ROV: Mobile-to-PC Input Streaming Controller

A high-performance Remote Controller that streams keyboard inputs from a mobile device or web browser directly to your PC.

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Elevator Pitch

Ever wanted to play keyboard-heavy games like Hollow Knight or navigate your media player from your couch without wearing out your laptop keyboard or buying an expensive gamepad? ROV turns your mobile phone (via a dedicated Android app or any web browser) into an ultra-low latency virtual controller. It pairs instantly via a QR code and simulates native hardware key inputs on your host machine.

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Key Features

• Zero Configuration Pairing: Start the server and scan the generated QR code to connect instantly.
• Dual Client Support: Use the native Android APK client or access the web-based controller page via any browser.
• Minimal Latency: Driven by low-overhead WebSockets for real-time responsiveness.
• Glassmorphic Design: A gorgeous, touch-optimized visual keyboard using modern glassmorphism aesthetics.
• Auto-reconnect & Latency Testing: Automatically measures latency in real-time and handles network dropouts gracefully.
• Native OS Simulation: Simulates keypresses at the OS level, working seamlessly with games and system shortcuts.

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Tech Stack

• Backend Server: Python 3, asyncio, websockets, pyautogui, qrcode, pillow
• Web Client: Vanilla HTML5, modern CSS3 (Glassmorphism design, Inter/Outfit typography), native ES6 WebSockets
• Mobile Client: Flutter / Dart (APKs pre-compiled)

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System Architecture

sequenceDiagram
    participant WebClient as Web / APK Client (Mobile)
    participant HostServer as Python Server (Host PC)
    participant OS as OS Input Queue
    
    HostServer->>HostServer: Auto-resolve Local IP
    HostServer->>HostServer: Generate QR Code for ws://<ip>:8765
    WebClient->>HostServer: Scan QR & Establish WebSocket
    Note over WebClient,HostServer: Connection established
    
    loop Controller Loop
        WebClient->>HostServer: "down:w" (Key Press)
        HostServer->>OS: pyautogui.keyDown('w')
        WebClient->>HostServer: "up:w" (Key Release)
        HostServer->>OS: pyautogui.keyUp('w')
    end

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Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Python 3.8 or higher.
• Make sure both your PC and mobile device are connected to the same local Wi-Fi network.
• Ensure that any VPN client is turned off on both devices.

1. Installation

Clone the repository and install the dependencies:

git clone https://github.com/aryan/Controller.git
cd Controller
pip install -r requirements.txt

2. Start the Server

Run the python server from the root directory:

python src/server.py

This will:

1. Detect your local IP address.
2. Launch a window displaying a QR code.
3. Start the combined Web (HTTP) and WebSocket (WS) server on port 8765.

3. Connect the Client

Option A: Web-based Controller (Recommended)

Open your phone's browser and navigate to:

http://<YOUR_PC_IP>:8765

(The exact URL will be printed in the server log on startup. You can also scan the QR code to open it directly if your QR reader supports web URLs). The web client will load a premium controller UI and automatically connect!

Option B: Android Native Client

1. Find the pre-compiled APK in the /releases folder (ROV_V_2.4.5.zip contains rov_1.3.apk).
2. Sideload the APK onto your Android device.
3. Open the app, tap Scan, and scan the QR code displayed on your PC screen.

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Project Structure

Controller/
│
├── .github/                 # GitHub workflows & issue/PR templates
│   └── workflows/
│       └── lint.yml         # CI Linting check
│
├── assets/                  # High-quality banners and logos
│   ├── banner/
│   └── logo/
│
├── docs/                    # Detailed project documentation
│   ├── ARCHITECTURE.md      # In-depth system design & data flow
│   ├── CONFIGURATION.md     # Ports, arguments, and network settings
│   ├── CONTRIBUTING.md      # Setup environment & coding standard
│   ├── FAQ.md               # Latency, firewall, and connection troubleshooting
│   └── INSTALLATION.md      # Setup, executable packaging, and sideloading
│
├── releases/                # Bundled pre-built binaries (EXE & APK)
│   ├── ROV_V_1.8.2.zip
│   └── ROV_V_2.4.5.zip
│
├── src/                     # Core source code
│   ├── client/
│   │   └── index.html       # Modern Glassmorphic Web Client
│   └── server.py            # Combined WebSocket and HTTP host server
│
├── CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md       # Open-source community guidelines
├── SECURITY.md              # Vulnerability disclosure policy
├── CHANGELOG.md             # Version history
├── LICENSE                  # MIT License
├── requirements.txt         # Pip dependency list
└── pyproject.toml           # PEP 518 project config metadata

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Detailed Documentation

For advanced setup and development guides, refer to:

• Architecture Details — How the protocol and simulated input loop works.
• Installation Manual — Detailed setup, PyInstaller bundling, and Android APK deployment.
• Configuration Guide — Port customisation, CLI args, and key bindings.
• FAQ & Troubleshooting — Solving latency, firewall, and Wi-Fi pairing issues.
• Contributing Guide — How to submit pull requests and set up local development.

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Security

This project communicates unencrypted over your local network. It is intended strictly for private home Wi-Fi networks. Do not share your server's QR code or run the server on public, untrusted networks, as anyone on the network could simulate keystrokes on your system. See SECURITY.md for more details.

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License

Distributed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for more details.

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Acknowledgements

• Developed out of passion to play Hollow Knight without wearing out physical keyboards.
• Special thanks to the open-source python pyautogui and websockets library maintainers.