VizioControl

VizioControl is a local-first controller for compatible Vizio SmartCast TVs. The repository contains the original Windows desktop client—with its optional in-memory viewport and bounded GPT-5.6 Luna navigation—and a separate native iPhone client for direct LAN control without a PC, cloud service, viewport, or AI runtime.

VizioControl is an unofficial independent project. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by VIZIO.

Highlights

• Discovers and pairs with compatible SmartCast TVs over the local network.
• Provides power, volume, mute, input, navigation, text-entry, and app-launch controls without requiring AI.
• Verifies Quick Start before network standby and fails closed when wakeability cannot be confirmed.
• Turns verified TV-setting requests into local macros that replay without a model or screenshots.
• Includes a native iPhone remote with PIN pairing, Keychain-protected credentials, full broadcast Wake-on-LAN, and a dedicated swipeable Macros tab with ordered actions, explicit waits, bounded definitions, current-step progress, and foreground cancellation.
• Streams compatible SmartCast Chromium surfaces to an optional in-memory viewport at up to 24 FPS.
• Runs optional visual navigation in a fresh, time-bounded Luna session with only host-validated tv_* tools.
• Requires confirmation for purchases, rentals, subscriptions, account changes, and destructive actions.

Privacy and security boundaries

• Pairing tokens use Windows credential encryption in the desktop client and this iPhone's Keychain in the native client.
• The continuous viewport remains in memory on the PC and is not sent to OpenAI, logged, or saved.
• Separate observations are sent to OpenAI only during an explicitly active Luna request and are not persisted by the app.
• The renderer receives a narrow preload API; unrestricted Node, shell, filesystem, browser, MCP, plugin, connector, and Windows-control capabilities are not exposed to Luna.
• Real device names, LAN addresses, hardware identifiers, pairing material, account data, runtime captures, and machine-specific logs are excluded from this repository.

Requirements

Windows desktop

• Windows 10 x64 or later
• Node.js 22 or later
• A compatible Vizio SmartCast TV on the same local network
• For optional AI navigation: a ChatGPT account that exposes the exact configured Luna model with image input

Native iPhone

• iOS 17 or later
• Xcode 26 or later for direct installation
• A compatible Vizio SmartCast TV on the same private LAN
• For full broadcast Wake-on-LAN, a paid Apple Developer Program team whose explicit App ID com.shlummie.viziocontrol has the approved Multicast Networking capability

Develop the Windows client

npm ci
npm test
npm run build
npm run dev

npm run dev starts Vite on loopback and launches the Electron shell. Manual controls remain usable when the optional AI runtime is unavailable.

Build and install the native iPhone client

Open ios/VizioControl.xcodeproj, select the VizioControl target, choose the approved Apple development team under Signing & Capabilities, connect and unlock the iPhone, select it as the run destination, and press Run. Automatic signing must produce a device profile containing com.apple.developer.networking.multicast; do not treat an entitlement-free profile as a complete full-Wake build.

On first launch, keep the iPhone and TV on the same private LAN, tap Find TVs, allow Local Network access, select the verified TV, and enter the four-digit PIN shown on the TV. A manual private hostname/IP is only a rediscovery hint. Enter the TV's unicast MAC address when Bonjour does not provide one and broadcast wake is required.

The native client provides protected Standby/Wake, navigation, playback, input, volume/mute, ASCII TV text entry, built-in Hulu/YouTube/Netflix launchers, deterministic typed commands, and persistent saved-command editing. It intentionally does not include the Windows viewport, Luna, semantic content navigation, or AI-taught settings.

Package for Windows

npm run package

The package command creates installer and portable builds under release/. Builds are unsigned unless a code-signing certificate is supplied; verify generated hashes before distribution.

Known limits

• SmartCast app surfaces must expose a compatible Chromium debugging target for visual navigation or viewport capture.
• Native TV menus, HDMI inputs, and DRM-protected video pixels may be unavailable to the viewport.
• Remote access, cloud sync, automatic updates, and multi-user support are outside version 1.0.0.
• The native iPhone client intentionally has no TV viewport or Luna/AI navigation; those remain Windows-only.