Sir JT03_X
How about this possibility :
You have some electronics that are installed such that tinted glass or a door covering them or they are too high or too low, such that an xmitted beam from a remote transmitter will not get to the IR sensors mounted within the fronts of the units.
Each one of your units gets pushed under a unit, such that the exposed IR xmitter just peeks out enough to let its beam aangle up to illuminate the receiver IR sensor in the electronics.
Your hard wired connector plug goes to an external unit that is mounted in a propely exposed position such that the external xmitter(s) can hit it fom anywhere (excluding the downstairs powder room). That unit then sends in a modulated signal down the wires to activate the hidden units IR LEDs .
Thasssssit . . . .
73's de Edd