I have a Packard Bell XP laptop and an Actisys IR2000U infrared USB device; the device works as I can use it to connect to my Palm Vx to my XP machine.

My Hifi has an infrared sensor to receive signals from a remote to control the volume.

I want some software that will send the same information from the Actisys to the IR sensor on my HIfi. I guess I need something that will allow me to train the Actisys using the Hifi remote and from that I can have a simple slider on my XP desktop that I can move under mouse control to vary the HIfi volume.

Can anyone please tell if such software is available?

The only thing that I have seen that will do this is from a US company called X10 who do an IR Commander PC to A/V Remote Control Kit.

Personally, if you just want to control one appliance from your PC I would just purchase a cheap "learning" remote control like a One-For-All and keep it near by. Have a look at the Zapper Range.