MCP Remote Control

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables AI assistants and agentic systems to control TVs on your local network.

Currently supports: Roku TVs via the External Control Protocol (ECP).

What is MCP?

The Model Context Protocol is an open standard that allows AI models to securely interact with external tools and data sources. This server exposes TV controls as MCP tools, enabling LLMs like Claude to control your TV through natural language commands.

Architecture

This project is designed with future extensibility in mind. The Roku-specific implementation is isolated in roku_bridge.py, separating the ECP protocol details from the MCP server layer. While the current implementation is Roku-specific, the structure provides a foundation for supporting additional TV brands and control protocols in the future.

Why Use This?

• Natural Language Control: Tell your AI assistant "turn on Netflix" or "increase the volume" without touching a remote

• Smart Home Integration: Integrate TV control into agentic workflows and automation systems

• Accessibility: Control your TV through conversational interfaces

• Development: Build custom applications that leverage AI-powered TV control

Prerequisites

TV Setup

Before using this server, you need to enable external control on your Roku TV:

1. Enable Network Control:

   • Go to Settings > System > Advanced system settings

   • Select Control by mobile apps

   • Choose Network access and set to Default or Permissive

2. Find Your TV's IP Address:

   • Go to Settings > Network > About

   • Note the IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.100)

3. Set Environment Variable:

   export HOST_IP=192.168.1.100 # Replace with your TV's IP

System Requirements

• Python: 3.12 or higher

• Network: TV and computer must be on the same local network

• MCP Client: An MCP-compatible client like Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Goose or custom implementations

Features

• Remote Control: Simulate button presses (navigation, playback, volume, power)

• App Launching: Launch apps by name (e.g., "Netflix", "YouTube")

• App Discovery: List all available apps and their IDs

• Device Info: Query device information

Getting Started

Installation

The package is available on PyPI.

The easiest way to use this server is via uvx, which runs the package directly from PyPI without requiring a separate install step:

Alternatively, install globally with pip:

Using with Claude Desktop

Add this server to your Claude Desktop configuration file:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Replace 192.168.1.100 with your TV's IP address.

After updating the config, restart Claude Desktop. You can then ask Claude to control your TV:

• "Turn on my TV and launch Netflix"

• "Increase the volume"

• "What apps are available on my Roku?"

Using with Claude Code

Install the server using the MCP server manager in Claude Code. See the Claude Code documentation for details.

Using with Other MCP Clients

This server uses the standard MCP protocol over stdio. See the MCP documentation for connecting local servers to your MCP client.

Local Development

If you want to modify the server or contribute to development, clone the repository and install in editable mode:

To use your local development version with Claude Desktop, point to the cloned directory:

Replace /absolute/path/to/mcp-remote-control with the actual path to your cloned repository.

Available Tools

press_key(key_name)

Simulates a button press on the TV remote.

• Navigation: Home, Up, Down, Left, Right, Select, Back

• Playback: Play, Pause, Rev (Rewind), Fwd (FastForward)

• Volume: VolumeUp, VolumeDown, VolumeMute

• Power: PowerOff, PowerOn

• Other: Info, InstantReplay, Search

launch_app(app_name)

Launches an app by name (case-insensitive). Examples:

• launch_app("Netflix")

• launch_app("youtube")

• launch_app("Disney+")

list_apps()

Lists all available apps with their names and Roku channel IDs.

get_device_info()

Retrieves device information as XML.

power_on()

Powers on the TV.

Supported Apps

The following apps are supported and can be launched by name using launch_app(). App names are case-insensitive and some apps have multiple accepted names (e.g., "Prime Video" or "Amazon Prime Video").

Use list_apps() to see the complete list programmatically.

Example Usage

Once connected to an MCP client, you can use natural language to control your TV:

Learn More

MCP Resources

• Model Context Protocol Documentation - Official MCP docs and specification

• MCP GitHub Repository - Source code and examples

• MCP Servers Registry - Collection of community MCP servers

• Building MCP Servers Guide - Learn to build your own MCP servers

Roku Resources

• Roku ECP Documentation - Official External Control Protocol documentation

• Roku Developer Portal - Additional Roku development resources

Troubleshooting

• Connection Failed: Ensure your TV and computer are on the same network and the TV's IP address is correct

• Control Not Working: Verify that "Control by mobile apps" is enabled in your TV settings

• App Not Launching: Check that the app is installed on your TV using list_apps()

• Environment Variable: Make sure HOST_IP is set in your shell or MCP client configuration

License

MIT