Well damn, I didn't know about this until now, and I could actually use one.

Is there any alternative?

I've had reasonable luck with microsoft's windows media center remote receivers and lirc. Although they don't all work the same. The first one I got was easier to use than later ones...

And frustation with atsc 3 and the media landscape led to me abandoning my htpcs.

I've used Flirc

eBay