From time to time, our Sony RMT-V501B goes dead. The batteries are fine, and the solution seems to be the remove the batteries, and switch them (not switch the polarity, but switch them from left to right: the right one moves to the left and vice versa). Has anyone else encountered this problem and found a better solution? It is very annoying since sometimes it is hard to tell if we simply have not aimed it correctly, or whether the remote is "playing" dead again.

Does anyone know where I can find a cheaper replacement remote ($56 online seems excessive)-- or do they all have this design flaw?