Help with Selecting a Sensitive IR Receiver

I have almost completed my whole home audio video distribution. I am hopeful that someone with IR distribution experience can lend a hand.

The Great Room has a wall mounted plasma with in wall speakers. Matrix switch, AV receiver, and other gear is downstairs. The Atlantic Technology in-walls have a cutout for a IR receiver. I purchased a Speakercraft IRC-1.1 and ran CAT-5e to the connecting block downstairs.

This works well and looks extremely clean. The only issue is that the IR receiver is at approximately 5 1/2' from the floor. When sitting, the receiver does not respond very well. There does not seem to be much plasma interference when the speaker cover is on. Although the talkback LED comes on when the cover is off (indicating some IR interference) the sensitivity is only slightly better. You need to point directly at the receiver and perhaps raise the remote to you head level.

I have another tabletop receiver for my system that I am currently using, but I would very much prefer to have the receiver installed in the speaker.

Does anyone know the best 1/2" diameter or stick-on receiver with great range, plasma rejection, and a wide angle? It would need to be 12 VDC for my system.

I know there are a lot out there, but I am hoping for some first hand experience. Help is appreciated.

RF has been considered, and actually used as an interim solution here. My URC RF remotes wer not quite powerful enough even though the great room is only about 20' from the AV stack. Getting through the floor seemed to be the issue. I did't have this issue in my previous house.

Also, the Speakercraft block has a IR blaster capability which can cover the whole stack pretty well. This makes for a very clean installation downstairs and is nice since it is next to my bar and theater area. The RF receiver for my URC remotes has only a stick on emitter output. I need to cover 6 components minimum.

Right now I am using the Cable DVR remote in the great room. This will change in the future. I may use my URC or may move to something like Harmony.

Thanks