Using your original xbox remote and sensor.

Try this at your own risk.

From the kodi wiki:

Follow this simple procedure:

1. Open the receiver's plastic case using a small screw driver. Carefully pry around the case.
2. Solder the wire to the receiver using the picture below

• Note: This might damage the casing of the dongle.

1 Color Coded Pinout

• If you're using a standard USB cable you should just be able to match the colors and solder away, but to be sure check your cable with a continuity tester according to the USB spec provided here. 

1. Red = Positive Power (+5V DC)
2. White = Data -
3. Green = Data +
4. Yellow = Unused
5. Black = Ground (0V DC)  

Normal usb connections:

Pin	Name	Cable color	Description
1	VCC	Red	+5 VDC
2	D-	White	Data -
3	D+	Green	Data +
4	GND	Black	Ground

 

2 Lirc Config

/etc/lirc/hardware.conf:

#Chosen Remote Control
REMOTE="None"
REMOTE_MODULES="lirc_atiusb lirc_dev"
REMOTE_DRIVER=""
REMOTE_DEVICE="/dev/lirc0"
REMOTE_SOCKET=""
REMOTE_LIRCD_CONF=""
REMOTE_LIRCD_ARGS="-r"

#Chosen IR Transmitter
TRANSMITTER="None"
TRANSMITTER_MODULES=""
TRANSMITTER_DRIVER=""
TRANSMITTER_DEVICE=""
TRANSMITTER_SOCKET=""
TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_CONF=""
TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_ARGS=""

#Enable lircd
START_LIRCD="true"

#Don't start lircmd even if there seems to be a good config file
#START_LIRCMD="false"

#Try to load appropriate kernel modules
LOAD_MODULES="true"

# Default configuration files for your hardware if any
LIRCMD_CONF="lircd.conf"

#Forcing noninteractive reconfiguration
#If lirc is to be reconfigured by an external application
#that doesn't have a debconf frontend available, the noninteractive
#frontend can be invoked and set to parse REMOTE and TRANSMITTER
#It will then populate all other variables without any user input
#If you would like to configure lirc via standard methods, be sure
#to leave this set to "false"
FORCE_NONINTERACTIVE_RECONFIGURATION="true"
START_LIRCMD=""

/etc/lirc/lircd.conf:

# brand: Microsoft Xbox DVD Receiever (also works with generic)
# remote control: Xbox remote or any remote using RCA DVD player codes

begin remote

name XboxDVDDongle
bits 8
eps 30
aeps 100

one 0 0
zero 0 0
gap 163983
toggle_bit_mask 0x0

begin codes
LEFT 0xA9
UP 0xA6
RIGHT 0xA8
DOWN 0xA7
SELECT 0x0B
1 0xCE
2 0xCD
3 0xCC
4 0xCB
5 0xCA
6 0xC9
7 0xC8
8 0xC7
9 0xC6
0 0xCF
MENU 0xF7
DISPLAY 0xD5
REVERSE 0xE2
FORWARD 0xE3
PLAY 0xEA
PAUSE 0xE6
STOP 0xE0
SKIP- 0xDD
SKIP+ 0xDF
TITLE 0xE5
INFO 0xC3
BACK 0xD8
end codes
end remote

If using the Xbox DVD IR dongle, add this line to the bottom of /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf:

blacklist xpad

3 XERC 

 The Sickmods XERC 2 XE works really well with an HTPC and the Xbox DVD dongle. It handles power-off and power-on via your remote. Here are some installation instructions for that.