Stream Deck Automation: Controlling Your VPS Stream Remotely in 2026

A VPS-hosted stream means your stream lives on a remote machine. But that doesn't mean you lose control over it. OBS WebSocket and remote control tools let you manage scenes, switch content, and trigger events from anywhere — including from a phone app.

OBS WebSocket: The Control Interface

OBS Studio 28+ includes WebSocket server integration by default. Enable it in OBS > Tools > obs-websocket Settings:

Enable WebSocket Server: ON
Port: 4455
Authentication: ON (set a strong password)

This exposes an API that allows remote control of OBS over WebSocket connections — scene switching, recording start/stop, source visibility, transitions.

Connecting from Your Local Machine

obs-websocket-js (for Node.js scripts):

const OBSWebSocket = require('obs-websocket-js').default;
const obs = new OBSWebSocket();

async function switchScene(sceneName) {
    await obs.connect('ws://YOUR_VPS_IP:4455', 'your_password');
    await obs.call('SetCurrentProgramScene', { sceneName });
    await obs.disconnect();
}

// Switch to BRB scene
switchScene('BRB Screen');

SAMMI (formerly LCARS) — Stream automation software that connects to OBS WebSocket and can trigger events based on Twitch/YouTube chat commands, hotkeys, or schedules.

Physical Stream Deck for Remote VPS Control

Elgato Stream Deck connects to your local PC. Configure it to call OBS WebSocket commands that reach your VPS:

1. Install Stream Deck OBS plugin on your local PC
2. Point it to your VPS IP:4455 with authentication
3. Stream Deck buttons now control VPS OBS directly

From your desk at home, your Stream Deck controls your VPS-hosted stream as if it were running locally.

Automated Scene Scheduling

For 24/7 streams, schedule scene changes via cron on the VPS:

# Cron job: Switch to "Night Mode" scene at 2 AM
0 2 * * * /usr/bin/node /home/stream/switch_scene.js "Night Ambient"

# Switch back to Day scene at 8 AM
0 8 * * * /usr/bin/node /home/stream/switch_scene.js "Morning Stream"

This enables day/night visual transitions, promotional bumpers at scheduled times, and automatic content transitions without any manual intervention.

Control your automated stream from Space-Node VPS