diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4e5abfb..d9107fe 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -83,8 +83,9 @@ x to forget it. Ctrl+1 / Ctrl+2 switch between Join and Host.
 
 Profile, hardware decoding (auto, off or custom; the env var
 `SYNC_RELAY_HWDEC` overrides it; applies on the next join or Reload video),
-updates, playing the next Jellyfin episode automatically, video shaders
-(see below), and the keyboard shortcuts (read-only).
+"Experimental: mpv-style controls" (below), updates, playing the next
+Jellyfin episode automatically, video shaders (see below), and the
+keyboard shortcuts (read-only).
 Integrations links Jellyfin servers (below). About shows the version.
 
 Keys in a session: Space = ready / unready, Tab = side panel (people, log,
@@ -101,6 +102,16 @@ shows the time and the chapter title. The chapters button lists them
 Subtitles buttons (with the track count) list tracks as "Japanese · E-AC3
 2.0 · title"; subtitles have Off.
 
+Experimental mpv-style controls (Settings → Player, off by default,
+switches right away): video controls modeled on mpv's uosc theme. A thick
+timeline across the bottom shows the played part, the cached part ahead
+(hatched), chapter starts as diamonds and the time; hovering it shows the
+chapter title and the time there. With the controls hidden it stays as a
+thin line. Above it flat buttons: ≡ menu, Subtitles and Audio (with the
+track count), the shader badge (the active Anime4K mode, e.g. "A HQ"),
+ready, chapters, 1:30, previous / next episode, change video, people,
+volume and fullscreen. Keys and skip buttons work the same.
+
 Skipping: during the opening a "Skip OP" button floats in the corner (it
 jumps to the end of the opening), during the ending "Skip ED" (to the end
 of the ending only; what comes after is yours to skip). The opening and
diff --git a/apps/desktop/lib/src/controls/uosc/buttons.dart b/apps/desktop/lib/src/controls/uosc/buttons.dart
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ce83abc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/lib/src/controls/uosc/buttons.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,334 @@
+import 'package:flutter/gestures.dart';
+import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
+import 'package:signals/signals_flutter.dart';
+import 'package:sync_relay_core/core.dart' show JellyfinStreamType;
+
+import '../../jellyfin/track_prefs.dart' show MpvTrack;
+import '../../playback/media_marks.dart';
+import '../../playback/playback_controller.dart' show RenderMode;
+import '../../screens/session/player_controls.dart' show TrackPick;
+import '../../shaders/shader_menu.dart';
+import '../../shaders/shader_presets.dart';
+import '../../state/settings.dart';
+import 'controls.dart';
+import 'menu.dart';
+import 'style.dart';
+
+/// Flat uosc button: a white icon (optionally a [label] beside it and a
+/// small count [badge] in the corner), a faint highlight on hover, a dark
+/// tooltip. Never takes focus (the session's keys are global).
+class UoscButton extends StatefulWidget {
+  final IconData icon;
+  final String tooltip;
+  final VoidCallback? onPressed;
+  final String? label;
+  final int? badge;
+  /// Tint for an "on" state (ready, shaders on).
+  final Color? color;
+  const UoscButton({
+    super.key,
+    required this.icon,
+    required this.tooltip,
+    required this.onPressed,
+    this.label,
+    this.badge,
+    this.color,
+  });
+
+  @override
+  State<UoscButton> createState() => _UoscButtonState();
+}
+
+class _UoscButtonState extends State<UoscButton> {
+  bool _hover = false;
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    final w = widget;
+    final color = w.onPressed == null ? UoscStyle.dim.withValues(alpha: 0.4) : (w.color ?? UoscStyle.text);
+    final badge = w.badge;
+    return UoscTooltip(
+      message: w.tooltip,
+      child: MouseRegion(
+        cursor: w.onPressed == null ? SystemMouseCursors.basic : SystemMouseCursors.click,
+        onEnter: (_) => setState(() => _hover = true),
+        onExit: (_) => setState(() => _hover = false),
+        child: GestureDetector(
+          behavior: HitTestBehavior.opaque,
+          onTap: w.onPressed,
+          child: Container(
+            height: UoscControls.buttonRowHeight,
+            constraints: const BoxConstraints(minWidth: UoscControls.buttonRowHeight),
+            padding: EdgeInsets.symmetric(horizontal: w.label == null ? 0 : 8),
+            decoration: BoxDecoration(
+              color: _hover && w.onPressed != null ? UoscStyle.hover : Colors.transparent,
+              borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(UoscStyle.radius),
+            ),
+            child: Row(
+              mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.min,
+              mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
+              children: [
+                Stack(
+                  clipBehavior: Clip.none,
+                  children: [
+                    Icon(w.icon, color: color, size: 22),
+                    if (badge != null && badge > 0)
+                      Positioned(
+                        right: -8,
+                        bottom: -5,
+                        child: Container(
+                          key: const ValueKey('uosc-badge'),
+                          padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(horizontal: 3),
+                          decoration: BoxDecoration(
+                            color: UoscStyle.text,
+                            borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(3),
+                          ),
+                          child: Text('$badge',
+                              style: const TextStyle(
+                                  color: Colors.black, fontSize: 9, height: 1.3, fontWeight: FontWeight.w700)),
+                        ),
+                      ),
+                  ],
+                ),
+                if (w.label != null) ...[
+                  const SizedBox(width: 6),
+                  Text(w.label!, style: TextStyle(color: color, fontSize: UoscStyle.fontSize)),
+                ],
+              ],
+            ),
+          ),
+        ),
+      ),
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+/// Badge-style text button ("HQ" in uosc): a small outlined box with a
+/// short label, filled when [active].
+class UoscBadgeButton extends StatefulWidget {
+  final String text;
+  final String tooltip;
+  final bool active;
+  final VoidCallback onPressed;
+  const UoscBadgeButton({
+    super.key,
+    required this.text,
+    required this.tooltip,
+    required this.active,
+    required this.onPressed,
+  });
+
+  @override
+  State<UoscBadgeButton> createState() => _UoscBadgeButtonState();
+}
+
+class _UoscBadgeButtonState extends State<UoscBadgeButton> {
+  bool _hover = false;
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    final w = widget;
+    return UoscTooltip(
+      message: w.tooltip,
+      child: MouseRegion(
+        cursor: SystemMouseCursors.click,
+        onEnter: (_) => setState(() => _hover = true),
+        onExit: (_) => setState(() => _hover = false),
+        child: GestureDetector(
+          behavior: HitTestBehavior.opaque,
+          onTap: w.onPressed,
+          child: Container(
+            height: UoscControls.buttonRowHeight,
+            padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(horizontal: 6),
+            decoration: BoxDecoration(
+              color: _hover ? UoscStyle.hover : Colors.transparent,
+              borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(UoscStyle.radius),
+            ),
+            alignment: Alignment.center,
+            child: Container(
+              padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(horizontal: 5, vertical: 1),
+              decoration: BoxDecoration(
+                color: w.active ? UoscStyle.text : Colors.transparent,
+                border: Border.all(color: w.active ? UoscStyle.text : UoscStyle.dim, width: 1.4),
+                borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(3),
+              ),
+              child: Text(w.text,
+                  style: TextStyle(
+                      color: w.active ? Colors.black : UoscStyle.dim,
+                      fontSize: 11,
+                      fontWeight: FontWeight.w800,
+                      letterSpacing: 0.3)),
+            ),
+          ),
+        ),
+      ),
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+/// Volume: click mutes / unmutes, the wheel steps 5 %.
+class UoscVolumeButton extends StatefulWidget {
+  /// 0..100.
+  final double volume;
+  final ValueChanged<double> onChanged;
+  const UoscVolumeButton({super.key, required this.volume, required this.onChanged});
+
+  @override
+  State<UoscVolumeButton> createState() => _UoscVolumeButtonState();
+}
+
+class _UoscVolumeButtonState extends State<UoscVolumeButton> {
+  double _beforeMute = 100;
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    final v = widget.volume;
+    final icon = v <= 0 ? Icons.volume_off_rounded : (v < 50 ? Icons.volume_down_rounded : Icons.volume_up_rounded);
+    return Listener(
+      onPointerSignal: (e) {
+        if (e is PointerScrollEvent && e.scrollDelta.dy != 0) {
+          widget.onChanged((v + (e.scrollDelta.dy < 0 ? 5 : -5)).clamp(0.0, 100.0));
+        }
+      },
+      child: UoscButton(
+        key: const ValueKey('uosc-volume'),
+        icon: icon,
+        tooltip: 'Volume ${v.round()} % (scroll to change)',
+        onPressed: () {
+          if (v > 0) {
+            _beforeMute = v;
+            widget.onChanged(0);
+          } else {
+            widget.onChanged(_beforeMute <= 0 ? 100 : _beforeMute);
+          }
+        },
+      ),
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+/// Subtitles or audio: the icon with the track count; the menu lists the
+/// tracks (mpv's selection active).
+class UoscTracksButton extends StatelessWidget {
+  final JellyfinStreamType type;
+  final List<MpvTrack> tracks;
+  final void Function(TrackPick pick) onPick;
+  final ValueChanged<bool>? onMenuOpen;
+  const UoscTracksButton({super.key, required this.type, required this.tracks, required this.onPick, this.onMenuOpen});
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    final audio = type == JellyfinStreamType.audio;
+    final count = tracks.where((t) => t.type == type).length;
+    return UoscButton(
+      key: ValueKey(audio ? 'uosc-audio' : 'uosc-subtitles'),
+      icon: audio ? Icons.graphic_eq_rounded : Icons.subtitles_outlined,
+      tooltip: audio ? 'Audio' : 'Subtitles',
+      badge: count,
+      onPressed: () async {
+        onMenuOpen?.call(true);
+        final pick = await showUoscMenu<TrackPick>(context,
+            title: audio ? 'Audio' : 'Subtitles', items: trackMenuItems(type, tracks));
+        onMenuOpen?.call(false);
+        if (pick != null) onPick(pick);
+      },
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+/// Chapters: the list with start times, the playing one active; a pick
+/// jumps there. Nothing without chapters.
+class UoscChaptersButton extends StatelessWidget {
+  final List<MediaChapter> chapters;
+  final int? current;
+  final Duration duration;
+  final ValueChanged<MediaChapter> onPick;
+  final ValueChanged<bool>? onMenuOpen;
+  const UoscChaptersButton({
+    super.key,
+    required this.chapters,
+    required this.current,
+    required this.duration,
+    required this.onPick,
+    this.onMenuOpen,
+  });
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    if (chapters.isEmpty) return const SizedBox.shrink();
+    return UoscButton(
+      key: const ValueKey('uosc-chapters'),
+      icon: Icons.bookmarks_outlined,
+      tooltip: 'Chapters (PgUp / PgDn)',
+      onPressed: () async {
+        onMenuOpen?.call(true);
+        final pick = await showUoscMenu<MediaChapter>(context,
+            title: 'Chapters', items: chapterMenuItems(chapters, current, duration));
+        onMenuOpen?.call(false);
+        if (pick != null) onPick(pick);
+      },
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+/// Shaders as uosc's quality badge: the active Anime4K preset ("A HQ"),
+/// "4K" dimmed when off. Opens the shader menu.
+class UoscShaderButton extends StatelessWidget {
+  final ReadonlySignal<RenderMode> renderMode;
+  final void Function(ShaderPreset preset, ShaderQuality? quality) onPick;
+  final ValueChanged<bool>? onMenuOpen;
+  const UoscShaderButton({super.key, required this.renderMode, required this.onPick, this.onMenuOpen});
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    final s = AppSettings.instance;
+    return SignalBuilder(builder: (context) {
+      final preset = s.shaderPreset.value;
+      final quality = s.shaderQuality.value;
+      final short = shaderShortLabel(preset, quality);
+      return Builder(
+        builder: (context) => UoscBadgeButton(
+          key: const ValueKey('uosc-shaders'),
+          text: short ?? '4K',
+          active: short != null,
+          tooltip: short == null
+              ? 'Shaders: off (Ctrl+1..6)'
+              : 'Shaders: ${shaderLabel(preset, quality)} (Ctrl+0 off)',
+          onPressed: () {
+            final controls = UoscControls.maybeOf(context);
+            Future<void> open() =>
+                showShaderMenu(context, renderMode: renderMode, onPick: onPick, onMenuOpen: onMenuOpen);
+            controls == null ? open() : controls.holdDuring(open);
+          },
+        ),
+      );
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+/// One entry of the ≡ menu.
+typedef UoscAction = ({String title, String? hint, VoidCallback run});
+
+/// ≡: the session's actions as a menu.
+class UoscMainMenuButton extends StatelessWidget {
+  final List<UoscAction> actions;
+  final ValueChanged<bool>? onMenuOpen;
+  const UoscMainMenuButton({super.key, required this.actions, this.onMenuOpen});
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    return UoscButton(
+      key: const ValueKey('uosc-menu-button'),
+      icon: Icons.menu_rounded,
+      tooltip: 'Menu',
+      onPressed: () async {
+        onMenuOpen?.call(true);
+        final pick = await showUoscMenu<UoscAction>(context, items: [
+          for (final a in actions) UoscMenuItem(value: a, title: a.title, hint: a.hint),
+        ]);
+        onMenuOpen?.call(false);
+        pick?.run();
+      },
+    );
+  }
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/lib/src/controls/uosc/controls.dart b/apps/desktop/lib/src/controls/uosc/controls.dart
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4ae467a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/lib/src/controls/uosc/controls.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,196 @@
+import 'dart:async';
+
+import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
+import 'package:signals/signals_flutter.dart';
+
+import '../../state/settings.dart';
+
+// The experimental mpv-style (uosc) controls frame: a full-width timeline
+// at the bottom with a row of flat buttons above it, window buttons top
+// right. Mouse movement shows them; after [UoscControls.hideAfter] without
+// any they fade out, the timeline shrinks to a thin line and the cursor
+// hides. Everything lives here because media_kit's fullscreen route
+// renders only the video and its controls.
+
+class UoscControls extends StatefulWidget {
+  /// The timeline; [expanded] is false while the controls are hidden.
+  final Widget Function(BuildContext context, bool expanded) timeline;
+  /// Buttons left and right of the row above the timeline.
+  final List<Widget> left;
+  final List<Widget> right;
+  /// Top-right corner (window buttons), shown with the controls.
+  final Widget? top;
+  final VoidCallback? onDoubleTap;
+  final Duration hideAfter;
+  const UoscControls({
+    super.key,
+    required this.timeline,
+    this.left = const [],
+    this.right = const [],
+    this.top,
+    this.onDoubleTap,
+    this.hideAfter = const Duration(seconds: 3),
+  });
+
+  static const buttonRowHeight = 40.0;
+
+  /// The controls around [context], for widgets that need them kept up
+  /// (a timeline drag, an open menu).
+  static UoscControlsState? maybeOf(BuildContext context) =>
+      context.findAncestorStateOfType<UoscControlsState>();
+
+  @override
+  State<UoscControls> createState() => UoscControlsState();
+}
+
+class UoscControlsState extends State<UoscControls> {
+  bool _visible = true;
+  int _holds = 0;
+  Timer? _timer;
+
+  bool get visible => _visible;
+
+  @override
+  void initState() {
+    super.initState();
+    _hideLater();
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void dispose() {
+    _timer?.cancel();
+    super.dispose();
+  }
+
+  /// Show the controls and restart the hide countdown.
+  void wake() {
+    if (!_visible && mounted) setState(() => _visible = true);
+    _hideLater();
+  }
+
+  /// Keep the controls up while [on] (paired calls): a drag sends no
+  /// hover events and a menu route takes the mouse.
+  void hold(bool on) {
+    _holds = on ? _holds + 1 : (_holds - 1).clamp(0, 1 << 20);
+    wake();
+  }
+
+  /// Runs [open] (a menu) with the controls held up.
+  Future<T> holdDuring<T>(Future<T> Function() open) async {
+    hold(true);
+    try {
+      return await open();
+    } finally {
+      if (mounted) hold(false);
+    }
+  }
+
+  void _hideLater() {
+    _timer?.cancel();
+    _timer = Timer(widget.hideAfter, _hide);
+  }
+
+  void _hide() {
+    if (!mounted || _holds > 0 || !_visible) return;
+    setState(() => _visible = false);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    final visible = _visible;
+    const fade = Duration(milliseconds: 150);
+    return MouseRegion(
+      cursor: visible ? SystemMouseCursors.basic : SystemMouseCursors.none,
+      onEnter: (_) => wake(),
+      onHover: (_) => wake(),
+      onExit: (_) {
+        _timer?.cancel();
+        _hide();
+      },
+      child: Stack(
+        children: [
+          Positioned.fill(
+            child: GestureDetector(
+              behavior: HitTestBehavior.opaque,
+              onDoubleTap: widget.onDoubleTap,
+            ),
+          ),
+          Positioned(
+            left: 0,
+            right: 0,
+            bottom: 0,
+            height: 160,
+            child: IgnorePointer(
+              child: AnimatedOpacity(
+                duration: fade,
+                opacity: visible ? 1 : 0,
+                child: const DecoratedBox(
+                  decoration: BoxDecoration(
+                    gradient: LinearGradient(
+                      begin: Alignment.topCenter,
+                      end: Alignment.bottomCenter,
+                      colors: [Color(0x00000000), Color(0x8C000000)],
+                    ),
+                  ),
+                ),
+              ),
+            ),
+          ),
+          if (widget.top != null)
+            Positioned(
+              top: 0,
+              right: 0,
+              child: IgnorePointer(
+                ignoring: !visible,
+                child: AnimatedOpacity(duration: fade, opacity: visible ? 1 : 0, child: widget.top),
+              ),
+            ),
+          Positioned(
+            left: 0,
+            right: 0,
+            bottom: 0,
+            child: Column(
+              mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.min,
+              crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.stretch,
+              children: [
+                IgnorePointer(
+                  key: const ValueKey('uosc-buttons'),
+                  ignoring: !visible,
+                  child: AnimatedOpacity(
+                    duration: fade,
+                    opacity: visible ? 1 : 0,
+                    child: Padding(
+                      padding: const EdgeInsets.fromLTRB(6, 0, 6, 4),
+                      child: SizedBox(
+                        height: UoscControls.buttonRowHeight,
+                        child: Row(children: [...widget.left, const Spacer(), ...widget.right]),
+                      ),
+                    ),
+                  ),
+                ),
+                widget.timeline(context, visible),
+              ],
+            ),
+          ),
+        ],
+      ),
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+/// The session's controls: media_kit's ([material]) or, with Settings →
+/// "Experimental: mpv-style controls", the uosc ones ([mpv]). Switches
+/// live when the setting changes.
+class SessionControlsSwitch extends StatelessWidget {
+  final WidgetBuilder material;
+  final WidgetBuilder mpv;
+  const SessionControlsSwitch({super.key, required this.material, required this.mpv});
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    return SignalBuilder(
+      builder: (context) =>
+          AppSettings.instance.mpvControls.value ? mpv(context) : material(context),
+    );
+  }
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/lib/src/controls/uosc/menu.dart b/apps/desktop/lib/src/controls/uosc/menu.dart
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ee15df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/lib/src/controls/uosc/menu.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,249 @@
+import 'dart:math' as math;
+
+import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
+import 'package:sync_relay_core/core.dart' show JellyfinStreamType;
+
+import '../../jellyfin/track_prefs.dart' show MpvTrack;
+import '../../playback/media_marks.dart';
+import '../../screens/session/player_controls.dart' show TrackPick;
+import 'controls.dart';
+import 'style.dart';
+
+/// One row of a uosc menu: [title], a dim [hint] on the right (a time, a
+/// key), [active] = the current one (highlighted).
+class UoscMenuItem<T> {
+  final T value;
+  final String title;
+  final String? hint;
+  final bool active;
+  final bool enabled;
+  const UoscMenuItem({
+    required this.value,
+    required this.title,
+    this.hint,
+    this.active = false,
+    this.enabled = true,
+  });
+}
+
+/// A flat dark menu over the controls, above the widget of [context] (the
+/// button that opens it), with an optional [title] row. Resolves to the
+/// picked value, or null when dismissed (click outside, Esc). Keeps the
+/// controls up while open.
+Future<T?> showUoscMenu<T>(
+  BuildContext context, {
+  String? title,
+  required List<UoscMenuItem<T>> items,
+}) {
+  final navigator = Navigator.of(context);
+  final overlay = navigator.overlay!.context.findRenderObject() as RenderBox;
+  final box = context.findRenderObject() as RenderBox;
+  final anchor = Rect.fromPoints(
+    box.localToGlobal(Offset.zero, ancestor: overlay),
+    box.localToGlobal(box.size.bottomRight(Offset.zero), ancestor: overlay),
+  );
+  Future<T?> open() => navigator.push<T>(_UoscMenuRoute<T>(anchor: anchor, title: title, items: items));
+  final controls = UoscControls.maybeOf(context);
+  return controls == null ? open() : controls.holdDuring(open);
+}
+
+class _UoscMenuRoute<T> extends PopupRoute<T> {
+  final Rect anchor;
+  final String? title;
+  final List<UoscMenuItem<T>> items;
+  _UoscMenuRoute({required this.anchor, required this.title, required this.items});
+
+  @override
+  Color? get barrierColor => null;
+
+  @override
+  bool get barrierDismissible => true;
+
+  @override
+  String? get barrierLabel => 'Close menu';
+
+  @override
+  Duration get transitionDuration => Duration.zero;
+
+  @override
+  Widget buildPage(BuildContext context, Animation<double> animation, Animation<double> secondaryAnimation) {
+    return LayoutBuilder(builder: (context, constraints) {
+      const width = 360.0;
+      final screen = constraints.biggest;
+      final left = anchor.left.clamp(8.0, math.max(8.0, screen.width - width - 8));
+      final maxHeight = math.max(120.0, anchor.top - 16);
+      return Stack(
+        children: [
+          Positioned(
+            left: left.toDouble(),
+            bottom: screen.height - anchor.top + 6,
+            width: math.min(width, screen.width - 16),
+            child: ConstrainedBox(
+              constraints: BoxConstraints(maxHeight: maxHeight),
+              child: UoscMenuPanel<T>(
+                title: title,
+                items: items,
+                onPick: (v) => Navigator.of(context).pop(v),
+              ),
+            ),
+          ),
+        ],
+      );
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+/// The menu's panel alone (tests pump it without a route).
+class UoscMenuPanel<T> extends StatefulWidget {
+  final String? title;
+  final List<UoscMenuItem<T>> items;
+  final ValueChanged<T> onPick;
+  const UoscMenuPanel({super.key, this.title, required this.items, required this.onPick});
+
+  static const rowHeight = 36.0;
+
+  @override
+  State<UoscMenuPanel<T>> createState() => _UoscMenuPanelState<T>();
+}
+
+class _UoscMenuPanelState<T> extends State<UoscMenuPanel<T>> {
+  // Long lists open on the current row.
+  late final _scroll = ScrollController(
+      initialScrollOffset: math.max(0, widget.items.indexWhere((i) => i.active) - 3) * UoscMenuPanel.rowHeight);
+
+  @override
+  void dispose() {
+    _scroll.dispose();
+    super.dispose();
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    final title = widget.title;
+    return Material(
+      key: const ValueKey('uosc-menu'),
+      color: UoscStyle.panel,
+      borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(UoscStyle.radius * 2),
+      clipBehavior: Clip.antiAlias,
+      child: Column(
+        mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.min,
+        crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.stretch,
+        children: [
+          if (title != null)
+            Container(
+              height: 34,
+              alignment: Alignment.center,
+              decoration: const BoxDecoration(border: Border(bottom: BorderSide(color: Color(0x22FFFFFF)))),
+              child: Text(title,
+                  style: const TextStyle(color: UoscStyle.dim, fontSize: UoscStyle.fontSize, fontWeight: FontWeight.w600)),
+            ),
+          Flexible(
+            child: ListView.builder(
+              shrinkWrap: true,
+              padding: const EdgeInsets.all(4),
+              controller: _scroll,
+              itemCount: widget.items.length,
+              itemExtent: UoscMenuPanel.rowHeight,
+              itemBuilder: (context, i) => _Row<T>(item: widget.items[i], onPick: widget.onPick),
+            ),
+          ),
+        ],
+      ),
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+class _Row<T> extends StatefulWidget {
+  final UoscMenuItem<T> item;
+  final ValueChanged<T> onPick;
+  const _Row({super.key, required this.item, required this.onPick});
+
+  @override
+  State<_Row<T>> createState() => _RowState<T>();
+}
+
+class _RowState<T> extends State<_Row<T>> {
+  bool _hover = false;
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    final item = widget.item;
+    final color = item.active
+        ? UoscStyle.fill
+        : _hover && item.enabled
+            ? UoscStyle.hover
+            : Colors.transparent;
+    final textColor = item.enabled ? UoscStyle.text : UoscStyle.dim.withValues(alpha: 0.4);
+    return MouseRegion(
+      cursor: item.enabled ? SystemMouseCursors.click : SystemMouseCursors.basic,
+      onEnter: (_) => setState(() => _hover = true),
+      onExit: (_) => setState(() => _hover = false),
+      child: GestureDetector(
+        key: ValueKey('uosc-menu-item-${item.title}'),
+        behavior: HitTestBehavior.opaque,
+        onTap: item.enabled ? () => widget.onPick(item.value) : null,
+        child: Container(
+          padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(horizontal: 10),
+          decoration: BoxDecoration(color: color, borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(UoscStyle.radius)),
+          child: Row(
+            children: [
+              Expanded(
+                child: Text(item.title,
+                    maxLines: 1,
+                    overflow: TextOverflow.ellipsis,
+                    style: TextStyle(
+                        color: textColor,
+                        fontSize: UoscStyle.fontSize,
+                        fontWeight: item.active ? FontWeight.w600 : FontWeight.normal)),
+              ),
+              if (item.hint != null) ...[
+                const SizedBox(width: 12),
+                Text(item.hint!,
+                    style: TextStyle(
+                        color: item.active ? UoscStyle.text : UoscStyle.dim,
+                        fontSize: 12,
+                        fontFeatures: const [FontFeature.tabularFigures()])),
+              ],
+            ],
+          ),
+        ),
+      ),
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+/// Chapters with their start times, the playing one active.
+List<UoscMenuItem<MediaChapter>> chapterMenuItems(List<MediaChapter> chapters, int? current, Duration duration) {
+  final withHours = duration >= const Duration(hours: 1);
+  return [
+    for (final c in chapters)
+      UoscMenuItem(
+        value: c,
+        title: c.title.isEmpty ? 'Chapter ${c.index + 1}' : c.title,
+        hint: formatUoscTime(c.start, withHours: withHours),
+        active: c.index == current,
+      ),
+  ];
+}
+
+/// The audio or subtitle tracks ("Japanese · E-AC3 2.0 · title"), mpv's
+/// selection active; subtitles start with Off.
+List<UoscMenuItem<TrackPick>> trackMenuItems(JellyfinStreamType type, List<MpvTrack> tracks) {
+  final audio = type == JellyfinStreamType.audio;
+  final list = tracks.where((t) => t.type == type).toList();
+  return [
+    if (!audio)
+      UoscMenuItem(
+        value: (aid: null, sid: null, subtitlesOff: true),
+        title: 'Off',
+        active: !list.any((t) => t.selected),
+      ),
+    for (final t in list)
+      UoscMenuItem(
+        value: audio ? (aid: t.id, sid: null, subtitlesOff: false) : (aid: null, sid: t.id, subtitlesOff: false),
+        title: t.label,
+        hint: '#${t.id}',
+        active: t.selected,
+      ),
+  ];
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/lib/src/controls/uosc/style.dart b/apps/desktop/lib/src/controls/uosc/style.dart
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..906927d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/lib/src/controls/uosc/style.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
+
+// Look of the experimental mpv-style controls, after the uosc theme as the
+// owner runs it: flat black panels, white icons, a muted blue fill.
+
+abstract final class UoscStyle {
+  /// Timeline background and the boxes on it.
+  static const bar = Color(0xCC000000);
+  /// Played part of the timeline; also the active menu row.
+  static const fill = Color(0xFF4C6A8E);
+  /// Menus and tooltips.
+  static const panel = Color(0xF0101010);
+  static const hover = Color(0x24FFFFFF);
+  static const text = Colors.white;
+  static const dim = Color(0xA6FFFFFF);
+  static const radius = 4.0;
+  static const fontSize = 13.0;
+}
+
+/// uosc's clock: "01:51", "1:02:03" style but zero-padded ("01:02:03")
+/// once [withHours] (the media is an hour or longer).
+String formatUoscTime(Duration d, {bool withHours = false}) {
+  final t = d.isNegative ? Duration.zero : d;
+  String two(int n) => n.toString().padLeft(2, '0');
+  final h = t.inHours, m = t.inMinutes % 60, s = t.inSeconds % 60;
+  return withHours || h > 0 ? '${two(h)}:${two(m)}:${two(s)}' : '${two(m)}:${two(s)}';
+}
+
+/// Dark rounded hover tip ("Subtitles"), shown above its child.
+class UoscTooltip extends StatelessWidget {
+  final String message;
+  final Widget child;
+  const UoscTooltip({super.key, required this.message, required this.child});
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    if (message.isEmpty) return child;
+    return Tooltip(
+      message: message,
+      preferBelow: false,
+      verticalOffset: 26,
+      waitDuration: const Duration(milliseconds: 250),
+      padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(horizontal: 8, vertical: 4),
+      decoration: BoxDecoration(
+        color: UoscStyle.panel,
+        borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(UoscStyle.radius),
+      ),
+      textStyle: const TextStyle(color: UoscStyle.text, fontSize: 12),
+      child: child,
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+/// A small dark box with one line of text (the timeline's times, the
+/// hover chapter title).
+class UoscBox extends StatelessWidget {
+  final String text;
+  final Color color;
+  final TextStyle style;
+  const UoscBox(
+    this.text, {
+    super.key,
+    this.color = UoscStyle.panel,
+    this.style = const TextStyle(color: UoscStyle.text, fontSize: UoscStyle.fontSize),
+  });
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    return Container(
+      constraints: const BoxConstraints(maxWidth: 360),
+      padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(horizontal: 7, vertical: 3),
+      decoration: BoxDecoration(color: color, borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(UoscStyle.radius)),
+      child: Text(text,
+          maxLines: 1,
+          overflow: TextOverflow.ellipsis,
+          style: style.copyWith(fontFeatures: const [FontFeature.tabularFigures()])),
+    );
+  }
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/lib/src/controls/uosc/timeline.dart b/apps/desktop/lib/src/controls/uosc/timeline.dart
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..19856a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/lib/src/controls/uosc/timeline.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,287 @@
+import 'dart:math' as math;
+
+import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
+
+import '../../playback/media_marks.dart';
+import 'controls.dart';
+import 'style.dart';
+
+/// Fraction of [total] at [d], 0..1 (0 without a duration).
+double timelineFraction(Duration d, Duration total) {
+  final t = total.inMicroseconds;
+  if (t <= 0) return 0;
+  return (d.inMicroseconds / t).clamp(0.0, 1.0);
+}
+
+/// The cached-ahead part of a timeline of [size]: from the playing
+/// position to the end of mpv's cache. Null when nothing is cached ahead.
+Rect? cacheRect(Size size, {required Duration position, required Duration buffered, required Duration duration}) {
+  final from = timelineFraction(position, duration) * size.width;
+  final to = timelineFraction(buffered, duration) * size.width;
+  if (to - from < 0.5) return null;
+  return Rect.fromLTRB(from, 0, to, size.height);
+}
+
+/// The hatching of [r]: 45° strokes from bottom-left to top-right,
+/// [spacing] apart along x, across all of [r] (the painter clips them).
+/// The first starts half a step in, so none just grazes the corner.
+List<(Offset, Offset)> hatchLines(Rect r, {double spacing = 6}) {
+  if (r.isEmpty || spacing <= 0) return const [];
+  final h = r.height;
+  return [
+    for (var x = r.left - h + spacing / 2; x < r.right; x += spacing) (Offset(x, r.bottom), Offset(x + h, r.top)),
+  ];
+}
+
+/// The uosc timeline: full width, elapsed part filled, the cached range
+/// ahead hatched, chapter starts as white diamonds on the top edge, the
+/// current time in a box at the left and the duration at the right.
+/// Hover shows the chapter title over the hover time. When the controls
+/// hide ([expanded] false) it shrinks to a thin line with chapter ticks.
+/// Like the media_kit bar it reports a seek on every drag move and on
+/// release ([onSeek]); the session sends those through the user-seek path.
+class UoscTimeline extends StatefulWidget {
+  final Duration position;
+  final Duration duration;
+  /// End of the cached range ([PlaybackController.buffered]).
+  final Duration buffered;
+  final List<MediaChapter> chapters;
+  final bool expanded;
+  final ValueChanged<Duration> onSeek;
+  const UoscTimeline({
+    super.key,
+    required this.position,
+    required this.duration,
+    this.buffered = Duration.zero,
+    this.chapters = const [],
+    this.expanded = true,
+    required this.onSeek,
+  });
+
+  static const height = 30.0;
+  static const collapsedHeight = 3.0;
+
+  @override
+  State<UoscTimeline> createState() => _UoscTimelineState();
+}
+
+class _UoscTimelineState extends State<UoscTimeline> {
+  double? _hoverX;
+  bool _dragging = false;
+  double _dragFraction = 0;
+
+  Duration _at(double fraction) => widget.duration * fraction.clamp(0.0, 1.0);
+
+  void _seekTo(double x, double width) {
+    if (widget.duration <= Duration.zero || width <= 0) return;
+    _dragFraction = (x / width).clamp(0.0, 1.0);
+    widget.onSeek(_at(_dragFraction));
+  }
+
+  void _drag(bool on) {
+    if (_dragging == on) return;
+    setState(() => _dragging = on);
+    UoscControls.maybeOf(context)?.hold(on);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void didUpdateWidget(UoscTimeline old) {
+    super.didUpdateWidget(old);
+    if (!widget.expanded && old.expanded) _hoverX = null;
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void dispose() {
+    // A drag cut short by a rebuild must not keep the controls up.
+    if (_dragging) UoscControls.maybeOf(context)?.hold(false);
+    super.dispose();
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    return LayoutBuilder(builder: (context, constraints) {
+      final width = constraints.maxWidth;
+      final expanded = widget.expanded;
+      final h = expanded ? UoscTimeline.height : UoscTimeline.collapsedHeight;
+      final played = _dragging ? _dragFraction : timelineFraction(widget.position, widget.duration);
+      final hoverX = expanded ? _hoverX : null;
+      final hoverAt = hoverX == null || width <= 0 ? null : _at(hoverX / width);
+      final hoverChapter = hoverAt == null ? null : chapterIndexAt(widget.chapters, hoverAt);
+      final hoverTitle = hoverChapter == null ? '' : widget.chapters[hoverChapter].title;
+      final withHours = widget.duration >= const Duration(hours: 1);
+      final marks = [
+        for (final c in widget.chapters)
+          if (c.start > Duration.zero && widget.duration > Duration.zero) c,
+      ];
+      final bar = SizedBox(
+        key: const ValueKey('uosc-timeline'),
+        width: width,
+        height: h,
+        child: Stack(
+          clipBehavior: Clip.none,
+          children: [
+            Positioned.fill(
+              child: CustomPaint(
+                painter: UoscTimelinePainter(
+                  played: played,
+                  cache: (size) => cacheRect(size,
+                      position: widget.position, buffered: widget.buffered, duration: widget.duration),
+                  cacheKey: (widget.position, widget.buffered, widget.duration),
+                  hoverX: _dragging ? null : hoverX,
+                  hatched: expanded,
+                ),
+              ),
+            ),
+            for (final c in marks)
+              if (expanded)
+                Positioned(
+                  key: ValueKey('uosc-chapter-${c.index}'),
+                  left: width * timelineFraction(c.start, widget.duration) - 4,
+                  top: -4,
+                  width: 8,
+                  height: 8,
+                  child: IgnorePointer(
+                    child: Transform.rotate(
+                      angle: math.pi / 4,
+                      child: Container(
+                        margin: const EdgeInsets.all(1.2),
+                        decoration: BoxDecoration(
+                          color: Colors.white,
+                          border: Border.all(color: Colors.black54, width: 0.6),
+                        ),
+                      ),
+                    ),
+                  ),
+                )
+              else
+                Positioned(
+                  key: ValueKey('uosc-chapter-tick-${c.index}'),
+                  left: width * timelineFraction(c.start, widget.duration) - 1,
+                  top: -2,
+                  width: 2,
+                  height: h + 2,
+                  child: const IgnorePointer(child: ColoredBox(color: Colors.white70)),
+                ),
+            if (expanded) ...[
+              Positioned(
+                left: 4,
+                top: 0,
+                bottom: 0,
+                child: IgnorePointer(
+                  child: Center(
+                    child: UoscBox(formatUoscTime(_at(played), withHours: withHours),
+                        key: const ValueKey('uosc-time'), color: UoscStyle.bar),
+                  ),
+                ),
+              ),
+              Positioned(
+                right: 4,
+                top: 0,
+                bottom: 0,
+                child: IgnorePointer(
+                  child: Center(
+                    child: UoscBox(formatUoscTime(widget.duration, withHours: withHours),
+                        key: const ValueKey('uosc-duration'), color: UoscStyle.bar),
+                  ),
+                ),
+              ),
+            ],
+            if (hoverAt != null)
+              Positioned(
+                // Kept clear of the window edges (the tip is centred).
+                left: hoverX!.clamp(math.min(60.0, width / 2), math.max(width - 60, width / 2)),
+                bottom: h + 8,
+                child: IgnorePointer(
+                  child: FractionalTranslation(
+                    translation: const Offset(-0.5, 0),
+                    child: Column(
+                      mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.min,
+                      spacing: 4,
+                      children: [
+                        if (hoverTitle.isNotEmpty) UoscBox(hoverTitle, key: const ValueKey('uosc-hover-chapter')),
+                        UoscBox(formatUoscTime(hoverAt, withHours: withHours),
+                            key: const ValueKey('uosc-hover-time')),
+                      ],
+                    ),
+                  ),
+                ),
+              ),
+          ],
+        ),
+      );
+      if (!expanded) return IgnorePointer(child: bar);
+      return MouseRegion(
+        cursor: SystemMouseCursors.click,
+        onEnter: (e) => setState(() => _hoverX = e.localPosition.dx.clamp(0, width)),
+        onHover: (e) => setState(() => _hoverX = e.localPosition.dx.clamp(0, width)),
+        onExit: (_) => setState(() => _hoverX = null),
+        child: Listener(
+          behavior: HitTestBehavior.opaque,
+          onPointerDown: (e) {
+            _dragFraction = width <= 0 ? 0 : (e.localPosition.dx / width).clamp(0.0, 1.0);
+            _drag(true);
+          },
+          onPointerMove: (e) {
+            setState(() => _hoverX = e.localPosition.dx.clamp(0, width));
+            _seekTo(e.localPosition.dx, width);
+          },
+          onPointerUp: (e) {
+            _seekTo(e.localPosition.dx, width);
+            _drag(false);
+          },
+          onPointerCancel: (_) => _drag(false),
+          child: bar,
+        ),
+      );
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+/// Background, cached range (hatched, or a faint band when collapsed),
+/// the played part and the hover line.
+class UoscTimelinePainter extends CustomPainter {
+  final double played;
+  final Rect? Function(Size size) cache;
+  /// What [cache] depends on (repaint when it changes).
+  final Object cacheKey;
+  final double? hoverX;
+  final bool hatched;
+  const UoscTimelinePainter({
+    required this.played,
+    required this.cache,
+    required this.cacheKey,
+    this.hoverX,
+    this.hatched = true,
+  });
+
+  @override
+  void paint(Canvas canvas, Size size) {
+    final all = Offset.zero & size;
+    canvas.drawRect(all, Paint()..color = UoscStyle.bar);
+    final c = cache(size);
+    if (c != null) {
+      if (hatched) {
+        canvas.save();
+        canvas.clipRect(c);
+        final stroke = Paint()
+          ..color = const Color(0x40FFFFFF)
+          ..strokeWidth = 1.5;
+        for (final (a, b) in hatchLines(c)) {
+          canvas.drawLine(a, b, stroke);
+        }
+        canvas.restore();
+      } else {
+        canvas.drawRect(c, Paint()..color = const Color(0x40FFFFFF));
+      }
+    }
+    canvas.drawRect(Rect.fromLTWH(0, 0, size.width * played, size.height), Paint()..color = UoscStyle.fill);
+    final x = hoverX;
+    if (x != null) {
+      canvas.drawRect(Rect.fromLTWH(x - 0.5, 0, 1, size.height), Paint()..color = Colors.white70);
+    }
+  }
+
+  @override
+  bool shouldRepaint(UoscTimelinePainter old) =>
+      old.played != played || old.cacheKey != cacheKey || old.hoverX != hoverX || old.hatched != hatched;
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/lib/src/playback/playback_controller.dart b/apps/desktop/lib/src/playback/playback_controller.dart
index c2fd45f..9c50ea7 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/lib/src/playback/playback_controller.dart
+++ b/apps/desktop/lib/src/playback/playback_controller.dart
@@ -101,6 +101,10 @@ class PlaybackController {
   /// Duration of the open file (zero until known).
   final duration = signal(Duration.zero);
 
+  /// End of the cached range ahead of the position (mpv
+  /// `demuxer-cache-time`, media_kit's `buffer`), in 250 ms steps.
+  final buffered = signal(Duration.zero);
+
   /// The opening ([openingRange]: Intro segment, else an OP-titled
   /// chapter) and the ending ([endingRange]: Outro, else ED-titled).
   late final Computed<SkipRange?> opening =
@@ -409,6 +413,7 @@ class PlaybackController {
       _chapterJson = '';
       chapters.value = const [];
       tracks.value = const [];
+      buffered.value = Duration.zero;
       // An empty map, not null: media_kit caches headers per URI.
       await player.open(Media(url, httpHeaders: headers ?? const {}), play: false);
     } catch (e, st) {
@@ -424,6 +429,10 @@ class PlaybackController {
       final ms = d.inMilliseconds;
       position.value = Duration(milliseconds: ms - ms % 250);
     }));
+    _timeSubs.add(p.stream.buffer.listen((d) {
+      final ms = d.inMilliseconds;
+      buffered.value = Duration(milliseconds: ms - ms % 250);
+    }));
     _timeSubs.add(p.stream.duration.listen((d) {
       duration.value = d;
       // The last chapter ends at the duration.
@@ -469,6 +478,7 @@ class PlaybackController {
     tracks.value = const [];
     position.value = Duration.zero;
     duration.value = Duration.zero;
+    buffered.value = Duration.zero;
   }
 
   /// Waits (bounded) until the open file's tracks are listed and mpv has
diff --git a/apps/desktop/lib/src/screens/home/settings_page.dart b/apps/desktop/lib/src/screens/home/settings_page.dart
index 36be894..753bc2a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/lib/src/screens/home/settings_page.dart
+++ b/apps/desktop/lib/src/screens/home/settings_page.dart
@@ -37,7 +37,13 @@ class SettingsPage extends StatelessWidget {
       children: [
         const PageTitle('Settings'),
         const _Section(title: 'Profile', child: ProfileEditor()),
-        const _Section(title: 'Player', child: _HwdecSetting()),
+        const _Section(
+          title: 'Player',
+          child: Column(
+            crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.stretch,
+            children: [_HwdecSetting(), SizedBox(height: 12), _MpvControlsSetting()],
+          ),
+        ),
         const _Section(title: 'Jellyfin', child: _AutoAdvanceSetting()),
         _Section(title: 'Updates', child: _UpdateSettings(controller: updates)),
         const _Section(title: 'Keyboard shortcuts', child: _ShortcutList()),
@@ -295,6 +301,26 @@ class _UpdateSettings extends StatelessWidget {
   }
 }
 
+class _MpvControlsSetting extends StatelessWidget {
+  const _MpvControlsSetting();
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    final s = AppSettings.instance;
+    return SignalBuilder(
+      builder: (context) => SwitchListTile(
+        key: const ValueKey('mpv-controls'),
+        contentPadding: EdgeInsets.zero,
+        title: const Text('Experimental: mpv-style controls'),
+        subtitle: const Text('Video controls modeled on mpv\'s uosc theme: a thick timeline with '
+            'chapters and the cached range, flat buttons and menus. Applies right away.'),
+        value: s.mpvControls.value,
+        onChanged: s.setMpvControls,
+      ),
+    );
+  }
+}
+
 class _AutoAdvanceSetting extends StatelessWidget {
   const _AutoAdvanceSetting();
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/lib/src/screens/session_screen.dart b/apps/desktop/lib/src/screens/session_screen.dart
index 58713dc..84b05ca 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/lib/src/screens/session_screen.dart
+++ b/apps/desktop/lib/src/screens/session_screen.dart
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ import 'package:media_kit_video/media_kit_video.dart';
 import 'package:signals/signals_flutter.dart';
 import 'package:sync_relay_core/core.dart';
 
+import '../controls/uosc/buttons.dart';
+import '../controls/uosc/controls.dart';
+import '../controls/uosc/timeline.dart';
 import '../playback/media_marks.dart' show SkipOffer;
 
 import '../jellyfin/browse_scope.dart' show BrowseStart;
@@ -496,7 +499,11 @@ class _SessionScreenState extends State<SessionScreen> {
       children: [
         // Frozen-picture watchdog samples the route around this anchor.
         _frameProbe.anchor(),
-        MaterialDesktopVideoControls(state),
+        // Settings → "Experimental: mpv-style controls" swaps them live.
+        SessionControlsSwitch(
+          material: (_) => MaterialDesktopVideoControls(state),
+          mpv: (_) => _mpvControls(),
+        ),
         _healthOverlay(),
         _waitingOverlay(),
         _jellyfinOverlay(),
@@ -523,6 +530,133 @@ class _SessionScreenState extends State<SessionScreen> {
     );
   }
 
+  void _openSheet() {
+    _sheetOpen.value = true;
+    SessionState.instance.coordinator.markInput();
+  }
+
+  /// The experimental uosc-style controls: same actions as the bars above,
+  /// all through the coordinator (seeks via `player.seek`, the user path).
+  Widget _mpvControls() {
+    final coord = SessionState.instance.coordinator;
+    final playback = coord.playback;
+    void menuOpen(bool open) => _shaderMenuOpen = open;
+    void pickTrack(TrackPick p) => coord.selectTrack(aid: p.aid, sid: p.sid, subtitlesOff: p.subtitlesOff);
+    Widget episode(bool next) => SignalBuilder(builder: (context) {
+          final e = next ? coord.nextEpisode.value : coord.previousEpisode.value;
+          if (e == null) return const SizedBox.shrink();
+          return UoscButton(
+            key: ValueKey(next ? 'episode-next' : 'episode-previous'),
+            icon: next ? Icons.skip_next_rounded : Icons.skip_previous_rounded,
+            tooltip: '${next ? 'Next' : 'Previous'}: ${e.label}  (${next ? '> or Shift+N' : '< or Shift+P'})',
+            onPressed: next ? coord.playNextEpisode : coord.playPreviousEpisode,
+          );
+        });
+    return UoscControls(
+      onDoubleTap: _toggleFullscreen,
+      top: SignalBuilder(
+        builder: (context) =>
+            WindowButtons(focusNode: _noFocus, fullscreen: _isFullscreen.value, onToggleFullscreen: _toggleFullscreen),
+      ),
+      timeline: (context, expanded) => SignalBuilder(
+        builder: (context) => UoscTimeline(
+          position: playback.position.value,
+          duration: playback.duration.value,
+          buffered: playback.buffered.value,
+          chapters: playback.chapters.value,
+          expanded: expanded,
+          onSeek: (d) => playback.player.seek(d),
+        ),
+      ),
+      left: [
+        UoscMainMenuButton(
+          onMenuOpen: menuOpen,
+          actions: [
+            (title: 'Change video', hint: null, run: _openSwap),
+            (title: 'People & chat', hint: 'Tab', run: _openSheet),
+            (title: 'Reload video', hint: 'Ctrl+R', run: _reloadVideo),
+            (title: 'Mark everyone ready', hint: null, run: coord.forcePlayAll),
+            (title: 'Fullscreen', hint: 'F', run: _toggleFullscreen),
+            (title: 'Leave server', hint: 'Esc', run: () => _confirmLeave.value = true),
+          ],
+        ),
+        SignalBuilder(
+          builder: (context) => UoscTracksButton(
+            type: JellyfinStreamType.subtitle,
+            tracks: playback.tracks.value,
+            onPick: pickTrack,
+            onMenuOpen: menuOpen,
+          ),
+        ),
+        SignalBuilder(
+          builder: (context) => UoscTracksButton(
+            type: JellyfinStreamType.audio,
+            tracks: playback.tracks.value,
+            onPick: pickTrack,
+            onMenuOpen: menuOpen,
+          ),
+        ),
+        UoscShaderButton(renderMode: playback.renderMode, onPick: _pickShader, onMenuOpen: menuOpen),
+        const SizedBox(width: 12),
+        SignalBuilder(builder: (context) {
+          final ready = coord.selfMember.value?.ready ?? false;
+          return UoscButton(
+            key: const ValueKey('uosc-ready'),
+            icon: ready ? Icons.check_circle_rounded : Icons.radio_button_unchecked_rounded,
+            label: ready ? 'Ready' : 'Not ready',
+            color: ready ? Colors.greenAccent : null,
+            tooltip: 'Ready / not ready (Space)',
+            onPressed: coord.toggleReady,
+          );
+        }),
+        UoscButton(icon: Icons.done_all_rounded, tooltip: 'Mark everyone ready', onPressed: coord.forcePlayAll),
+        UoscButton(
+          icon: Icons.refresh_rounded,
+          tooltip: 'Reload video (Ctrl+R) — fixes a frozen picture',
+          onPressed: _reloadVideo,
+        ),
+      ],
+      right: [
+        UoscButton(
+          key: const ValueKey('uosc-skip-forward'),
+          icon: Icons.fast_forward_rounded,
+          label: '1:30',
+          tooltip: 'Skip 1:30 for everyone (Shift+Right)',
+          onPressed: coord.skipForward,
+        ),
+        SignalBuilder(
+          builder: (context) => UoscChaptersButton(
+            chapters: playback.chapters.value,
+            current: playback.currentChapter.value,
+            duration: playback.duration.value,
+            onPick: (c) => coord.seekTo(c.start.inMicroseconds / 1e6),
+            onMenuOpen: menuOpen,
+          ),
+        ),
+        episode(false),
+        episode(true),
+        const SizedBox(width: 12),
+        UoscButton(icon: Icons.video_library_outlined, tooltip: 'Change video', onPressed: _openSwap),
+        UoscButton(icon: Icons.group_outlined, tooltip: 'People & chat (Tab)', onPressed: _openSheet),
+        StreamBuilder<double>(
+          stream: playback.player.stream.volume,
+          initialData: playback.player.state.volume,
+          builder: (context, v) => UoscVolumeButton(
+            volume: v.data ?? 100,
+            onChanged: (x) => playback.player.setVolume(x),
+          ),
+        ),
+        SignalBuilder(
+          builder: (context) => UoscButton(
+            icon: _isFullscreen.value ? Icons.fullscreen_exit_rounded : Icons.fullscreen_rounded,
+            tooltip: 'Fullscreen (F)',
+            onPressed: _toggleFullscreen,
+          ),
+        ),
+      ],
+    );
+  }
+
   Widget _healthOverlay() {
     final coord = SessionState.instance.coordinator;
     return Positioned(
diff --git a/apps/desktop/lib/src/shaders/shader_menu.dart b/apps/desktop/lib/src/shaders/shader_menu.dart
index 5beac7f..139d49b 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/lib/src/shaders/shader_menu.dart
+++ b/apps/desktop/lib/src/shaders/shader_menu.dart
@@ -31,11 +31,7 @@ class ShaderControlButton extends StatelessWidget {
     return SignalBuilder(builder: (context) {
       final preset = s.shaderPreset.value;
       final quality = s.shaderQuality.value;
-      final short = switch (preset) {
-        ShaderPreset.off => 'Shaders',
-        ShaderPreset.custom => 'Custom',
-        _ => '${preset.label.replaceFirst('Mode ', '')} ${quality.label}',
-      };
+      final short = shaderShortLabel(preset, quality) ?? 'Shaders';
       return Tooltip(
         message: 'Video shaders (Ctrl+1..6, Ctrl+0 off)',
         child: TextButton.icon(
@@ -46,72 +42,88 @@ class ShaderControlButton extends StatelessWidget {
             padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(horizontal: 8),
             tapTargetSize: MaterialTapTargetSize.shrinkWrap,
           ),
-          onPressed: () => _open(context),
+          onPressed: () => showShaderMenu(context,
+              renderMode: renderMode, onPick: onPick, onMenuOpen: onMenuOpen),
           icon: const Icon(Icons.auto_awesome, size: 16),
           label: Text(short, style: const TextStyle(fontSize: 12)),
         ),
       );
     });
   }
+}
 
-  Future<void> _open(BuildContext context) async {
-    final s = AppSettings.instance;
-    final preset = s.shaderPreset.peek();
-    final quality = s.shaderQuality.peek();
-    final hasCustom = s.customShaders.peek().isNotEmpty;
-    final button = context.findRenderObject() as RenderBox;
-    final overlay =
-        Navigator.of(context).overlay!.context.findRenderObject() as RenderBox;
-    final position = RelativeRect.fromRect(
-      Rect.fromPoints(
-        button.localToGlobal(Offset.zero, ancestor: overlay),
-        button.localToGlobal(button.size.bottomRight(Offset.zero),
-            ancestor: overlay),
+/// "A HQ", "C+A Fast", "Custom"; null when shaders are off.
+String? shaderShortLabel(ShaderPreset preset, ShaderQuality quality) =>
+    switch (preset) {
+      ShaderPreset.off => null,
+      ShaderPreset.custom => 'Custom',
+      _ => '${preset.label.replaceFirst('Mode ', '')} ${quality.label}',
+    };
+
+/// The shader menu, anchored on [context]'s box (the button that opens
+/// it): Off, the six Anime4K modes with HQ / Fast, Custom.
+Future<void> showShaderMenu(
+  BuildContext context, {
+  required ReadonlySignal<RenderMode> renderMode,
+  required void Function(ShaderPreset preset, ShaderQuality? quality) onPick,
+  ValueChanged<bool>? onMenuOpen,
+}) async {
+  final s = AppSettings.instance;
+  final preset = s.shaderPreset.peek();
+  final quality = s.shaderQuality.peek();
+  final hasCustom = s.customShaders.peek().isNotEmpty;
+  final button = context.findRenderObject() as RenderBox;
+  final overlay =
+      Navigator.of(context).overlay!.context.findRenderObject() as RenderBox;
+  final position = RelativeRect.fromRect(
+    Rect.fromPoints(
+      button.localToGlobal(Offset.zero, ancestor: overlay),
+      button.localToGlobal(button.size.bottomRight(Offset.zero),
+          ancestor: overlay),
+    ),
+    Offset.zero & overlay.size,
+  );
+  final software = renderMode.peek() == RenderMode.software;
+  onMenuOpen?.call(true);
+  final pick = await showMenu<ShaderPick>(
+    context: context,
+    position: position,
+    popUpAnimationStyle: AnimationStyle.noAnimation,
+    // Wider than Material's 280 px cap: the mode rows hold two chips.
+    constraints: const BoxConstraints(minWidth: 340, maxWidth: 340),
+    items: [
+      if (software)
+        const PopupMenuItem(
+          enabled: false,
+          height: 32,
+          child: Text('Software rendering: shaders have no effect',
+              style: TextStyle(fontSize: 12, color: Colors.orange)),
+        ),
+      CheckedPopupMenuItem(
+        value: (ShaderPreset.off, null),
+        checked: preset == ShaderPreset.off,
+        height: 36,
+        child: const _Row(label: 'Off', keys: 'Ctrl+0'),
       ),
-      Offset.zero & overlay.size,
-    );
-    final software = renderMode.peek() == RenderMode.software;
-    onMenuOpen?.call(true);
-    final pick = await showMenu<ShaderPick>(
-      context: context,
-      position: position,
-      popUpAnimationStyle: AnimationStyle.noAnimation,
-      // Wider than Material's 280 px cap: the mode rows hold two chips.
-      constraints: const BoxConstraints(minWidth: 340, maxWidth: 340),
-      items: [
-        if (software)
-          const PopupMenuItem(
-            enabled: false,
-            height: 32,
-            child: Text('Software rendering: shaders have no effect',
-                style: TextStyle(fontSize: 12, color: Colors.orange)),
-          ),
-        CheckedPopupMenuItem(
-          value: (ShaderPreset.off, null),
-          checked: preset == ShaderPreset.off,
-          height: 36,
-          child: const _Row(label: 'Off', keys: 'Ctrl+0'),
+      for (final (i, mode) in ShaderPreset.modes.indexed)
+        _ModeEntry(
+          mode: mode,
+          keys: 'Ctrl+${i + 1}',
+          current: preset == mode ? quality : null,
         ),
-        for (final (i, mode) in ShaderPreset.modes.indexed)
-          _ModeEntry(
-            mode: mode,
-            keys: 'Ctrl+${i + 1}',
-            current: preset == mode ? quality : null,
-          ),
-        CheckedPopupMenuItem(
-          value: (ShaderPreset.custom, null),
-          checked: preset == ShaderPreset.custom,
-          enabled: hasCustom,
-          height: 36,
-          child: Text(hasCustom
-              ? 'Custom shaders'
-              : 'Custom shaders (pick files in Settings)'),
-        ),
-      ],
-    );
-    onMenuOpen?.call(false);
-    if (pick != null) onPick(pick.$1, pick.$2);
-  }
+      CheckedPopupMenuItem(
+        value: (ShaderPreset.custom, null),
+        checked: preset == ShaderPreset.custom,
+        enabled: hasCustom,
+        height: 36,
+        child: Text(hasCustom
+            ? 'Custom shaders'
+            : 'Custom shaders (pick files in Settings)'),
+      ),
+    ],
+  );
+  onMenuOpen?.call(false);
+  if (pick != null) onPick(pick.$1, pick.$2);
 }
 
 class _Row extends StatelessWidget {
diff --git a/apps/desktop/lib/src/state/settings.dart b/apps/desktop/lib/src/state/settings.dart
index 6c181d3..42af939 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/lib/src/state/settings.dart
+++ b/apps/desktop/lib/src/state/settings.dart
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ const _keyShaderPreset = 'shaderPreset';
 const _keyShaderQuality = 'shaderQuality';
 const _keyCustomShaders = 'customShaders';
 const _keyAutoAdvance = 'autoAdvance';
+const _keyMpvControls = 'mpvControls';
 
 enum HwdecMode { auto, off, custom }
 
@@ -28,6 +29,9 @@ class AppSettings {
   final autoCheckUpdates = signal(true);
   /// Jellyfin episodes: at the end, count down 10 s and put up the next.
   final autoAdvance = signal(true);
+  /// Experimental: the session uses the mpv-style (uosc) controls
+  /// (`controls/uosc/`) instead of media_kit's. Applies live.
+  final mpvControls = signal(false);
 
   /// Video shaders: one choice, used on join and changed both here and
   /// in the session (Ctrl+0..6, the shader button).
@@ -64,6 +68,8 @@ class AppSettings {
       if (auto is bool) autoCheckUpdates.value = auto;
       final advance = box.get(_keyAutoAdvance);
       if (advance is bool) autoAdvance.value = advance;
+      final mpv = box.get(_keyMpvControls);
+      if (mpv is bool) mpvControls.value = mpv;
       final preset = box.get(_keyShaderPreset);
       shaderPreset.value =
           ShaderPreset.values.where((p) => p.name == preset).firstOrNull ??
@@ -101,6 +107,11 @@ class AppSettings {
     _put(_keyAutoAdvance, on);
   }
 
+  void setMpvControls(bool on) {
+    mpvControls.value = on;
+    _put(_keyMpvControls, on);
+  }
+
   void setShaderPreset(ShaderPreset preset) {
     shaderPreset.value = preset;
     _put(_keyShaderPreset, preset.name);
diff --git a/apps/desktop/test/chapters_mpv_e2e_test.dart b/apps/desktop/test/chapters_mpv_e2e_test.dart
index fb4573c..8d50cfb 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/test/chapters_mpv_e2e_test.dart
+++ b/apps/desktop/test/chapters_mpv_e2e_test.dart
@@ -89,6 +89,12 @@ void main() {
         expect(a.playback.ending.peek()!.start, const Duration(minutes: 20));
         expect(a.playback.segments.peek(), isEmpty, reason: 'not a Jellyfin item');
 
+        // buffered signal: mpv's demuxer cache (the timeline's hatching)
+        // runs ahead of the position.
+        await _poll(() => a.playback.buffered.peek() > a.playback.position.peek() + const Duration(seconds: 5),
+            'cache ahead');
+        expect(a.playback.buffered.peek(), lessThanOrEqualTo(a.playback.duration.peek()));
+
         // tracks signal: two audio, one subtitle; mpv's choice marked.
         await _poll(() => a.playback.tracks.peek().length == 3, 'tracks');
         final tracks = a.playback.tracks.peek();
diff --git a/apps/desktop/test/uosc_controls_test.dart b/apps/desktop/test/uosc_controls_test.dart
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..13a3463
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/test/uosc_controls_test.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,469 @@
+import 'package:flutter/gestures.dart';
+import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
+import 'package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart';
+import 'package:signals/signals_flutter.dart';
+import 'package:sync_relay_core/core.dart' show JellyfinStreamType;
+import 'package:watch_together/src/controls/uosc/buttons.dart';
+import 'package:watch_together/src/controls/uosc/controls.dart';
+import 'package:watch_together/src/controls/uosc/menu.dart';
+import 'package:watch_together/src/controls/uosc/style.dart';
+import 'package:watch_together/src/controls/uosc/timeline.dart';
+import 'package:watch_together/src/jellyfin/track_prefs.dart';
+import 'package:watch_together/src/playback/media_marks.dart';
+import 'package:watch_together/src/playback/playback_controller.dart' show RenderMode;
+import 'package:watch_together/src/screens/home/settings_page.dart';
+import 'package:watch_together/src/screens/session/player_controls.dart' show TrackPick;
+import 'package:watch_together/src/shaders/shader_presets.dart';
+import 'package:watch_together/src/state/settings.dart';
+import 'package:watch_together/src/update/update_controller.dart';
+
+// The experimental mpv-style (uosc) controls, piece by piece (never the
+// session screen or a media_kit `Video`).
+
+Duration m(int min, [int sec = 0]) => Duration(minutes: min, seconds: sec);
+
+final chapters = chaptersFromStarts([
+  ('Prologue', Duration.zero),
+  ('Opening', m(0, 30)),
+  ('Part A', m(2)),
+  ('Ending', m(20)),
+  ('Part B', m(21, 30)),
+], m(24));
+
+Widget host(Widget child, {double width = 960}) => MaterialApp(
+      home: Scaffold(
+        backgroundColor: Colors.black,
+        body: Align(
+          alignment: Alignment.bottomCenter,
+          child: Padding(
+            padding: const EdgeInsets.only(bottom: 40),
+            child: SizedBox(width: width, child: child),
+          ),
+        ),
+      ),
+    );
+
+String boxText(WidgetTester tester, String key) => tester
+    .widget<Text>(find.descendant(of: find.byKey(ValueKey(key)), matching: find.byType(Text)))
+    .data!;
+
+UoscTimelinePainter painter(WidgetTester tester) => tester
+    .widget<CustomPaint>(find.descendant(
+        of: find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-timeline')), matching: find.byType(CustomPaint)))
+    .painter! as UoscTimelinePainter;
+
+Future<TestGesture> mouseAt(WidgetTester tester, Offset at) async {
+  final mouse = await tester.createGesture(kind: PointerDeviceKind.mouse);
+  await mouse.addPointer(location: at);
+  addTearDown(mouse.removePointer);
+  return mouse;
+}
+
+const tracks = [
+  MpvTrack(id: 1, type: JellyfinStreamType.audio, language: 'jpn', codec: 'eac3', channels: 2, selected: true),
+  MpvTrack(id: 2, type: JellyfinStreamType.audio, language: 'eng', codec: 'aac', channels: 6, title: 'Dub'),
+  MpvTrack(id: 1, type: JellyfinStreamType.subtitle, language: 'eng', codec: 'ass', title: 'Full'),
+  MpvTrack(id: 2, type: JellyfinStreamType.subtitle, language: 'eng', codec: 'ass', title: 'Signs'),
+];
+
+void main() {
+  test('uosc clock: mm:ss, hh:mm:ss from an hour', () {
+    expect(formatUoscTime(Duration.zero), '00:00');
+    expect(formatUoscTime(m(1, 51)), '01:51');
+    expect(formatUoscTime(m(1, 51), withHours: true), '00:01:51');
+    expect(formatUoscTime(const Duration(hours: 1, minutes: 2, seconds: 3)), '01:02:03');
+    expect(formatUoscTime(const Duration(seconds: -4)), '00:00');
+  });
+
+  group('cache hatching math', () {
+    test('cached range runs from the position to the cache end', () {
+      const size = Size(1000, 30);
+      final r = cacheRect(size, position: m(6), buffered: m(9), duration: m(24))!;
+      expect(r.left, 250);
+      expect(r.right, 375);
+      expect(r.top, 0);
+      expect(r.bottom, 30);
+      expect(cacheRect(size, position: m(6), buffered: m(6), duration: m(24)), isNull);
+      expect(cacheRect(size, position: m(6), buffered: m(5), duration: m(24)), isNull, reason: 'behind');
+      expect(cacheRect(size, position: m(6), buffered: m(9), duration: Duration.zero), isNull);
+      // Clamped to the bar.
+      expect(cacheRect(size, position: m(20), buffered: m(40), duration: m(24))!.right, 1000);
+    });
+
+    test('45° strokes, evenly spaced, covering the whole range', () {
+      const r = Rect.fromLTRB(100, 0, 160, 30);
+      final lines = hatchLines(r, spacing: 6);
+      for (final (a, b) in lines) {
+        expect(a.dy, r.bottom);
+        expect(b.dy, r.top);
+        expect(b.dx - a.dx, r.height, reason: '45°');
+        // Every stroke crosses the range.
+        expect(b.dx, greaterThan(r.left));
+        expect(a.dx, lessThan(r.right));
+      }
+      for (var i = 1; i < lines.length; i++) {
+        expect(lines[i].$1.dx - lines[i - 1].$1.dx, 6);
+      }
+      // No gap at either edge: the first stroke starts left of the range's
+      // bottom-left corner diagonal, the last one within a step of the end.
+      expect(lines.first.$1.dx, lessThanOrEqualTo(r.left - r.height + 6));
+      expect(lines.last.$1.dx, greaterThan(r.right - 6));
+      expect(hatchLines(Rect.zero), isEmpty);
+    });
+  });
+
+  group('timeline', () {
+    testWidgets('elapsed part filled, time boxes inside the bar', (tester) async {
+      await tester.pumpWidget(host(UoscTimeline(
+          position: m(6), duration: m(24), buffered: m(8), chapters: chapters, onSeek: (_) {})));
+      final bar = tester.getRect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-timeline')));
+      expect(bar.width, 800, reason: 'the whole width (the test window)');
+      expect(bar.height, UoscTimeline.height);
+      final p = painter(tester);
+      expect(p.played, 0.25);
+      expect(p.hatched, isTrue);
+      expect(p.cache(bar.size), cacheRect(bar.size, position: m(6), buffered: m(8), duration: m(24)));
+      expect(boxText(tester, 'uosc-time'), '06:00');
+      expect(boxText(tester, 'uosc-duration'), '24:00');
+      final time = tester.getRect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-time')));
+      expect(time.left, greaterThanOrEqualTo(bar.left));
+      expect(time.top, greaterThanOrEqualTo(bar.top));
+      expect(time.bottom, lessThanOrEqualTo(bar.bottom));
+      expect(time.center.dx, lessThan(bar.left + 80), reason: 'at the left');
+    });
+
+    testWidgets('a diamond on the top edge at each chapter start but the first', (tester) async {
+      await tester.pumpWidget(host(UoscTimeline(
+          position: m(1), duration: m(24), chapters: chapters, onSeek: (_) {})));
+      expect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-chapter-0')), findsNothing, reason: 'starts at 0');
+      final bar = tester.getRect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-timeline')));
+      for (final c in chapters.skip(1)) {
+        final mark = tester.getCenter(find.byKey(ValueKey('uosc-chapter-${c.index}')));
+        expect(mark.dx, moreOrLessEquals(bar.left + bar.width * c.start.inSeconds / m(24).inSeconds, epsilon: 0.5),
+            reason: c.title);
+        expect(mark.dy, moreOrLessEquals(bar.top, epsilon: 0.5), reason: 'on the top edge');
+      }
+    });
+
+    testWidgets('hover: chapter title over the hover time, above the bar', (tester) async {
+      await tester.pumpWidget(host(UoscTimeline(
+          position: m(1), duration: m(24), chapters: chapters, onSeek: (_) {})));
+      final bar = tester.getRect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-timeline')));
+      final mouse = await mouseAt(tester, Offset.zero);
+      // 01:51 of 24:00: inside "Opening".
+      await mouse.moveTo(Offset(bar.left + bar.width * (111 / (24 * 60)), bar.center.dy));
+      await tester.pump();
+      expect(boxText(tester, 'uosc-hover-chapter'), 'Opening');
+      expect(boxText(tester, 'uosc-hover-time'), '01:51');
+      final title = tester.getRect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-hover-chapter')));
+      final time = tester.getRect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-hover-time')));
+      expect(title.bottom, lessThanOrEqualTo(time.top), reason: 'two boxes, title above');
+      expect(time.bottom, lessThan(bar.top - 4), reason: 'clear of the diamonds');
+      expect(painter(tester).hoverX, isNotNull);
+      await mouse.moveTo(Offset(bar.left + bar.width * (10 / 24), bar.center.dy));
+      await tester.pump();
+      expect(boxText(tester, 'uosc-hover-chapter'), 'Part A');
+      await mouse.moveTo(Offset(bar.left, bar.top - 200));
+      await tester.pump();
+      expect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-hover-time')), findsNothing);
+    });
+
+    testWidgets('hidden controls: a thin line with chapter ticks, no boxes, no input', (tester) async {
+      final seeks = <Duration>[];
+      await tester.pumpWidget(host(UoscTimeline(
+          position: m(12), duration: m(24), buffered: m(14), chapters: chapters, expanded: false, onSeek: seeks.add)));
+      final bar = tester.getRect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-timeline')));
+      expect(bar.height, UoscTimeline.collapsedHeight);
+      expect(painter(tester).played, 0.5);
+      expect(painter(tester).hatched, isFalse);
+      expect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-chapter-1')), findsNothing);
+      for (final c in chapters.skip(1)) {
+        final tick = tester.getRect(find.byKey(ValueKey('uosc-chapter-tick-${c.index}')));
+        expect(tick.center.dx, moreOrLessEquals(bar.left + bar.width * c.start.inSeconds / m(24).inSeconds, epsilon: 0.5));
+        expect(tick.width, lessThanOrEqualTo(2));
+      }
+      expect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-time')), findsNothing);
+      final mouse = await mouseAt(tester, Offset.zero);
+      await mouse.moveTo(bar.center);
+      await tester.pump();
+      expect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-hover-time')), findsNothing);
+      await tester.tapAt(bar.center);
+      expect(seeks, isEmpty);
+    });
+
+    testWidgets('drag seeks on every move and on release', (tester) async {
+      final seeks = <Duration>[];
+      await tester.pumpWidget(host(UoscTimeline(
+          position: m(1), duration: m(24), chapters: chapters, onSeek: seeks.add)));
+      final bar = tester.getRect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-timeline')));
+      final g = await tester.startGesture(Offset(bar.left + bar.width / 4, bar.center.dy), kind: PointerDeviceKind.mouse);
+      expect(seeks, isEmpty, reason: 'press alone does not seek');
+      await g.moveTo(Offset(bar.left + bar.width / 2, bar.center.dy));
+      await tester.pump();
+      expect(boxText(tester, 'uosc-time'), '12:00', reason: 'follows the drag');
+      await g.moveTo(Offset(bar.left + bar.width * 3 / 4, bar.center.dy));
+      await g.up();
+      expect(seeks, [m(12), m(18), m(18)]);
+    });
+  });
+
+  group('controls frame', () {
+    Widget frame({List<Widget> left = const [], Duration hideAfter = const Duration(seconds: 3)}) => MaterialApp(
+          home: Scaffold(
+            backgroundColor: Colors.black,
+            body: UoscControls(
+              hideAfter: hideAfter,
+              left: left,
+              right: const [UoscButton(key: ValueKey('right'), icon: Icons.fullscreen, tooltip: 'Fullscreen', onPressed: null)],
+              timeline: (context, expanded) => UoscTimeline(
+                  position: m(6), duration: m(24), chapters: chapters, expanded: expanded, onSeek: (_) {}),
+            ),
+          ),
+        );
+
+    double buttonsOpacity(WidgetTester tester) => tester
+        .widget<AnimatedOpacity>(find.descendant(
+            of: find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-buttons')), matching: find.byType(AnimatedOpacity)).first)
+        .opacity;
+
+    testWidgets('buttons above a full-width timeline; hide after the delay, mouse brings them back',
+        (tester) async {
+      await tester.pumpWidget(frame());
+      final screen = tester.getSize(find.byType(UoscControls));
+      final bar = tester.getRect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-timeline')));
+      expect(bar.width, screen.width);
+      expect(bar.bottom, screen.height);
+      expect(tester.getRect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('right'))).bottom, lessThanOrEqualTo(bar.top));
+      expect(buttonsOpacity(tester), 1);
+      await tester.pump(const Duration(seconds: 4));
+      await tester.pumpAndSettle();
+      expect(buttonsOpacity(tester), 0);
+      expect(tester.getRect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-timeline'))).height, UoscTimeline.collapsedHeight,
+          reason: 'still visible as a thin line');
+      final mouse = await mouseAt(tester, const Offset(400, 200));
+      await mouse.moveTo(const Offset(420, 220));
+      await tester.pump();
+      expect(buttonsOpacity(tester), 1);
+      expect(tester.getRect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-timeline'))).height, UoscTimeline.height);
+    });
+
+    testWidgets('a long drag keeps the controls up', (tester) async {
+      await tester.pumpWidget(frame());
+      final bar = tester.getRect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-timeline')));
+      final g = await tester.startGesture(Offset(bar.left + 100, bar.center.dy), kind: PointerDeviceKind.mouse);
+      for (var i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+        await tester.pump(const Duration(seconds: 1));
+      }
+      await g.moveTo(Offset(bar.left + 300, bar.center.dy));
+      await tester.pump(const Duration(seconds: 5));
+      expect(buttonsOpacity(tester), 1, reason: 'held while dragging');
+      expect(tester.getRect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-timeline'))).height, UoscTimeline.height);
+      await g.up();
+      await g.removePointer();
+      await tester.pump(const Duration(seconds: 4));
+      await tester.pumpAndSettle();
+      expect(buttonsOpacity(tester), 0, reason: 'hides again after release');
+    });
+
+    testWidgets('an open menu keeps the controls up', (tester) async {
+      await tester.pumpWidget(frame(left: [
+        UoscTracksButton(type: JellyfinStreamType.audio, tracks: tracks, onPick: (_) {}),
+      ]));
+      await tester.tap(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-audio')));
+      await tester.pump();
+      expect(find.byType(UoscMenuPanel<TrackPick>), findsOneWidget);
+      await tester.pump(const Duration(seconds: 10));
+      expect(buttonsOpacity(tester), 1);
+      await tester.tapAt(const Offset(5, 5)); // outside: dismiss
+      await tester.pump();
+      expect(find.byType(UoscMenuPanel<TrackPick>), findsNothing);
+      await tester.pump(const Duration(seconds: 4));
+      await tester.pumpAndSettle();
+      expect(buttonsOpacity(tester), 0);
+    });
+  });
+
+  group('buttons', () {
+    testWidgets('track buttons carry the count; dark tooltip on hover', (tester) async {
+      await tester.pumpWidget(host(Row(children: [
+        UoscTracksButton(type: JellyfinStreamType.subtitle, tracks: tracks, onPick: (_) {}),
+        UoscTracksButton(type: JellyfinStreamType.audio, tracks: tracks.take(1).toList(), onPick: (_) {}),
+        const UoscButton(key: ValueKey('plain'), icon: Icons.menu, tooltip: 'Menu', onPressed: null),
+      ])));
+      String badge(String key) => tester
+          .widget<Text>(find.descendant(
+              of: find.descendant(of: find.byKey(ValueKey(key)), matching: find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-badge'))),
+              matching: find.byType(Text)))
+          .data!;
+      expect(badge('uosc-subtitles'), '2');
+      expect(badge('uosc-audio'), '1');
+      expect(find.descendant(of: find.byKey(const ValueKey('plain')), matching: find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-badge'))),
+          findsNothing);
+      final mouse = await mouseAt(tester, Offset.zero);
+      await mouse.moveTo(tester.getCenter(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-subtitles'))));
+      await tester.pump(const Duration(milliseconds: 400));
+      await tester.pumpAndSettle();
+      expect(find.text('Subtitles'), findsOneWidget);
+      final tip = tester.widget<Tooltip>(find.descendant(of: find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-subtitles')), matching: find.byType(Tooltip)).first);
+      expect((tip.decoration as BoxDecoration).color, UoscStyle.panel);
+    });
+
+    testWidgets('shader badge shows the preset, dimmed "4K" when off', (tester) async {
+      final s = AppSettings.instance;
+      s.shaderPreset.value = ShaderPreset.off;
+      await tester.pumpWidget(host(Row(children: [
+        UoscShaderButton(renderMode: signal(RenderMode.gpu), onPick: (_, _) {}),
+      ])));
+      expect(find.text('4K'), findsOneWidget);
+      expect(tester.widget<UoscBadgeButton>(find.byType(UoscBadgeButton)).active, isFalse);
+      s.shaderPreset.value = ShaderPreset.ca;
+      s.shaderQuality.value = ShaderQuality.fast;
+      await tester.pump();
+      expect(find.text('C+A Fast'), findsOneWidget);
+      expect(tester.widget<UoscBadgeButton>(find.byType(UoscBadgeButton)).active, isTrue);
+      s.shaderPreset.value = ShaderPreset.off;
+      s.shaderQuality.value = ShaderQuality.hq;
+    });
+
+    testWidgets('volume: click mutes and restores, wheel steps 5', (tester) async {
+      final got = <double>[];
+      var volume = 80.0;
+      await tester.pumpWidget(host(StatefulBuilder(
+        builder: (context, setState) => Row(children: [
+          UoscVolumeButton(volume: volume, onChanged: (v) => setState(() => got.add(volume = v))),
+        ]),
+      )));
+      await tester.tap(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-volume')));
+      await tester.pump();
+      await tester.tap(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-volume')));
+      await tester.pump();
+      await tester.sendEventToBinding(PointerScrollEvent(
+          kind: PointerDeviceKind.mouse,
+          position: tester.getCenter(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-volume'))),
+          scrollDelta: const Offset(0, -20)));
+      await tester.pump();
+      expect(got, [0, 80, 85]);
+    });
+  });
+
+  group('menus', () {
+    Color rowColor(WidgetTester tester, String title) => (tester
+            .widget<Container>(find.descendant(
+                of: find.byKey(ValueKey('uosc-menu-item-$title')), matching: find.byType(Container)).first)
+            .decoration! as BoxDecoration)
+        .color!;
+
+    testWidgets('audio: flat dark list, current highlighted, pick selects', (tester) async {
+      TrackPick? got;
+      await tester.pumpWidget(host(Row(children: [
+        UoscTracksButton(type: JellyfinStreamType.audio, tracks: tracks, onPick: (p) => got = p),
+      ])));
+      await tester.tap(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-audio')));
+      await tester.pumpAndSettle();
+      final menu = find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-menu'));
+      expect(tester.widget<Material>(menu).color, UoscStyle.panel);
+      expect(tester.getRect(menu).bottom, lessThan(tester.getRect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-audio'))).top),
+          reason: 'opens above the button');
+      expect(find.text('Audio'), findsOneWidget, reason: 'title row');
+      expect(rowColor(tester, 'Japanese · E-AC3 2.0'), UoscStyle.fill);
+      expect(rowColor(tester, 'English · AAC 5.1 · Dub'), isNot(UoscStyle.fill));
+      await tester.tap(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-menu-item-English · AAC 5.1 · Dub')));
+      await tester.pumpAndSettle();
+      expect(got, (aid: 2, sid: null, subtitlesOff: false));
+      expect(menu, findsNothing);
+    });
+
+    testWidgets('subtitles start with Off, active when none is selected', (tester) async {
+      TrackPick? got;
+      await tester.pumpWidget(host(Row(children: [
+        UoscTracksButton(type: JellyfinStreamType.subtitle, tracks: tracks, onPick: (p) => got = p),
+      ])));
+      await tester.tap(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-subtitles')));
+      await tester.pumpAndSettle();
+      expect(rowColor(tester, 'Off'), UoscStyle.fill);
+      await tester.tap(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-menu-item-Off')));
+      await tester.pumpAndSettle();
+      expect(got, (aid: null, sid: null, subtitlesOff: true));
+    });
+
+    testWidgets('chapters: titles with start times, the playing one highlighted', (tester) async {
+      MediaChapter? got;
+      await tester.pumpWidget(host(Row(children: [
+        UoscChaptersButton(chapters: chapters, current: 2, duration: m(24), onPick: (c) => got = c),
+      ])));
+      await tester.tap(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-chapters')));
+      await tester.pumpAndSettle();
+      for (final c in chapters) {
+        expect(find.descendant(of: find.byKey(ValueKey('uosc-menu-item-${c.title}')), matching: find.text(formatUoscTime(c.start))),
+            findsOneWidget);
+      }
+      expect(rowColor(tester, 'Part A'), UoscStyle.fill);
+      expect(rowColor(tester, 'Opening'), isNot(UoscStyle.fill));
+      await tester.tap(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-menu-item-Ending')));
+      await tester.pumpAndSettle();
+      expect(got, chapters[3]);
+    });
+
+    testWidgets('no chapters: no button', (tester) async {
+      await tester.pumpWidget(host(Row(children: [
+        UoscChaptersButton(chapters: const [], current: null, duration: m(24), onPick: (_) {}),
+      ])));
+      expect(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-chapters')), findsNothing);
+    });
+
+    testWidgets('main menu runs the picked action', (tester) async {
+      final ran = <String>[];
+      await tester.pumpWidget(host(Row(children: [
+        UoscMainMenuButton(actions: [
+          (title: 'Change video', hint: null, run: () => ran.add('swap')),
+          (title: 'Reload video', hint: 'Ctrl+R', run: () => ran.add('reload')),
+        ]),
+      ])));
+      await tester.tap(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-menu-button')));
+      await tester.pumpAndSettle();
+      expect(find.text('Ctrl+R'), findsOneWidget);
+      await tester.tap(find.byKey(const ValueKey('uosc-menu-item-Reload video')));
+      await tester.pumpAndSettle();
+      expect(ran, ['reload']);
+    });
+  });
+
+  testWidgets('the setting picks the controls builder, live', (tester) async {
+    final s = AppSettings.instance;
+    s.mpvControls.value = false;
+    await tester.pumpWidget(MaterialApp(
+      home: SessionControlsSwitch(
+        material: (_) => const Text('material'),
+        mpv: (_) => const Text('mpv'),
+      ),
+    ));
+    expect(find.text('material'), findsOneWidget);
+    s.mpvControls.value = true;
+    await tester.pump();
+    expect(find.text('mpv'), findsOneWidget);
+    expect(find.text('material'), findsNothing);
+    s.mpvControls.value = false;
+    await tester.pump();
+    expect(find.text('material'), findsOneWidget);
+  });
+
+  testWidgets('Settings: "Experimental: mpv-style controls", off by default', (tester) async {
+    final s = AppSettings.instance;
+    s.mpvControls.value = false;
+    addTearDown(() => s.mpvControls.value = false);
+    tester.view.physicalSize = const Size(1280, 2400);
+    tester.view.devicePixelRatio = 1;
+    addTearDown(tester.view.reset);
+    await tester.pumpWidget(MaterialApp(
+      theme: ThemeData.dark(),
+      home: Scaffold(body: SettingsPage(updates: UpdateController(currentVersion: '0.0.0-dev'))),
+    ));
+    final toggle = find.byKey(const ValueKey('mpv-controls'));
+    expect(find.text('Experimental: mpv-style controls'), findsOneWidget);
+    expect(tester.widget<SwitchListTile>(toggle).value, isFalse);
+    await tester.tap(toggle);
+    await tester.pump();
+    expect(s.mpvControls.value, isTrue);
+    expect(tester.widget<SwitchListTile>(toggle).value, isTrue);
+  });
+}
diff --git a/docs/ARCHITECTURE.md b/docs/ARCHITECTURE.md
index 7a03d47..a29b29c 100644
--- a/docs/ARCHITECTURE.md
+++ b/docs/ARCHITECTURE.md
@@ -273,8 +273,9 @@ Chapters, segments, tracks (`PlaybackController` signals, values from
 - `tracks`: audio and subtitle `MpvTrack`s from mpv `track-list` (id,
   language, title, codec, channels, default / forced / hearing-impaired /
   external, `selected`), re-read after every selection.
-- `position` (250 ms steps), `duration`; computed `opening`, `ending`
-  (`SkipRange`) and `currentChapter`.
+- `position` (250 ms steps), `duration`, `buffered` (end of the cached
+  range: mpv `demuxer-cache-time`, media_kit's `buffer`, 250 ms steps);
+  computed `opening`, `ending` (`SkipRange`) and `currentChapter`.
 
 Skip rules (pure, `media_marks.dart`):
 - Opening = first Intro segment, else the first chapter whose title has a
@@ -442,7 +443,8 @@ Jellyfin source the browser fills the height and can be enlarged, which
 turns the column into a one-row bar under it. Text fields have fixed or capped widths (720 px max) so
 they stay compact on ultrawide screens. Submit state (busy, cancel,
 per-tab errors, server crash) is `ConnectFlow`. Settings (profile, hardware
-decoding, Jellyfin auto-advance, updates, video shaders, shortcuts), Integrations
+decoding, experimental mpv-style controls, Jellyfin auto-advance, updates,
+video shaders, shortcuts), Integrations
 (linked Jellyfin servers) and About open in the same body. Settings persist
 in two Hive boxes: `connect_form` (last form and recents; saved even when a
 join fails) and `settings`. Link media names are derived from the URL path
@@ -495,6 +497,28 @@ private controls state (`keepVideoControlsAwake`). Pills (Skip OP / ED /
 1:30, Next episode) and cards live outside the auto-hiding controls, so
 they show in fullscreen (whose route renders only the video and controls).
 
+Experimental mpv-style controls (`controls/uosc/`, after mpv's uosc theme;
+Settings toggle `AppSettings.mpvControls`, default off): the `Video`'s
+controls builder wraps both sets in `SessionControlsSwitch`, which follows
+the setting live, in the window and in fullscreen. `UoscControls` is our
+own frame (no media_kit controls state): mouse movement shows it, 3 s
+without any hides it and the cursor; `hold` keeps it up during a timeline
+drag and while a menu route is open, double-click toggles fullscreen.
+`UoscTimeline` runs the full width at the bottom: played part filled,
+`cacheRect` (position to `buffered`) hatched (`hatchLines`), chapter
+diamonds on the top edge, current time and duration in boxes inside it, a
+hover tip with the chapter title over the hover time; hidden, it shrinks
+to a 3 px line with chapter ticks. Above it a row of flat buttons: menu (≡:
+change video, people, reload, mark everyone ready, fullscreen, leave),
+subtitles and audio with track counts, a shader badge ("A HQ", opening the
+shared `showShaderMenu`), ready, mark everyone ready, reload; 1:30,
+chapters, previous / next episode, change video, people, volume,
+fullscreen. Menus (`showUoscMenu`: a popup route above the button, the
+current row highlighted) list tracks and chapters with start times. All
+actions are the coordinator's (seeks through `player.seek`, the user path;
+`selectTrack`, `skipForward`, `seekTo`); keys and the floating pills are
+the same in both sets.
+
 Window chrome is frameless (`window_manager`): every screen brings its own
 drag area and min/max/close buttons (Home's top bar; the session uses
 `widgets/window_chrome_bar.dart`; both use `window_buttons.dart`); the session drag layer is `window_drag_layer.dart`.