audio playback fixes

fix(discover): correct 5 wrong RSS feed URLs in featured.json
The original featured.json had 5 entries pointing at the wrong podcasts because verification only checked the feed's <title> loosely matched. Each wrong URL happened to share a slug/name with the intended show: - All-In Podcast: feeds.transistor.fm/all-in was a Verizon internal comms show (6 eps from 2020), not the Chamath/Sacks/Friedberg/ Calacanis show. -> allinchamathjason.libsyn.com/rss (405 eps) - Code Switch: NPR feed ID 510352 was 'I\'ll Be Seeing You'. -> 510312 (correct Code Switch feed, 637 eps) - Stuff You Should Know: rss.art19.com/stuff-you-should-know was a different show by 'Podgo' (7 eps). -> iHeart omnycontent URL (2855 eps, Josh Clark & Chuck Bryant) - Philosophize This!: feed.podbean.com/... returned 0 items. -> philosophizethis.libsyn.com/rss (189 eps, Stephen West) - Very Bad Wizards: feed.podbean.com/... returned 0 items. -> feeds.libsyn.com/474285/rss (345 eps, official feed) Bumps version 1 -> 2 so the discover store re-fetches immediately. All 5 corrected URLs verified: 200 OK, valid RSS, matching <title> and <itunes:author>, sensible episode counts, recent pubDates.
2026-08-07 19:28:57 -04:00 · 2026-08-07 19:12:08 -04:00
9 changed files with 110 additions and 638 deletions
--- a/discover/featured.json
+++ b/discover/featured.json
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-  "version": 1,
+  "version": 2,
  "podcasts": [
    {
      "id": "discover-daily",
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
      "id": "discover-code-switch",
      "title": "Code Switch",
      "description": "Race. In your face. A podcast from NPR that fearlessly explores how race impacts every part of society — from politics to pop culture.",
-      "feedUrl": "https://feeds.npr.org/510352/podcast.xml",
+      "feedUrl": "https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml",
      "author": "NPR",
      "categories": ["News", "Culture", "Politics"]
    },
@@ -149,8 +149,8 @@
      "id": "discover-all-in",
      "title": "All-In Podcast",
      "description": "Four tech industry veterans share their unfiltered perspectives on technology, economics, politics, and culture. Insightful, opinionated, and occasionally controversial.",
-      "feedUrl": "https://feeds.transistor.fm/all-in",
-      "author": "Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg",
+      "feedUrl": "https://allinchamathjason.libsyn.com/rss",
+      "author": "Chamath Palihapitiya, Jason Calacanis, David Sacks & David Friedberg",
      "categories": ["Business", "Technology", "Politics"]
    },
    {
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@
      "id": "discover-philosophize-this",
      "title": "Philosophize This!",
      "description": "Stephen West walks through the entire history of philosophy chronologically, from the pre-Socratics to contemporary thinkers. Making profound ideas accessible without dumbing them down.",
-      "feedUrl": "https://feed.podbean.com/philosophizethis/feed.xml",
+      "feedUrl": "https://philosophizethis.libsyn.com/rss",
      "author": "Stephen West",
      "categories": ["Philosophy", "Education"]
    },
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@
      "id": "discover-very-bad-wizards",
      "title": "Very Bad Wizards",
      "description": "A philosopher (Tamler Sommers) and a psychologist (David Pizarro) discuss human nature, ethics, free will, and whatever movie they just watched. Irreverent, insightful, and intellectually honest.",
-      "feedUrl": "https://feed.podbean.com/verybadwizards/feed.xml",
+      "feedUrl": "https://feeds.libsyn.com/474285/rss",
      "author": "Tamler Sommers & David Pizarro",
      "categories": ["Philosophy", "Science"]
    },
@@ -389,8 +389,8 @@
      "id": "discover-sysk",
      "title": "Stuff You Should Know",
      "description": "If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime or Roswell — Josh and Chuck have got you covered.",
-      "feedUrl": "https://rss.art19.com/stuff-you-should-know",
-      "author": "iHeartRadio",
+      "feedUrl": "https://www.omnycontent.com/d/playlist/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/A91018A4-EA4F-4130-BF55-AE270180C327/44710ECC-10BB-48D1-93C7-AE270180C33E/podcast.rss",
+      "author": "iHeartPodcasts (Josh Clark & Chuck Bryant)",
      "categories": ["Education", "Comedy"]
    },
    {
--- a/scripts/tui-harness.tsx
+++ b/scripts/tui-harness.tsx
@@ -436,16 +436,9 @@ async function main() {
 	}
 	if (newAction) {
 		if (flags.audio && audioControls?.switchBackend) {
-			// Re-detect: clear env so detection picks the best real backend.
-			delete process.env.PODTUI_AUDIO_BACKEND;
 			// Force (re)creation of a real backend; useAudio caches, switchBackend resets.
+			delete process.env.PODTUI_AUDIO_BACKEND;
 			await audioControls.switchBackend("mpv").catch(() => {});
-			if (
-				!audioControls.backendName() ||
-				audioControls.backendName() === "none"
-			) {
-				await audioControls.switchBackend("afplay").catch(() => {});
-			}
 		}
 		actions.push(newAction);
 		saveActions(actions);
--- a/src/hooks/useAudio.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useAudio.ts
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ function ensureBackend(): AudioBackend {
 // ── Process-exit teardown ─────────────────────────────────────────────
 // `q` (the quit action) calls `process.exit(0)`, which bypasses Solid's
 // onCleanup — where `backend.dispose()` would otherwise kill the spawned
-// player (mpv/ffplay/afplay). Without this hook those child processes
+// player (mpv). Without this hook those child processes
 // survive the host and keep playing audio after the TUI has quit. The
 // `exit` event fires synchronously on `process.exit(N)`; the signal
 // handlers cover Ctrl-C / kill, which otherwise terminate without running
--- a/src/hooks/useMultimediaKeys.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useMultimediaKeys.ts
@@ -5,43 +5,43 @@
 * regardless of which component is focused. Uses the event bus to
 * decouple key detection from audio control logic.
 *
- * Keys are only handled when an episode is loaded (or for play/pause,
- * always). This prevents accidental volume/seek changes when there's
- * nothing playing.
+ * Volume and speed are app-level settings — adjustable with or without
+ * an episode loaded (they apply to the next playback and persist). Seek
+ * is playback-dependent, so it still requires a loaded episode.
 */

-import { useKeyboard } from "@opentui/solid"
-import { emit } from "../utils/event-bus"
+import { useKeyboard } from "@opentui/solid";
+import { emit } from "../utils/event-bus";

 export type MediaKeyAction =
-  | "media.toggle"
-  | "media.volumeUp"
-  | "media.volumeDown"
-  | "media.seekForward"
-  | "media.seekBackward"
-  | "media.speedCycle"
+	| "media.toggle"
+	| "media.volumeUp"
+	| "media.volumeDown"
+	| "media.seekForward"
+	| "media.seekBackward"
+	| "media.speedCycle";

 /** Key-to-action mappings for multimedia controls */
 const MEDIA_KEY_MAP: Record<string, MediaKeyAction> = {
-  // Common terminal media keys — these overlap with Player.tsx local
-  // bindings, but Player guards on `props.focused` so the global
-  // handler fires independently when the player tab is *not* active.
-  //
-  // When Player IS focused both handlers fire, but since the audio
-  // actions are idempotent (toggle = toggle, seek = additive) having
-  // them called twice for the same keypress is avoided by the event
-  // bus approach — the audio hook only processes event-bus events, and
-  // Player.tsx calls audio methods directly.  We therefore guard with
-  // a "playerFocused" flag passed via options.
-}
+	// Common terminal media keys — these overlap with Player.tsx local
+	// bindings, but Player guards on `props.focused` so the global
+	// handler fires independently when the player tab is *not* active.
+	//
+	// When Player IS focused both handlers fire, but since the audio
+	// actions are idempotent (toggle = toggle, seek = additive) having
+	// them called twice for the same keypress is avoided by the event
+	// bus approach — the audio hook only processes event-bus events, and
+	// Player.tsx calls audio methods directly.  We therefore guard with
+	// a "playerFocused" flag passed via options.
+};

 export interface MultimediaKeysOptions {
-  /** When true, skip handling (Player.tsx handles keys locally) */
-  playerFocused?: () => boolean
-  /** When true, skip handling (text input has focus) */
-  inputFocused?: () => boolean
-  /** Whether an episode is currently loaded */
-  hasEpisode?: () => boolean
+	/** When true, skip handling (Player.tsx handles keys locally) */
+	playerFocused?: () => boolean;
+	/** When true, skip handling (text input has focus) */
+	inputFocused?: () => boolean;
+	/** Whether an episode is currently loaded */
+	hasEpisode?: () => boolean;
 }

 /**
@@ -49,50 +49,47 @@ export interface MultimediaKeysOptions {
 * event bus. Call once at the app level (e.g. in App.tsx).
 */
 export function useMultimediaKeys(options: MultimediaKeysOptions = {}) {
-  useKeyboard((key) => {
-    // Don't intercept when a text input owns the keyboard
-    if (options.inputFocused?.()) return
+	useKeyboard((key) => {
+		// Don't intercept when a text input owns the keyboard
+		if (options.inputFocused?.()) return;

-    // Don't intercept when Player component handles its own keys
-    if (options.playerFocused?.()) return
+		// Don't intercept when Player component handles its own keys
+		if (options.playerFocused?.()) return;

-    // Ctrl/Meta combos are app-level shortcuts, not media keys
-    if (key.ctrl || key.meta) return
+		// Ctrl/Meta combos are app-level shortcuts, not media keys
+		if (key.ctrl || key.meta) return;

-    switch (key.name) {
-      case "space":
-        // Toggle play/pause — always valid (may start a loaded episode)
-        emit("media.toggle", {})
-        break
+		switch (key.name) {
+			case "space":
+				// Toggle play/pause — always valid (may start a loaded episode)
+				emit("media.toggle", {});
+				break;

-      case "up":
-        if (!options.hasEpisode?.()) return
-        emit("media.volumeUp", {})
-        break
+			case "up":
+				emit("media.volumeUp", {});
+				break;

-      case "down":
-        if (!options.hasEpisode?.()) return
-        emit("media.volumeDown", {})
-        break
+			case "down":
+				emit("media.volumeDown", {});
+				break;

-      case "left":
-        if (!options.hasEpisode?.()) return
-        emit("media.seekBackward", {})
-        break
+			case "left":
+				if (!options.hasEpisode?.()) return;
+				emit("media.seekBackward", {});
+				break;

-      case "right":
-        if (!options.hasEpisode?.()) return
-        emit("media.seekForward", {})
-        break
+			case "right":
+				if (!options.hasEpisode?.()) return;
+				emit("media.seekForward", {});
+				break;

-      case "s":
-        if (!options.hasEpisode?.()) return
-        emit("media.speedCycle", {})
-        break
+			case "s":
+				emit("media.speedCycle", {});
+				break;

-      default:
-        // Not a media key — do nothing
-        break
-    }
-  })
+			default:
+				// Not a media key — do nothing
+				break;
+		}
+	});
 }
--- a/src/pages/Player/PlaybackControls.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/Player/PlaybackControls.tsx
@@ -16,9 +16,6 @@ type PlaybackControlsProps = {

 const BACKEND_LABELS: Record<BackendName, string> = {
 	mpv: "mpv",
-	ffplay: "ffplay",
-	afplay: "afplay",
-	system: "system",
 	none: "none",
 };

@@ -60,10 +57,12 @@ export function PlaybackControls(props: PlaybackControlsProps) {
 			<box flexDirection="row" gap={1} marginLeft={2}>
 				<text fg={theme.textMuted}>Vol</text>
 				<text fg={theme.text}>{Math.round(props.volume * 100)}%</text>
+				<text fg={theme.textMuted}>↑↓</text>
 			</box>
 			<box flexDirection="row" gap={1} marginLeft={2}>
 				<text fg={theme.textMuted}>Speed</text>
 				<text fg={theme.text}>{props.speed}x</text>
+				<text fg={theme.textMuted}>s</text>
 			</box>
 			{props.backendName && props.backendName !== "none" && (
 				<box flexDirection="row" gap={1} marginLeft={2}>
--- a/src/pages/Player/PlayerPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/Player/PlayerPage.tsx
@@ -82,8 +82,9 @@ export function PlayerPage() {
 						<RealtimeWaveform
 							visualizerConfig={(() => {
 								const viz = useAppStore().state().settings.visualizer;
+								// bars is width-derived in RealtimeWaveform; pass only the
+								// audio-processing params here.
 								return {
-									bars: viz.bars,
 									noiseReduction: viz.noiseReduction,
 									lowCutOff: viz.lowCutOff,
 									highCutOff: viz.highCutOff,
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ export function PlayerPage() {

 			<box height={1} />
 			<text fg={muted()}>
-				{"P play/pause  N next  B prev  </ seek · h back"}
+				{"P play/pause  N next  B prev  ◀▶ seek  h back"}
 			</text>
 		</box>
 	);
--- a/src/pages/Player/RealtimeWaveform.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/Player/RealtimeWaveform.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 */

 import { createSignal, createEffect, onCleanup, on, untrack } from "solid-js";
+import { useTerminalDimensions } from "@opentui/solid";
 import {
 	loadCavaCore,
 	type CavaCore,
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@ import {
 import { AudioStreamReader } from "@/utils/audio-stream-reader";
 import { useAudio } from "@/hooks/useAudio";
 import { useTheme } from "@/context/ThemeContext";
+import { PANE_RATIO } from "@/utils/navigation";

 // ── Types ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

@@ -51,17 +53,27 @@ export function RealtimeWaveform(props: RealtimeWaveformProps) {
 	// Frequency bar values (0.0–1.0 per bar)
 	const [barData, setBarData] = createSignal<number[]>([]);

-	// Track whether cavacore is available
-	const [available, setAvailable] = createSignal(false);
-
 	let cava: CavaCore | null = null;
 	let reader: AudioStreamReader | null = null;
 	let frameTimer: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
 	let sampleBuffer: Float64Array | null = null;

-	// Bar count comes from the visualizer config (set in Settings); default 64.
-	// Single source of truth used for cavacore init, rendering, and seek clicks.
-	const numBars = () => props.visualizerConfig?.bars ?? 64;
+	// Bar count scales with terminal width so the waveform fills its pane.
+	// The player is a 2-pane row: current column = (current+preview) of
+	// (parent+current+preview) of the terminal width. Subtract ~8 chars of
+	// chrome (scrollbox border + box padding + waveform border + padding).
+	// Falls back to 64 before the renderer reports a real size.
+	const dimensions = useTerminalDimensions();
+	const numBars = () => {
+		const total = PANE_RATIO.parent + PANE_RATIO.current + PANE_RATIO.preview;
+		const current = PANE_RATIO.current + PANE_RATIO.preview; // 2-pane grows current
+		const width = dimensions().width;
+		if (!width) return 64;
+		return Math.max(
+			8,
+			Math.min(256, Math.floor((width * current) / total) - 8),
+		);
+	};

 	// ── Lifecycle: init cavacore once ──────────────────────────────────

@@ -70,11 +82,9 @@ export function RealtimeWaveform(props: RealtimeWaveformProps) {

 		cava = loadCavaCore();
 		if (!cava) {
-			setAvailable(false);
 			return false;
 		}

-		setAvailable(true);
 		return true;
 	};

@@ -85,7 +95,9 @@ export function RealtimeWaveform(props: RealtimeWaveformProps) {

 		if (!url || !initCava() || !cava) return;

-		// Initialize cavacore with current resolution + any overrides
+		// Initialize cavacore with current resolution + any overrides.
+		// bars is width-derived (see numBars); visualizerConfig supplies the
+		// audio-processing params (noise reduction, cutoffs, etc.).
 		const config: CavaCoreConfig = {
 			bars: numBars(),
 			sampleRate: 44100,
@@ -140,7 +152,7 @@ export function RealtimeWaveform(props: RealtimeWaveformProps) {
 		const output = cava.execute(input);

 		// Copy bar values to a new array for the signal
-		setBarData(Array.from(output));
+		setBarData(Array.from(output as Float64Array));
 	};

 	createEffect(
--- a/src/utils/audio-player.ts
+++ b/src/utils/audio-player.ts
@@ -1,14 +1,11 @@
 /**
- * Cross-platform audio playback engine for PodTUI.
+ * Audio playback engine for PodTUI.
 *
- * Backend priority:
- *   1. mpv   — full IPC control (seek, volume, speed, position tracking)
- *   2. ffplay — basic control via process signals
- *   3. afplay — macOS built-in (no seek/speed, volume only)
- *   4. system — open/xdg-open/start (fire-and-forget, no control)
- *
- * All backends implement the AudioBackend interface so the Player
- * component doesn't need to care which one is active.
+ * Single backend: mpv — full IPC control (seek, volume, speed, position
+ * tracking), so speed/volume/seek changes apply instantly with no process
+ * restart. When mpv isn't installed there is no fallback: the no-op backend
+ * surfaces "No audio player found" honestly rather than degrading through
+ * players that can't change speed/volume without restarting.
 */

 import { platform } from "os";
@@ -18,7 +15,7 @@ import { join } from "path";

 // ── Types ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

-export type BackendName = "mpv" | "ffplay" | "afplay" | "system" | "none";
+export type BackendName = "mpv" | "none";

 export interface AudioState {
 	playing: boolean;
@@ -381,467 +378,6 @@ export class MpvBackend implements AudioBackend {
 	}
 }

-// ── ffplay Backend ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
-// ffplay has no IPC. We track duration from episode metadata and
-// position via elapsed wall-clock time. Seek requires restarting.
-
-class FfplayBackend implements AudioBackend {
-	readonly name: BackendName = "ffplay";
-	private proc: ReturnType<typeof Bun.spawn> | null = null;
-	private _playing = false;
-	private _paused = false;
-	private _position = 0;
-	private _duration = 0;
-	private _volume = 100;
-	private _speed = 1;
-	private _url = "";
-	private startTime = 0;
-	private pollTimer: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
-
-	async play(url: string, opts?: PlayOptions): Promise<void> {
-		await this.stop();
-
-		this._url = url;
-		this._volume = Math.round((opts?.volume ?? 1) * 100);
-		this._speed = opts?.speed ?? 1;
-		this._position = opts?.startPosition ?? 0;
-
-		this.spawnProcess();
-	}
-
-	private spawnProcess(): void {
-		const args = [
-			"ffplay",
-			"-nodisp",
-			"-autoexit",
-			"-loglevel",
-			"quiet",
-			"-volume",
-			String(this._volume),
-		];
-
-		if (this._position > 0) {
-			args.push("-ss", String(this._position));
-		}
-
-		if (this._speed !== 1) {
-			args.push("-af", `atempo=${this._speed}`);
-		}
-
-		args.push("-i", this._url);
-
-		this.proc = Bun.spawn(args, {
-			stdout: "ignore",
-			stderr: "ignore",
-			stdin: "ignore",
-		});
-
-		this._playing = true;
-		this._paused = false;
-		this.startTime = Date.now();
-		this.startPolling();
-
-		this.proc.exited
-			.then(() => {
-				this._playing = false;
-				this.stopPolling();
-			})
-			.catch(() => {});
-	}
-
-	private startPolling(): void {
-		this.stopPolling();
-		this.pollTimer = setInterval(() => {
-			if (!this._playing) return;
-			const elapsed = ((Date.now() - this.startTime) / 1000) * this._speed;
-			this._position = this._position + elapsed;
-			this.startTime = Date.now();
-		}, 500);
-	}
-
-	private stopPolling(): void {
-		if (this.pollTimer) {
-			clearInterval(this.pollTimer);
-			this.pollTimer = null;
-		}
-	}
-
-	async pause(): Promise<void> {
-		if (this.proc) {
-			const pid = (this.proc as unknown as { pid?: number } | null)?.pid;
-			try {
-				if (pid) process.kill(pid, "SIGSTOP");
-			} catch {}
-			this._paused = true;
-		}
-		this._playing = false;
-		this.stopPolling();
-	}
-
-	async resume(): Promise<void> {
-		if (!this._url) return;
-		if (this.proc && this._paused) {
-			const pid = (this.proc as unknown as { pid?: number } | null)?.pid;
-			try {
-				if (pid) process.kill(pid, "SIGCONT");
-			} catch {}
-			this._paused = false;
-			this._playing = true;
-			this.startTime = Date.now();
-			this.startPolling();
-			return;
-		}
-		this.spawnProcess();
-	}
-
-	async stop(): Promise<void> {
-		this.stopPolling();
-		if (this.proc) {
-			try {
-				this.proc.kill();
-			} catch {}
-			this.proc = null;
-		}
-		this._playing = false;
-		this._paused = false;
-		this._position = 0;
-		this._url = "";
-	}
-
-	async seek(seconds: number): Promise<void> {
-		this._position = seconds;
-		if (this._playing && this._url) {
-			// Restart at new position
-			if (this.proc) {
-				try {
-					this.proc.kill();
-				} catch {}
-				this.proc = null;
-			}
-			this.spawnProcess();
-			const pid = (this.proc as unknown as { pid?: number } | null)?.pid;
-			if (this._paused && pid) {
-				try {
-					process.kill(pid, "SIGSTOP");
-				} catch {}
-				this._playing = false;
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	async setVolume(volume: number): Promise<void> {
-		this._volume = Math.round(volume * 100);
-		// ffplay has no runtime IPC; volume will apply on next play/resume.
-		// Restart the process to apply immediately if currently playing.
-		if (this._url && (this._playing || this._paused)) {
-			this.stopPolling();
-			if (this.proc) {
-				try {
-					this.proc.kill();
-				} catch {}
-				this.proc = null;
-			}
-			this.spawnProcess();
-			const pid = (this.proc as unknown as { pid?: number } | null)?.pid;
-			if (this._paused && pid) {
-				try {
-					process.kill(pid, "SIGSTOP");
-				} catch {}
-				this._playing = false;
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	async setSpeed(speed: number): Promise<void> {
-		this._speed = speed;
-		if (this._url && (this._playing || this._paused)) {
-			this.stopPolling();
-			if (this.proc) {
-				try {
-					this.proc.kill();
-				} catch {}
-				this.proc = null;
-			}
-			this.spawnProcess();
-			const pid = (this.proc as unknown as { pid?: number } | null)?.pid;
-			if (this._paused && pid) {
-				try {
-					process.kill(pid, "SIGSTOP");
-				} catch {}
-				this._playing = false;
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	async getPosition(): Promise<number> {
-		return this._position;
-	}
-
-	async getDuration(): Promise<number> {
-		return this._duration;
-	}
-
-	isPlaying(): boolean {
-		return this._playing;
-	}
-
-	dispose(): void {
-		this.stop();
-	}
-}
-
-// ── afplay Backend (macOS) ───────────────────────────────────────────
-// Built-in on macOS. Supports volume and rate but no seek or position.
-
-class AfplayBackend implements AudioBackend {
-	readonly name: BackendName = "afplay";
-	private proc: ReturnType<typeof Bun.spawn> | null = null;
-	private _playing = false;
-	private _paused = false;
-	private _position = 0;
-	private _duration = 0;
-	private _volume = 1;
-	private _speed = 1;
-	private _url = "";
-	private startTime = 0;
-	private pollTimer: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
-
-	async play(url: string, opts?: PlayOptions): Promise<void> {
-		await this.stop();
-
-		this._url = url;
-		this._volume = opts?.volume ?? 1;
-		this._speed = opts?.speed ?? 1;
-		this._position = opts?.startPosition ?? 0;
-
-		this.spawnProcess();
-	}
-
-	private spawnProcess(): void {
-		// afplay supports --volume (0-1) and --rate
-		const args = [
-			"afplay",
-			"--volume",
-			String(this._volume),
-			"--rate",
-			String(this._speed),
-		];
-
-		if (this._position > 0) {
-			args.push(
-				"--time",
-				String(this._duration > 0 ? this._duration - this._position : 0),
-			);
-		}
-
-		args.push(this._url);
-
-		this.proc = Bun.spawn(args, {
-			stdout: "ignore",
-			stderr: "ignore",
-			stdin: "ignore",
-		});
-
-		this._playing = true;
-		this._paused = false;
-		this.startTime = Date.now();
-		this.startPolling();
-
-		this.proc.exited
-			.then(() => {
-				this._playing = false;
-				this.stopPolling();
-			})
-			.catch(() => {});
-	}
-
-	private startPolling(): void {
-		this.stopPolling();
-		this.pollTimer = setInterval(() => {
-			if (!this._playing) return;
-			const elapsed = ((Date.now() - this.startTime) / 1000) * this._speed;
-			this._position = this._position + elapsed;
-			this.startTime = Date.now();
-		}, 500);
-	}
-
-	private stopPolling(): void {
-		if (this.pollTimer) {
-			clearInterval(this.pollTimer);
-			this.pollTimer = null;
-		}
-	}
-
-	async pause(): Promise<void> {
-		if (this.proc) {
-			const pid = (this.proc as unknown as { pid?: number } | null)?.pid;
-			try {
-				if (pid) process.kill(pid, "SIGSTOP");
-			} catch {}
-			this._paused = true;
-		}
-		this._playing = false;
-		this.stopPolling();
-	}
-
-	async resume(): Promise<void> {
-		if (!this._url) return;
-		if (this.proc && this._paused) {
-			const pid = (this.proc as unknown as { pid?: number } | null)?.pid;
-			try {
-				if (pid) process.kill(pid, "SIGCONT");
-			} catch {}
-			this._paused = false;
-			this._playing = true;
-			this.startTime = Date.now();
-			this.startPolling();
-			return;
-		}
-		this.spawnProcess();
-	}
-
-	async stop(): Promise<void> {
-		this.stopPolling();
-		if (this.proc) {
-			try {
-				this.proc.kill();
-			} catch {}
-			this.proc = null;
-		}
-		this._playing = false;
-		this._paused = false;
-		this._position = 0;
-		this._url = "";
-	}
-
-	async seek(seconds: number): Promise<void> {
-		this._position = seconds;
-		if (this._playing && this._url) {
-			if (this.proc) {
-				try {
-					this.proc.kill();
-				} catch {}
-				this.proc = null;
-			}
-			this.spawnProcess();
-			const pid = (this.proc as unknown as { pid?: number } | null)?.pid;
-			if (this._paused && pid) {
-				try {
-					process.kill(pid, "SIGSTOP");
-				} catch {}
-				this._playing = false;
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	async setVolume(volume: number): Promise<void> {
-		this._volume = volume;
-		// Restart the process with new volume to apply immediately
-		if (this._url && (this._playing || this._paused)) {
-			this.stopPolling();
-			if (this.proc) {
-				try {
-					this.proc.kill();
-				} catch {}
-				this.proc = null;
-			}
-			this.spawnProcess();
-			const pid = (this.proc as unknown as { pid?: number } | null)?.pid;
-			if (this._paused && pid) {
-				try {
-					process.kill(pid, "SIGSTOP");
-				} catch {}
-				this._playing = false;
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	async setSpeed(speed: number): Promise<void> {
-		this._speed = speed;
-		// Restart the process with new rate to apply immediately
-		if (this._url && (this._playing || this._paused)) {
-			this.stopPolling();
-			if (this.proc) {
-				try {
-					this.proc.kill();
-				} catch {}
-				this.proc = null;
-			}
-			this.spawnProcess();
-			const pid = (this.proc as unknown as { pid?: number } | null)?.pid;
-			if (this._paused && pid) {
-				try {
-					process.kill(pid, "SIGSTOP");
-				} catch {}
-				this._playing = false;
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	async getPosition(): Promise<number> {
-		return this._position;
-	}
-
-	async getDuration(): Promise<number> {
-		return this._duration;
-	}
-
-	isPlaying(): boolean {
-		return this._playing;
-	}
-
-	dispose(): void {
-		this.stop();
-	}
-}
-
-// ── System Backend (open/xdg-open) ───────────────────────────────────
-// Fire-and-forget. Opens the URL in the default handler. No control.
-
-class SystemBackend implements AudioBackend {
-	readonly name: BackendName = "system";
-	private _playing = false;
-
-	async play(url: string): Promise<void> {
-		const os = platform();
-		const cmd =
-			os === "darwin" ? "open" : os === "win32" ? "start" : "xdg-open";
-
-		Bun.spawn([cmd, url], {
-			stdout: "ignore",
-			stderr: "ignore",
-			stdin: "ignore",
-		});
-
-		this._playing = true;
-	}
-
-	async pause(): Promise<void> {
-		this._playing = false;
-	}
-	async resume(): Promise<void> {
-		this._playing = true;
-	}
-	async stop(): Promise<void> {
-		this._playing = false;
-	}
-	async seek(): Promise<void> {}
-	async setVolume(): Promise<void> {}
-	async setSpeed(): Promise<void> {}
-	async getPosition(): Promise<number> {
-		return 0;
-	}
-	async getDuration(): Promise<number> {
-		return 0;
-	}
-	isPlaying(): boolean {
-		return this._playing;
-	}
-	dispose(): void {
-		this._playing = false;
-	}
-}
-
 // ── No-op Backend ────────────────────────────────────────────────────

 class NoopBackend implements AudioBackend {
@@ -896,53 +432,6 @@ export function detectPlayers(): DetectedPlayer[] {
 		});
 	}

-	const ffplayPath = which("ffplay");
-	if (ffplayPath) {
-		players.push({
-			name: "ffplay",
-			path: ffplayPath,
-			capabilities: {
-				seek: true,
-				volume: true,
-				speed: false,
-				positionTracking: false,
-			},
-		});
-	}
-
-	const os = platform();
-	if (os === "darwin") {
-		const afplayPath = which("afplay");
-		if (afplayPath) {
-			players.push({
-				name: "afplay",
-				path: afplayPath,
-				capabilities: {
-					seek: true,
-					volume: true,
-					speed: true,
-					positionTracking: false,
-				},
-			});
-		}
-	}
-
-	// System open is always available as fallback
-	const openCmd =
-		os === "darwin" ? "open" : os === "win32" ? "start" : "xdg-open";
-	if (which(openCmd)) {
-		players.push({
-			name: "system",
-			path: which(openCmd),
-			capabilities: {
-				seek: false,
-				volume: false,
-				speed: false,
-				positionTracking: false,
-			},
-		});
-	}
-
 	return players;
 }

@@ -953,14 +442,7 @@ export function createAudioBackend(preferred?: BackendName): AudioBackend {
 	// An explicit `preferred` argument still wins.
 	if (!preferred) {
 		const envPref = process.env.PODTUI_AUDIO_BACKEND as BackendName | undefined;
-		if (
-			envPref &&
-			(envPref === "mpv" ||
-				envPref === "ffplay" ||
-				envPref === "afplay" ||
-				envPref === "system" ||
-				envPref === "none")
-		) {
+		if (envPref && (envPref === "mpv" || envPref === "none")) {
 			preferred = envPref;
 		}
 	}
@@ -970,25 +452,13 @@ export function createAudioBackend(preferred?: BackendName): AudioBackend {
 		if (backend) return backend;
 	}

-	// Auto-detect in priority order
-	const players = detectPlayers();
-	if (players.length === 0) return new NoopBackend();
-
-	return createBackendByName(players[0].name) ?? new NoopBackend();
+	return which("mpv") ? new MpvBackend() : new NoopBackend();
 }

 function createBackendByName(name: BackendName): AudioBackend | null {
 	switch (name) {
 		case "mpv":
 			return which("mpv") ? new MpvBackend() : null;
-		case "ffplay":
-			return which("ffplay") ? new FfplayBackend() : null;
-		case "afplay":
-			return platform() === "darwin" && which("afplay")
-				? new AfplayBackend()
-				: null;
-		case "system":
-			return new SystemBackend();
 		case "none":
 			return new NoopBackend();
 	}
--- a/tests/audio-dispose.test.ts
+++ b/tests/audio-dispose.test.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 *
 * The `q` (quit) action routes through `process.exit(0)`, which bypasses
 * Solid's onCleanup (where useAudio's onCleanup disposes the backend). To
- * keep spawned players (mpv/ffplay/afplay) from surviving the host, useAudio
+ * keep spawned players (mpv) from surviving the host, useAudio
 * registers a `process.on("exit")` handler that synchronously disposes the
 * backend. The exit handler's whole job is "kill the child process", so this
 * test pins the contract directly: a backend holding a real spawned subprocess
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 *
 * Uses a real `Bun.spawn(["sleep", "60"])` subprocess as a stand-in for the
 * player process, injected into the (private) `proc` slot of an MpvBackend —
- * mpv/ffplay/afplay all share the identical kill-on-dispose pattern, so
+ * mpv is the only real backend, and it uses the kill-on-dispose
 * exercising one is enough to guard the family.
 */
 import { test, expect } from "bun:test";