Options for a better DVR/cable box and non-light of sight remote

Which DVR/receiver does your parents currently have?

I saw there's a remote that is not line of sight but the reviews on it are terrible. 

Yup, it's called the "point anywhere" remote.  Basically it sends a RF signal to a usb dongle that plugs into the the front of the dvr/receiver.  The dongle receives the RF signal, converts it to IR (infra-red), i.e., the same IR codes a standard IR remote would have sent, and the IR is picked up by the IR sensor in the front of the dvr/receiver.

You can have almost the same thing with any IR repeater (blaster).  With those you use the standard uverse IR remotes (S10, S20, S30) and point it at a small IR repeater/transmitter.  The small repeater/transmitter send a RF signal to it companion RF receiver which in turn converts the signal back to IR.  The the companion RF receiver thus needs to "point" at the dvr/receiver.  Not quite as convenient as combining the repeater/transmitter into the remote and physically mounting the companion receiver/emitter on the dvr/receiver but the principal is the same and there a plenty of these repeater/baster sets on the market to choose from (google search).