Setting up VLC http interface

Using VLC 1.0.6 (Goldeneye) and Ubuntu 10.04 LTS

Tools -> Preferences (Show settings: All) -> Interface -> Main interface -> Extra interface modules: check "HTTP remote control interface"

Restart VLC and controls should be available at http://127.0.0.1:8080 on the local machine.

To enable control from remote (but still network-local) machines, edit /usr/share/vlc/http/.hosts (note: editing /usr/share/vlc/lua/http/.hosts did not work!)

Update: Updated to Ubuntu 12.04.1 (precise) and VLC 2.0.3 Twoflower and now the hosts file is at /usr/share/vlc/lua/http/.hosts

Notes on .hosts file format:
To get enable access from non-local machines, I uncommented this line in the .hosts file:

192.168.0.0/16

According to this guy, it is "equivalent to the IP range 192.168.0.0 thru 192.168.255.255"

Update (2015-11-10): Set up web remote for VLC (v2.2.1) for Windows 7. Followed the instructions here.

Differences:

On Windows 7 (vlc 2.2.1), the check box is labeled "web" (not "HTTP remote control interface"). 

Also, you must enter a password at Tools -> Preferences (Show settings: All) -> Interface -> Main interfaces -> Lua: Password. The password used by the vlc remote app is "vlcremote". 

I did not have to edit a .hosts file for the Windows version of vlc.