VLCTelecontrol is a widespread application for Nokia and Android phones that lets you use your smartphone as a remote control for VideoLAN Client (on all operating systems).

The connection between VideoLAN Client (VLC) and VLCTelecontrol is free if you use the Wireless LAN (WiFi). If you wish, you can also use the connection of your mobile operator, but it is not advisable unless you have a flat subscription.

VLCTelecontrol Free displays advertising banners that are downloaded via the Internet: it is therefore preferable to use a wifi router with a DSL flat so you do not have to pay the traffic data. Obviously, VLCTelecontrol Full doesn't contains advertising.

Another difference between free and commercial edition is that the latter in addition to the play/pause button has also the mute and volume high/low buttons.

Support is available on facebook and by e-mail (vlctelecontrol@altervista.org).

You can see some screenshots here.

Download links

Nokia Asha:
VLCTelecontrol

Nokia:
VLCTelecontrol Free
VLCTelecontrol Full

Android:
VLCTelecontrol Free
VLCTelecontrol Full

Getting Started

VLCTelecontrol on your smartphone communicates with VideoLAN Client on your PC through the wireless local network (WiFI). Therefore you need to perform three steps.

 

1. VideoLAN configuration

VideoLAN Client (VLC) is a fantastic free and open source cross-platform multimedia player. You can get it from http://www.videolan.org/.

 

To enable a VLC before 2.1.0 to receive commands over the network, you should:

  • open with a text editor the “.hosts” file in VLC installation directory (es. “C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\http” on Windows or "/usr/share/vlc/lua/http/.hosts" on Linux) and find the section "# private addresses"
  • uncomment the line for your subnet (or add it if not present). Almost always, you simply remove the "#" character from line 192.168.1.0/16. If you have configured your LAN otherwise, you will not need me to explain to you what it's called ;-)
  • save the file
  • start VLC
  • select Preferences from the Tools menu
  • in the Preferences dialog box, select the All radio button in the lower left
  • in the left tree, open the branch Interface, then click on the branch Main interfaces
  • in the options that appear on the right, select the check box HTTP remote control interface(named Web in VLC 2.0), as in the following image
  • press SAVE and restart VLC

 

 


To enable a VLC 2.1.0 (and later) to receive commands over the network, you should:

  • start VLC
  • select Preferences from the Tools menu
  • in the Preferences dialog box, select the All radio button in the lower left
  • in the left tree, open the branch Interface, then click on the branch Main interfaces
  • in the options that appear on the right, select the check box Web, as in the following image




  • in the left tree, click on the branch Lua and insert "xx" as HTTP Lua Password:


  • press SAVE and restart VLC


This is of course necessary only once: from now on, in fact, VLC as well as offering the usual features will also listening on port 8080 on your PC.

 

Finally, it is necessary, if you do not already know it, check the IP address of your PC. One of the ways you can do is to:

  • click on Run in the Start menu in Windows
  • type the command cmd and press return to get the DOS command prompt
  • type ipconfig and press return
  • note down the IP address of the Wireless Network Connection


In the following, by way of example, we assume that the IP address is 192.168.1.5.

 

2.Network configuration

As smartphone and PCs must communicate via the network, you may need to perform additional configuration of the router, the firewall on the PC, smartphone connections, etc. etc.

 It is not possible to condense a subject so broad here but keep in mind that:

  • you will not normally make some kind of an operation: the devices communicate immediately with no problems
  • connectivity is a general question, not specific to VLCTelecontrol: so Google can help you
  • you can contact me as described below

 

3.VLCTelecontrol configuration

VLCTelecontrol ask every time to enter the IP address and port on which the VideoLAN client is listening. However, only the first time you must enter this information: the next times (unless something has changed) you will just press the Connect button. VLCTelecontrol, in fact, by default uses the information used in the previous time.
The IP address you enter is the one described in paragraph "VideoLAN Configuration" (eg 192.168.1.5) while the port is (unless amended) 8080.

 

Before pressing the Connect button, please remember to run VLC and open the movie you want to see.

 

Before actually making the connection, VLCTelecontrol asks for confirmation: after you press OK, you can control VLC through the play / pause button on the remote!

 

 

Other features

If you're so lazy that you don’t want to  leave the couch to load the second movie in VLC (J) then you can use the full web interface of VLC. It is accessed by pressing the cone-shaped icon in the VLCTelecontrol bottom bar. This is a complete HTML interface provided by VLC Organization: I personally find it uncomfortable to use on a small smartphone ... but if you do not want to get up you can try;-)

VLCTelecontrol during its operation disables the screen saver, so that is always visible the progress percentage of the film. However, it is possible, if the light bothers, turn off (and then back on) the screen through the usual Nokia button.

 

Updates

To date, the Nokia Ovi Market allows automatic updating of the app only for certain models of smartphones. To ensure you always have the latest version of the current VLCTelecontrol you must therefore manually remove and install the new from Ovi Market. Through the Facebook page you will be informed on time about the availability of new versions.

Acknowledgements

I wish to thank: