Question : Inexpensive IR Transceiver Alternatives?

TIRA and USB-UIRT are both good USB Infrared Transceivers (they can learn remote control codes and rebroadcast them from your PC to your media equipment), but each one cost more than 50 bucks.  Is there any way I could cobble together something similar myself for say, closer to 20 bucks in parts?   Any instructions or tutorials to which some one could refer me?  Or if anyone has a cheaper alternative?  The more compact, the better. I've been Googling but so far, no joy.

http://www.home-electro.com/tira2.php
http://www.usbuirt.com/

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can offer.

Answer : Inexpensive IR Transceiver Alternatives?

Here this is better suited (and already assembled and pretty small) for under $20, might be on preorder still as it is a brand new product.

http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/shipping-now-usb-infrared-toy-p-607.html?cPath=61_68&zenid=8dd49421d6174fb11aaf46eeeaf118c0

Here's a very detailed article covering the component, circuit and how to interface with it,

http://dangerousprototypes.com/2010/01/29/prototype-usb-infrared-remote-control-receivertransmitter/

It can be controlled through a virtual serial port,  so as far as VB is concerned it would be like talking to any serial device and will not need you to write a driver.  If you wanted to get into the actual firmware on the unit you would have to dig into some C code though.