Niles Audio MF1 IR MicroFlasher

I got a tabletop IR controller that came with the original Windows MCE program. Several computers later, the box still works great--at least the USB plugged into the computer allows me all functions except those that the Emitter would send to the cable set-top box. I've had trouble making those emitters stick, trouble with their fragile little wires and so on. I'm not a techy, but it seems like anything that fits one of the two 3.5mm jacks and successfully sent a signal to the cable box would work. MCE has a set-up wizard to figure out what type of remote your tv uses. AM I RIGHT ABOUT THIS? IF I BUY A COUPLE OF THESE FROM NILES (or Xantech), WILL THEY WORK JUST AS WELL FROM An IR BOX THAT CAME WITH A DELL MEDIA CENTER COMPUTER (AND HAS NO BRAND NAME ON IT). I've gotten other IR wires to work at times, but they fall off, the tiny wires go wrong or whatever. The IR box's USB into the computer works great, and I actually want to use this as part of a home automation program where it sends the commands. Do you think a couple of these would work for me? What about the one with 2 LED ends--do you think I could program the IR box/computer to control another component? Many thanks!