Systems and methods are described for remotely controlling a personal or digital video recorder (PVR/DVR), a set top box (STB), a placeshifting device, or any other media server. A communications session is established between a server host and the media server in response to a connection request received from the client. Information about the content processed at the media server is received via the session and provided to the client. In response to subsequent instructions received from the client, the media server can be controlled, or other actions can be taken, by providing directions to the media server from the host via the communications session. Additional or alternate features may be provided as desired.