
Pros: RF remote, works through walls, lots of potential functionality.
Cons: Not a good mouse replacement for day-to-day use.
Bottom Line: It's only sold on ATi's online shop, which unfortunately means it'll be hard to shop around for a better price than 50$. If you are building, or own a TiVo-type PC, the Remote Wonder should be considered, if you don't already have one.
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