Swap shows only the new media, no guessed endings, quieter screen

- A swap stops the previous media at once; buffer counts only for the
  media the player holds (client) and the current mediaId (server), so
  the old video can no longer start the new one.
- The automatic frozen-picture reload is gone (false alarms on still
  scenes); Reload video stays.
- The "Next episode" pill shows only from a known ending.
- A web link's thumbnail is its cover, under the video's own name.
- While playing, the unread chip stays off the picture; chat pop-ups
  can be All / Only when paused / Off.
- Server fetch failures say when the server has no cookies.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

apps/desktop/lib/src/jellyfin/session_media.dart

@@ -320,14 +320,13 @@ Future<({EpisodeLink? previous, EpisodeLink? next})> findAdjacentEpisodes(OwnPla
 
 /// When the floating "Next episode" pill appears: at [endingStart] (the
 /// ED: Jellyfin Outro segment or ED-titled chapter, see `endingRange`)
-/// when one is known inside [runtime], else the last two minutes of
-/// [runtime] (all of it for shorter media).
-Duration nextPromptStart(JellyfinItem? item, Duration runtime, {Duration? endingStart}) {
+/// when one is known inside [runtime]. Null otherwise: no guessed ending,
+/// the end-of-episode card at the real end is the only prompt then.
+Duration? nextPromptStart(JellyfinItem? item, Duration runtime, {Duration? endingStart}) {
   if (endingStart != null && endingStart > Duration.zero && endingStart < runtime) {
     return endingStart;
   }
-  const lead = Duration(minutes: 2);
-  return runtime > lead ? runtime - lead : Duration.zero;
+  return null;
 }
 
 /// Who performs the auto-advance swap, so several counting clients do not

apps/desktop/lib/src/playback/frame_watchdog.dart

@@ -1,120 +0,0 @@
-import 'dart:typed_data';
-
-/// FNV-1a over a 15x15 grid of RGB(A) pixels in the central half of an
-/// image. Used on a small capture of what the compositor shows: the
-/// centre is video, the edges carry the (changing) control overlays.
-int hashCenterPixels(ByteData rgba, int width, int height) {
-  var x = 0x811c9dc5;
-  if (width <= 0 || height <= 0) return x;
-  for (var gy = 1; gy < 16; gy++) {
-    for (var gx = 1; gx < 16; gx++) {
-      final px = (width * (0.25 + 0.5 * gx / 16)).floor();
-      final py = (height * (0.25 + 0.5 * gy / 16)).floor();
-      final o = (py * width + px) * 4;
-      if (o + 3 > rgba.lengthInBytes) continue;
-      for (var c = 0; c < 3; c++) {
-        x = ((x ^ rgba.getUint8(o + c)) * 0x01000193) & 0xffffffff;
-      }
-    }
-  }
-  return x;
-}
-
-/// FNV-1a over ~4k bytes spread evenly across a raw frame (mpv
-/// `screenshot-raw`); dimension-agnostic, enough to tell frames apart.
-int hashSpread(Uint8List bytes) {
-  var x = 0x811c9dc5;
-  if (bytes.isEmpty) return x;
-  final step = bytes.length <= 4096 ? 1 : bytes.length ~/ 4096;
-  for (var i = 0; i < bytes.length; i += step) {
-    x = ((x ^ bytes[i]) * 0x01000193) & 0xffffffff;
-  }
-  return x;
-}
-
-/// One sample of player state, taken about once a second.
-class FrameSample {
-  final DateTime at;
-  final double position;
-
-  /// Fingerprint of the picture currently shown on screen; null when it
-  /// cannot be captured (no view, hidden window, headless).
-  final int? frames;
-
-  /// Playing, not buffering, rate > 0, video track present, window
-  /// visible. Anything else disarms the watchdog.
-  final bool eligible;
-  const FrameSample({
-    required this.at,
-    required this.position,
-    required this.frames,
-    required this.eligible,
-  });
-}
-
-/// Detects a frozen picture: position advances normally but the shown
-/// picture stands still for [stallAfter]. Seeks (position jumps), pauses,
-/// buffering and missing captures all reset the stall clock. A hit is a
-/// suspicion only — a still scene looks the same — so the caller confirms
-/// it against the decoder and calls [dismiss] when it was a still scene.
-/// Fires at most once until the picture is seen moving again for
-/// [rearmAfter], so a player that stays (or soon gets) frozen after a
-/// reload does not reload in a loop. [reset] keeps that latch.
-class FrameWatchdog {
-  static const stallAfter = Duration(seconds: 3);
-  static const rearmAfter = Duration(seconds: 10);
-
-  FrameSample? _last;
-  DateTime? _stallSince;
-  DateTime? _healthySince;
-  bool _fired = false;
-
-  void reset() {
-    _last = null;
-    _stallSince = null;
-    _healthySince = null;
-  }
-
-  /// The last hit was a still scene: re-arm, but wait a full
-  /// [stallAfter] before suspecting again.
-  void dismiss() {
-    _fired = false;
-    _stallSince = null;
-  }
-
-  /// Returns true exactly when a freeze is suspected.
-  bool feed(FrameSample s) {
-    final last = _last;
-    _last = s;
-    if (!s.eligible || s.frames == null || last == null ||
-        !last.eligible || last.frames == null) {
-      _stallSince = null;
-      _healthySince = null;
-      return false;
-    }
-    if (s.frames != last.frames) {
-      _stallSince = null;
-      _healthySince ??= last.at;
-      if (s.at.difference(_healthySince!) >= rearmAfter) _fired = false;
-      return false;
-    }
-    _healthySince = null;
-    final wall = s.at.difference(last.at).inMilliseconds / 1000.0;
-    final moved = s.position - last.position;
-    // Normal playback only: a jump (seek) or a standstill (stall, the
-    // position itself stuck) is not a frozen picture.
-    final normal = wall > 0 && moved > wall * 0.5 && moved < wall * 2 + 0.5;
-    if (!normal) {
-      _stallSince = null;
-      return false;
-    }
-    _stallSince ??= last.at;
-    if (_fired) return false;
-    if (s.at.difference(_stallSince!) >= stallAfter) {
-      _fired = true;
-      _stallSince = null;
-      return true;
-    }
-    return false;
-  }
-}

apps/desktop/lib/src/playback/playback_controller.dart

@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ import '../shaders/shader_presets.dart';
 import '../state/settings.dart';
 import '../sync/state_diff.dart';
 import '../sync/user_seek.dart';
-import 'frame_watchdog.dart';
 import 'media_marks.dart';
 import 'yt_dlp_app.dart' show AppYtDlp, ytdlFormat;
 
@@ -41,9 +40,6 @@ class PlaybackController {
 
   SyncPlayer? _player;
   VideoController? _video;
-  Timer? _watchTimer;
-  bool _probing = false;
-  final FrameWatchdog _watchdog = FrameWatchdog();
   StreamSubscription<PlayerLog>? _logSub;
   final List<StreamSubscription<Object?>> _timeSubs = [];
   String _chapterJson = '';
@@ -60,9 +56,6 @@ class PlaybackController {
   /// otherwise, so no texture outlives its player.
   final alive = signal(false);
 
-  /// Called once when the watchdog sees a frozen picture.
-  void Function()? onFrozen;
-
   /// mpv's yt-dlp hook could not open the current link (its error text).
   void Function(String error)? onYtdlError;
 
@@ -109,10 +102,6 @@ class PlaybackController {
   Player? _ytdlSetOn;
   String _ytdlRaw = '';
 
-  /// Fingerprint of the picture on screen, installed by the video view
-  /// (`ShownFrameProbe.sample`). Without it the watchdog stays idle.
-  Future<int?> Function()? shownFrame;
-
   Player get player => _player!;
 
   /// Seeks from the video controls (seek bar) go here instead of to mpv.
@@ -217,8 +206,6 @@ class PlaybackController {
     await _pinBufferProps();
     await _pin('volume-max', '$maxVolume');
     await applyShaders();
-    _watchdog.reset();
-    _watchTimer = Timer.periodic(const Duration(seconds: 1), (_) => _watch());
     generation.value++;
     alive.value = true;
   }
@@ -439,73 +426,6 @@ class PlaybackController {
     }
   }
 
-  /// Fingerprint of the decoder's current frame (mpv `screenshot-raw`,
-  /// off-thread); null without video.
-  Future<int?> _sourceFrame(Player p) async {
-    try {
-      final raw = await p.screenshot(format: null);
-      return raw == null || raw.isEmpty ? null : hashSpread(raw);
-    } catch (_) {
-      return null;
-    }
-  }
-
-  /// A suspected freeze is real only if mpv's own frames still move: a
-  /// still scene looks frozen on screen too.
-  Future<bool> _sourceMoving(Player p) async {
-    final a = await _sourceFrame(p);
-    await Future.delayed(const Duration(milliseconds: 500));
-    if (!identical(p, _player) || !p.state.playing) return false;
-    final b = await _sourceFrame(p);
-    return a != null && b != null && a != b;
-  }
-
-  static bool get _windowVisible {
-    try {
-      final s = WidgetsBinding.instance.lifecycleState;
-      return s == null ||
-          s == AppLifecycleState.resumed ||
-          s == AppLifecycleState.inactive;
-    } catch (_) {
-      return false;
-    }
-  }
-
-  Future<void> _watch() async {
-    final p = _player;
-    final probe = shownFrame;
-    // Only meaningful once the video view is up.
-    if (p == null || _video == null || probe == null || _probing) return;
-    _probing = true;
-    try {
-      final frames = await probe();
-      if (!identical(p, _player)) return;
-      final s = p.state;
-      final eligible = s.playing &&
-          !s.buffering &&
-          !s.completed &&
-          s.rate > 0 &&
-          (s.width ?? 0) > 0 &&
-          _windowVisible;
-      final fired = _watchdog.feed(FrameSample(
-        at: DateTime.now(),
-        position: positionSecs,
-        frames: frames,
-        eligible: eligible,
-      ));
-      if (fired) {
-        if (await _sourceMoving(p) && identical(p, _player)) {
-          debugPrint('video watchdog: picture stuck while mpv frames move');
-          onFrozen?.call();
-        } else {
-          _watchdog.dismiss();
-        }
-      }
-    } finally {
-      _probing = false;
-    }
-  }
-
   /// Opens [url] paused. [headers] go with every request for it (mpv
   /// `http-header-fields`): a Jellyfin token travels there, not in the URL.
   Future<void> openUrl(String url, {Map<String, String>? headers}) async {
@@ -689,8 +609,6 @@ class PlaybackController {
   Future<void> dispose() async {
     final p = _player;
     if (p == null) return;
-    _watchTimer?.cancel();
-    _watchTimer = null;
     await _logSub?.cancel();
     _logSub = null;
     for (final sub in _timeSubs) {

apps/desktop/lib/src/session/media_art.dart

@@ -1,16 +1,19 @@
 import 'dart:async';
 import 'dart:io';
+import 'dart:isolate';
 import 'dart:typed_data';
 
 import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
+import 'package:image/image.dart' as img;
 import 'package:sync_relay_core/core.dart';
 
 import '../files/name_parser.dart';
 import '../schedule/anilist.dart';
 
 // Art for media this client swapped in (`art`, see PROTOCOL.md "Media
-// art"): Jellyfin images with this install's account, else an AniList
-// title search. Everything here fails quietly to "no art".
+// art"): Jellyfin images with this install's account, a web link's
+// thumbnail, else an AniList title search. Everything here fails quietly
+// to "no art".
 
 /// Poster and banner bytes; either may be null.
 typedef ArtBytes = ({Uint8List? poster, Uint8List? banner});
@@ -68,6 +71,31 @@ Future<ArtBytes?> aniListArt(AniListClient aniList, String name,
   return (poster: poster, banner: banner);
 }
 
+/// A web video's thumbnail at [url] as both cover and banner (the same
+/// bytes, so the same hash: what tells clients it is a thumbnail, see
+/// `NowPlaying.thumbnail`); shrunk to a JPEG under the cover cap when
+/// larger; null when it cannot be had.
+Future<ArtBytes?> thumbnailArt(Uri url,
+    {Future<Uint8List?> Function(Uri url, Map<String, String> headers, int maxBytes) fetch = fetchImage}) async {
+  var bytes = await fetch(url, const {}, 8 * 1024 * 1024);
+  if (bytes != null && bytes.length > RelayConstants.maxPosterBytes) bytes = await _shrinkApart(bytes);
+  return bytes == null ? null : (poster: bytes, banner: bytes);
+}
+
+// Its own function, so the isolate's closure holds nothing but [raw].
+Future<Uint8List?> _shrinkApart(Uint8List raw) => Isolate.run<Uint8List?>(() => _shrinkThumbnail(raw));
+
+Uint8List? _shrinkThumbnail(Uint8List raw) {
+  final decoded = img.decodeImage(raw);
+  if (decoded == null) return null;
+  for (final width in const [1280, 960, 640]) {
+    final small = decoded.width > width ? img.copyResize(decoded, width: width, interpolation: img.Interpolation.average) : decoded;
+    final jpg = img.encodeJpg(small, quality: 82);
+    if (jpg.length <= RelayConstants.maxPosterBytes) return jpg;
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
 /// GET [url]: the bytes when 200, at most [maxBytes] and a known image
 /// type (see `avatarImageType`); else null.
 Future<Uint8List?> fetchImage(Uri url, Map<String, String> headers, int maxBytes) async {

apps/desktop/lib/src/session/now_playing.dart

@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ class NowPlaying {
   final String bannerHash;
   const NowPlaying({required this.title, this.episode, this.posterHash = '', this.bannerHash = ''});
 
+  /// The art is a web video's thumbnail (the same picture as cover and
+  /// banner): shown wide, under the video's own name.
+  bool get thumbnail => posterHash.isNotEmpty && posterHash == bannerHash;
+
   @override
   bool operator ==(Object other) =>
       other is NowPlaying &&

apps/desktop/lib/src/session/now_playing_info.dart

@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ NowPlaying? nowPlayingOf(Map<String, Object?>? media) {
   final art = media['art'] is Map ? media['art'] as Map : const {};
   final poster = art['poster'] is String ? art['poster'] as String : '';
   final banner = art['banner'] is String ? art['banner'] as String : '';
+  // A web video's thumbnail: its name as is, no episode guessing.
+  if (poster.isNotEmpty && poster == banner) {
+    return NowPlaying(title: name, posterHash: poster, bannerHash: banner);
+  }
   final ref = refOfStateMedia(media);
   final (title, episode) = ref != null
       ? jellyfinTitle(ref.title.isNotEmpty ? ref.title : name, ref.subtitle)

apps/desktop/lib/src/session/session_coordinator.dart

@@ -200,7 +200,8 @@ class SessionCoordinator {
   /// Neighbouring episodes this viewer can put up (own account only).
   final previousEpisode = signal<EpisodeLink?>(null);
   final nextEpisode = signal<EpisodeLink?>(null);
-  /// The floating "Next episode" pill near the end of an episode.
+  /// The floating "Next episode" pill from a known ending (Outro segment
+  /// or ED chapter, [nextPromptStart]) on.
   final nextPromptVisible = signal(false);
   /// End-of-episode countdown; null when none runs here.
   final autoAdvance = signal<AutoAdvance?>(null);
@@ -269,13 +270,18 @@ class SessionCoordinator {
   int _epoch = 0;
   Timer? _reconnectTimer;
   int _mediaId = -1;
+  // The mediaId whose media the player holds (or is opening); -1 for none.
+  // Unlike [_mediaId] it survives a lost connection, so a reconnect to the
+  // same media keeps the player, and a swap stops the previous media.
+  int _playerMediaId = -1;
   String? _openUrl;
   String _wsHost = '';
   int _wsPort = 0;
   _RelayOrigin? _pendingOrigin;
   // This client's last swap, until a state shows it landed (a newer
   // mediaId than [after] with this member as `swapBy`): its art goes up then.
-  ({HelloMedia media, int after})? _pendingArt;
+  // [link]: the web link it came from (a relayed one has no `url`).
+  ({HelloMedia media, int after, String? link})? _pendingArt;
   AniListClient? _aniList;
   // What this member serves for media [$1]; survives a reconnect (the
   // state then looks new again).
@@ -341,7 +347,6 @@ class SessionCoordinator {
   Future<void> initPlayer() async {
     if (_playerReady) return;
     try {
-      playback.onFrozen = () => unawaited(reloadVideo(auto: true));
       playback.onYtdlError = _setPlayerError;
       playback.onLoadError = _setPlayerError;
       playback.onUserSeek = (d) => _userSeek(d.inMicroseconds / 1e6);
@@ -386,12 +391,12 @@ class SessionCoordinator {
 
   bool _reloadingVideo = false;
 
-  /// "Reload video" (button, Ctrl+R, frozen-picture watchdog): fresh
+  /// "Reload video" (button, Ctrl+R, status menu): fresh
   /// player + video output, current media reopened. While it runs the
   /// player counts as not ready, so reports/seek detection pause and the
   /// next broadcast resyncs position and play/pause (diff reset + play
   /// edge). The ready flag is never touched.
-  Future<void> reloadVideo({bool auto = false}) async {
+  Future<void> reloadVideo() async {
     // Also allowed after a failed reload (player gone, session still on).
     if (_params == null || _reloadingVideo) return;
     _reloadingVideo = true;
@@ -411,16 +416,6 @@ class SessionCoordinator {
       _playerReady = playback.alive.peek();
       _reloadingVideo = false;
     }
-    if (auto) {
-      _toastId++;
-      toasts.value = [
-        ...toasts.peek(),
-        ToastItem(
-            id: _toastId,
-            text: 'Video froze — reloaded',
-            at: DateTime.now().toUtc())
-      ];
-    }
   }
 
   void markInput() => _idle.activity(DateTime.now().toUtc());
@@ -436,6 +431,7 @@ class SessionCoordinator {
     _wsPort = params.port;
     diff.reset();
     _mediaId = -1;
+    _playerMediaId = -1;
     _openUrl = null;
     playerError.value = '';
     _memberErrors = const {};
@@ -713,6 +709,7 @@ class SessionCoordinator {
         _seekGate.reset();
         _clearPendingSeek();
         _leaveJellyfinItem();
+        await _leavePreviousMedia(r.mediaId);
         final name = (r.media?['name'] as String?) ?? '';
         if (ref != null) {
           await _playJellyfin(ref, r,
@@ -837,6 +834,7 @@ class SessionCoordinator {
     starving.value = null;
     if (_mediaId == -1 && _openUrl == null) return;
     _mediaId = -1;
+    _playerMediaId = -1;
     _openUrl = null;
     _openHeaders = null;
     _seekGate.reset();
@@ -849,6 +847,22 @@ class SessionCoordinator {
     } catch (_) {}
   }
 
+  /// A new media [mediaId]: the previous one leaves the player at once, so
+  /// nobody sees or hears it while the new one resolves, is fetched by the
+  /// server or opens. A reconnect to the media the player holds keeps it.
+  Future<void> _leavePreviousMedia(int mediaId) async {
+    final held = _playerMediaId;
+    _playerMediaId = mediaId;
+    if (held == -1 || held == mediaId) return;
+    _openUrl = null;
+    _openHeaders = null;
+    diff.reset();
+    if (!_playerReady) return;
+    try {
+      await playback.stop();
+    } catch (_) {}
+  }
+
   void _updateStarving(StateBroadcast r, double bufferedAhead) {
     if (r.transport == 'playing') {
       starving.value = null;
@@ -959,11 +973,15 @@ class SessionCoordinator {
       // Duration only once the open media is the server's current one.
       // Sitting out: still a report (it keeps this member fresh), empty.
       final known = !_lastOut && !_opening && _openUrl != null && _mediaId == r.mediaId;
+      // The buffer counts only while the player holds the server's current
+      // media: before a swap's media is open it is the previous one's (or
+      // none), and the start must wait for this member.
+      final holds = !_lastOut && !_opening && _openUrl != null && _playerMediaId == r.mediaId;
       _checkPlayerError(r.mediaId);
       final error = playerError.peek();
       sync.sendReport(
         position: _lastOut ? 0 : playback.positionSecs,
-        buffered: _lastOut ? 0 : playback.bufferedSecsAhead,
+        buffered: holds ? playback.bufferedSecsAhead : 0,
         eventId: r.eventId,
         duration: known ? playback.durationSecs : 0,
         mediaId: known ? r.mediaId : 0,
@@ -1240,11 +1258,11 @@ class SessionCoordinator {
     sync.sendNudge(memberId);
   }
 
-  void _swap(HelloMedia media) {
+  void _swap(HelloMedia media, {String? link}) {
     // Putting something up means watching it: back first.
     final self = selfMember.peek();
     if (self != null && self.out) sync.sendOut(self.id, false);
-    _pendingArt = (media: media, after: serverState.peek()?.mediaId ?? 0);
+    _pendingArt = (media: media, after: serverState.peek()?.mediaId ?? 0, link: link ?? media.url);
     sync.sendSwap(media);
   }
 
@@ -1253,24 +1271,24 @@ class SessionCoordinator {
     if (pending == null || r.mediaId <= pending.after) return;
     if (sync.memberId.isEmpty || r.media?['swapBy'] != sync.memberId) return;
     _pendingArt = null;
-    unawaited(_sendArt(r.mediaId, pending.media));
+    unawaited(_sendArt(r.mediaId, pending.media, pending.link));
   }
 
-  /// Fetches the art of [media] (this client's swap, now [mediaId]) and
-  /// sends it; quietly nothing on any failure.
-  Future<void> _sendArt(int mediaId, HelloMedia media) async {
+  /// Fetches the art of [media] (this client's swap, now [mediaId], from
+  /// web [link] if any) and sends it; quietly nothing on any failure.
+  Future<void> _sendArt(int mediaId, HelloMedia media, String? link) async {
     try {
       final ref = media.jellyfin;
       final client = ref == null ? null : jellyfin.clientFor(ref.serverId);
       final ArtBytes? bytes;
       if (ref != null && client != null) {
         bytes = await jellyfinArt(client, ref.itemId);
-      } else if (ref == null && (media.url ?? '').isNotEmpty) {
+      } else if (ref == null && (link ?? '').isNotEmpty) {
         // A web link is not a show: never guess. A page's thumbnail is
-        // its banner.
-        final thumb = (await _probeFor(media.url!))?.info?.thumbnail;
+        // its cover and banner both.
+        final thumb = (await _probeFor(link!))?.info?.thumbnail;
         final uri = thumb == null ? null : Uri.tryParse(thumb);
-        bytes = uri == null ? null : (banner: await fetchImage(uri, const {}, RelayConstants.maxBannerBytes), poster: null);
+        bytes = uri == null ? null : await thumbnailArt(uri);
       } else {
         final name = ref == null ? media.name : jellyfinTitle(ref.title, ref.subtitle).$1;
         bytes = await aniListArt(_aniList ??= AniListClient(), name);
@@ -1347,7 +1365,7 @@ class SessionCoordinator {
       }
       _pendingOrigin = _LinkOrigin(url, probe, y);
       _swap(HelloMedia(
-          name: name, size: size, duration: 0, relay: MediaRelay(tracks: specs)));
+          name: name, size: size, duration: 0, relay: MediaRelay(tracks: specs)), link: url);
       return null;
     }
     // The server reads it with its own yt-dlp; only a page this app knows
@@ -1672,7 +1690,7 @@ class SessionCoordinator {
       final item = (jellyfinPlan.peek() as OwnPlay?)?.item;
       final at = nextPromptStart(item, Duration(milliseconds: (duration * 1000).round()),
           endingStart: playback.ending.peek()?.start);
-      show = snap.position * 1000 >= at.inMilliseconds;
+      show = at != null && snap.position * 1000 >= at.inMilliseconds;
     }
     nextPromptVisible.value = show;
   }

apps/desktop/lib/src/shell/now_playing_title.dart

@@ -47,18 +47,20 @@ Widget fadeInImage(ImageProvider image, {BoxFit fit = BoxFit.cover}) => Image(
     );
 
 /// The portrait cover (2:3) of the current media, a quiet tile with a
-/// film icon until (or unless) its art arrives.
+/// film icon until (or unless) its art arrives; [wide] (a video
+/// thumbnail): 16:9 at the same height.
 class ArtCover extends StatelessWidget {
   final String hash;
   final double width;
-  const ArtCover({super.key, required this.hash, this.width = 40});
+  final bool wide;
+  const ArtCover({super.key, required this.hash, this.width = 40, this.wide = false});
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
     final image = artImage(hash);
     final r = BorderRadius.circular(width >= 80 ? 10 : 6);
     return Container(
-      width: width,
+      width: wide ? width * 1.5 * 16 / 9 : width,
       height: width * 1.5,
       decoration: BoxDecoration(
         borderRadius: r,
@@ -116,7 +118,7 @@ class NowPlayingBlock extends StatelessWidget {
         key: ValueKey('now-playing:${n.title}\n${episode ?? ''}'),
         mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.min,
         children: [
-          if (cover) ...[ArtCover(hash: n.posterHash), const SizedBox(width: 12)],
+          if (cover) ...[ArtCover(hash: n.posterHash, wide: n.thumbnail), const SizedBox(width: 12)],
           Flexible(
             child: Column(
               mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.min,

apps/desktop/lib/src/shell/session_player.dart

@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import '../shaders/shader_presets.dart';
 import '../state/session_state.dart';
 import '../state/settings.dart';
 import '../widgets/app_keys.dart';
-import '../widgets/shown_frame_probe.dart';
 import '../widgets/text_focus.dart';
 import '../widgets/window_buttons.dart';
 import 'avatar.dart';
@@ -93,7 +92,6 @@ class _SessionPlayerState extends State<SessionPlayer> {
   // `Video` (it never swaps controllers in place).
   var _videoGen = -1;
   var _videoKey = GlobalKey<VideoState>();
-  final _frameProbe = ShownFrameProbe();
   final _noFocus = FocusNode(skipTraversal: true, canRequestFocus: false);
   DateTime? _lastKeyAt;
   late final void Function() _stopShaderWatch;
@@ -114,7 +112,6 @@ class _SessionPlayerState extends State<SessionPlayer> {
   void initState() {
     super.initState();
     _coord.jellyfin.ensureLoaded();
-    _coord.playback.shownFrame = _frameProbe.sample;
     HardwareKeyboard.instance.addHandler(_globalKey);
     // Tab (AppKeys) reaches the chat through here in fullscreen.
     AppKeys.addChatToggle(_toggleChat);
@@ -132,8 +129,6 @@ class _SessionPlayerState extends State<SessionPlayer> {
   void dispose() {
     HardwareKeyboard.instance.removeHandler(_globalKey);
     AppKeys.removeChatToggle(_toggleChat);
-    final playback = _coord.playback;
-    if (playback.shownFrame == _frameProbe.sample) playback.shownFrame = null;
     _stopShaderWatch();
     _noFocus.dispose();
     _controlsShown.dispose();
@@ -287,11 +282,7 @@ class _SessionPlayerState extends State<SessionPlayer> {
           return Stack(
             fit: StackFit.expand,
             children: [
-              // The frozen-picture watchdog captures this boundary: the
-              // video (and its controls), not the window around it.
-              RepaintBoundary(
-                child: Stack(fit: StackFit.expand, children: [video, _frameProbe.anchor()]),
-              ),
+              video,
               if (_full) ...[
                 _status(),
                 _progressLine(),
@@ -755,15 +746,18 @@ class _SessionPlayerState extends State<SessionPlayer> {
       );
 
   /// Fullscreen hides the strip and its chat badge: while there is unread
-  /// chat and the controls are down, a small glass chip says so top right.
+  /// chat, the controls are down and the video is not playing, a small
+  /// glass chip says so top right (while it plays, only the controls' chat
+  /// button shows the count: nothing sits on the picture).
   Widget _unreadChip() => Positioned(
         right: 16,
         top: 16,
         child: IgnorePointer(
           child: ValueListenableBuilder<bool>(
             valueListenable: _controlsShown,
-            builder: (context, shown, _) {
-              final on = widget.unread > 0 && !widget.chatOpen && !shown;
+            builder: (context, shown, _) => SignalBuilder(builder: (context) {
+              final playing = _coord.serverState.value?.transport == 'playing';
+              final on = widget.unread > 0 && !widget.chatOpen && !shown && !playing;
               return AnimatedOpacity(
                 duration: easeTime,
                 curve: ease,
@@ -783,7 +777,7 @@ class _SessionPlayerState extends State<SessionPlayer> {
                   ),
                 ),
               );
-            },
+            }),
           ),
         ),
       );

apps/desktop/lib/src/shell/settings_tab.dart

@@ -723,8 +723,8 @@ class _AnimeFlowCardState extends State<AnimeFlowCard> {
   }
 }
 
-/// What pops up and what makes a sound. No switches: there is nothing to
-/// choose yet.
+/// What pops up (chat pop-ups: [AppSettings.chatPopups]) and what makes
+/// a sound.
 class NotificationsInfo extends StatelessWidget {
   const NotificationsInfo({super.key});
 
@@ -746,11 +746,39 @@ class NotificationsInfo extends StatelessWidget {
           child: Column(
             crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.stretch,
             children: [
-              line('Joins, leaves, video changes and chat',
+              line('Joins, leaves and video changes',
                   'Pop up bottom left for 5 s, with the person\'s picture'),
+              Padding(
+                padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(vertical: 6),
+                child: Row(
+                  children: [
+                    Expanded(
+                      child: Column(
+                        crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.start,
+                        children: [
+                          const Text('Chat messages'),
+                          Text('Pop up the same way; always in Chat & activity (Tab)', style: muted),
+                        ],
+                      ),
+                    ),
+                    SignalBuilder(
+                      builder: (context) => DropdownButton<ChatPopups>(
+                        key: const ValueKey('chat-popups'),
+                        value: AppSettings.instance.chatPopups.value,
+                        onChanged: (v) {
+                          if (v != null) AppSettings.instance.setChatPopups(v);
+                        },
+                        items: [
+                          for (final m in ChatPopups.values) DropdownMenuItem(value: m, child: Text(m.label)),
+                        ],
+                      ),
+                    ),
+                  ],
+                ),
+              ),
               line('Sat out or nudged by someone', 'Only on your end, with their picture'),
               line('Ready, seeks and pauses', 'Only in Chat & activity (Tab), never as a pop-up'),
-              line('App notices', 'Shader changes, a frozen video reloaded, the idle warning'),
+              line('App notices', 'Shader changes, the idle warning'),
             ],
           ),
         ),

apps/desktop/lib/src/shell/start_banner.dart

@@ -82,7 +82,8 @@ class StartCard extends StatelessWidget {
             child: Row(
               crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.end,
               children: [
-                if (!small) ...[
+                // A thumbnail already fills the card as the banner.
+                if (!small && !now.thumbnail) ...[
                   ArtCover(hash: now.posterHash, width: coverWidth),
                   const SizedBox(width: 24),
                 ],

apps/desktop/lib/src/shell/toasts.dart

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import 'package:signals/signals_flutter.dart';
 
 import '../session/session_coordinator.dart' show ToastItem;
 import '../state/session_state.dart';
+import '../state/settings.dart';
 import 'avatar.dart';
 import 'motion.dart';
 
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ ShellToast shellToastFor(ToastItem t, AvatarInfo Function(String name) avatar) {
 /// The coordinator's toasts as cards with avatars, bottom-left: each
 /// slides in, stays [life], then slides out and collapses its gap. A click
 /// on a chat toast opens the chat ([onOpenChat]); the rest let clicks
-/// through.
+/// through. Chat toasts follow [AppSettings.chatPopups].
 class PartyToasts extends StatefulWidget {
   final Duration life;
   final VoidCallback? onOpenChat;
@@ -76,8 +77,13 @@ class _PartyToastsState extends State<PartyToasts> {
       if (fresh.isEmpty) return;
       // Only new toasts re-run this, not the party they mention.
       untracked(() {
+        final playing = coord.serverState.value?.transport == 'playing';
+        final popups = AppSettings.instance.chatPopups.value;
         for (final t in fresh) {
-          _add(shellToastFor(t, (n) => avatarForName(n, coord)));
+          final toast = shellToastFor(t, (n) => avatarForName(n, coord));
+          // Chat per Settings → Notifications (it is in the chat either way).
+          if (toast.chat && !popups.shows(playing: playing)) continue;
+          _add(toast);
         }
       });
     });

apps/desktop/lib/src/state/settings.dart

@@ -27,9 +27,27 @@ const _keyWelcomeDismissed = 'welcomeDismissed';
 const _keySoundPresetFor = 'soundPresetFor';
 const _keyUnreadyOnSwap = 'unreadyOnSwap';
 const _keyIdleSitsOut = 'idleSitsOut';
+const _keyChatPopups = 'chatPopups';
 
 enum HwdecMode { auto, off, custom }
 
+/// When chat messages pop up as toasts (they always reach the chat).
+enum ChatPopups {
+  all('All'),
+  paused('Only when paused'),
+  off('Off');
+
+  final String label;
+  const ChatPopups(this.label);
+
+  /// Whether a chat message pops up now ([playing]: the video plays).
+  bool shows({required bool playing}) => switch (this) {
+        ChatPopups.all => true,
+        ChatPopups.paused => !playing,
+        ChatPopups.off => false,
+      };
+}
+
 class AppSettings {
   static final AppSettings instance = AppSettings();
 
@@ -52,6 +70,8 @@ class AppSettings {
   /// A 2 px progress line at the bottom of the video while the controls
   /// are hidden (both designs). Applies live.
   final progressLine = signal(true);
+  /// Chat message toasts. Applies live.
+  final chatPopups = signal(ChatPopups.all);
   /// App sounds (`sfx/`): 0..1, 0 = silent.
   final soundVolume = signal(1.0);
   /// `SfxKind` names switched off one by one.
@@ -109,6 +129,8 @@ class AppSettings {
       if (hideRe is bool) hideReReleases.value = hideRe;
       final line = box.get(_keyProgressLine);
       if (line is bool) progressLine.value = line;
+      final popups = box.get(_keyChatPopups);
+      chatPopups.value = ChatPopups.values.where((m) => m.name == popups).firstOrNull ?? ChatPopups.all;
       final vol = box.get(_keySoundVolume);
       if (vol is num) soundVolume.value = vol.toDouble().clamp(0, 1);
       final off = box.get(_keySoundsOff);
@@ -181,6 +203,11 @@ class AppSettings {
     _put(_keyProgressLine, on);
   }
 
+  void setChatPopups(ChatPopups mode) {
+    chatPopups.value = mode;
+    _put(_keyChatPopups, mode.name);
+  }
+
   void setSoundVolume(double v) {
     soundVolume.value = v.clamp(0, 1);
     _put(_keySoundVolume, soundVolume.value);

apps/desktop/lib/src/widgets/shown_frame_probe.dart

@@ -1,65 +0,0 @@
-import 'dart:ui' as ui;
-
-import 'package:flutter/rendering.dart';
-import 'package:flutter/widgets.dart';
-
-import '../playback/frame_watchdog.dart';
-
-/// Fingerprints what the compositor really shows of the video. Place
-/// [anchor] under a `RepaintBoundary` around the video (the session player
-/// does); [sample] captures that boundary around the newest mounted anchor
-/// at ~200 px wide — the texture included — and hashes its centre. This is the only per-presented-frame signal: mpv's own
-/// counters keep ticking when the Flutter texture is stuck.
-class ShownFrameProbe {
-  final _anchors = <_AnchorState>[];
-
-  Widget anchor() => _Anchor(probe: this);
-
-  Future<int?> sample() async {
-    for (final a in _anchors.reversed) {
-      if (!a.mounted) continue;
-      final boundary = a.context.findAncestorRenderObjectOfType<RenderRepaintBoundary>();
-      if (boundary == null || !boundary.attached || !boundary.hasSize) return null;
-      final width = boundary.size.width;
-      if (width <= 0) return null;
-      ui.Image? image;
-      try {
-        image = await boundary.toImage(pixelRatio: (200 / width).clamp(0.02, 1.0));
-        final data = await image.toByteData(format: ui.ImageByteFormat.rawRgba);
-        if (data == null) return null;
-        return hashCenterPixels(data, image.width, image.height);
-      } catch (_) {
-        // Route not painted (covered) or mid-teardown: no reading.
-        return null;
-      } finally {
-        image?.dispose();
-      }
-    }
-    return null;
-  }
-}
-
-class _Anchor extends StatefulWidget {
-  final ShownFrameProbe probe;
-  const _Anchor({required this.probe});
-
-  @override
-  State<_Anchor> createState() => _AnchorState();
-}
-
-class _AnchorState extends State<_Anchor> {
-  @override
-  void initState() {
-    super.initState();
-    widget.probe._anchors.add(this);
-  }
-
-  @override
-  void dispose() {
-    widget.probe._anchors.remove(this);
-    super.dispose();
-  }
-
-  @override
-  Widget build(BuildContext context) => const SizedBox.shrink();
-}