Taking Back Control: A Better Remote for Your Vizio TV

 J. Rogers, SE Ohio

The Problem with Modern TV Remotes

Let me paint a familiar picture: You're settling in for movie night. You reach for the TV remote and—it's gone. Again. You check between the couch cushions, under the coffee table, in yesterday's laundry. Nothing. You find it 20 minutes later in the bathroom. Don't ask.

Or maybe you do find it, but the batteries are dead. Or the Netflix button you never use takes up prime real estate while the input switcher requires three menu dives. Or you want to automate your "movie night" routine but your remote can't do that.

There had to be a better way.

Introducing: Vizio SmartCast Control

I built a Python-based remote control system for Vizio SmartCast TVs that solves all of these problems. It has two interfaces:

1. Command-line tool for automation and scripting
2. Beautiful GUI remote for everyday use

Both control your TV over your home network. No physical remote required.

The project is here: https://github.com/BuckRogers1965/vizio_control

Why This Matters

It can't get lost. Your computer doesn't hide between couch cushions.

Batteries never die. Network-based control. No AA batteries to stock.

Fully customizable. Add the apps YOU use. Remove the corporate-partnership buttons you don't.

Automatable. Create macros, schedules, voice commands—whatever you want.

Extensible. Discover new features, add buttons, build your perfect remote.

Open source. No subscriptions, no cloud services, no data collection. It's yours.

What It Can Do

Full Remote Control

• Power on/off
• Volume and mute
• Channel control
• Complete D-Pad navigation (up/down/left/right/OK)
• All standard buttons (back, menu, home, info, exit)

Smart Features

• Input switching - List all inputs, switch with one command
• App launching - Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Plex, and more
• App discovery - Find and add any app your TV supports
• Status checking - See what's currently playing
• Channel jumping - Go directly to channel 125, not 40 button presses

Two Ways to Control

Command Line - Perfect for automation:

# Movie night script
python vizio_control.py on
python vizio_control.py input "Kodi"
python vizio_control.py vol_down
python vizio_control.py vol_down
python vizio_control.py vol_down  # Night mode volume

Graphical Remote - Beautiful, easy to use:

• Click buttons just like a physical remote
• Pop-up menus for inputs and apps
• Clean, modern interface
• Visual feedback for every action
• No learning curve

The Philosophy: Your Device, Your Rules

Modern TV remotes are designed by corporate partnerships, not user needs. That Netflix button? A streaming service paid for that spot. You can't reprogram it, remove it, or replace it with something you actually use.

This tool is different.

You decide what buttons exist. You choose which apps to include. You customize the interface. You automate your workflows. You own your device—act like it.

Want a button for your Plex server? Add it. Want to remove all the streaming apps you don't use? Done. Want to create a "kids mode" macro that limits volume and blocks certain inputs? Build it.

No corporate partnerships dictating your user experience.

Technical Details (For the Curious)

How It Works

• Uses the Vizio SmartCast API (HTTPS on port 7345)
• One-time pairing process (like Bluetooth, but better)
• Stores credentials locally—no cloud required
• Pure Python—runs on Windows, Mac, Linux
• Built on requests and pygame libraries

Architecture

The design follows a clean separation:

• Core library - Pure TV control logic
• CLI wrapper - Thin command-line interface
• GUI wrapper - Pygame-based visual remote

This means:

• Easy to test and debug
• No code duplication
• Simple to extend with new features
• Could add web interface, voice control, etc.

Security & Privacy

• Local only - All communication stays on your home network
• No cloud - No data leaves your network
• No telemetry - We don't know you exist
• Open source - Audit the code yourself
• Your credentials - Stored locally, encrypted by your OS

Getting Started

Requirements

• Vizio SmartCast TV (2016+ models)
• Python 3.7+
• TV and computer on same network

Installation

git clone [repository]
cd vizio-control
pip install -r requirements.txt

First Run (Pairing)

python vizio_control.py 192.168.4.31

The script will:

1. Contact your TV
2. Show a PIN on your TV screen
3. Ask you to enter it
4. Save credentials for future use

That's it. You're done. Forever.

Daily Use

Command line:

python vizio_control.py on
python vizio_control.py app Netflix
python vizio_control.py vol_up

GUI:

python vizio_remote_gui.py

Click buttons. Control TV. That's it.

Real-World Use Cases

Home Automation

Integrate with Home Assistant, cron jobs, or any automation system:

# Wake up routine (7 AM)
python vizio_control.py on
python vizio_control.py app "YouTube TV"

# Bedtime routine (11 PM)  
python vizio_control.py off

Voice Control

Pair with voice assistant systems for hands-free control.

Accessibility

Create custom interfaces for users with specific needs. Bigger buttons, simplified controls, macro functions—whatever helps.

Multi-Room Control

One interface controls multiple TVs. Label them, organize them, never hunt for the right remote again.

Power User Features

Build complex macros:

• "Movie night" - Dim lights, close blinds, switch to media center, set volume
• "Sports mode" - Specific input, picture mode, audio settings
• "Kids mode" - Volume limits, content filtering, time restrictions

Why I Built This

I was tired of:

• Losing remotes
• Replacing batteries
• Corporate buttons I never use
• Inability to customize or automate
• Dependence on proprietary hardware

I wanted:

• Software I control
• Automation possibilities
• Customization freedom
• Something that can't break or get lost
• No subscriptions or cloud dependencies

So I built it. And now it's yours too.

The Broader Implications

This project represents a philosophy: users should control their own devices.

We buy these TVs. We bring them into our homes. Yet we're told which buttons can exist, which apps get promoted, what features we're allowed to access. That's backwards.

This tool says: "No. This is MY TV. I'll control it MY way."

It's a small act of digital sovereignty. But small acts add up.

What's Next

The foundation is solid. Future possibilities:

• Web-based remote (control from any device)
• Voice command integration
• Advanced macros and scripting
• Picture/audio settings control
• Multi-TV management interface
• Plugin system for custom extensions

But the core philosophy stays the same: user control, user choice, user freedom.

Get Involved

This is open source. That means:

• Use it - Free, forever
• Modify it - Make it yours
• Extend it - Add features you need
• Share it - Help others break free
• Contribute - Improve it for everyone

Find it on GitHub: [link to repository]

Final Thoughts

Your TV remote will get lost again. The batteries will die at the worst moment. That Netflix button you never press will continue mocking you.

Or you could try something different.

A remote that lives on your computer. That never runs out of batteries. That you can customize completely. That you can automate endlessly. That respects your ownership of your own device.

Your TV. Your rules. Your remote.

Give it a try. I think you'll like it.

The project is here: https://github.com/BuckRogers1965/vizio_control

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FAQ

Q: Will this work with my Vizio TV? A: Works with 2016+ Vizio SmartCast models. If your TV has the SmartCast app system, it'll work.

Q: Is this legal? A: Absolutely. You're controlling your own device using its documented API. This is no different than using the physical remote.

Q: Could Vizio break this with an update? A: Unlikely. This uses their official API that the SmartCast app uses. Breaking it would break their own app.

Q: What if I don't know Python? A: You don't need to! Just run the provided commands. If you DO know Python, you can extend it endlessly.

Q: Can I still use my physical remote? A: Of course! This is an addition, not a replacement. Use both.

Q: Does this work with other TV brands? A: Currently Vizio only. But the architecture could be adapted for other brands with similar APIs.

Q: Do you collect any data? A: No. Zero. We don't even know you're using this. Everything stays on your local network.

Q: Can I contribute? A: Yes! Bug reports, feature requests, code contributions—all welcome.

Q: Why release this for free? A: Because users should control their own devices. And because the best tools are built by communities, not corporations.

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Built with Python, powered by frustration with lost remotes, licensed under MIT.

Your TV. Your rules.