Thanks Edmund, appreciate the reply. Kinda figured the chips used were definite purpose proprietary stuff. Looks like it's soldering iron and Dremel tool time!
BWAHAHAHAHA! Actually, think I'm gonna open up the "clip on" RF xmtr and put in a better IR rcvr so I can hit it w/ the stock cable remote from 10 ft, instead of right up on it. Don't have to go far, shop is only 10 x 12! Maybe I'll post "how-to" if it works. Should be pretty easy. Just hated to toss out a real decent repeater system, and now I actually have a use for it!
Peace, Greg.