If you are lucky enough to have a remote that doesn't work just because the
button won't contact properly then you can still do what you want by opening
up your remote. If you pop open the remote and trace out where the buttons
would be making contact you can examine the traces to see where you can just
temporarily jumper to get the same effect. If it is an actual component of
the remote that is toast then you are out of luck. I've had to do this
numerous times for other folks until they could locate a replacement remote.

Cheers,
Lawrence