Simple module that starts VLC player via command-line together with HTTP interface enabled. It provides a unified API to start playing a file and to get information about current track.

npm install vlc-simple-player --save

(Please note you'll need VLC binary installed in your system, you can download it on official website)

var VLC = require('vlc-simple-player')

// start a fullscreen player
var player = new VLC('./path-to-your-movie/test.mp4')

// log current track time every second
player.on('statuschange', (error, status) => {
  console.log('current time', status.time)
})

• new VLC(path[, options]) – starts a VLC player in fullscreen
  • path – string path to the video file ./test.mov
  • options – object with additional options
    • {password: String} will set a custom password for the HTTP interface (instead of random, which can be accessed by player.getPassword() method, btw)
    • {port: Number} will set a custom port for the HTTP interface (instead of default 8080)
    • {arguments: Array} will replace default command-line arguments (--fullscreen, --loop, --no-video-title)
• player.on(eventName, callback) - registers an event
  • eventName – a string, available options are:
    • 'error' – stderr callback with error as an argument
    • 'statuschange' – callback that fires every second if the movie is playing
  • callback – a function with error and status object as an arguments
• player.request(path, callback) - exposed request method to the VLC HTTP interface
  • path – a string, HTTP GET path with response in JSON format. For example: vlc.request('/requests/status.json?command=pl_pause') – toggles a pause. list of HTTP requests and interface description
  • callback – a function with error and status object as an arguments
• player.process - exposed spawned process
• player.quit() – stops the movie and close the player (via SIGKILL)

Please feel free to submit a pull request for a bug fix or new features