I'm no going to read the whole thread but if you all you want is wire media access why no just a $5 dollars game controller? and for software you can use CDR, steveg or joy2mouse3 (there is something similar that GOC created long time ago that it works with a the joistick port if you MOBO have one (and before you ask, the app is very picky with the joistick to USB adapter so it will be hard to find the right one, believe me I tryied

)
This is a cople of shot of one that I made before going IR, it share one ground and you can have up to 15 buttons:
Thanatos.