Can someone please help with the following problem.

I have a IR300 infrared remote extender set up in the lounge and the family room. The Sky box and DVD player are located in the lounge (there will be a LCD TV here eventually) and the TV is in the family room, and I use the IR300 to control both.

However, I have a number of issues which I believe shouldn't exist. I have never used the IR300 before, so have no previous experience of them. The issues are as follows:

1. If in the lounge, neither the Sky or DVD remote will work. The only way they will work is if I switch off the IR300. This is idiotic. I should be able to use the remotes in the lounge without having to switch off the IR300. If I do, then the remotes won't work in the family room.

2. When using the Sky remote in the family room to move up or down a channel, or to scroll through the programme listings, it will sometimes just continue. e.g. If I am on channel 50 and press the button to change the channel up one to 51, it will just keep incrementing the channel number. The same with the programme listing. If I use the right arrow to see the next programme, it just keeps going until it reaches the last programme. I have tried two Sky remotes, both with new batteries, and they exhibit the same problem. But it is not all the time, just sometimes. I have even tried pressing the button once and then covering the sensor in case the button was sticking. The Sky volume control also has the same problem when used.

3. Sometimes Sky will change channel by itself. The remote will be sitting on top of the TV or on the seat. The Sky installer said it was probably the next door neighbour who also had an IR300 unit. I find this hard to believe as he is at least 100m from me. I have problems getting the IR300 to change channels for me when I am 3m from the sensor, or if one of the kids moves the transmitter in the lounge by a few centimetres.

So, the questions are:

1. Is this the way the IR300 works
2. Is the IR300 faulty, or the Sky box (1 year old) or BOTH remotes
3. Why is the IR300 so picky about position (mines is about 30cm from both Sky and DVD and pointing directly at them, yet sometimes won't work. And how can my neighbour change channels for me)
4. Is there an alternative unit I can get that will work properly. I have Googled and all I can find are IR300s. They may not be called IR300s, but every single one I have found is identical in appearance to the IR300.

Whoa! Sorry for the long first post, but I wanted to give as much information about the problem as possible.