MovieHub

Several months ago I decided to create MovieHub, a web based controller for the movies stored on my local server, Tourian (which is hooked up to a flatscreen). The server is running WAMP, so it can only be accessed locally. I wrote a php script that scans my movie and TV folder, inserts them in a database to keep track of ratings and play counts, and then displays them using some basic HTML. I also found a handy html parser which I use to search the movie on Google images, and use the first result as the movie poster.

MovieHub web interface 

When the image/title are clicked, the movie begins playing on the TV hooked up to Tourian. This means any device with an internet browser is now a controller. Ont op of this, I've made an iPhone app which does the same thing (I was getting annoyed with looking at the web interface on my iPhone).

MovieHub iPhone interface

One caveat is in order to get VLC to play the movie, VLC needs to be running. This is because I'm using the HTTP interface for VLC (accessible at localhost:8080 or something), which is what the VLC remote uses. This problem only occurs on Windows, since Linux and Mac (?) let you take over the screen.