I did not noticed you had commented out the "static byte lastValue;" its now replaced and corrected with proper data type "static unsigned long lastValue;". Without 'static' each time round the loop 'lastValue' was being reset to zero so you lost what the last non repeat key was. Ended up de-soldering the IR receiver from a defunct VHS recorder here at work to build a test setup 
Hi Riva,
You are my hero!
It works great. Now I can try with the L298. Thanks SO MUCH!!! 