The batteries are used to power the automated ordering system on Digital River's servers. They just take one out of their battery bank and stuff it into the remote before they ship your unit out. That's probably why the battery is dying (or dead).

I replaced mine with another I had around and it worked perfectly. The biggest problem is that when the battery goes, it does it in a sporadic way. But if there's a real problem with the remote, David's the one to hook you up.

Bruno