What I did because I never like to use the original stuff was to get a One For All Audio Zapper it is a very funny and nice preprogramed/programable unit which worked more or less fine with the Tempest, later my reborn SL 9000 from Universal remote handled better the task.
Maybe Klaus and only maybe, let me do something if you allow me to... What if I code for PC the codes to be used, I upload them or send it to you and downloaded in certain variety of PDA devices, from telephones to PDA´s people could download for a fee the codes or you send 'em by email, they customers download them and later they copy them in a remote of their preference. You are quite right it is just the volume thing, anyway I am sure some will prefer the SL stuff, as me that I am trying to save some $$ for it.
My friend Luis Raul Gonzalez, you surely remember him, already has rogrammed the Tempest codes in his Palm, so it is a very possible option not to sell thedevice ut just the codes.