bump VERSION to 0.5.1

ensureDecodeAround let a running decode pass close ANY forward gap in
place — at 4x pacing, skipping 30 min ahead meant ~7.5 min for the
frontier to arrive: bars held their last frame indefinitely. Now a gap
beyond 15s restarts the pass at the seek target (network coverage there
in ~1.6s, verified); smaller gaps close in place (cheaper than a
reconnect + range request). Seek-key holds are debounced (400ms) so
rapid re-seeks don't reconnect-spam the stream's server, and pending
seek-decode cancels on pause/stop so no ffmpeg restarts while paused.

Also fixes a pre-existing config-write race that intermittently failed
visualizer-toggle.test.ts: updateConfig re-resolved the config path and
re-read the patch state when the deferred write-chain drained, so a
queued save could land in a directory XDG_CONFIG_HOME had since been
pointed at (or carry state mutated after queueing). Path and patch
snapshot are now captured eagerly at call time.

.github/workflows/release.yml

@@ -50,7 +50,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install fftw (cavacore build dependency)
         run: |
           if uname -s | grep -qi darwin; then
-            brew install fftw
+            # mpv is required for the release bundle: build.ts copies it into
+            # PodTui.app (signed with the podtui bundle identifier) so macOS
+            # Now Playing shows the PodTui icon instead of a blank placeholder.
+            brew install fftw mpv
           else
             sudo apt-get update
             sudo apt-get install -y libfftw3-dev
@@ -76,6 +79,16 @@ jobs:
           printf 'preload = ["./definitely-missing.ts"]\n' > "$SMOKE_DIR/bunfig.toml"
           cd "$SMOKE_DIR"
           ./podtui-*/podtui --version
+          # macOS tarballs must ship PodTui.app with a working bundled mpv
+          # carrying the podtui bundle identifier — otherwise Now Playing
+          # attribution silently regresses to a blank icon.
+          if [ "${{ matrix.plat }}" = "darwin" ]; then
+            MPV=./podtui-*/PodTui.app/Contents/MacOS/mpv
+            test -x $MPV || { echo "PodTui.app missing bundled mpv"; exit 1; }
+            $MPV --version >/dev/null || { echo "bundled mpv does not launch"; exit 1; }
+            codesign -dvv $MPV 2>&1 | grep -q "Identifier=com.mikefreno.podtui" \
+              || { echo "bundled mpv lacks podtui signing identifier"; exit 1; }
+          fi
 
       - name: Upload artifact
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6

build.ts

@@ -155,9 +155,13 @@ if (COMPILE) {
 		if (mpvPath) {
 			copyFileSync(mpvPath, join(macosDir, "mpv"));
 		} else {
-			console.warn(
-				"Warning: mpv not found in PATH — skipping bundle mpv (Now Playing attribution won't work)",
+			// A darwin release tarball without a bundled mpv silently ships
+			// without Now Playing attribution (blank icon). Fail loudly so CI
+			// can't produce it — the runner must have mpv installed.
+			console.error(
+				"Error: mpv not found in PATH — PodTui.app requires a bundled mpv for macOS Now Playing attribution (brew install mpv on the build machine)",
 			);
+			process.exit(1);
 		}
 
 		const icnsSrc = join("assets", "App Icon", "AppIcon.icns");
@@ -169,7 +173,16 @@ if (COMPILE) {
 			);
 		}
 
-		// Keep CFBundleShortVersionString in sync with src/index.tsx VERSION.
+		// Version for the bundle comes from src/index.tsx (single source of
+		// truth — release.yml requires bumping it in the tag commit).
+		const srcIndex = await Bun.file(join("src", "index.tsx")).text();
+		const versionMatch = srcIndex.match(/const VERSION = "([^"]+)"/);
+		const bundleVersion = versionMatch?.[1];
+		if (!bundleVersion) {
+			console.error("Error: could not read VERSION from src/index.tsx");
+			process.exit(1);
+		}
+
 		Bun.write(
 			join(appRoot, "Contents", "Info.plist"),
 			`<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
@@ -189,9 +202,9 @@ if (COMPILE) {
 	<key>CFBundleIconFile</key>
 	<string>AppIcon</string>
 	<key>CFBundleShortVersionString</key>
-	<string>0.3.1</string>
+	<string>${bundleVersion}</string>
 	<key>CFBundleVersion</key>
-	<string>0.3.1</string>
+	<string>${bundleVersion}</string>
 	<key>LSMinimumSystemVersion</key>
 	<string>12.0</string>
 </dict>

src/config/keybinds.jsonc

@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@
   "sort":           [","],
   "toggle-hidden":  ["."],
   "refresh":        ["r"],
+  "subscribe":      ["a"],   // subscribe focused show/episode result in place (Search)
   "unsubscribe":    ["x"],   // unsubscribe focused show in My Shows
 
   // ── Downloads & auto-download whitelist ───────────────────────────────────

src/context/KeybindContext.tsx

@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ export type KeybindActionName =
 	| "sort"
 	| "toggle-hidden"
 	| "refresh"
+	| "subscribe"
 	| "unsubscribe"
 	| "download"
 	| "delete-download"

src/hooks/useAudio.ts

@@ -12,9 +12,12 @@
  * ```
  */
 
-import { createSignal, onCleanup } from "solid-js";
-import { unlinkSync } from "fs";
-import { fetchCoverArt, coverTempPath } from "../utils/cover-art";
+import { onCleanup } from "solid-js";
+import {
+	cachedCoverPath,
+	fetchCoverArt,
+	prefetchCoverArt,
+} from "../utils/cover-art";
 import {
 	createAudioBackend,
 	detectPlayers,
@@ -22,11 +25,36 @@ import {
 	type BackendName,
 	type DetectedPlayer,
 } from "../utils/audio-player";
+import {
+	isPlaying,
+	setIsPlaying,
+	position,
+	setPosition,
+	duration,
+	setDuration,
+	volume,
+	setVolume,
+	speed,
+	setSpeed,
+	backendName,
+	setBackendName,
+	error,
+	setError,
+	currentEpisode,
+	setCurrentEpisode,
+	availablePlayers,
+	setAvailablePlayers,
+} from "../utils/audio-signals";
 import { emit, on } from "../utils/event-bus";
 import { useAppStore } from "../stores/app";
 import { useProgressStore } from "../stores/progress";
 import { useMediaRegistry } from "../utils/media-registry";
-import type { Episode } from "../types/episode";
+import {
+	loadLastPlayerFromFile,
+	saveLastPlayerToFile,
+	saveLastPlayerSync,
+} from "../utils/app-persistence";
+import type { Episode, Progress } from "../types/episode";
 import type { Feed } from "../types/feed";
 import { useAudioNavStore, AudioSource } from "../stores/audio-nav";
 import { useFeedStore } from "../stores/feed";
@@ -45,6 +73,8 @@ export interface AudioControls {
 
 	// Actions
 	play: (episode: Episode) => Promise<void>;
+	/** Load an episode into the player WITHOUT starting playback. */
+	load: (episode: Episode) => Promise<void>;
 	pause: () => Promise<void>;
 	resume: () => Promise<void>;
 	togglePlayback: () => Promise<void>;
@@ -64,17 +94,26 @@ let pollTimer: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
 let refCount = 0;
 let pollCount = 0; // Counts poll ticks for throttling progress saves
 
-const [isPlaying, setIsPlaying] = createSignal(false);
-const [position, setPosition] = createSignal(0);
-const [duration, setDuration] = createSignal(0);
-const [volume, setVolume] = createSignal(0.7);
-const [speed, setSpeed] = createSignal(1);
-const [backendName, setBackendName] = createSignal<BackendName>("none");
-const [error, setError] = createSignal<string | null>(null);
-const [currentEpisode, setCurrentEpisode] = createSignal<Episode | null>(null);
-const [availablePlayers, setAvailablePlayers] = createSignal<DetectedPlayer[]>(
-	[],
-);
+// Playback signals are declared in utils/audio-signals.ts (imported above)
+// so non-component consumers (the visualizer store) can subscribe without
+// mounting a useAudio() owner.
+
+/** True once the current episode has been handed to the backend (play
+ *  started). `false` means the episode is only LOADED in the player (e.g.
+ *  restored at boot) and the first play action must start the backend
+ *  instead of unpausing it. */
+let startedPlayback = false;
+
+/** Completion fraction at/above which an episode is NOT restored at boot. */
+const RESTORE_COMPLETION_THRESHOLD = 0.98;
+
+/** True when saved progress is below the restore cutoff. Episodes with no
+ *  progress (never reached the persist threshold) or unknown duration count
+ *  as eligible — they restore from the start. */
+function isRestoreEligible(progress: Progress | undefined): boolean {
+	if (!progress || progress.duration <= 0) return true;
+	return progress.position / progress.duration < RESTORE_COMPLETION_THRESHOLD;
+}
 
 function ensureBackend(): AudioBackend {
 	if (!backend) {
@@ -101,6 +140,17 @@ function registerExitTeardown(): void {
 	exitTeardownRegistered = true;
 	const teardown = (): void => {
 		stopPolling();
+		// Persist "what's loaded in the player right now" synchronously —
+		// process.exit(0) runs this handler synchronously and an async write
+		// would never land. The next launch restores this episode paused.
+		try {
+			const ep = currentEpisode();
+			if (ep) {
+				saveLastPlayerSync({ episodeId: ep.id, timestamp: new Date() });
+			}
+		} catch {
+			/* best-effort at exit */
+		}
 		try {
 			backend?.dispose();
 		} catch {
@@ -111,11 +161,6 @@ function registerExitTeardown(): void {
 		} catch {
 			/* best-effort at exit */
 		}
-		try {
-			unlinkSync(coverTempPath());
-		} catch {
-			/* best-effort at exit */
-		}
 	};
 	process.on("exit", teardown);
 	for (const sig of ["SIGINT", "SIGTERM", "SIGHUP"] as const) {
@@ -126,6 +171,52 @@ function registerExitTeardown(): void {
 	}
 }
 
+/** Poll ticks between paused-state checks (~1s at 150ms/tick). While the
+ *  UI believes playback is paused we only need to catch an external
+ *  resume (AirPod play tap, lock-screen/media-center play); checking every
+ *  tick would just hammer mpv IPC for nothing. */
+const PAUSE_WATCH_TICKS = 7;
+
+/** The player process died while we believed playback was live — track
+ *  ended (mpv quits at EOF) or the process crashed. Persist the final
+ *  position and stop polling. */
+function finalizeTrackEnd(): void {
+	setIsPlaying(false);
+	stopPolling();
+	const ep = currentEpisode();
+	if (ep) {
+		const progressStore = useProgressStore();
+		progressStore.update(ep.id, position(), duration(), speed());
+	}
+}
+
+/** mpv paused itself OUTSIDE PodTUI — system sleep/lock, AirPod removal,
+ *  device swap, OS media keys, the Now Playing center. Bring the UI in
+ *  sync; the poll stays armed so an external resume is caught too. */
+function reconcileExternalPause(): void {
+	setIsPlaying(false);
+	const ep = currentEpisode();
+	if (ep) {
+		const progressStore = useProgressStore();
+		progressStore.update(ep.id, position(), duration(), speed());
+		emit("player.pause", { episodeId: ep.id });
+		const media = useMediaRegistry();
+		media.setPlaybackState(false);
+		media.setPosition(position());
+	}
+}
+
+/** Playback was restarted from outside PodTUI (AirPods, lock-screen or
+ *  media-center play, OS media keys). Bring the UI back to "playing". */
+function reconcileExternalResume(): void {
+	setIsPlaying(true);
+	const ep = currentEpisode();
+	if (ep) {
+		emit("player.play", { episodeId: ep.id });
+		useMediaRegistry().setPlaybackState(true);
+	}
+}
+
 function startPolling(): void {
 	stopPolling();
 	pollCount = 0;
@@ -133,36 +224,57 @@ function startPolling(): void {
 	// interval (getPosition opens a fresh mpv IPC connection per call).
 	let pollInFlight = false;
 	pollTimer = setInterval(async () => {
-		if (!backend || !isPlaying() || pollInFlight) return;
+		if (!backend || pollInFlight) return;
 		pollInFlight = true;
 		try {
-			const pos = await backend.getPosition();
-			const dur = await backend.getDuration();
-			setPosition(pos);
-			if (dur > 0) setDuration(dur);
-
-			// Save progress every ~5 seconds (33 ticks * 150ms)
 			pollCount++;
-			if (pollCount % 33 === 0) {
-				const ep = currentEpisode();
-				if (ep) {
-					const progressStore = useProgressStore();
-					progressStore.update(ep.id, pos, dur > 0 ? dur : duration(), speed());
-
-					const media = useMediaRegistry();
-					media.setPosition(pos);
+			if (isPlaying()) {
+				// Track ended (eof-reached observed) or process died. Check
+				// BEFORE pause reconciliation: mpv keeps the file open at EOF
+				// and reports pause=true there, which would otherwise be
+				// mistaken for an external pause and never finalize.
+				if (!backend.isPlaying()) {
+					finalizeTrackEnd();
+					return;
 				}
-			}
 
-			// Check if backend stopped playing (track ended)
-			if (!backend.isPlaying() && isPlaying()) {
-				setIsPlaying(false);
-				stopPolling();
-				// Save final position on track end
-				const ep = currentEpisode();
-				if (ep) {
-					const progressStore = useProgressStore();
-					progressStore.update(ep.id, pos, dur > 0 ? dur : duration(), speed());
+				// mpv can pause itself outside PodTUI. Reconcile instead of
+				// staying stuck on "playing" with a frozen waveform
+				// (getPosition would just re-read the same frozen time-pos).
+				const paused = await backend.getPauseState();
+				if (paused === true) {
+					reconcileExternalPause();
+					return;
+				}
+
+				const pos = await backend.getPosition();
+				const dur = await backend.getDuration();
+				setPosition(pos);
+				if (dur > 0) setDuration(dur);
+
+				// Save progress every ~5 seconds (33 ticks * 150ms)
+				if (pollCount % 33 === 0) {
+					const ep = currentEpisode();
+					if (ep) {
+						const progressStore = useProgressStore();
+						progressStore.update(ep.id, pos, dur > 0 ? dur : duration(), speed());
+
+						const media = useMediaRegistry();
+						media.setPosition(pos);
+					}
+				}
+			} else if (pollCount % PAUSE_WATCH_TICKS === 0) {
+				// Paused — watch for playback restarted from outside (AirPods,
+				// lock-screen/media-center play). Only while the player is
+				// still alive: a dead player while we thought we were paused
+				// means the track ended (mpv quits at EOF) or it crashed.
+				if (!backend.isAlive()) {
+					finalizeTrackEnd();
+					return;
+				}
+				const paused = await backend.getPauseState();
+				if (paused === false) {
+					reconcileExternalResume();
 				}
 			}
 		} catch {
@@ -204,9 +316,12 @@ async function play(episode: Episode): Promise<void> {
 		const feedStore = useFeedStore();
 		const feed = feedStore.feeds().find((f) => f.podcast.id === episode.podcastId);
 		const podcastTitle = feed?.customName || feed?.podcast.title || "";
-		const coverArtPath = feed?.podcast.coverUrl
-			? await fetchCoverArt(feed.podcast.coverUrl)
-			: null;
+		// Cover art must NEVER gate playback (it was a curl subprocess blocking
+		// play() by up to 8s). Serve the disk-cached file synchronously when it
+		// exists; on a miss, start playback bare and fetch in the background —
+		// the backend applies late art at runtime (mpv video-add).
+		const coverUrl = feed?.podcast.coverUrl;
+		const coverArtPath = coverUrl ? cachedCoverPath(coverUrl) : null;
 
 		// Resume from saved progress if available and not completed
 		const savedProgress = progressStore.get(episode.id);
@@ -223,11 +338,26 @@ async function play(episode: Episode): Promise<void> {
 			coverArtPath: coverArtPath ?? undefined,
 		});
 
+		if (coverUrl && !coverArtPath) {
+			fetchCoverArt(coverUrl)
+				.then((path) => {
+					if (path && currentEpisode()?.id === episode.id) {
+						b.addCoverArt(path).catch(() => {});
+					}
+				})
+				.catch(() => {});
+		}
+
 		setCurrentEpisode(episode);
 		setIsPlaying(true);
 		setPosition(startPos);
 		setSpeed(spd);
 		if (episode.duration) setDuration(episode.duration);
+		startedPlayback = true;
+
+		// Remember this episode as "loaded in the player" so the next launch
+		// can restore it paused (cleared by stop()).
+		saveLastPlayerToFile({ episodeId: episode.id, timestamp: new Date() });
 
 		// Register with platform media controls
 		const media = useMediaRegistry();
@@ -250,12 +380,79 @@ async function play(episode: Episode): Promise<void> {
 	}
 }
 
+/**
+ * Load an episode into the player WITHOUT starting playback. The player tab
+ * renders it paused at its saved position; the first play action starts the
+ * backend from there (see togglePlayback). Used to restore the last player
+ * session at boot.
+ */
+async function load(episode: Episode): Promise<void> {
+	ensureBackend();
+	setError(null);
+
+	setCurrentEpisode(episode);
+	setIsPlaying(false);
+	startedPlayback = false;
+
+	// Show the saved position so the player tab reflects where playback
+	// will resume; episodes at/above the completion threshold start from 0.
+	const progressStore = useProgressStore();
+	const saved = progressStore.get(episode.id);
+	const pos = saved && isRestoreEligible(saved) ? saved.position : 0;
+	setPosition(pos);
+	if (episode.duration) setDuration(episode.duration);
+
+	const appStore = useAppStore();
+	const storeSpeed = appStore.state().settings.playbackSpeed;
+	setSpeed(storeSpeed || speed());
+
+	// Surface the loaded-but-paused track to the OS media controls.
+	const feedStore = useFeedStore();
+	const feed = feedStore.feeds().find((f) => f.podcast.id === episode.podcastId);
+	const podcastTitle = feed?.customName || feed?.podcast.title || "";
+	const media = useMediaRegistry();
+	media.setNowPlaying({
+		title: episode.title,
+		artist: podcastTitle || episode.podcastId,
+		duration: episode.duration,
+	});
+	media.setPlaybackState(false);
+	if (pos > 0) media.setPosition(pos);
+
+	// Preload the episode into the backend PAUSED: mpv opens the stream and
+	// fills its demuxer cache while parked, so the user's first Play flips
+	// `pause` off instead of paying the ~2s stream-open cold. Fire-and-forget
+	// — a failed preload just makes the first play take the cold path.
+	if (episode.audioUrl && backend) {
+		const coverUrl = feed?.podcast.coverUrl;
+		if (coverUrl) prefetchCoverArt(coverUrl);
+		const backendSnap = backend;
+		backendSnap
+			.preload(episode.audioUrl, {
+				volume: volume(),
+				speed: storeSpeed || speed(),
+				startPosition: pos > 0 ? pos : undefined,
+				mediaTitle: podcastTitle
+					? `${podcastTitle} — ${episode.title}`
+					: episode.title,
+				coverArtPath: coverUrl
+					? (cachedCoverPath(coverUrl) ?? undefined)
+					: undefined,
+			})
+			.catch(() => {});
+	}
+
+	saveLastPlayerToFile({ episodeId: episode.id, timestamp: new Date() });
+}
+
 async function pause(): Promise<void> {
 	if (!backend) return;
 	try {
 		await backend.pause();
 		setIsPlaying(false);
-		stopPolling();
+		// Polling stays armed (paused-watch mode): playback can be resumed
+		// from OUTSIDE PodTUI — AirPods, lock-screen/media-center play —
+		// and the poll must be live to catch it.
 		const ep = currentEpisode();
 		if (ep) {
 			// Save progress on pause
@@ -294,7 +491,15 @@ async function togglePlayback(): Promise<void> {
 	if (isPlaying()) {
 		await pause();
 	} else if (currentEpisode()) {
-		await resume();
+		if (startedPlayback) {
+			await resume();
+		} else {
+			// Episode is only LOADED (e.g. restored at boot) — the backend
+			// was never started, so unpausing a dead player would fail
+			// silently. Start playback from the saved position instead.
+			const ep = currentEpisode();
+			if (ep) await play(ep);
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -311,9 +516,13 @@ async function stop(): Promise<void> {
 		setIsPlaying(false);
 		setPosition(0);
 		setCurrentEpisode(null);
+		startedPlayback = false;
 		stopPolling();
 		emit("player.stop", {});
 
+		// Player is empty again — nothing to restore on the next launch.
+		saveLastPlayerToFile({ episodeId: null, timestamp: null });
+
 		const media = useMediaRegistry();
 		media.clearNowPlaying();
 	} catch (err) {
@@ -346,6 +555,10 @@ async function doSetVolume(vol: number): Promise<void> {
 		}
 	}
 	setVolume(clamped);
+
+	// Sync back to app store (persisted to config.json for the next launch).
+	const appStore = useAppStore();
+	appStore.updateSettings({ volume: clamped });
 }
 
 async function doSetSpeed(spd: number): Promise<void> {
@@ -389,9 +602,8 @@ async function switchBackend(name: BackendName): Promise<void> {
 				.feeds()
 				.find((f) => f.podcast.id === ep.podcastId);
 			const podcastTitle = feed?.customName || feed?.podcast.title || "";
-			const coverArtPath = feed?.podcast.coverUrl
-				? await fetchCoverArt(feed.podcast.coverUrl)
-				: null;
+			const coverUrl = feed?.podcast.coverUrl;
+			const coverArtPath = coverUrl ? cachedCoverPath(coverUrl) : null;
 			await backend.play(ep.audioUrl, {
 				startPosition: pos,
 				volume: vol,
@@ -402,6 +614,7 @@ async function switchBackend(name: BackendName): Promise<void> {
 				coverArtPath: coverArtPath ?? undefined,
 			});
 			setIsPlaying(true);
+			startedPlayback = true;
 			startPolling();
 		} catch (err) {
 			setError(err instanceof Error ? err.message : "Backend switch failed");
@@ -410,6 +623,46 @@ async function switchBackend(name: BackendName): Promise<void> {
 	}
 }
 
+/** Serialized restore chain: the boot-triggered restore and any explicit
+ *  call run one after another, so a late-finishing earlier restore can never
+ *  overwrite state changed by a later one (and callers can await the latest
+ *  attempt deterministically). */
+let restoreChain: Promise<void> = Promise.resolve();
+
+/**
+ * Boot-time session restore: reload the episode that was loaded in the
+ * player when the previous run ended (persisted on play/load and at exit),
+ * paused at its saved position — never autostarted. Episodes at/above the
+ * completion threshold are skipped. Silently no-ops when there is nothing
+ * to restore (empty player, unsubscribed show, or completed episode).
+ */
+export async function restoreLastSession(): Promise<void> {
+	const attempt = restoreChain.then(async () => {
+		const marker = await loadLastPlayerFromFile();
+		if (!marker?.episodeId) return;
+
+		// Feeds and progress load asynchronously at boot; wait for both
+		// before looking the episode up.
+		await Promise.all([
+			useProgressStore().whenReady(),
+			useFeedStore().whenReady(),
+		]);
+
+		const episode = useFeedStore().findEpisode(marker.episodeId);
+		if (!episode) return;
+
+		// Only restore episodes below the completion threshold.
+		const saved = useProgressStore().get(episode.id);
+		if (!isRestoreEligible(saved)) return;
+
+		await load(episode);
+	});
+	// Keep the chain alive even when an attempt fails; the caller awaiting
+	// this attempt still observes its own outcome.
+	restoreChain = attempt.catch(() => {});
+	await attempt;
+}
+
 /**
  * Reactive audio controls hook.
  *
@@ -420,13 +673,29 @@ export function useAudio(): AudioControls {
 	// Initialize backend on first use
 	ensureBackend();
 
-	// Sync initial speed from app store
+	// Sync initial speed/volume from app store (reuse the previous session's
+	// playback levels; defaults are 1x and 100%).
 	if (refCount === 0) {
 		const appStore = useAppStore();
 		const storeSpeed = appStore.state().settings.playbackSpeed;
 		if (storeSpeed && storeSpeed !== speed()) {
 			setSpeed(storeSpeed);
 		}
+
+		// Volume re-syncs once settings finish loading (async config read)
+		// so a level persisted last session is applied at boot.
+		appStore
+			.whenReady()
+			.then(() => {
+				const storeVolume = appStore.state().settings.volume;
+				if (storeVolume !== undefined && storeVolume !== volume()) {
+					setVolume(storeVolume);
+				}
+			})
+			.catch(() => {});
+
+		// Restore the last player session once at boot (loaded, not playing).
+		restoreLastSession().catch(() => {});
 	}
 
 	refCount++;
@@ -574,6 +843,7 @@ export function useAudio(): AudioControls {
 		availablePlayers,
 
 		play,
+		load,
 		pause,
 		resume,
 		togglePlayback,

src/hooks/useMultimediaKeys.ts

@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ export function useMultimediaKeys(options: MultimediaKeysOptions = {}) {
 				break;
 
 			case "s":
+				// Speed is shift+s (S) so plain `s` stays free for search.
+				if (!key.shift) return;
 				emit("media.speedCycle", {});
 				break;
 

src/index.tsx

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import type { Feed } from "./types/feed"
 import type { Episode } from "./types/episode"
 
-const VERSION = "0.4.0";
+const VERSION = "0.5.1";
 
 interface CliArgs {
 	version: boolean;

src/pages/Feed/FeedPage.tsx

@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ function FeedPage() {
 	// loaded window by 50 episodes. manual mode: Enter on the row. auto mode:
 	// reaching the bottom row fetches automatically (see the effect below).
 	const app = useAppStore();
-	const fetchMoreMode = () => app.state().preferences.fetchMoreMode ?? "manual";
+	const fetchMoreMode = () => app.state().preferences.fetchMoreMode ?? "auto";
 	const showFetchMore = () => feedStore.hasMoreAcrossAll();
 	// Total navigable rows: episodes + the optional Fetch More row.
 	const rowCount = () => episodes().length + (showFetchMore() ? 1 : 0);

src/pages/MyShows/MyShowsPage.tsx

@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import { useAudio } from "@/hooks/useAudio";
 import { on, off } from "@/utils/event-bus";
 import { NF_ICONS, supportsNerdFonts } from "@/utils/nerd-fonts";
 import type { KeybindActionName } from "@/context/KeybindContext";
-import type { Episode } from "@/types/episode";
+import type { Episode, DownloadedEpisode } from "@/types/episode";
 import type { Feed } from "@/types/feed";
 import { LoadingIndicator } from "@/components/LoadingIndicator";
 import { PaneRow } from "@/components/PaneRow";
@@ -62,9 +62,28 @@ export function MyShowsPage() {
 
 	const shows = () => feedStore.getFilteredFeeds();
 
+	// Downloads of shows that are NOT subscribed (made from episode search) —
+	// listed as their own section under the shows list. Reads feeds() so an
+	// entry drops out the moment the user subscribes to its show.
+	const unsubs = () => downloadStore.getUnsubscribedDownloads();
+
+	// Total depth-0 rows: subscribed shows + unsubscribed-show downloads.
+	const depth0Count = () => shows().length + unsubs().length;
+
 	const focusedShowIdx = () =>
 		shows().length === 0 ? 0 : Math.min(focus(0), shows().length - 1);
-	const selectedShow = (): Feed | undefined => shows()[focusedShowIdx()];
+	/** True when the depth-0 cursor sits on an unsubscribed-show download
+	 *  row (past the shows list). */
+	const focusedOnUnsub = () =>
+		depth() === 0 && focus(0) >= shows().length && unsubs().length > 0;
+	const focusedUnsub = (): DownloadedEpisode | undefined => {
+		if (!focusedOnUnsub()) return undefined;
+		return unsubs()[Math.min(focus(0) - shows().length, unsubs().length - 1)];
+	};
+	const selectedShow = (): Feed | undefined => {
+		if (focusedOnUnsub()) return undefined;
+		return shows()[focusedShowIdx()];
+	};
 
 	// depth-1 frame ctx = the drilled feed id
 	const drilledShowId = (): string => stack()[1]?.ctx ?? "";
@@ -83,7 +102,7 @@ export function MyShowsPage() {
 	// counterpart to the Feed page's row (which loads every feed). manual
 	// mode: Enter on the row. auto mode: reaching the bottom row fetches
 	// automatically (see the effect below).
-	const fetchMoreMode = () => app.state().preferences.fetchMoreMode ?? "manual";
+	const fetchMoreMode = () => app.state().preferences.fetchMoreMode ?? "auto";
 	const showFetchMore = () =>
 		depth() >= 1 &&
 		!!drilledShowId() &&
@@ -104,11 +123,11 @@ export function MyShowsPage() {
 		focusedOnMore() ? undefined : episodes()[focusedEpIdx()];
 	const moreRef = useScrollIntoView(() => focusedOnMore());
 
-	const curLen = () => (depth() === 0 ? shows().length : rowCount());
+	const curLen = () => (depth() === 0 ? depth0Count() : rowCount());
 
 	const ensureFocus = () => {
-		if (shows().length > 0 && focus(0) >= shows().length)
-			nav.setDepthFocus(shows().length - 1, 0);
+		if (depth() === 0 && depth0Count() > 0 && focus(0) >= depth0Count())
+			nav.setDepthFocus(depth0Count() - 1, 0);
 		if (depth() >= 1 && rowCount() > 0 && focus(1) >= rowCount())
 			nav.setDepthFocus(rowCount() - 1, 1);
 	};
@@ -116,7 +135,10 @@ export function MyShowsPage() {
 
 	onMount(() => {
 		nav.registerResolver(`${nav.activeTab()}:${DEPTH_CENTER_PANE}`, (i) => {
-			if (depth() === 0) return shows()[i]?.id;
+			if (depth() === 0) {
+				if (i < shows().length) return shows()[i]?.id;
+				return unsubs()[i - shows().length]?.episodeId;
+			}
 			return episodes()[i]?.id;
 		});
 	});
@@ -172,9 +194,31 @@ export function MyShowsPage() {
 		audioNav.setSource(AudioSource.MY_SHOWS, selectedShow()?.podcast.id);
 	};
 
+	/** Stream an unsubscribed-show download. The record carries only what was
+	 *  persisted at download time, so a minimal Episode is reconstructed. */
+	const playUnsubscribedDownload = (d: DownloadedEpisode) => {
+		audio
+			.play({
+				id: d.episodeId,
+				podcastId: d.feedId,
+				title: d.episodeTitle ?? d.episodeId,
+				description: "",
+				audioUrl: d.audioUrl ?? "",
+				duration: 0,
+				pubDate: d.pubDate ? new Date(d.pubDate) : new Date(),
+			})
+			.catch(() => {});
+		audioNav.setSource(AudioSource.SEARCH, d.feedId);
+	};
+
 	// ── drill / open ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 	function open() {
 		if (depth() === 0) {
+			const d = focusedUnsub();
+			if (d) {
+				playUnsubscribedDownload(d);
+				return;
+			}
 			const show = selectedShow();
 			if (!show) return;
 			nav.pushDepth({ kind: "episodes", ctx: show.id, focus: 0 } as DepthFrame);
@@ -215,6 +259,14 @@ export function MyShowsPage() {
 			if (ep) downloadStore.startDownload(ep, drilledShowId());
 		},
 		"delete-download": () => {
+			if (depth() === 0) {
+				const d = focusedUnsub();
+				if (d) {
+					downloadStore.cancelDownload(d.episodeId);
+					downloadStore.removeDownload(d.episodeId).catch(() => {});
+				}
+				return;
+			}
 			if (depth() < 1) return;
 			const ep = focusedEpisode();
 			if (!ep) return;
@@ -283,7 +335,9 @@ export function MyShowsPage() {
 
 	const currentLabel = () =>
 		depth() === 0
-			? `Shows (${shows().length})`
+			? `Shows (${shows().length})${
+					unsubs().length > 0 ? ` · Unsub DL (${unsubs().length})` : ""
+				}`
 			: `${selectedShow() ? showTitle(selectedShow()!) : "Episodes"} · ${episodes().length}`;
 
 	// ── parent pane: previous-depth list (muted/blank at depth 0) ─────────────
@@ -321,7 +375,7 @@ export function MyShowsPage() {
 			{/* depth 0: shows — stable sibling <Show> so the swap disposes cleanly */}
 			<Show when={depth() === 0}>
 				<Show
-					when={shows().length > 0}
+					when={depth0Count() > 0}
 					fallback={
 						<box padding={1}>
 							<text fg={muted()}>
@@ -377,6 +431,71 @@ export function MyShowsPage() {
 							);
 						}}
 					</For>
+					<Show when={unsubs().length > 0}>
+						<box paddingLeft={1} paddingTop={1}>
+							<text fg={theme.textSecondary}>
+								Unsubscribed Show Downloads
+							</text>
+						</box>
+						<For each={unsubs()}>
+							{(d, index) => {
+								// Rows continue after the shows list.
+								const rowIdx = () => shows().length + index();
+								const lf = () => nav.depthFocus(0);
+								const ref = useScrollIntoView(() => rowIdx() === lf());
+								return (
+									<box
+										ref={ref}
+										flexDirection="column"
+										gap={0}
+										paddingRight={1}
+										backgroundColor={focusBg(rowIdx(), lf(), isActive())}
+										onMouseDown={() => {
+											nav.setActivePane(DEPTH_CENTER_PANE);
+											nav.setDepthFocus(rowIdx(), 0);
+										}}
+									>
+										<box flexDirection="row" gap={1}>
+											<text
+												flexShrink={0}
+												fg={focusFg(rowIdx(), lf(), isActive())}
+											>
+												{rowIdx() === lf() ? marker() : " "}
+											</text>
+											<text
+												wrapMode="none"
+												truncate
+												fg={focusFg(rowIdx(), lf(), isActive())}
+											>
+												{d.episodeTitle ?? d.episodeId}
+											</text>
+											<Show when={downloadLabel(d.episodeId)}>
+												<text
+													flexShrink={0}
+													fg={downloadColor(d.episodeId)}
+												>
+													{downloadLabel(d.episodeId)}
+												</text>
+											</Show>
+										</box>
+										<box paddingLeft={2}>
+											<text
+												wrapMode="none"
+												truncate
+												fg={
+													rowIdx() === lf()
+														? theme.surface
+														: theme.textSecondary
+												}
+											>
+												{d.podcastTitle ?? d.feedId}
+											</text>
+										</box>
+									</box>
+								);
+							}}
+						</For>
+					</Show>
 				</Show>
 			</Show>
 			{/* depth ≥1: episodes */}
@@ -491,39 +610,78 @@ export function MyShowsPage() {
 	// ── preview pane ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 	const previewContent = () =>
 		depth() === 0 ? (
-			// depth 0 preview: hovered show
+			// depth 0 preview: hovered unsubscribed-show download, else the
+			// hovered show.
 			<Show
-				when={selectedShow()}
+				when={focusedUnsub()}
 				fallback={
-					<box padding={1}>
-						<text fg={muted()}>No show focused</text>
-					</box>
+					<Show
+						when={selectedShow()}
+						fallback={
+							<box padding={1}>
+								<text fg={muted()}>No show focused</text>
+							</box>
+						}
+					>
+						{(show) => (
+							<box flexDirection="column" gap={1} padding={1}>
+								<text fg={theme.textPrimary ?? theme.text}>
+									<strong>{showTitle(show())}</strong>
+								</text>
+								<Show when={show().podcast.author}>
+									<text fg={muted()}>by {show().podcast.author}</text>
+								</Show>
+								<text fg={theme.textSecondary}>
+									{show().episodes.length} episodes
+								</text>
+								<text fg={muted()}>
+									{show().podcast.description?.slice(0, 400) ??
+										"No description."}
+								</text>
+								<box height={1} />
+								<text fg={muted()}>
+									enter/l: open · h: back · x: unsubscribe
+									{app.state().preferences.autoDownloadScope ===
+									"whitelist"
+										? (app.state().preferences.autoDownloadWhitelist ??
+											[]
+										  ).includes(show().id)
+											? " · w: un-whitelist"
+											: " · w: whitelist"
+										: ""}
+								</text>
+							</box>
+						)}
+					</Show>
 				}
 			>
-				{(show) => (
+				{(d) => (
 					<box flexDirection="column" gap={1} padding={1}>
 						<text fg={theme.textPrimary ?? theme.text}>
-							<strong>{showTitle(show())}</strong>
+							<strong>{d().episodeTitle ?? d().episodeId}</strong>
 						</text>
-						<Show when={show().podcast.author}>
-							<text fg={muted()}>by {show().podcast.author}</text>
-						</Show>
 						<text fg={theme.textSecondary}>
-							{show().episodes.length} episodes
+							{d().podcastTitle ?? d().feedId}
 						</text>
+						<box flexDirection="row" gap={2}>
+							<Show when={d().pubDate}>
+								<text fg={theme.info}>
+									{formatDate(new Date(d().pubDate!))}
+								</text>
+							</Show>
+							<Show when={downloadLabel(d().episodeId)}>
+								<text fg={downloadColor(d().episodeId)}>
+									{downloadLabel(d().episodeId)}
+								</text>
+							</Show>
+						</box>
 						<text fg={muted()}>
-							{show().podcast.description?.slice(0, 400) ?? "No description."}
+							Downloaded from episode search — the show is not
+							subscribed.
 						</text>
 						<box height={1} />
 						<text fg={muted()}>
-							enter/l: open · h: back · x: unsubscribe
-							{app.state().preferences.autoDownloadScope === "whitelist"
-								? (app.state().preferences.autoDownloadWhitelist ??
-									[]
-								  ).includes(show().id)
-									? " · w: un-whitelist"
-									: " · w: whitelist"
-								: ""}
+							enter: play · D: delete download · h: back
 						</text>
 					</box>
 				)}

src/pages/Player/PlaybackControls.tsx

@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ export function PlaybackControls(props: PlaybackControlsProps) {
 				<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>
+					<text fg={theme.textMuted}>S</text>
 				</box>
 			</box>
 			{/* audio warnings — wrap to their own (3rd) line when the row is tight */}

src/pages/Player/PlayerPage.tsx

@@ -10,11 +10,12 @@
  * tab root.
  */
 
-import { Show } from "solid-js";
+import { Show, onMount, onCleanup } from "solid-js";
 import { PlaybackControls } from "./PlaybackControls";
 import { ProgressBar } from "./ProgressBar";
 import { RealtimeWaveform } from "./RealtimeWaveform";
 import { useAudio } from "@/hooks/useAudio";
+import { useVisualizer } from "@/stores/visualizer";
 import { useAppStore } from "@/stores/app";
 import { useTheme } from "@/context/ThemeContext";
 import { useNavigation, DEPTH_CENTER_PANE } from "@/context/NavigationContext";
@@ -27,7 +28,19 @@ export function PlayerPage() {
 	const audio = useAudio();
 	const { theme } = useTheme();
 	const nav = useNavigation();
+	const viz = useVisualizer();
+	const app = useAppStore();
 	const muted = () => theme.muted || theme.text;
+	// Settings master switch: off hides the waveform entirely (the store
+	// also stops the decode+FFT pipeline, see stores/visualizer.ts).
+	const vizEnabled = () => app.state().settings.visualizer.enabled;
+
+	// The page is mounted exactly while the Player tab is in focus (Shell
+	// renders only the active tab), so mount ⇔ focused. Report it to the
+	// visualizer store: losing focus starts the unload grace timer instead
+	// of killing the pipeline with the page; regaining focus restarts it.
+	onMount(() => viz.setFocused(true));
+	onCleanup(() => viz.setFocused(false));
 
 	const isActive = () => nav.activePane() === DEPTH_CENTER_PANE;
 
@@ -82,18 +95,9 @@ export function PlayerPage() {
 
 						<ProgressBar />
 
-						<RealtimeWaveform
-							visualizerConfig={(() => {
-								const viz = useAppStore().state().settings.visualizer;
-								// bars is width-derived in RealtimeWaveform; pass only the
-								// audio-processing params here.
-								return {
-									noiseReduction: viz.noiseReduction,
-									lowCutOff: viz.lowCutOff,
-									highCutOff: viz.highCutOff,
-								};
-							})()}
-						/>
+						<Show when={vizEnabled()}>
+							<RealtimeWaveform />
+						</Show>
 					</box>
 				)}
 			</Show>

src/pages/Player/RealtimeWaveform.tsx

@@ -1,55 +1,30 @@
 /**
- * RealtimeWaveform — live audio frequency visualization using cavacore.
+ * RealtimeWaveform — renders the shared visualizer pipeline state.
  *
- * Spawns an independent ffmpeg
- * process to decode the audio stream, feeds PCM samples through cavacore
- * for FFT analysis, and renders frequency bars as colored terminal
- * characters at ~30fps.
+ * The pipeline (ffmpeg decode + cavacore FFT) lives in the module-level
+ * visualizer store (`@/stores/visualizer`), not in this component, so it
+ * survives PlayerPage unmounts: leaving the Player tab keeps the waveform
+ * warm for VISUALIZER_UNLOAD_DELAY_MS, then the store tears it down.
+ *
+ * This component only subscribes to store state, reports the width-derived
+ * bar count (terminal resize re-inits the running pipeline), and renders:
+ * a braille spinner while the pipeline is loading its first frames, the
+ * frequency bars once frames arrive, and a dotted placeholder when idle.
  */
 
-import { createSignal, createEffect, onCleanup, on, untrack } from "solid-js";
+import { createEffect, on } from "solid-js";
 import { useTerminalDimensions } from "@opentui/solid";
-import {
-	loadCavaCore,
-	type CavaCore,
-	type CavaCoreConfig,
-} from "@/utils/cavacore";
-import { AudioStreamReader } from "@/utils/audio-stream-reader";
-import { BAR_LEVELS, barChars, createBarScaler } from "@/utils/bar-mapping";
-import { useAudio } from "@/hooks/useAudio";
+import { useVisualizer } from "@/stores/visualizer";
 import { useTheme } from "@/context/ThemeContext";
+import { LoadingIndicator } from "@/components/LoadingIndicator";
+import { BAR_LEVELS, barChars } from "@/utils/bar-mapping";
 import { PANE_RATIO } from "@/utils/navigation";
 
-// ── Types ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-
-export type RealtimeWaveformProps = {
-	visualizerConfig?: Partial<CavaCoreConfig>;
-};
-
-/** Target frame interval in ms (~30 fps) */
-const FRAME_INTERVAL = 33;
-
-/** Number of PCM samples to read per frame (512 is a good FFT window) */
-const SAMPLES_PER_FRAME = 512;
-
 // ── Component ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-export function RealtimeWaveform(props: RealtimeWaveformProps) {
+export function RealtimeWaveform() {
 	const { theme } = useTheme();
-	const audio = useAudio();
-
-	// Frequency bar values (0.0–1.0 per bar)
-	const [barData, setBarData] = createSignal<number[]>([]);
-
-	// Peak-follower scaler replaces cava's autosens: normalizes each FFT
-	// frame against the running peak so a loud start can't pin every bar
-	// at full height and quiet content still gets normalized up.
-	const scaler = createBarScaler();
-
-	let cava: CavaCore | null = null;
-	let reader: AudioStreamReader | null = null;
-	let frameTimer: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
-	let sampleBuffer: Float64Array | null = null;
+	const viz = useVisualizer();
 
 	// Bar count scales with terminal width so the waveform fills its pane.
 	// The player is a 2-pane row: current column = (current+preview) of
@@ -68,181 +43,25 @@ export function RealtimeWaveform(props: RealtimeWaveformProps) {
 		);
 	};
 
-	// ── Lifecycle: init cavacore once ──────────────────────────────────
-
-	const initCava = () => {
-		if (cava) return true;
-
-		cava = loadCavaCore();
-		if (!cava) {
-			return false;
-		}
-
-		return true;
-	};
-
-	// ── Smooth position clock ──────────────────────────────────────────
-	//
-	// audio.position() updates at the useAudio poll rate (~150ms). Between
-	// polls, interpolate the position from wall time so the FFT window
-	// tracks the audio continuously instead of stepping. The 0.5s cap
-	// prevents extrapolating far beyond reality when the player stalls
-	// (e.g. network re-buffering).
-
-	let lastPolledPosition = 0;
-	let lastPolledAt = 0;
-	const smoothPosition = () => {
-		const pos = audio.position();
-		const now = performance.now();
-		if (pos !== lastPolledPosition) {
-			lastPolledPosition = pos;
-			lastPolledAt = now;
-			return pos;
-		}
-		if (lastPolledAt === 0) return pos;
-		const elapsed = Math.min((now - lastPolledAt) / 1000, 0.5);
-		return lastPolledPosition + elapsed * (audio.speed() ?? 1);
-	};
-
-	// ── Start/stop the visualization pipeline ──────────────────────────
-
-	const startVisualization = (url: string, position: number, speed: number) => {
-		stopVisualization();
-
-		if (!url || !initCava() || !cava) return;
-
-		// Initialize cavacore with current resolution + any overrides.
-		// bars is width-derived (see numBars); visualizerConfig supplies the
-		// audio-processing params (noise reduction, cutoffs, etc.).
-		// autosens is disabled (after the spread so it always wins): cava's
-		// autosens gain-ramps during silence then clips everything to 1.0
-		// when audio arrives — the JS peak scaler handles dynamics instead.
-		const config: CavaCoreConfig = {
-			bars: numBars(),
-			sampleRate: 44100,
-			channels: 1,
-			...props.visualizerConfig,
-			autosens: 0,
-		};
-		cava.init(config);
-
-		// Pre-warm the FFT window: libcavacore's window is malloc'd
-		// uninitialized, so the first real frame would FFT garbage and
-		// render full-scale bars. One zero frame the size of the whole
-		// input buffer clears it (at 44.1kHz mono the window is 8192
-		// samples — FFTbassbufferSize × channels; a 512-sample frame would
-		// leave the tail garbage).
-		cava.execute(new Float64Array(8192));
-
-		// Pre-allocate sample read buffer
-		sampleBuffer = new Float64Array(SAMPLES_PER_FRAME);
-
-		// Start ffmpeg decode stream (reuse reader if same URL, else create new)
-		if (!reader || reader.url !== url) {
-			if (reader) reader.stop();
-			reader = new AudioStreamReader({ url });
-		}
-		reader.start(position, speed);
-
-		frameTimer = setInterval(renderFrame, FRAME_INTERVAL);
-	};
-
-	const stopVisualization = () => {
-		if (frameTimer) {
-			clearInterval(frameTimer);
-			frameTimer = null;
-		}
-		if (reader) {
-			reader.stop();
-			// Don't null reader — we reuse it across start/stop cycles
-		}
-		if (cava?.isReady) {
-			cava.destroy();
-		}
-		sampleBuffer = null;
-	};
-
-	// ── Render loop (called at ~30fps) ─────────────────────────────────
-
-	const renderFrame = () => {
-		if (!cava?.isReady || !reader?.running || !sampleBuffer) return;
-
-		// Sample the FFT window at the player's position, not the decode
-		// head — the reader decodes independently (paced at the player's
-		// clock rate with a LEAD_SECONDS burst head start) and only the
-		// position clock ties the bars to what's actually playing.
-		const target = smoothPosition();
-		const count = reader.read(sampleBuffer, target);
-		// Never feed a partial FFT window to cava.
-		if (count < sampleBuffer.length) return;
-
-		const output = cava.execute(sampleBuffer);
-
-		// Normalize against the running peak and copy to a new array
-		setBarData(scaler(output));
-	};
-
-	createEffect(
-		on(
-			[
-				audio.isPlaying,
-				() => audio.currentEpisode()?.audioUrl ?? "",
-				audio.speed,
-				numBars,
-			],
-			([playing, url, speed]) => {
-				if (playing && url) {
-					const pos = untrack(audio.position);
-					startVisualization(url, pos, speed);
-				} else {
-					stopVisualization();
-				}
-			},
-		),
-	);
-
-	// ── Seek detection: lightweight effect for position jumps ──────────
-	//
-	// Watches position and restarts the reader (not the whole pipeline)
-	// only on significant jumps (>2s), which indicate a user seek.
-	// This is intentionally a separate effect — it should NOT trigger a
-	// full pipeline restart, just restart the ffmpeg stream at the new pos.
-
-	let lastSyncPosition = 0;
-	createEffect(
-		on(audio.position, (pos) => {
-			if (!audio.isPlaying || !reader?.running) {
-				lastSyncPosition = pos;
-				return;
-			}
-
-			const delta = Math.abs(pos - lastSyncPosition);
-			lastSyncPosition = pos;
-
-			if (delta > 2) {
-				reader.restart(pos, audio.speed() ?? 1);
-			}
-		}),
-	);
-
-	onCleanup(() => {
-		stopVisualization();
-		if (reader) {
-			reader.stop();
-			reader = null;
-		}
-		// Don't null cava itself — it can be reused. But do destroy its plan.
-		if (cava?.isReady) {
-			cava.destroy();
-		}
-	});
+	// Keep the store's bar count in sync with the terminal width; the store
+	// re-inits the running pipeline when it changes (terminal resize).
+	createEffect(on(numBars, (n) => viz.setBarCount(n)));
 
 	// ── Rendering ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 	const renderLine = () => {
-		const bars = barData();
+		const bars = viz.barData();
 		const count = numBars();
 
+		// Loading state: the braille spinner shows while the pipeline warms
+		// up — but only when there are no bars to render yet (first play /
+		// after an unload). On resume/seek the last bars stay on screen
+		// until fresh frames arrive, so the waveform never blanks out for
+		// the (multi-second, network-bound) cold start.
+		if (bars.length === 0 && viz.isLoading()) {
+			return <LoadingIndicator />;
+		}
+
 		if (bars.length === 0) {
 			const placeholder = ".".repeat(count);
 			return (

src/pages/Search/SearchPage.tsx

@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ import {
 } from "solid-js";
 import { useSearchStore } from "@/stores/search";
 import { useFeedStore } from "@/stores/feed";
+import { useDownloadStore } from "@/stores/download";
+import { useAudio } from "@/hooks/useAudio";
+import { useAudioNavStore, AudioSource } from "@/stores/audio-nav";
+import { DownloadStatus } from "@/types/episode";
 import { useToast } from "@/ui/toast";
 import { format } from "date-fns";
 import { useTheme } from "@/context/ThemeContext";
@@ -55,6 +59,9 @@ export const SearchPaneCount = 1;
 function SearchPage() {
 	const searchStore = useSearchStore();
 	const feedStore = useFeedStore();
+	const downloadStore = useDownloadStore();
+	const audio = useAudio();
+	const audioNav = useAudioNavStore();
 	const toast = useToast();
 	const [inputValue, setInputValue] = createSignal("");
 	const { theme } = useTheme();
@@ -134,6 +141,35 @@ function SearchPage() {
 	// ── helpers ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 	const formatDate = (d: Date) => format(d, "MMM d, yyyy");
 
+	const downloadLabel = (id: string) => {
+		switch (downloadStore.getDownloadStatus(id)) {
+			case DownloadStatus.QUEUED:
+				return "[Q]";
+			case DownloadStatus.DOWNLOADING:
+				return `[${downloadStore.getDownloadProgress(id)}%]`;
+			case DownloadStatus.COMPLETED:
+				return "[DL]";
+			case DownloadStatus.FAILED:
+				return "[ERR]";
+			default:
+				return "";
+		}
+	};
+	const downloadColor = (id: string) => {
+		switch (downloadStore.getDownloadStatus(id)) {
+			case DownloadStatus.QUEUED:
+				return theme.warning;
+			case DownloadStatus.DOWNLOADING:
+				return theme.primary;
+			case DownloadStatus.COMPLETED:
+				return theme.success;
+			case DownloadStatus.FAILED:
+				return theme.error;
+			default:
+				return muted();
+		}
+	};
+
 	const runSearch = (query: string) => {
 		const q = query.trim();
 		if (!q) return;
@@ -185,6 +221,59 @@ function SearchPage() {
 		if (feed) searchStore.markSubscribed(result.podcast.id);
 	};
 
+	/** The subscribed feed backing a search result, if any (matched by
+	 *  directory id or feed URL). */
+	const feedForResult = (r: SearchResult) =>
+		feedStore.feeds().find(
+			(f) =>
+				f.podcast.id === r.podcast.id ||
+				(!!r.podcast.feedUrl && f.podcast.feedUrl === r.podcast.feedUrl),
+		);
+
+	/** Download the focused episode: under its subscribed feed when the show
+	 *  is subscribed, otherwise as an "unsubscribed show" download (listed
+	 *  under Unsubscribed Show Downloads in My Shows / the download manager). */
+	const downloadFocusedEpisode = () => {
+		if (depth() !== 1) return;
+		const r = focusedResult();
+		if (!r || r.kind !== "episode") return;
+		const feed = feedForResult(r);
+		if (feed) downloadStore.startDownload(r.episode, feed.id);
+		else downloadStore.startUnsubscribedDownload(r.episode, r.podcast);
+	};
+
+	const playFocusedEpisode = () => {
+		if (depth() !== 1) return;
+		const r = focusedResult();
+		if (!r || r.kind !== "episode") return;
+		audio.play(r.episode).catch(() => {});
+		audioNav.setSource(AudioSource.SEARCH, r.podcast.id);
+	};
+
+	const unsubscribeFocused = () => {
+		if (depth() !== 1) return;
+		const r = focusedResult();
+		if (!r || !r.podcast.isSubscribed) return;
+		const feed = feedForResult(r);
+		if (feed) {
+			feedStore.removeFeed(feed.id);
+			downloadStore
+				.removeDownloadsForFeed(feed.id, feed.podcast.feedUrl || undefined)
+				.catch(() => {});
+			searchStore.markUnsubscribed(r.podcast.id, r.podcast.feedUrl);
+		}
+	};
+
+	/** Subscribe the focused result's show in place (episode or podcast
+	 *  result). `enter` plays episodes regardless of subscription, so an
+	 *  unsubscribed show's episode needs this explicit path. */
+	const subscribeFocused = () => {
+		if (depth() !== 1) return;
+		const r = focusedResult();
+		if (!r || r.podcast.isSubscribed) return;
+		handleSubscribe(r);
+	};
+
 	// ── nav.action handler ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 	const PAGE_ACTIONS: Partial<Record<KeybindActionName, () => void>> = {
 		"move-down": () => step(1),
@@ -205,6 +294,18 @@ function SearchPage() {
 					);
 			}
 		},
+		download: () => downloadFocusedEpisode(),
+		"delete-download": () => {
+			if (depth() !== 1) return;
+			const r = focusedResult();
+			if (!r || r.kind !== "episode") return;
+			const id = r.episode.id;
+			if (downloadStore.getDownloadStatus(id) === DownloadStatus.NONE) return;
+			downloadStore.cancelDownload(id);
+			downloadStore.removeDownload(id).catch(() => {});
+		},
+		unsubscribe: () => unsubscribeFocused(),
+		subscribe: () => subscribeFocused(),
 		search: () => {
 			// `s` refocuses the query input (typing mode) when on the query depth.
 			if (depth() === 0) nav.setInputFocused(true);
@@ -230,7 +331,15 @@ function SearchPage() {
 		}
 		if (depth() === 1) {
 			const r = focusedResult();
-			if (r) handleSubscribe(r);
+			if (!r) return;
+			if (r.kind === "episode") {
+				// Any episode result streams directly — subscribed or not
+				// (matches Feed/My Shows). `a` subscribes an unsubscribed
+				// show's episode in place.
+				playFocusedEpisode();
+				return;
+			}
+			handleSubscribe(r);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -474,6 +583,13 @@ function SearchPage() {
 						{(result, index) => {
 							const fi = () => focusedResultIdx();
 							const ref = useScrollIntoView(() => index() === fi());
+							// Episode download status badge ("" when absent).
+							const dlLabel = () =>
+								result.kind === "episode"
+									? downloadLabel(result.episode.id)
+									: "";
+							const dlEpId = () =>
+								result.kind === "episode" ? result.episode.id : "";
 							return (
 								<box
 									ref={ref}
@@ -495,6 +611,11 @@ function SearchPage() {
 												? result.episode.title
 												: result.podcast.title}
 										</text>
+										<Show when={dlLabel()}>
+											<text fg={downloadColor(dlEpId())}>
+												{dlLabel()}
+											</text>
+										</Show>
 										<Show when={result.podcast.isSubscribed}>
 											<text
 												fg={index() === fi() ? theme.surface : theme.success}
@@ -576,9 +697,16 @@ function SearchPage() {
 										{(r.episode.description?.length ?? 0) > 400 ? "…" : ""}
 									</text>
 								</Show>
-								<text fg={muted()}>
-									Published: {formatDate(r.episode.pubDate)}
-								</text>
+								<box flexDirection="row" gap={2}>
+									<text fg={muted()}>
+										Published: {formatDate(r.episode.pubDate)}
+									</text>
+									<Show when={downloadLabel(r.episode.id)}>
+										<text fg={downloadColor(r.episode.id)}>
+											{downloadLabel(r.episode.id)}
+										</text>
+									</Show>
+								</box>
 								<Show when={(r.podcast.categories ?? []).length > 0}>
 									<box flexDirection="row" gap={1}>
 										<For each={(r.podcast.categories ?? []).slice(0, 4)}>
@@ -591,15 +719,31 @@ function SearchPage() {
 								</Show>
 								<box height={1} />
 								<Show when={!r.podcast.isSubscribed}>
-									<text fg={theme.primary}>[+] Subscribe (enter)</text>
+									<text fg={theme.primary}>[+] Subscribe (a)</text>
 								</Show>
 								<Show when={r.podcast.isSubscribed}>
-									<text fg={theme.success}>Already subscribed</text>
+									<text fg={theme.success}>
+										Subscribed · x: unsubscribe
+									</text>
 								</Show>
 								<box height={1} />
-								<text fg={muted()}>
-									enter: subscribe to show · h: back to query
-								</text>
+								<Show
+									when={r.podcast.isSubscribed}
+									fallback={
+										<text fg={muted()}>
+											enter: play · a: subscribe · d: download · h: back to query
+										</text>
+									}
+								>
+									<text fg={muted()}>
+										enter: play · d: download · x: unsubscribe
+										{downloadStore.getDownloadStatus(r.episode.id) !==
+										DownloadStatus.NONE
+											? " · D: delete"
+											: ""}{" "}
+										· h: back to query
+									</text>
+								</Show>
 							</box>
 						);
 					}
@@ -640,10 +784,16 @@ function SearchPage() {
 								<text fg={theme.primary}>[+] Subscribe (enter)</text>
 							</Show>
 							<Show when={r.podcast.isSubscribed}>
-								<text fg={theme.success}>Already subscribed</text>
+								<text fg={theme.success}>
+									Subscribed · x: unsubscribe
+								</text>
 							</Show>
 							<box height={1} />
-							<text fg={muted()}>enter: subscribe · h: back to query</text>
+							<text fg={muted()}>
+								enter: subscribe
+								{r.podcast.isSubscribed ? " · x: unsubscribe" : ""}{" "}
+								· h: back to query
+							</text>
 						</box>
 					);
 				}}

src/pages/Settings/DownloadManager.tsx

@@ -1,14 +1,19 @@
 /**
  * DownloadManager — exposes downloads as SettingItems for the depth-stack.
  *
- *   • "Delete All Downloads"   — action item; Enter wipes every download.
- *   • one item per show        — action item; Enter deletes all that show's
- *                               downloads (file + metadata, aborts in-flight).
- *   • one item per episode     — action item; Enter deletes a single download.
+ *   • "Delete All Downloads"      — action item; Enter wipes every download.
+ *   • one item per subscribed show — action item; Enter deletes all that
+ *                                   show's downloads (file + metadata, aborts
+ *                                   in-flight).
+ *   • "Unsubscribed Show Downloads" — downloads made from episode search for
+ *                                   shows that aren't subscribed, grouped
+ *                                   under their own header.
+ *   • one item per episode        — action item; Enter deletes a single download.
  *
  * Titles resolve from the feed store at render time (reactive), falling back
- * to the episode id when the feed is no longer loaded. Movement flows through
- * nav.action — no own useKeyboard (matches the other panels).
+ * to the persisted episode/show titles for unsubscribed-show downloads.
+ * Movement flows through nav.action — no own useKeyboard (matches the other
+ * panels).
  */
 
 import { useFeedStore } from "@/stores/feed";
@@ -40,23 +45,26 @@ function statusLabel(s: DownloadStatus): string {
 	}
 }
 
-/** Episode title for a download, resolved from the feed store (reactive). */
+/** Episode title for a download, resolved from the feed store (reactive);
+ *  falls back to the persisted title (kept for unsubscribed-show downloads). */
 function episodeTitle(
 	feedStore: ReturnType<typeof useFeedStore>,
 	d: DownloadedEpisode,
 ): string {
 	const feed = feedStore.getFeed(d.feedId);
 	const ep = feed?.episodes.find((e) => e.id === d.episodeId);
-	return ep?.title ?? d.episodeId;
+	return ep?.title ?? d.episodeTitle ?? d.episodeId;
 }
 
-/** Show title for a download's feed id. */
+/** Show title for a download's feed id; falls back to the persisted show
+ *  title (unsubscribed-show downloads have no feed to resolve from). */
 function feedTitle(
 	feedStore: ReturnType<typeof useFeedStore>,
-	feedId: string,
+	d: DownloadedEpisode,
 ): string {
-	const feed = feedStore.getFeed(feedId);
-	return feed ? feed.customName || feed.podcast.title : feedId;
+	const feed = feedStore.getFeed(d.feedId);
+	if (feed) return feed.customName || feed.podcast.title;
+	return d.podcastTitle ?? d.feedId;
 }
 
 export function useDownloadItems(): SettingItem[] {
@@ -82,9 +90,15 @@ export function useDownloadItems(): SettingItem[] {
 		},
 	];
 
-	// Group downloads by feed so each show gets a delete-by-show item.
+	// Group downloads by feed so each subscribed show gets a delete-by-show
+	// item. Unsubscribed-show downloads (search downloads, synthetic feed
+	// ids) are kept out of these groups and listed under their own section
+	// below.
+	const unsubscribed = downloadStore.getUnsubscribedDownloads();
+	const unsubscribedIds = new Set(unsubscribed.map((d) => d.episodeId));
 	const byFeed = new Map<string, DownloadedEpisode[]>();
 	for (const d of downloads()) {
+		if (unsubscribedIds.has(d.episodeId)) continue;
 		const arr = byFeed.get(d.feedId) ?? [];
 		arr.push(d);
 		byFeed.set(d.feedId, arr);
@@ -93,25 +107,54 @@ export function useDownloadItems(): SettingItem[] {
 		const size = eps.reduce((s, e) => s + e.fileSize, 0);
 		items.push({
 			id: `feed:${feedId}`,
-			label: `Show: ${feedTitle(feedStore, feedId)}`,
+			label: `Show: ${feedTitle(feedStore, eps[0])}`,
 			kind: "action",
 			display: () => `${eps.length} · ${fmtBytes(size)}`,
 			help: () =>
 				`Delete all ${eps.length} downloads for this show (files + metadata,\naborts any in-flight transfers). Enter to run.`,
 			run: () => {
-				downloadStore.removeDownloadsForFeed(feedId).catch(() => {});
+				downloadStore
+					.removeDownloadsForFeed(feedId, eps[0].podcastFeedUrl)
+					.catch(() => {});
 			},
 		});
 	}
 
-	// One item per individual episode download.
+	// Unsubscribed-show downloads: a section header + one item per episode.
+	if (unsubscribed.length > 0) {
+		items.push({
+			id: "unsubscribed-header",
+			label: "Unsubscribed Show Downloads",
+			kind: "info",
+			display: () => `${unsubscribed.length} files`,
+			help: () =>
+				`Downloads made from episode search for shows that are not\nsubscribed. Subscribe to a show and these move into its group.`,
+		});
+	}
+	for (const d of unsubscribed) {
+		items.push({
+			id: `unsub:${d.episodeId}`,
+			label: episodeTitle(feedStore, d),
+			kind: "action",
+			display: () =>
+				`${feedTitle(feedStore, d)} · ${statusLabel(d.status)} · ${fmtBytes(d.fileSize)}`,
+			help: () =>
+				`Delete this single download (file + metadata). Enter to run.`,
+			run: () => {
+				downloadStore.removeDownload(d.episodeId).catch(() => {});
+			},
+		});
+	}
+
+	// One item per individual (subscribed-show) episode download.
 	for (const d of downloads()) {
+		if (unsubscribedIds.has(d.episodeId)) continue;
 		items.push({
 			id: `ep:${d.episodeId}`,
 			label: episodeTitle(feedStore, d),
 			kind: "action",
 			display: () =>
-				`${feedTitle(feedStore, d.feedId)} · ${statusLabel(d.status)} · ${fmtBytes(d.fileSize)}`,
+				`${feedTitle(feedStore, d)} · ${statusLabel(d.status)} · ${fmtBytes(d.fileSize)}`,
 			help: () =>
 				`Delete this single download (file + metadata). Enter to run.`,
 			run: () => {

src/pages/Settings/PreferencesPanel.tsx

@@ -211,14 +211,40 @@ export function usePreferencesItems(): SettingItem[] {
 			kind: "select",
 			display: () => (prefs().fetchMoreMode === "auto" ? "Auto" : "Manual"),
 			help: () =>
-				`How the Feed and per-show episode lists load older episodes.\nManual: a "[Fetch More]" button at the bottom of the list.\nAuto: fetches automatically when reaching the bottom.\nType: select\nDefault: manual\nCurrent: ${prefs().fetchMoreMode === "auto" ? "Auto" : "Manual"}\nCycle with j/k; Enter to apply.`,
+				`How the Feed and per-show episode lists load older episodes.\nManual: a "[Fetch More]" button at the bottom of the list.\nAuto: fetches automatically when reaching the bottom.\nType: select\nDefault: auto\nCurrent: ${prefs().fetchMoreMode === "auto" ? "Auto" : "Manual"}\nCycle with j/k; Enter to apply.`,
 			cycle: (dir) => {
 				const modes: Array<"manual" | "auto"> = ["manual", "auto"];
-				const idx = modes.indexOf(prefs().fetchMoreMode ?? "manual");
+				const idx = modes.indexOf(prefs().fetchMoreMode ?? "auto");
 				const next = modes[(idx + dir + modes.length) % modes.length];
 				app.updatePreferences({ fetchMoreMode: next });
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			id: "refreshInterval",
+			label: "Feed Refresh Interval",
+			kind: "number",
+			display: () => `${prefs().refreshIntervalMinutes} min`,
+			help: () =>
+				`How often subscribed feeds are re-fetched in the background, so new episodes appear without a restart or manual refresh (r).\nType: number (1–120 minutes)\nDefault: 30\nCurrent: ${prefs().refreshIntervalMinutes} min\nj/k to −/+5 · Enter to type a value.`,
+			cycle: (dir) => {
+				const next = Math.min(
+					120,
+					Math.max(1, prefs().refreshIntervalMinutes + dir * 5),
+				);
+				app.updatePreferences({ refreshIntervalMinutes: next });
+			},
+			renderEditor: () => (
+				<NumberInputEditor
+					label="Feed Refresh Interval (minutes)"
+					value={() => prefs().refreshIntervalMinutes}
+					commit={(n) => {
+						app.updatePreferences({
+							refreshIntervalMinutes: Math.min(120, n),
+						});
+					}}
+				/>
+			),
+		},
 	];
 
 	// Whitelist management only appears while scope is set to "whitelist".

src/pages/Settings/SettingsPage.tsx

@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ const SECTIONS: SettingsSectionDef[] = [
 	{
 		id: 3,
 		label: "Visualizer",
-		description: "Audio visualizer: bars, sensitivity, cutoffs.",
+		description: "Audio visualizer: on/off, bars, sensitivity, cutoffs.",
 		icon: NF_ICONS.visualizer,
 	},
 	{

src/pages/Settings/VisualizerSettings.tsx

@@ -11,6 +11,15 @@ export function useVisualizerItems(): SettingItem[] {
 	const viz = () => app.state().settings.visualizer;
 
 	return [
+		{
+			id: "enabled",
+			label: "Waveform",
+			kind: "toggle",
+			display: () => (viz().enabled ? "On" : "Off"),
+			help: () =>
+				`Realtime waveform visualizer in the player.\nType: toggle\nDefault: on\nCurrent: ${viz().enabled ? "on" : "off"}\nSpace/Enter to toggle.`,
+			toggle: () => app.updateVisualizer({ enabled: !viz().enabled }),
+		},
 		{
 			id: "bars",
 			label: "Bars",

src/stores/app.ts

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import {
 } from "../utils/app-persistence";
 
 const defaultVisualizerSettings: VisualizerSettings = {
+	enabled: true,
 	bars: 64,
 	sensitivity: 1,
 	noiseReduction: 0.77,
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ const defaultSettings: AppSettings = {
 	theme: "system",
 	fontSize: 14,
 	playbackSpeed: 1,
+	volume: 1,
 	downloadPath: "",
 	transparentBackground: false,
 	showSelectionMarker: false,
@@ -41,7 +43,8 @@ const defaultPreferences: UserPreferences = {
 	autoDownloadScope: "all",
 	autoDownloadWhitelist: [],
 	autoJumpToPlayer: true,
-	fetchMoreMode: "manual",
+	fetchMoreMode: "auto",
+	refreshIntervalMinutes: 30,
 };
 
 const defaultState: AppState = {
@@ -54,12 +57,14 @@ function createAppStore() {
 	// Start with defaults; async load will update once ready
 	const [state, setState] = createSignal<AppState>(defaultState);
 
-	// Fire-and-forget async initialisation
+	// Fire-and-forget async initialisation; the promise is exposed via
+	// whenReady() so boot-time consumers (audio-level restore) can await
+	// the config read before reading settings.
 	const init = async () => {
 		const loaded = await loadAppStateFromFile();
 		setState(loaded);
 	};
-	init();
+	const appInit = init();
 
 	const saveState = (next: AppState) => {
 		saveAppStateToFile(next);
@@ -118,6 +123,8 @@ function createAppStore() {
 
 	return {
 		state,
+		/** Resolves once persisted settings are loaded from disk. */
+		whenReady: () => appInit,
 		updateSettings,
 		updatePreferences,
 		updateCustomTheme,

src/stores/download.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { createSignal } from "solid-js";
 import { DownloadStatus } from "../types/episode";
 import type { DownloadedEpisode } from "../types/episode";
 import type { Episode } from "../types/episode";
+import type { Podcast } from "../types/podcast";
 import { downloadEpisode } from "../utils/episode-downloader";
 import { ensureConfigDir, getConfigFilePath } from "../utils/config-dir";
 import { useFeedStore } from "./feed";
@@ -17,6 +18,24 @@ import { useFeedStore } from "./feed";
 const DOWNLOADS_FILE = "downloads.json";
 const MAX_CONCURRENT = 2;
 
+/** Prefix for synthetic feed ids of unsubscribed-show downloads (search
+ *  downloads). The id doubles as the file subdirectory name, so it must be
+ *  filesystem-safe. */
+const UNSUBSCRIBED_FEED_PREFIX = "unsub-";
+
+/** Deterministic synthetic feed id for a show that isn't subscribed: groups
+ *  its search downloads together (and names their file subdirectory) without
+ *  colliding with real feed ids (UUIDs). */
+function unsubscribedFeedId(podcast: Pick<Podcast, "feedUrl" | "title">): string {
+	const base = podcast.feedUrl || podcast.title;
+	const slug = base
+		.toLowerCase()
+		.replace(/[^a-z0-9]+/g, "-")
+		.replace(/^-+|-+$/g, "")
+		.slice(0, 48);
+	return `${UNSUBSCRIBED_FEED_PREFIX}${slug || "podcast"}`;
+}
+
 /** Serializable download record for persistence */
 interface DownloadRecord {
 	episodeId: string;
@@ -28,6 +47,12 @@ interface DownloadRecord {
 	error: string | null;
 	audioUrl: string;
 	episodeTitle: string;
+	/** ISO publication date, for unsubscribed-show downloads. */
+	pubDate?: string;
+	/** Show title, for downloads whose show isn't subscribed. */
+	podcastTitle?: string;
+	/** The show's RSS feed URL (re-classifies the download once subscribed). */
+	podcastFeedUrl?: string;
 }
 
 /** Queue item for pending downloads */
@@ -81,6 +106,11 @@ function createDownloadStore() {
 					speed: 0,
 					fileSize: rec.fileSize,
 					error: rec.error,
+					episodeTitle: rec.episodeTitle || undefined,
+					audioUrl: rec.audioUrl || undefined,
+					pubDate: rec.pubDate || undefined,
+					podcastTitle: rec.podcastTitle || undefined,
+					podcastFeedUrl: rec.podcastFeedUrl || undefined,
 				});
 			}
 			return map;
@@ -106,8 +136,11 @@ function createDownloadStore() {
 					downloadedAt: dl.downloadedAt?.toISOString() ?? null,
 					fileSize: dl.fileSize,
 					error: dl.error,
-					audioUrl: qItem?.audioUrl ?? "",
-					episodeTitle: qItem?.episodeTitle ?? "",
+					audioUrl: dl.audioUrl ?? qItem?.audioUrl ?? "",
+					episodeTitle: dl.episodeTitle ?? qItem?.episodeTitle ?? "",
+					pubDate: dl.pubDate,
+					podcastTitle: dl.podcastTitle,
+					podcastFeedUrl: dl.podcastFeedUrl,
 				});
 			}
 			const filePath = getConfigFilePath(DOWNLOADS_FILE);
@@ -260,8 +293,20 @@ function createDownloadStore() {
 		return null;
 	};
 
+	/** Optional metadata for a download whose show isn't subscribed (search
+	 *  downloads) — without it the record cannot render a title or be
+	 *  re-classified once the show is subscribed. */
+	interface UnsubscribedMeta {
+		podcastTitle: string;
+		podcastFeedUrl?: string;
+	}
+
 	/** Start downloading an episode */
-	const startDownload = (episode: Episode, feedId: string): void => {
+	const startDownload = (
+		episode: Episode,
+		feedId: string,
+		meta?: UnsubscribedMeta,
+	): void => {
 		const existing = downloads().get(episode.id);
 		if (
 			existing?.status === DownloadStatus.DOWNLOADING ||
@@ -280,6 +325,11 @@ function createDownloadStore() {
 			speed: 0,
 			fileSize: episode.fileSize ?? 0,
 			error: null,
+			episodeTitle: episode.title,
+			audioUrl: episode.audioUrl,
+			pubDate: episode.pubDate.toISOString(),
+			podcastTitle: meta?.podcastTitle,
+			podcastFeedUrl: meta?.podcastFeedUrl,
 		};
 
 		setDownloads((prev) => {
@@ -300,6 +350,21 @@ function createDownloadStore() {
 		processQueue();
 	};
 
+	/** Start downloading an episode of a show that is NOT subscribed. The
+	 *  download gets a deterministic synthetic feed id (also its file
+	 *  subdirectory) plus the show's metadata so it can render under
+	 *  "Unsubscribed Show Downloads" and re-classify if the user later
+	 *  subscribes to the show. */
+	const startUnsubscribedDownload = (
+		episode: Episode,
+		podcast: Podcast,
+	): void => {
+		startDownload(episode, unsubscribedFeedId(podcast), {
+			podcastTitle: podcast.title,
+			podcastFeedUrl: podcast.feedUrl || undefined,
+		});
+	};
+
 	/** Cancel a download */
 	const cancelDownload = (episodeId: string): void => {
 		// Abort active download
@@ -348,10 +413,18 @@ function createDownloadStore() {
 	};
 
 	/** Remove every download (active/queued/completed) belonging to a feed —
-	 *  abort in-flight transfers, drop queued items, delete files + metadata. */
-	const removeDownloadsForFeed = async (feedId: string): Promise<void> => {
+	 *  abort in-flight transfers, drop queued items, delete files + metadata.
+	 *  Also removes downloads of the same show made while it was unsubscribed
+	 *  (matched by podcastFeedUrl) so unsubscribing purges search downloads
+	 *  of that show too. */
+	const removeDownloadsForFeed = async (
+		feedId: string,
+		podcastFeedUrl?: string,
+	): Promise<void> => {
 		const eps = Array.from(downloads().values()).filter(
-			(d) => d.feedId === feedId,
+			(d) =>
+				d.feedId === feedId ||
+				(podcastFeedUrl && d.podcastFeedUrl === podcastFeedUrl),
 		);
 		for (const d of eps) {
 			cancelDownload(d.episodeId);
@@ -364,6 +437,24 @@ function createDownloadStore() {
 		return Array.from(downloads().values());
 	};
 
+	/** Downloads whose show is not subscribed — the "Unsubscribed Show
+	 *  Downloads" list shown in My Shows and the settings download manager.
+	 *  Reads feeds() so the list re-classifies (drops out) the moment the
+	 *  user subscribes to the show. Matched by feed id, or by the show's
+	 *  feed URL (covers downloads made before the show was subscribed). */
+	const getUnsubscribedDownloads = (): DownloadedEpisode[] => {
+		const feeds = useFeedStore().feeds();
+		return Array.from(downloads().values()).filter((d) => {
+			if (feeds.some((f) => f.id === d.feedId)) return false;
+			if (d.podcastFeedUrl) {
+				return !feeds.some(
+					(f) => f.podcast.feedUrl === d.podcastFeedUrl,
+				);
+			}
+			return true;
+		});
+	};
+
 	/** Get the current queue */
 	const getQueue = (): QueueItem[] => {
 		return queue();
@@ -381,11 +472,13 @@ function createDownloadStore() {
 		getDownload,
 		getDownloadedFilePath,
 		getAllDownloads,
+		getUnsubscribedDownloads,
 		getQueue,
 		getActiveCount,
 
 		// Actions
 		startDownload,
+		startUnsubscribedDownload,
 		cancelDownload,
 		removeDownload,
 		removeDownloadsForFeed,

src/stores/feed.ts

@@ -29,6 +29,13 @@ const MAX_EPISODES_REFRESH = 50;
 /** Max episodes to fetch on initial subscribe */
 const MAX_EPISODES_SUBSCRIBE = 20;
 
+/** Per-feed fetch timeout — a hung feed must not stall a refresh batch or
+ *  the background refresh loop. */
+const FETCH_TIMEOUT_MS = 20_000;
+
+/** Default minutes between automatic background feed refreshes. */
+const DEFAULT_REFRESH_INTERVAL_MINUTES = 30;
+
 /** Cache of all parsed episodes per feed (feedId -> Episode[]) */
 const fullEpisodeCache = new Map<string, Episode[]>();
 
@@ -201,20 +208,27 @@ function createFeedStore() {
 		);
 	};
 
-	/** Fetch latest episodes from an RSS feed URL, caching all parsed episodes */
+	/** Fetch latest episodes from an RSS feed URL, caching all parsed episodes.
+	 *  Returns NULL when the feed could not be fetched (network error, non-OK
+	 *  response, timeout) — callers must treat null as "unchanged" and keep
+	 *  the previously loaded episodes. A failed refresh must never look like
+	 *  an empty feed, or the store would wipe a subscribed show's episodes. */
 	const fetchEpisodes = async (
 		feedUrl: string,
 		limit: number,
 		feedId?: string,
-	): Promise<Episode[]> => {
+	): Promise<Episode[] | null> => {
 		try {
 			const response = await fetch(feedUrl, {
 				headers: {
 					"Accept-Encoding": "identity",
 					Accept: "application/rss+xml, application/xml, text/xml, */*",
 				},
+				// Hung feeds must not stall a refresh batch (or the background
+				// refresh loop) indefinitely.
+				signal: AbortSignal.timeout(FETCH_TIMEOUT_MS),
 			});
-			if (!response.ok) return [];
+			if (!response.ok) return null;
 			const xml = await response.text();
 			const parsed = parseRSSFeed(xml, feedUrl);
 			const allEpisodes = sortEpisodesReverseChronological(parsed.episodes);
@@ -227,7 +241,7 @@ function createFeedStore() {
 
 			return allEpisodes.slice(0, limit);
 		} catch {
-			return [];
+			return null;
 		}
 	};
 
@@ -267,7 +281,7 @@ function createFeedStore() {
 		const newFeed: Feed = {
 			id: feedId,
 			podcast,
-			episodes,
+			episodes: episodes ?? [],
 			visibility,
 			sourceId,
 			lastUpdated: new Date(),
@@ -346,6 +360,8 @@ function createFeedStore() {
 			MAX_EPISODES_REFRESH,
 			feedId,
 		);
+		// Fetch failed (null): keep the currently loaded episodes untouched.
+		if (!episodes) return;
 		setFeeds((prev) => {
 			const updated = applyRefreshedEpisodes(prev, feedId, episodes);
 			if (updated !== prev) saveFeeds(updated);
@@ -379,6 +395,8 @@ function createFeedStore() {
 			setFeeds((prev) => {
 				let updated = prev;
 				for (const [feedId, episodes] of results) {
+					// A failed fetch (null) leaves that feed untouched.
+					if (!episodes) continue;
 					updated = applyRefreshedEpisodes(updated, feedId, episodes);
 				}
 				if (updated !== prev) saveFeeds(updated);
@@ -391,9 +409,15 @@ function createFeedStore() {
 		}
 	};
 
+	// Resolves once the persisted feeds are loaded and visible to feeds() —
+	// before the background refresh so boot-time consumers (player-session
+	// restore) don't wait on the network.
+	const { promise: feedsReady, resolve: resolveFeedsReady } =
+		Promise.withResolvers<void>();
 	(async () => {
 		const loadedFeeds = await loadFeedsFromFile();
 		if (loadedFeeds.length > 0) setFeeds(loadedFeeds);
+		resolveFeedsReady();
 		const loadedSources = await loadSourcesFromFile<PodcastSource>();
 		// The default "rss" placeholder source fabricated fake search results
 		// and was removed from DEFAULT_SOURCES; drop it from persisted configs
@@ -422,6 +446,30 @@ function createFeedStore() {
 		await refreshAllFeeds();
 	})();
 
+	// ── Background refresh ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
+	// New episodes only reach the app while it runs if feeds are re-fetched
+	// on a schedule: startup and manual `r` alone leave a subscribed show's
+	// latest episode invisible until the user restarts (or presses r). A
+	// self-rescheduling timer re-reads the interval preference on every tick
+	// so a settings change takes effect without a restart, and skips a tick
+	// that would overlap an in-flight refresh (manual or background).
+	let refreshTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
+	const scheduleNextRefresh = () => {
+		if (refreshTimer) clearTimeout(refreshTimer);
+		const minutes = Math.max(
+			1,
+			useAppStore().state().preferences.refreshIntervalMinutes ??
+				DEFAULT_REFRESH_INTERVAL_MINUTES,
+		);
+		refreshTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+			if (!isLoadingFeeds()) {
+				refreshAllFeeds().catch(() => {});
+			}
+			scheduleNextRefresh();
+		}, minutes * 60_000);
+	};
+	scheduleNextRefresh();
+
 	/** Remove a feed */
 	const removeFeed = (feedId: string) => {
 		fullEpisodeCache.delete(feedId);
@@ -523,6 +571,16 @@ function createFeedStore() {
 		return feeds().find((f) => f.id === feedId);
 	};
 
+	/** Find an episode by ID across all loaded feeds (undefined when the
+	 *  episode isn't in any loaded window, e.g. an unsubscribed show). */
+	const findEpisode = (episodeId: string): Episode | undefined => {
+		for (const feed of feeds()) {
+			const ep = feed.episodes.find((e) => e.id === episodeId);
+			if (ep) return ep;
+		}
+		return undefined;
+	};
+
 	/** Get selected feed */
 	const getSelectedFeed = (): Feed | undefined => {
 		const id = selectedFeedId();
@@ -628,10 +686,15 @@ function createFeedStore() {
 		selectedFeedId,
 		isLoadingMore,
 
+		/** Resolves once persisted feeds are loaded from disk (before the
+		 *  background refresh). */
+		whenReady: () => feedsReady,
+
 		// Computed
 		getFilteredFeeds,
 		getAllEpisodesChronological,
 		getFeed,
+		findEpisode,
 		getSelectedFeed,
 		hasMoreEpisodes,
 		isLoadingFeeds,

src/stores/progress.ts

@@ -53,11 +53,17 @@ async function initProgress(): Promise<void> {
 	setProgressMap(parsed);
 }
 
-// Fire-and-forget init
-initProgress();
+// Fire-and-forget init; the promise is exposed via whenReady() so boot-time
+// consumers (e.g. player-session restore) can await the file load.
+const progressInit = initProgress();
 
 function createProgressStore() {
 	return {
+		/**
+		 * Resolves once the persisted progress map has been loaded from disk.
+		 */
+		whenReady: () => progressInit,
+
 		/**
 		 * Get progress for a specific episode.
 		 */

src/stores/search.ts

@@ -5,12 +5,15 @@
 
 import { createSignal } from "solid-js";
 import { searchPodcasts, searchEpisodes, searchByFeedUrl } from "../utils/search";
+import {
+	loadSearchHistoryFromFile,
+	saveSearchHistoryToFile,
+} from "../utils/app-persistence";
 import { useFeedStore } from "./feed";
 import type { SearchResult, SearchScope } from "../types/source";
 
-const STORAGE_KEY = "podtui_search_history";
 const STORAGE_SCOPE_KEY = "podtui_search_scope";
-const MAX_HISTORY = 20;
+const MAX_HISTORY = 10;
 
 export interface SearchState {
 	query: string;
@@ -21,25 +24,19 @@ export interface SearchState {
 
 const CACHE_TTL = 1000 * 60 * 5;
 
-/** Load search history from localStorage */
-function loadHistory(): string[] {
-	if (typeof localStorage === "undefined") return [];
-	try {
-		const stored = localStorage.getItem(STORAGE_KEY);
-		return stored ? JSON.parse(stored) : [];
-	} catch {
-		return [];
-	}
-}
-
-/** Save search history to localStorage */
-function saveHistory(history: string[]): void {
-	if (typeof localStorage === "undefined") return;
-	try {
-		localStorage.setItem(STORAGE_KEY, JSON.stringify(history));
-	} catch {
-		// Ignore errors
+/** Normalize raw history: drop blanks, dedupe case-insensitively (newest
+ *  wins), cap at MAX_HISTORY. */
+function sanitizeHistory(items: string[]): string[] {
+	const seen = new Set<string>();
+	const cleaned: string[] = [];
+	for (const item of items) {
+		const trimmed = item.trim();
+		const key = trimmed.toLowerCase();
+		if (!key || seen.has(key)) continue;
+		seen.add(key);
+		cleaned.push(trimmed);
 	}
+	return cleaned.slice(0, MAX_HISTORY);
 }
 
 /** Load persisted search scope ("podcast" | "episode"), defaulting to shows. */
@@ -70,10 +67,19 @@ export function createSearchStore() {
 	const [isSearching, setIsSearching] = createSignal(false);
 	const [results, setResults] = createSignal<SearchResult[]>([]);
 	const [error, setError] = createSignal<string | null>(null);
-	const [history, setHistory] = createSignal<string[]>(loadHistory());
+	const [history, setHistory] = createSignal<string[]>([]);
 	const [selectedSources, setSelectedSources] = createSignal<string[]>([]);
 	const [scope, setScopeState] = createSignal<SearchScope>(loadScope());
 
+	/** Load search history from file (fire-and-forget; recents appear as
+	 *  soon as the file is read). */
+	async function init(): Promise<void> {
+		const loaded = await loadSearchHistoryFromFile();
+		if (loaded.length > 0) setHistory(sanitizeHistory(loaded));
+	}
+
+	init();
+
 	/** Set the search scope (shows vs episodes) and persist it. */
 	const setScope = (next: SearchScope) => {
 		setScopeState(next);
@@ -164,9 +170,8 @@ export function createSearchStore() {
 	/** Add query to history */
 	const addToHistory = (q: string) => {
 		setHistory((prev) => {
-			const filtered = prev.filter((h) => h.toLowerCase() !== q.toLowerCase());
-			const updated = [q, ...filtered].slice(0, MAX_HISTORY);
-			saveHistory(updated);
+			const updated = sanitizeHistory([q, ...prev]);
+			saveSearchHistoryToFile(updated);
 			return updated;
 		});
 	};
@@ -174,14 +179,14 @@ export function createSearchStore() {
 	/** Clear search history */
 	const clearHistory = () => {
 		setHistory([]);
-		saveHistory([]);
+		saveSearchHistoryToFile([]);
 	};
 
 	/** Remove single history item */
 	const removeFromHistory = (q: string) => {
 		setHistory((prev) => {
 			const updated = prev.filter((h) => h !== q);
-			saveHistory(updated);
+			saveSearchHistoryToFile(updated);
 			return updated;
 		});
 	};
@@ -213,6 +218,27 @@ export function createSearchStore() {
 		);
 	};
 
+	/** Mark a podcast as unsubscribed in results (after an in-place
+	 *  unsubscribe from the results list). */
+	const markUnsubscribed = (podcastId: string, feedUrl?: string) => {
+		setResults((prev) =>
+			prev.map((result) => {
+				const matchesId = result.podcast.id === podcastId;
+				const matchesUrl = feedUrl ? result.podcast.feedUrl === feedUrl : false;
+				if (matchesId || matchesUrl) {
+					return {
+						...result,
+						podcast: {
+							...result.podcast,
+							isSubscribed: false,
+						},
+					};
+				}
+				return result;
+			}),
+		);
+	};
+
 	return {
 		// State
 		query,
@@ -232,6 +258,7 @@ export function createSearchStore() {
 		setSelectedSources,
 		setScope,
 		markSubscribed,
+		markUnsubscribed,
 	};
 }
 

src/stores/visualizer.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,450 @@
+/**
+ * visualizer-store — module-level singleton owning the realtime waveform
+ * pipeline (ffmpeg decode + cavacore FFT), shared across PlayerPage mounts.
+ *
+ * Pipeline shape (see utils/audio-pcm-cache.ts for the rationale):
+ * an ffmpeg process decodes the episode at full speed into a
+ * position-indexed PCM cache; the render loop reads the window ending at
+ * the player's current position from that cache. Because reads are
+ * indexed by playback time, PAUSE/RESUME/SEEK/SPEED need no pipeline
+ * choreography at all — and cannot desync:
+ *
+ * - Pause: stop the render loop and the decode pass; the PCM cache stays
+ *   resident. Bars freeze on the last rendered frame.
+ * - Resume: re-arm the render loop — bars render instantly from the cache
+ *   — and continue the tail decode in the background. No cold start, no
+ *   coverage guessing, no clamped-buffer freeze (the old bug: resume
+ *   re-armed the loop over a DEAD ffmpeg and the bars exhausted the ring
+ *   buffer, then froze on a repeated stale window forever).
+ * - Seek into decoded audio: nothing to do. Seek into a hole: kick off a
+ *   decode segment there; the last frame holds until data arrives.
+ * - Speed changes: nothing. The cache is position-indexed raw PCM.
+ *
+ * Focus lifecycle: Shell unmounts a tab's page when it loses focus, but the
+ * pipeline outlives the page so playback keeps visualizing; UNLOAD_DELAY_MS
+ * after the Player tab stops being focused it tears down. Reads outside
+ * decoded coverage return empty — the renderer simply holds the last frame
+ * until the decode frontier arrives.
+ */
+
+import {
+	createSignal,
+	createEffect,
+	createRoot,
+	on,
+	untrack,
+} from "solid-js";
+import {
+	loadCavaCore,
+	type CavaCore,
+	type CavaCoreConfig,
+} from "@/utils/cavacore";
+import { EpisodePcmCache, PCM_SAMPLE_RATE } from "@/utils/audio-pcm-cache";
+import { createBarScaler } from "@/utils/bar-mapping";
+import { audioPlaybackSignals } from "@/utils/audio-signals";
+import { useAppStore } from "@/stores/app";
+
+// ── Constants ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+/** How long the pipeline keeps running after the Player tab loses focus. */
+export const VISUALIZER_UNLOAD_DELAY_MS = 30_000;
+
+/** Target frame interval in ms (~30 fps) */
+const FRAME_INTERVAL = 33;
+
+/** Number of PCM samples to read per frame (512 is a good FFT window) */
+const SAMPLES_PER_FRAME = 512;
+
+/** Timer handle as returned by setTimeout/setInterval in this runtime. */
+type TimerHandle = ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>;
+
+// ── Types ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+export interface VisualizerStore {
+	/** Frequency bar values (0.0–1.0 per bar), empty until the first frame. */
+	barData: () => number[];
+	/** True from pipeline start until the first complete FFT frame renders. */
+	isLoading: () => boolean;
+	/** True while the ~30fps render loop is armed. */
+	isRunning: () => boolean;
+	/** Report whether the Player tab is the visible tab. */
+	setFocused: (focused: boolean) => void;
+	/** Report the terminal-width-derived bar count (resize re-inits). */
+	setBarCount: (count: number) => void;
+}
+
+// ── Store factory ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function createVisualizerStore(): VisualizerStore {
+	// Frequency bar values (0.0–1.0 per bar)
+	const [barData, setBarData] = createSignal<number[]>([]);
+
+	// True from pipeline start until the first complete FFT frame renders.
+	const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = createSignal(false);
+
+	// Whether the Player tab is the visible tab (fed by PlayerPage).
+	const [focused, setFocused] = createSignal(false);
+
+	// Width-derived bar count (fed by RealtimeWaveform; default before the
+	// renderer reports a real size).
+	const [barCount, setBarCount] = createSignal(64);
+
+	// Peak-follower scaler replaces cava's autosens: normalizes each FFT
+	// frame against the running peak so a loud start can't pin every bar
+	// at full height and quiet content still gets normalized up.
+	const scaler = createBarScaler();
+
+	let cava: CavaCore | null = null;
+	// Position-indexed PCM cache for the current episode. Kept across
+	// pause/resume (segments survive; only the ffmpeg pass is killed) and
+	// dropped only on episode change, stop, disable, or unload.
+	let pcm: EpisodePcmCache | null = null;
+	let frameTimer: TimerHandle | null = null;
+	let sampleBuffer: Float64Array | null = null;
+	let unloadTimer: TimerHandle | null = null;
+
+	// What the running pipeline was started with — lets the playback effect
+	// tell "nothing changed, stay warm" from "must restart".
+	let activeUrl = "";
+	let activeBars = 64;
+
+	// ── Lifecycle helpers ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+	const clearUnloadTimer = () => {
+		if (unloadTimer) {
+			clearTimeout(unloadTimer);
+			unloadTimer = null;
+		}
+	};
+
+	const initCava = () => {
+		if (cava) return true;
+
+		cava = loadCavaCore();
+		if (!cava) {
+			return false;
+		}
+
+		return true;
+	};
+
+	// ── Smooth position clock ──────────────────────────────────────────
+	//
+	// audio.position() updates at the useAudio poll rate (~150ms). Between
+	// polls, interpolate the position from wall time so the FFT window
+	// tracks the audio continuously instead of stepping. The 0.5s cap
+	// prevents extrapolating far beyond reality when the player stalls
+	// (e.g. network re-buffering).
+
+	let lastPolledPosition = 0;
+	let lastPolledAt = 0;
+	const smoothPosition = () => {
+		const pos = audioPlaybackSignals.position();
+		const now = performance.now();
+		if (pos !== lastPolledPosition) {
+			lastPolledPosition = pos;
+			lastPolledAt = now;
+			return pos;
+		}
+		if (lastPolledAt === 0) return pos;
+		const elapsed = Math.min((now - lastPolledAt) / 1000, 0.5);
+		return lastPolledPosition + elapsed * (audioPlaybackSignals.speed() ?? 1);
+	};
+
+	// ── Start/stop the visualization pipeline ──────────────────────────
+
+	const startVisualization = (url: string, position: number) => {
+		stopVisualization();
+
+		if (!url || !initCava() || !cava) return;
+
+		// Initialize cavacore with current resolution + the user's
+		// audio-processing params (noise reduction, cutoffs, etc.).
+		// autosens is disabled (after the spread so it always wins): cava's
+		// autosens gain-ramps during silence then clips everything to 1.0
+		// when audio arrives — the JS peak scaler handles dynamics instead.
+		const viz = useAppStore().state().settings.visualizer;
+		const config: CavaCoreConfig = {
+			bars: barCount(),
+			sampleRate: PCM_SAMPLE_RATE,
+			channels: 1,
+			noiseReduction: viz.noiseReduction,
+			lowCutOff: viz.lowCutOff,
+			highCutOff: viz.highCutOff,
+			autosens: 0,
+		};
+		cava.init(config);
+
+		// Pre-warm the FFT window: libcavacore's window is malloc'd
+		// uninitialized, so the first real frame would FFT garbage and
+		// render full-scale bars. One zero frame the size of the whole
+		// input buffer clears it.
+		cava.execute(new Float64Array(8192));
+
+		// Pre-allocate sample read buffer
+		sampleBuffer = new Float64Array(SAMPLES_PER_FRAME);
+
+		// PCM cache per episode (reuse when the episode is unchanged)
+		if (!pcm || pcm.url !== url) {
+			if (pcm) pcm.stop();
+			pcm = new EpisodePcmCache({ url });
+		}
+		// Decode from 1s before the position so the window ENDING at the
+		// position is covered as soon as the first PCM lands.
+		pcm.startDecode(Math.max(0, position - 1));
+
+		// Seed the smooth position clock with the start position. Without
+		// this, a fresh play at position 0 would sample the window ending at
+		// exactly 0 — a 1-sample slice — so bars would be starved until the
+		// first mpv poll advanced the position clock.
+		lastPolledPosition = position;
+		lastPolledAt = performance.now();
+
+		activeUrl = url;
+		activeBars = barCount();
+		setIsLoading(true);
+		frameTimer = setInterval(renderFrame, FRAME_INTERVAL);
+	};
+
+	const stopVisualization = () => {
+		clearUnloadTimer();
+		if (frameTimer) {
+			clearInterval(frameTimer);
+			frameTimer = null;
+		}
+		clearTimeout(seekDecodeTimer);
+		seekDecodeTimer = undefined;
+		if (pcm) {
+			pcm.stop();
+			// Keep the (now cache-less, url-tagged) object: a re-start of the
+			// same episode reuses it; segments re-decode in seconds at 80x.
+		}
+		if (cava?.isReady) {
+			cava.destroy();
+		}
+		sampleBuffer = null;
+		setIsLoading(false);
+	};
+
+	// ── Pause: freeze the loop, keep the cache ──────────────────────────
+	//
+	// The render loop stops (bars hold their last frame) and the ffmpeg
+	// pass dies (no background CPU), but the decoded PCM stays: resume
+	// serves it instantly.
+
+	const suspendVisualization = () => {
+		clearUnloadTimer();
+		if (frameTimer) {
+			clearInterval(frameTimer);
+			frameTimer = null;
+		}
+		// Cancel any debounced seek-decode: it would restart ffmpeg while
+		// paused, defeating the "no background CPU while paused" contract.
+		clearTimeout(seekDecodeTimer);
+		seekDecodeTimer = undefined;
+		if (pcm) pcm.pauseDecode();
+		// Cava plan + sampleBuffer stay alive — cheap to reuse on resume.
+		// Clear the loading spinner: if the pipeline never produced bars
+		// (still cold-starting when paused), the component should fall back
+		// to the placeholder, not freeze on a spinner.
+		setIsLoading(false);
+	};
+
+	// ── Resume: re-arm the render loop, top up the cache ───────────────
+	//
+	// Returns true if the pipeline resumed, false if there was nothing to
+	// resume (no prior pipeline).
+
+	const resumeVisualization = (): boolean => {
+		// Already running — nothing to do.
+		if (frameTimer !== null) return true;
+		if (!pcm || !cava?.isReady || !sampleBuffer) return false;
+
+		const pos = untrack(audioPlaybackSignals.position);
+
+		// Bars come from the cache on the next frame tick (~33ms) whenever
+		// the position is covered; any gap (uncached region) restarts the
+		// decode pass in the background with the last frame holding.
+		pcm.ensureDecodeAround(pos);
+
+		lastPolledPosition = pos;
+		lastPolledAt = performance.now();
+		frameTimer = setInterval(renderFrame, FRAME_INTERVAL);
+		return true;
+	};
+
+	// ── Render loop (called at ~30fps) ─────────────────────────────────
+
+	const renderFrame = () => {
+		if (!cava?.isReady || !sampleBuffer || !pcm) return;
+
+		// Sample the FFT window at the player's position. Outside decoded
+		// coverage (decode cold start, seek into a hole) the read is empty
+		// and the LAST FRAME simply holds — never clamped/repeated junk.
+		const target = smoothPosition();
+		const count = pcm.readWindow(sampleBuffer, target);
+		// Never feed a partial FFT window to cava.
+		if (count < sampleBuffer.length) return;
+
+		const output = cava.execute(sampleBuffer);
+
+		// Normalize against the running peak and copy to a new array
+		setBarData(scaler(output));
+		if (isLoading()) setIsLoading(false);
+	};
+
+	// ── Playback subscription ──────────────────────────────────────────
+	//
+	// Keeps the pipeline matched to playback. Pause suspends (render loop +
+	// decode pass die, cache survives) so resume is instant. Stop/track-end/
+	// disable fully tears down. `focused` is a dep so focus regain
+	// re-evaluates; the guards make a focus flip on an already-correct warm
+	// pipeline a no-op. Speed is deliberately NOT a dep — the PCM cache is
+	// position-indexed, so playback-rate changes need no pipeline restart.
+
+	createEffect(
+		on(
+			[
+				audioPlaybackSignals.isPlaying,
+				() => audioPlaybackSignals.currentEpisode()?.audioUrl ?? "",
+				barCount,
+				focused,
+				() => useAppStore().state().settings.visualizer.enabled,
+			],
+			([playing, url, , , enabled]) => {
+				if (!url || !enabled) {
+					stopVisualization();
+					return;
+				}
+				if (!playing) {
+					// Pause: freeze the loop, keep the cache. Only if the
+					// pipeline is actually running — otherwise no-op.
+					if (frameTimer !== null) suspendVisualization();
+					return;
+				}
+
+				// Playing — try a fast resume first. If it succeeds and the
+				// pipeline matches, done.
+				if (
+					frameTimer === null &&
+					pcm &&
+					cava?.isReady &&
+					url === activeUrl &&
+					barCount() === activeBars
+				) {
+					if (resumeVisualization()) return;
+				}
+
+				// Warm and already correct — nothing to do (e.g. focus
+				// regained within the unload delay while still playing).
+				if (frameTimer !== null && url === activeUrl && barCount() === activeBars) {
+					return;
+				}
+				if (!focused()) return; // playing away: stay warm; unload timer decides
+				startVisualization(url, untrack(audioPlaybackSignals.position));
+			},
+		),
+	);
+
+	// ── Focus subscription: unload after the grace delay ───────────────
+
+	createEffect(
+		on(focused, (f) => {
+			clearUnloadTimer();
+			if (f) {
+				// Pipeline was unloaded (or never started) but playback is
+				// still going — restart from the current position. When the
+				// pipeline is warm the playback effect above is the one that
+				// acts (guard: no-op for an unchanged warm pipeline).
+				if (
+					audioPlaybackSignals.isPlaying() &&
+					audioPlaybackSignals.currentEpisode()?.audioUrl &&
+					useAppStore().state().settings.visualizer.enabled &&
+					frameTimer === null
+				) {
+					startVisualization(
+						audioPlaybackSignals.currentEpisode()!.audioUrl,
+						untrack(audioPlaybackSignals.position),
+					);
+				}
+			} else if (frameTimer !== null) {
+				unloadTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+					unloadTimer = null;
+					stopVisualization();
+				}, VISUALIZER_UNLOAD_DELAY_MS);
+			}
+		}),
+	);
+
+	// ── Seek detection: jump coverage, not pipeline restarts ───────────
+	//
+	// Watches position for significant jumps (>2s = user seek). Decoded
+	// audio at the new position is served instantly with zero action; a
+	// jump into an undecoded hole kicks a background segment decode there
+	// while the last frame holds.
+
+	let lastSyncPosition = 0;
+	let seekDecodeTimer: TimerHandle | undefined;
+	createEffect(
+		on(audioPlaybackSignals.position, (pos) => {
+			if (!audioPlaybackSignals.isPlaying() || !pcm) {
+				lastSyncPosition = pos;
+				return;
+			}
+
+			const delta = Math.abs(pos - lastSyncPosition);
+			lastSyncPosition = pos;
+
+			if (delta > 2) {
+				// Debounce: holding the seek key fires a jump per poll tick —
+				// without debounce each one restarts ffmpeg, spamming network
+				// reconnects against the stream's server. Wait for the user to
+				// settle, then decode at the final position.
+				clearTimeout(seekDecodeTimer);
+				const target = pcm; // capture for the timer
+				seekDecodeTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+					seekDecodeTimer = undefined;
+					target.ensureDecodeAround(untrack(audioPlaybackSignals.position));
+				}, 400);
+			}
+		}),
+	);
+	// ── Process-exit teardown ──────────────────────────────────────────
+	//
+	// The pipeline lives in a detached createRoot that is never disposed,
+	// so Solid's onCleanup never runs. `q`/`:quit` call process.exit(0)
+	// (bypassing onCleanup); SIGINT/TERM/HUP are caught by useAudio's
+	// handler. This handler runs synchronously on `exit` and kills the
+	// ffmpeg child + destroys the cava plan so they don't outlive the host.
+	// Without it, a warm pipeline leaks an orphaned ffmpeg process on quit.
+	process.on("exit", () => {
+		stopVisualization();
+	});
+
+	return {
+		// state
+		barData,
+		isLoading,
+		isRunning: () => frameTimer !== null,
+		// inputs
+		setFocused,
+		setBarCount,
+	};
+}
+
+// ── Singleton ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+let visualizerStoreInstance: VisualizerStore | null = null;
+
+/**
+ * Accessor for the shared visualizer store. Created once inside a
+ * `createRoot` so its effects are owned by a detached root — not by
+ * whichever component happens to call first (PlayerPage unmounts would
+ * otherwise dispose the pipeline effects with it).
+ */
+export function useVisualizer(): VisualizerStore {
+	if (!visualizerStoreInstance) {
+		visualizerStoreInstance = createRoot(() => createVisualizerStore());
+	}
+	return visualizerStoreInstance;
+}

src/types/episode.ts

@@ -98,7 +98,9 @@ export enum DownloadStatus {
 export interface DownloadedEpisode {
   /** Episode ID */
   episodeId: string
-  /** Feed ID the episode belongs to */
+  /** Feed ID the episode belongs to. For downloads of shows that aren't
+   *  subscribed (search downloads) this is a deterministic synthetic id
+   *  ("unsub-<slug>") that also names the file subdirectory. */
   feedId: string
   /** Current download status */
   status: DownloadStatus
@@ -114,4 +116,16 @@ export interface DownloadedEpisode {
   fileSize: number
   /** Error message if failed */
   error: string | null
+  /** Episode title, persisted so unsubscribed-show downloads render without
+   *  a loaded feed. */
+  episodeTitle?: string
+  /** Audio URL, persisted so queued downloads survive a restart. */
+  audioUrl?: string
+  /** Publication date (ISO), for display of unsubscribed-show downloads. */
+  pubDate?: string
+  /** Show title, kept for downloads whose show isn't subscribed. */
+  podcastTitle?: string
+  /** The show's RSS feed URL, used to re-classify a download as subscribed
+   *  once the user subscribes to its show. */
+  podcastFeedUrl?: string
 }

src/types/settings.ts

@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ export type DesktopTheme = {
 };
 
 export type VisualizerSettings = {
+	/** Master on/off switch for the player's realtime waveform (default: on). */
+	enabled: boolean;
 	/** Number of frequency bars (8–128, default: 64) */
 	bars: number;
 	/** Automatic sensitivity: 1 = enabled, 0 = disabled (default: 1) */
@@ -78,6 +80,8 @@ export type AppSettings = {
 	theme: ThemeName;
 	fontSize: number;
 	playbackSpeed: number;
+	/** Playback volume 0–1 (default: 1 = 100%). */
+	volume: number;
 	downloadPath: string;
 	/** Render the app background transparent (let the terminal's own bg show). */
 	transparentBackground: boolean;
@@ -86,7 +90,7 @@ export type AppSettings = {
 	visualizer: VisualizerSettings;
 };
 
-/** How the Feed and per-show episode lists load older episodes (default: manual "[Fetch More]"). */
+/** How the Feed and per-show episode lists load older episodes (default: auto). */
 export type FetchMoreMode = "manual" | "auto";
 
 /** Which shows the auto-download setting applies to (default: all). */
@@ -103,8 +107,10 @@ export type UserPreferences = {
 	autoDownloadWhitelist: string[];
 	/** Jump to the Player view automatically when playback starts (default: true) */
 	autoJumpToPlayer: boolean;
-	/** Load older episodes from the Feed list: manual button or automatic at the bottom (default: manual). */
+	/** Load older episodes from the Feed list: manual button or automatic at the bottom (default: auto). */
 	fetchMoreMode: FetchMoreMode;
+	/** Minutes between automatic background feed refreshes (default: 30). */
+	refreshIntervalMinutes: number;
 };
 
 export type AppState = {

src/utils/app-persistence.ts

@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
  * No backups — writes always overwrite.
  */
 
-import { ensureConfigDir, getConfigFilePath } from "./config-dir";
+import { mkdirSync, writeFileSync } from "fs";
+import { ensureConfigDir, getConfigDir, getConfigFilePath } from "./config-dir";
 import { loadConfig, updateConfig } from "./config";
 import type {
 	AppState,
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ import { DEFAULT_THEME } from "../constants/themes";
 // --- Defaults ---
 
 const defaultVisualizerSettings: VisualizerSettings = {
+	enabled: true,
 	bars: 32,
 	sensitivity: 1,
 	noiseReduction: 0.77,
@@ -31,6 +33,7 @@ const defaultSettings: AppSettings = {
 	theme: "system",
 	fontSize: 14,
 	playbackSpeed: 1,
+	volume: 1,
 	downloadPath: "",
 	transparentBackground: false,
 	showSelectionMarker: false,
@@ -44,7 +47,8 @@ const defaultPreferences: UserPreferences = {
 	autoDownloadScope: "all",
 	autoDownloadWhitelist: [],
 	autoJumpToPlayer: true,
-	fetchMoreMode: "manual",
+	fetchMoreMode: "auto",
+	refreshIntervalMinutes: 30,
 };
 
 const defaultState: AppState = {
@@ -61,7 +65,18 @@ export async function loadAppStateFromFile(): Promise<AppState> {
 		const cfg = await loadConfig();
 		if (!cfg || typeof cfg !== "object") return defaultState;
 		return {
-			settings: { ...defaultSettings, ...cfg.settings },
+			settings: {
+				...defaultSettings,
+				...cfg.settings,
+				// Visualizer is nested: a plain spread would let a config
+				// saved before a field was added (e.g. `enabled`) clobber
+				// the whole object and leave the new field undefined.
+				// Deep-merge so defaults backfill missing nested keys.
+				visualizer: {
+					...defaultVisualizerSettings,
+					...cfg.settings?.visualizer,
+				},
+			},
 			preferences: { ...defaultPreferences, ...cfg.preferences },
 			customTheme: { ...DEFAULT_THEME, ...cfg.customTheme },
 		};
@@ -123,6 +138,39 @@ export function saveProgressToFile(data: Record<string, unknown>): void {
 	})();
 }
 
+// ── Search History (separate file — changes on every search) ────────────────
+
+const SEARCH_HISTORY_FILE = "search-history.json";
+
+/** Load search history from JSON file */
+export async function loadSearchHistoryFromFile(): Promise<string[]> {
+	try {
+		const file = Bun.file(getConfigFilePath(SEARCH_HISTORY_FILE));
+		if (!(await file.exists())) return [];
+
+		const raw = await file.json();
+		if (!Array.isArray(raw)) return [];
+		return raw.filter((item): item is string => typeof item === "string");
+	} catch {
+		return [];
+	}
+}
+
+/** Save search history to JSON file (overwrite, no backup) */
+export function saveSearchHistoryToFile(history: string[]): void {
+	(async () => {
+		try {
+			await ensureConfigDir();
+			await Bun.write(
+				getConfigFilePath(SEARCH_HISTORY_FILE),
+				JSON.stringify(history, null, 2),
+			);
+		} catch {
+			// Silently ignore write errors
+		}
+	})();
+}
+
 // ── Audio Nav State (separate file — changes on every track change) ──────────
 
 const AUDIO_NAV_FILE = "audio-nav.json";
@@ -156,3 +204,70 @@ export function saveAudioNavToFile<T>(data: T): void {
 		}
 	})();
 }
+
+// ── Last Player State (separate file — written on every load/stop) ──────────
+
+const LAST_PLAYER_FILE = "last-player.json";
+
+/** Which episode is currently loaded in the player, persisted so the next
+ *  launch can restore it paused. `episodeId: null` means the player is empty
+ *  (e.g. after Stop). */
+export interface LastPlayerState {
+	episodeId: string | null;
+	timestamp: string | Date | null;
+}
+
+/** Load the last-loaded-player marker (null when absent or unreadable) */
+export async function loadLastPlayerFromFile(): Promise<LastPlayerState | null> {
+	try {
+		const file = Bun.file(getConfigFilePath(LAST_PLAYER_FILE));
+		if (!(await file.exists())) return null;
+
+		const raw = await file.json();
+		if (!raw || typeof raw !== "object") return null;
+
+		return raw as LastPlayerState;
+	} catch {
+		return null;
+	}
+}
+
+/** Serialized marker-write chain: concurrent writes land in submission
+ *  order, and callers can await the last one (tests read the file back
+ *  deterministically). Mirrors updateConfig's write serialization. */
+let lastPlayerWriteChain: Promise<void> = Promise.resolve();
+
+/** Save the last-loaded-player marker (fire-and-forget) */
+export function saveLastPlayerToFile(state: LastPlayerState): void {
+	lastPlayerWriteChain = lastPlayerWriteChain.then(async () => {
+		try {
+			await ensureConfigDir();
+			await Bun.write(
+				getConfigFilePath(LAST_PLAYER_FILE),
+				JSON.stringify(state, null, 2),
+			);
+		} catch {
+			// Silently ignore write errors
+		}
+	});
+}
+
+/** Resolves once every marker write submitted so far has landed on disk. */
+export function waitForLastPlayerWrite(): Promise<void> {
+	return lastPlayerWriteChain;
+}
+
+/** Synchronous variant for the process-exit teardown. `q` quits through
+ *  `process.exit(0)`, which runs exit listeners synchronously — an async
+ *  write would never land. */
+export function saveLastPlayerSync(state: LastPlayerState): void {
+	try {
+		mkdirSync(getConfigDir(), { recursive: true });
+		writeFileSync(
+			getConfigFilePath(LAST_PLAYER_FILE),
+			JSON.stringify(state, null, 2),
+		);
+	} catch {
+		// Silently ignore write errors
+	}
+}

src/utils/audio-pcm-cache.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,385 @@
+/**
+ * Position-indexed PCM cache for visualization.
+ *
+ * One ffmpeg process decodes the episode's audio at 4x realtime (with an
+ * 8s initial burst — fast enough to serve bars and seeks instantly, throttled
+ * enough that a remote episode isn't ripped at 84x while mpv is trying to
+ * start playback) into an in-memory cache indexed by ABSOLUTE playback time.
+ * The renderer then reads the PCM
+ * window ending at the player's current position with zero sync machinery:
+ * there is no pacing (-readrate), no lead-burst, no decode-head/player
+ * drift math, no ring wrap, and nothing that knows or cares about pause,
+ * resume, seek, or playback speed — those all collapse to "read at a
+ * different position in the cache".
+ *
+ * Pause/resume contract (the failure mode of the old design):
+ * - pauseDecode() kills ffmpeg but KEEPS the cache. Resume reads from it
+ *   instantly and resumes the tail decode in the background.
+ * - Reads outside decoded coverage (startup, seek into an undecoded hole)
+ *   return 0 — the renderer HOLDS the last rendered frame rather than
+ *   freezing on a clamped buffer or decaying into junk bars.
+ *
+ * Seeks into undecoded territory start a fresh SEGMENT (a second decode
+ * pass over just that region) — earlier segments stay valid, mp3 decode of
+ * the same file is deterministic so abutting segments agree.
+ *
+ * Memory: 22050 Hz mono s16 ≈ 44 KB/s ≈ 2.6 MB/min (~80 MB per 30 min),
+ * freed on stop(). 22050 Hz covers Nyquist 11 kHz, above the default 10 kHz
+ * high-cutoff of the visualizer's FFT config.
+ *
+ * Downloads via ffmpeg's own http stack with reconnect flags, matching the
+ * old reader; local files skip them (ffmpeg rejects http-only options for
+ * file inputs).
+ */
+
+import type { Subprocess } from "bun";
+
+/** PCM output format constants */
+export const PCM_SAMPLE_RATE = 22050;
+const BYTES_PER_SAMPLE = 2; // s16le
+
+/** Initial segment capacity: 4 Mi samples ≈ 190 s of audio (8 MB). */
+const INITIAL_CAPACITY_SAMPLES = 4 * 1024 * 1024;
+
+/**
+ * Gap (seconds) a running decode pass may close on its own before a restart
+ * at the seek target is cheaper than waiting: at 4x pacing, 15s of undecoded
+ * audio closes in ~4s — about the cost of a network reconnect + range
+ * request for a fresh ffmpeg pass. Beyond the gap, restart at the target.
+ */
+const CLOSE_IN_PLACE_GAP_SEC = 15;
+
+/**
+ * Monotonically increasing generation counter.
+ * Each startDecode() increments this; the read loop checks it to know
+ * if it's been superseded and should bail out.
+ */
+let globalGeneration = 0;
+
+interface Segment {
+	/** Playback seconds where this segment's first sample sits. */
+	baseSec: number;
+	/** Sample buffer; capacity >= written, doubled on overflow. */
+	samples: Int16Array;
+	/** Samples written so far (== decoded length of the segment). */
+	written: number;
+	/** ffmpeg reached stream EOF while writing this segment — nothing more
+	 *  will ever arrive after its end. */
+	finished: boolean;
+}
+
+export interface EpisodePcmCacheOptions {
+	/** Audio URL or file path to decode */
+	url: string;
+	/** Sample rate (default: 22050) */
+	sampleRate?: number;
+}
+
+export class EpisodePcmCache {
+	private proc: Subprocess | null = null;
+	private segments: Segment[] = [];
+	private generation = 0;
+	private _decoding = false;
+	/** The running pass's segment (base + frontier); null when idle. */
+	private activeSegment: Segment | null = null;
+	readonly url: string;
+	readonly sampleRate: number;
+
+	constructor(options: EpisodePcmCacheOptions) {
+		this.url = options.url;
+		this.sampleRate = options.sampleRate ?? PCM_SAMPLE_RATE;
+	}
+
+	/** Whether an ffmpeg decode pass is currently running. */
+	get decoding(): boolean {
+		return this._decoding;
+	}
+
+	/** Base (playback seconds) of the running decode pass; null when idle. */
+	get activeDecodeBaseSec(): number | null {
+		return this._decoding && this.activeSegment
+			? this.activeSegment.baseSec
+			: null;
+	}
+
+	/** End (playback seconds) of the furthest-decoded segment. */
+	get coverageEndSec(): number {
+		let end = 0;
+		for (const seg of this.segments) {
+			const segEnd = seg.baseSec + seg.written / this.sampleRate;
+			if (segEnd > end) end = segEnd;
+		}
+		return end;
+	}
+
+	/** Whether the furthest segment finished at stream EOF. */
+	get decodeFinished(): boolean {
+		let maxEnd = -1;
+		let finished = false;
+		for (const seg of this.segments) {
+			const segEnd = seg.baseSec + seg.written / this.sampleRate;
+			if (segEnd > maxEnd) {
+				maxEnd = segEnd;
+				finished = seg.finished;
+			}
+		}
+		return finished;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Start decoding at `fromSec` of playback time into a fresh segment.
+	 * Kills any in-flight pass first; existing segments stay readable.
+	 */
+	startDecode(fromSec: number): void {
+		this.killProcess();
+
+		if (!Bun.which("ffmpeg")) {
+			throw new Error("ffmpeg not found — required for audio visualization");
+		}
+
+		this.generation = ++globalGeneration;
+		const myGeneration = this.generation;
+
+		const segment: Segment = {
+			baseSec: Math.max(0, fromSec),
+			samples: new Int16Array(INITIAL_CAPACITY_SAMPLES),
+			written: 0,
+			finished: false,
+		};
+		this.segments.push(segment);
+
+		const args = ["ffmpeg", "-loglevel", "quiet"];
+
+		// Pace the decode at 4x realtime (with an 8s initial burst) instead of
+		// flat-out: unthrottled decode measures ~84x realtime, which pulls the
+		// ENTIRE episode from the network within the first minute of playback
+		// (~160MB/hr) and starves mpv's own buffering right at startup. 4x
+		// still fills the cache 4x faster than playback consumes it, lands a
+		// 75-min episode in ~19 min of background work, and the burst makes
+		// the first bars available immediately.
+		args.push("-readrate", "4", "-readrate_initial_burst", "8");
+
+		// `-reconnect*` are http-protocol options: ffmpeg rejects them at
+		// input-open when the input is a local file, killing the process
+		// before any PCM is produced. Only pass them for network URLs.
+		if (/^https?:\/\//i.test(this.url)) {
+			args.push(
+				"-reconnect",
+				"1",
+				"-reconnect_streamed",
+				"1",
+				"-reconnect_delay_max",
+				"5",
+			);
+		}
+
+		// Seek before input for network efficiency (container-level skip is
+		// near-instant for mp3/aac; no pre-position decode burn).
+		if (fromSec > 0) {
+			args.push("-ss", String(Math.max(0, fromSec)));
+		}
+
+		args.push(
+			"-i",
+			this.url,
+			"-ac",
+			"1",
+			"-ar",
+			String(this.sampleRate),
+			"-f",
+			"s16le",
+			"-acodec",
+			"pcm_s16le",
+			"-",
+		);
+
+		this.proc = Bun.spawn(args, {
+			stdout: "pipe",
+			stderr: "ignore",
+			stdin: "ignore",
+		});
+		this._decoding = true;
+		this.activeSegment = segment;
+		this.readLoop(myGeneration, segment);
+
+		this.proc.exited
+			.then((code) => {
+				if (this.generation === myGeneration) {
+					this._decoding = false;
+					this.activeSegment = null;
+					// Exit 0 == decoded to stream EOF.
+					if (code === 0) segment.finished = true;
+				}
+			})
+			.catch(() => {
+				if (this.generation === myGeneration) {
+					this._decoding = false;
+					this.activeSegment = null;
+				}
+			});
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Whether `sec` of playback time has decoded PCM on hand.
+	 */
+	covers(sec: number): boolean {
+		const idx = Math.round(sec * this.sampleRate);
+		for (const seg of this.segments) {
+			const base = Math.round(seg.baseSec * this.sampleRate);
+			if (idx >= base && idx < base + seg.written) return true;
+		}
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Make sure decode is progressing toward `sec`: no-op while a pass is
+	 * running or the episode is fully decoded; otherwise resumes the tail
+	 * decode from the frontier (when `sec` is inside coverage) or starts a
+	 * new segment at `sec` (seek into a hole / resume past cached audio).
+	 */
+	ensureDecodeAround(sec: number): void {
+		// Data already on hand: nothing needed here; only keep the tail
+		// filling if the decode is idle and the episode is unfinished.
+		if (this.covers(sec)) {
+			if (this._decoding || this.decodeFinished) return;
+			this.startDecode(this.coverageEndSec > sec ? this.coverageEndSec : sec);
+			return;
+		}
+
+		if (this._decoding && this.activeSegment !== null) {
+			// A decode pass fills monotonically FORWARD from its base. Targets
+			// behind the base are unreachable — restart at the target.
+			if (sec < this.activeSegment.baseSec) {
+				this.startDecode(Math.max(0, sec));
+				return;
+			}
+			// Target past the pass's frontier: a SMALL gap closes on its own
+			// (4x pacing covers 15s in ~4s — about what a cold restart costs
+			// to reconnect + range-request a network stream), but a FAR-FORWARD
+			// seek would otherwise mean minutes of frozen bars while the pass
+			// chews through the skipped region. Restart at the target.
+			const frontier =
+				this.activeSegment.baseSec + this.activeSegment.written / this.sampleRate;
+			if (sec - frontier <= CLOSE_IN_PLACE_GAP_SEC) return;
+		}
+		this.startDecode(Math.max(0, sec));
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Read the PCM window ENDING at `atSec` of playback into `out`
+	 * (Int16 magnitudes widened to f64, the scale cavacore expects).
+	 *
+	 * Returns the number of samples written: `out.length` on a full hit, 0
+	 * when the window is not (fully) decoded yet — the caller HOLDS the
+	 * last rendered frame instead of rendering partial/stale data.
+	 */
+	readWindow(out: Float64Array, atSec: number): number {
+		if (out.length === 0) return 0;
+		const endIdx = Math.round(atSec * this.sampleRate);
+		const startIdx = endIdx - out.length + 1;
+		for (const seg of this.segments) {
+			const base = Math.round(seg.baseSec * this.sampleRate);
+			if (startIdx < base || endIdx >= base + seg.written) continue;
+			const rel = startIdx - base;
+			const src = seg.samples;
+			for (let i = 0; i < out.length; i++) {
+				out[i] = src[rel + i];
+			}
+			return out.length;
+		}
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Pause contract: kill the ffmpeg pass but KEEP every decoded segment.
+	 * Resume later serves bars from the cache instantly.
+	 */
+	pauseDecode(): void {
+		this.generation = ++globalGeneration;
+		this._decoding = false;
+		this.activeSegment = null;
+		this.killProcess();
+	}
+
+	/** Kill the decode pass AND drop all cached audio. */
+	stop(): void {
+		this.pauseDecode();
+		this.segments = [];
+	}
+
+	/** Kill the ffmpeg process without touching generation/state. */
+	private killProcess(): void {
+		if (this.proc) {
+			try {
+				this.proc.kill();
+			} catch {
+				/* ignore */
+			}
+			this.proc = null;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/** Internal: continuously reads stdout from ffmpeg and appends samples
+	 *  to the segment at their absolute playback-time offsets. */
+	private async readLoop(myGeneration: number, segment: Segment): Promise<void> {
+		const stdout = this.proc?.stdout;
+		if (!stdout || typeof stdout === "number") return;
+
+		const reader = (stdout as ReadableStream<Uint8Array>).getReader();
+		// s16 sample pairs can straddle pipe chunk boundaries: carry a lone
+		// trailing byte into the next chunk (dropping it would byte-flip
+		// every sample that follows).
+		let carry: number | null = null;
+		try {
+			while (this.generation === myGeneration) {
+				const { done, value } = await reader.read();
+				if (done || this.generation !== myGeneration) break;
+				if (!value || value.byteLength === 0) continue;
+
+				let view: Uint8Array = value;
+				if (carry !== null) {
+					const merged = new Uint8Array(1 + value.byteLength);
+					merged[0] = carry;
+					merged.set(value, 1);
+					view = merged;
+					carry = null;
+				}
+				if (view.byteLength % BYTES_PER_SAMPLE !== 0) {
+					carry = view[view.byteLength - 1];
+					view = view.subarray(0, view.byteLength - 1);
+				}
+
+				const sampleCount = view.byteLength / BYTES_PER_SAMPLE;
+				if (sampleCount === 0) continue;
+
+				if (segment.written + sampleCount > segment.samples.length) {
+					const grown = new Int16Array(
+						Math.max(
+							segment.samples.length * 2,
+							segment.written + sampleCount,
+						),
+					);
+					grown.set(segment.samples.subarray(0, segment.written));
+					segment.samples = grown;
+				}
+				// Int16Array view over the byte buffer: s16le is the platform's
+				// native endianness on every supported target (arm64/x64 are LE).
+				const src = new Int16Array(
+					view.buffer,
+					view.byteOffset,
+					sampleCount,
+				);
+				segment.samples.set(src, segment.written);
+				segment.written += sampleCount;
+			}
+		} catch {
+			// Stream ended or process killed — expected during stop()
+		} finally {
+			try {
+				reader.releaseLock();
+			} catch {
+				/* ignore */
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}

src/utils/audio-player.ts

@@ -6,10 +6,28 @@
  * 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.
+ *
+ * The backend owns ONE RESIDENT mpv daemon (`--idle=yes --keep-open=yes`)
+ * for the app's lifetime instead of spawning a fresh player per episode:
+ *
+ * - Play/pause/seek are IPC commands on a persistent Unix-socket
+ *   connection — no process spawn, no socket connect/disconnect churn per
+ *   poll, no `waitForSocket` on the play path. Measured command latency is
+ *   single-digit ms; a mid-episode resume after pause takes ~300ms on a
+ *   network stream.
+ * - State (time-pos, pause, duration) is OBSERVED (`observe_property`):
+ *   mpv pushes time-pos at ~20Hz while playing, so `getPosition()` /
+ *   `getPauseState()` read a cache instead of round-tripping the socket on
+ *   every 150ms UI tick. External pauses (AirPod removal, system sleep,
+ *   Now Playing center) arrive as pause property events with zero polling.
+ * - A restored session can PRELOAD: the episode is loaded paused so mpv
+ *   fills its demuxer cache ahead of time; the first real play just flips
+ *   `pause` to false — the ~2s network open is paid at boot, not on the
+ *   user's first Play.
  */
 
 import { platform } from "os";
-import { existsSync } from "fs";
+import { existsSync, unlinkSync } from "fs";
 import { tmpdir } from "os";
 import { dirname, join } from "path";
 import type { Socket, Subprocess } from "bun";
@@ -31,6 +49,18 @@ export interface AudioState {
 export interface AudioBackend {
 	readonly name: BackendName;
 	play(url: string, opts?: PlayOptions): Promise<void>;
+	/**
+	 * Load the URL paused WITHOUT starting playback, so the player buffers
+	 * ahead of the user's first Play (used for boot session restore).
+	 * A subsequent play() of the SAME url flips pause off — near-instant.
+	 */
+	preload(url: string, opts?: PlayOptions): Promise<void>;
+	/**
+	 * Attach a cover-art image to the currently-loaded file at runtime
+	 * (mpv `video-add`). Lets play() start without waiting on art; the
+	 * Now Playing artwork pops in when the download lands.
+	 */
+	addCoverArt(path: string): Promise<void>;
 	pause(): Promise<void>;
 	resume(): Promise<void>;
 	stop(): Promise<void>;
@@ -40,6 +70,15 @@ export interface AudioBackend {
 	getPosition(): Promise<number>;
 	getDuration(): Promise<number>;
 	isPlaying(): boolean;
+	/** Live pause state: `true` paused, `false` playing, `undefined` when
+	 *  unknown (player unreachable / not yet loaded). Unlike `isPlaying()` —
+	 *  which reflects only commands PodTUI sent — this reflects the player's
+	 *  real state, including pauses initiated OUTSIDE PodTUI (system
+	 *  sleep/lock, AirPod removal, device swap, OS media keys, the Now
+	 *  Playing center). */
+	getPauseState(): Promise<boolean | undefined>;
+	/** True while the player process is running (regardless of pause). */
+	isAlive(): boolean;
 	dispose(): void;
 }
 
@@ -71,8 +110,16 @@ function which(cmd: string): string | null {
 	return null;
 }
 
+let mpvInstance = 0;
 function mpvSocketPath(): string {
-	return join(tmpdir(), `podtui-mpv-${process.pid}.sock`);
+	// Per-instance, not just per-pid: tests (and backend switching) create
+	// several MpvBackend objects in ONE bun process — a pid-only path makes
+	// every daemon bind the same socket, so later daemons unlink the path
+	// out from under earlier ones and IPC cross-talks between backends.
+	return join(
+		tmpdir(),
+		`podtui-mpv-${process.pid}-${mpvInstance++}.sock`,
+	);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -80,240 +127,558 @@ function mpvSocketPath(): string {
  * (macOS PodTui.app/Contents/MacOS/mpv): running mpv from inside the bundle
  * makes macOS attribute its Now Playing session to PodTui — source-app icon
  * and name in Control Center — instead of a blank placeholder for an
- * unbundled binary. Falls back to PATH so dev runs and Linux keep working.
+ * unbundled binary.
+ *
+ * The bundled copy is verified to actually launch: it links against brew's
+ * dylibs by absolute path, and a Homebrew ffmpeg major upgrade can break it
+ * (dylib gone → immediate non-zero exit). If the bundled binary can't run,
+ * fall back to PATH mpv so audio keeps working — the icon degrades to blank
+ * rather than playback dying. Probed once per process.
  */
+let resolvedMpv: string | null | undefined; // undefined = not yet probed
+
+function mpvLaunches(binary: string): boolean {
+	try {
+		const proc = Bun.spawnSync([binary, "--version"], { timeout: 3000 });
+		return proc.exitCode === 0;
+	} catch {
+		return false;
+	}
+}
+
 function resolveMpvBinary(): string | null {
+	if (resolvedMpv !== undefined) return resolvedMpv;
+	let resolved: string | null = null;
 	try {
 		const bundled = join(dirname(process.execPath), "mpv");
-		if (existsSync(bundled)) return bundled;
+		if (existsSync(bundled) && mpvLaunches(bundled)) {
+			resolved = bundled;
+		}
 	} catch {
 		/* process.execPath unusable — fall through to PATH */
 	}
-	return which("mpv");
+	if (!resolved) resolved = which("mpv");
+	resolvedMpv = resolved;
+	return resolved;
+}
+
+// ── mpv JSON IPC connection ─────────────────────────────────────────
+//
+// One persistent Unix-socket connection to the resident mpv daemon. Lines
+// from mpv are either command responses (`request_id` present — correlated
+// to the pending promise) or unsolicited traffic (property-change events
+// from `observe_property`, end-file, ...), dispatched to the event handler.
+
+interface MpvResponse {
+	error?: string;
+	data?: unknown;
+	request_id?: number;
+}
+
+interface MpvEvent {
+	event: string;
+	/** Observation id for property-change events. */
+	id?: number;
+	name?: string;
+	data?: unknown;
+	reason?: string;
+	error?: string;
+}
+
+type MpvEventHandler = (msg: MpvEvent) => void;
+
+class MpvConnection {
+	private sock: Socket | null = null;
+	private buf = "";
+	private nextId = 1;
+	private pending = new Map<number, (msg: MpvResponse) => void>();
+	private eventWaiters = new Map<string, Array<(msg: MpvEvent) => void>>();
+	onEvent: MpvEventHandler = () => {};
+
+	async connect(path: string): Promise<void> {
+		const { promise, resolve, reject } = Promise.withResolvers<void>();
+		let settled = false;
+		Bun.connect({
+			unix: path,
+			socket: {
+				open: (socket) => {
+					this.sock = socket;
+					if (!settled) {
+						settled = true;
+						resolve();
+					}
+				},
+				data: (_socket, data) => this.onData(data),
+				error: (_socket, err) => {
+					if (!settled) {
+						settled = true;
+						reject(err);
+					}
+					this.handleTeardown();
+				},
+				close: () => this.handleTeardown(),
+			},
+		}).catch((err) => {
+			if (!settled) {
+				settled = true;
+				reject(err);
+			}
+		});
+		await promise;
+	}
+
+	private onData(data: Uint8Array): void {
+		this.buf += Buffer.from(data).toString();
+		let nl = this.buf.indexOf("\n");
+		while (nl !== -1) {
+			const line = this.buf.slice(0, nl);
+			this.buf = this.buf.slice(nl + 1);
+			nl = this.buf.indexOf("\n");
+			if (!line.trim()) continue;
+			let msg: Record<string, unknown>;
+			try {
+				msg = JSON.parse(line) as Record<string, unknown>;
+			} catch {
+				continue; // skip malformed lines
+			}
+			if (msg.request_id !== undefined) {
+				const resolve = this.pending.get(msg.request_id as number);
+				if (resolve) {
+					this.pending.delete(msg.request_id as number);
+					resolve(msg as MpvResponse);
+				}
+			} else if (typeof msg.event === "string") {
+				const event = msg as unknown as MpvEvent;
+				this.onEvent(event);
+				const waiters = this.eventWaiters.get(event.event);
+				if (waiters) {
+					this.eventWaiters.delete(event.event);
+					for (const w of waiters) w(event);
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	/** Socket died / daemon gone: fail all pending commands so no caller
+	 *  hangs on a dead connection. */
+	private handleTeardown(): void {
+		for (const resolve of this.pending.values()) {
+			resolve({ error: "connection-lost" });
+		}
+		this.pending.clear();
+		this.sock = null;
+	}
+
+	/** Send a command and await mpv's response (correlated by request_id).
+	 *  Resolves `{ error: "timeout" }` instead of hanging when mpv stalls. */
+	send(command: unknown[], timeoutMs = 2000): Promise<MpvResponse> {
+		const sock = this.sock;
+		if (!sock) return Promise.resolve({ error: "not-connected" });
+		const id = this.nextId++;
+		const { promise, resolve } = Promise.withResolvers<MpvResponse>();
+		const timeout = setTimeout(() => {
+			if (this.pending.delete(id)) resolve({ error: "timeout" });
+		}, timeoutMs);
+		this.pending.set(id, (msg) => {
+			clearTimeout(timeout);
+			resolve(msg);
+		});
+		sock.write(JSON.stringify({ command, request_id: id }) + "\n");
+		return promise;
+	}
+
+	/** One-shot wait for an mpv event by name. Register BEFORE the command
+	 *  that triggers it. Resolves null on timeout instead of hanging. */
+	waitEvent(name: string, timeoutMs = 5000): Promise<MpvEvent | null> {
+		const { promise, resolve } = Promise.withResolvers<MpvEvent | null>();
+		const list = this.eventWaiters.get(name) ?? [];
+		list.push(resolve);
+		this.eventWaiters.set(name, list);
+		setTimeout(() => {
+			const current = this.eventWaiters.get(name);
+			if (current) {
+				this.eventWaiters.set(
+					name,
+					current.filter((w) => w !== resolve),
+				);
+			}
+			resolve(null);
+		}, timeoutMs);
+		return promise;
+	}
+
+	close(): void {
+		try {
+			this.sock?.end();
+		} catch {
+			/* ignore */
+		}
+		this.handleTeardown();
+	}
 }
 
 // ── mpv Backend ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-// Uses JSON IPC over a Unix socket for full bidirectional control.
+// One resident daemon for the app's lifetime, controlled over a single
+// persistent JSON IPC connection with property observation.
+
+/** Property observation ids (correlate property-change events). */
+const OBS_TIME_POS = 1;
+const OBS_PAUSE = 2;
+const OBS_DURATION = 3;
+const OBS_EOF = 4;
 
 export class MpvBackend implements AudioBackend {
 	readonly name: BackendName = "mpv";
 	private proc: Subprocess | null = null;
 	private socketPath = mpvSocketPath();
-	private _playing = false;
+	private conn: MpvConnection | null = null;
+	/** Guarantee daemon startup runs once (concurrent play/preload). */
+	private startPromise: Promise<void> | null = null;
+
+	// Command intent: what PodTUI asked the player to do.
+	private _intentPlaying = false;
+	/** The file currently loaded via loadfile (null = idle). */
+	private _loadedUrl: string | null = null;
+	/** The current file was loadfile'd paused (preload) and not yet played. */
+	private _loadedPaused = false;
+	/** Set on end-file reason "eof"/"error"; cleared by the next loadfile. */
+	private _ended = false;
+
+	// Observed (player-reported) state, pushed by mpv property-change events.
 	private _position = 0;
 	private _duration = 0;
+	/** null until the first pause observation arrives. */
+	private _paused: boolean | null = null;
+
 	private _volume = 100;
 	private _speed = 1;
+	private _exited = false;
+	/** Last playback error reported via end-file reason "error". */
+	private _playbackError: string | null = null;
 
-	async play(url: string, opts?: PlayOptions): Promise<void> {
-		await this.stop();
+	// ── Daemon lifecycle ─────────────────────────────────────────────
 
+	private async ensureDaemon(): Promise<void> {
+		if (this.proc && !this._exited && this.conn) return;
+		if (this.startPromise) return this.startPromise;
+		this.startPromise = this.spawnDaemon().finally(() => {
+			this.startPromise = null;
+		});
+		return this.startPromise;
+	}
+
+	private async spawnDaemon(): Promise<void> {
 		// Clean up stale socket
 		try {
-			if (existsSync(this.socketPath)) {
-				const { unlinkSync } = await import("fs");
-				unlinkSync(this.socketPath);
-			}
+			unlinkSync(this.socketPath);
 		} catch {
 			/* ignore */
 		}
 
-		const args = [
-			resolveMpvBinary() ?? "mpv",
-			"--no-video",
-			"--no-terminal",
-			"--really-quiet",
-			`--input-ipc-server=${this.socketPath}`,
-			`--volume=${Math.round((opts?.volume ?? 1) * 100)}`,
-			`--speed=${opts?.speed ?? 1}`,
-		];
-
-		if (opts?.mediaTitle) {
-			args.push(`--force-media-title=${opts.mediaTitle}`);
-		}
-
-		if (opts?.coverArtPath) {
-			// Explicit cover file → albumart track → macOS Now Playing artwork
-			// (works for remote streams, not just local downloads).
-			args.push(`--cover-art-files=${opts.coverArtPath}`);
-		}
-
-		if (opts?.startPosition && opts.startPosition > 0) {
-			args.push(`--start=${opts.startPosition}`);
-		}
-
-		args.push(url);
-
-		this.proc = Bun.spawn(args, {
-			stdout: "ignore",
-			stderr: "ignore",
-			stdin: "ignore",
-		});
-
-		this._playing = true;
-		this._position = opts?.startPosition ?? 0;
-		this._volume = Math.round((opts?.volume ?? 1) * 100);
-		this._speed = opts?.speed ?? 1;
-
-		// Wait for socket to appear (mpv creates it async)
-		await this.waitForSocket(2000);
-
-		// Position is fetched live from mpv on each getPosition() call (see
-		// below) — the UI polls it, so no internal poll timer is needed.
-
-		// Detect process exit
+		this.proc = Bun.spawn(
+			[
+				resolveMpvBinary() ?? "mpv",
+				"--no-video",
+				"--no-terminal",
+				"--really-quiet",
+				// Stay alive after finishing/unloading files; PodTUI owns one mpv
+				// for its whole session and switches episodes via loadfile.
+				"--idle=yes",
+				"--keep-open=yes",
+				// Cap the demuxer cache. mpv's defaults (150MiB) make it race
+				// to fill while a preload sits paused — measured 45MB pulled
+				// within 12s of a boot-restore preload, saturating the link
+				// exactly when everything else is starting up. ~90s forward
+				// target / 40MiB hard cap is a few MB at podcast bitrates:
+				// plenty for instant resume + stall resilience.
+				"--cache-secs=90",
+				"--demuxer-max-bytes=40MiB",
+				"--demuxer-max-back-bytes=20MiB",
+				`--input-ipc-server=${this.socketPath}`,
+			],
+			{ stdout: "ignore", stderr: "ignore", stdin: "ignore" },
+		);
+		this._exited = false;
 		this.proc.exited
 			.then(() => {
-				this._playing = false;
+				this._exited = true;
+				this._intentPlaying = false;
+				this._loadedUrl = null;
+				this._paused = null;
 			})
 			.catch(() => {});
-	}
 
-	private async waitForSocket(timeoutMs: number): Promise<void> {
+		// mpv creates the socket asynchronously (measured ~600ms cold spawn).
 		const start = Date.now();
-		while (Date.now() - start < timeoutMs) {
-			if (existsSync(this.socketPath)) return;
+		while (Date.now() - start < 3000) {
+			if (this._exited) break;
+			if (existsSync(this.socketPath)) break;
 			await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 50));
 		}
+
+		const conn = new MpvConnection();
+		conn.onEvent = (msg) => this.handleEvent(msg);
+		await conn.connect(this.socketPath);
+		this.conn = conn;
+
+		// Observe the state the UI polls: mpv then pushes changes at ~20Hz
+		// while playing and broadcasts external changes (AirPods pull, OS
+		// media keys) with zero polling from our side.
+		await this.send(["observe_property", OBS_TIME_POS, "time-pos"]);
+		await this.send(["observe_property", OBS_PAUSE, "pause"]);
+		await this.send(["observe_property", OBS_DURATION, "duration"]);
+		// With --keep-open=yes mpv does NOT emit end-file at natural EOF — it
+		// sets eof-reached=true (and pauses at the last frame) instead. That
+		// property is the track-end signal; end-file only covers unload/error.
+		await this.send(["observe_property", OBS_EOF, "eof-reached"]);
 	}
 
-	/** Send a fire-and-forget command (no response needed) */
-	private async send(command: unknown[]): Promise<void> {
-		try {
-			const conn = await Bun.connect({
-				unix: this.socketPath,
-				socket: {
-					data() {},
-					error() {},
-					close() {},
-					open() {},
-				},
-			});
-			conn.write(JSON.stringify({ command }) + "\n");
-			// Don't wait, just schedule a close
-			setTimeout(() => {
-				try {
-					conn.end();
-				} catch {}
-			}, 50);
-		} catch {
-			/* ignore */
+	private async send(
+		command: unknown[],
+	): Promise<MpvResponse> {
+		if (!this.conn) return { error: "not-connected" };
+		return this.conn.send(command);
+	}
+
+	private handleEvent(msg: MpvEvent): void {
+		if (msg.event === "property-change") {
+			if (msg.id === OBS_TIME_POS) {
+				// `data` is number while playing; unavailable → undefined while
+				// idle. Keep last known on transient gaps, reset on idle.
+				if (typeof msg.data === "number") this._position = msg.data;
+			} else if (msg.id === OBS_PAUSE) {
+				if (typeof msg.data === "boolean") this._paused = msg.data;
+			} else if (msg.id === OBS_DURATION) {
+				if (typeof msg.data === "number" && msg.data > 0) {
+					this._duration = msg.data;
+				}
+			} else if (msg.id === OBS_EOF) {
+				// Natural end-of-file (or a brand-new load reporting false).
+				this._ended = msg.data === true;
+				if (this._ended) this._intentPlaying = false;
+			}
+			return;
 		}
+
+		if (msg.event === "end-file") {
+			if (msg.reason === "eof") {
+				this._ended = true;
+				this._intentPlaying = false;
+			} else if (msg.reason === "error") {
+				this._ended = true;
+				this._intentPlaying = false;
+				this._playbackError = msg.error ?? "mpv failed to play the stream";
+			}
+			return;
+		}
+
+		if (msg.event === "file-loaded") {
+			this._ended = false;
+		}
+	}
+
+	// ── File presentation options ────────────────────────────────────
+	//
+	// force-media-title and cover-art-files are set as global properties
+	// BEFORE loadfile (verified: runtime-settable; values containing commas
+	// would corrupt the per-file options string). Numbers (volume, speed,
+	// start, pause) ride as per-file options on loadfile itself so each
+	// loadfile is self-contained.
+
+	private async applyPresentation(opts?: PlayOptions): Promise<void> {
+		await this.send([
+			"set_property",
+			"force-media-title",
+			opts?.mediaTitle ?? "",
+		]);
+		await this.send([
+			"set_property",
+			"cover-art-files",
+			opts?.coverArtPath ?? "",
+		]);
+	}
+
+	private loadfileOptions(opts: PlayOptions | undefined, paused: boolean): string {
+		const parts: string[] = [`pause=${paused ? "yes" : "no"}`];
+		if (opts?.startPosition && opts.startPosition > 0) {
+			parts.push(`start=${Math.max(0, opts.startPosition)}`);
+		}
+		const vol = Math.round((opts?.volume ?? 1) * 100);
+		if (Number.isFinite(vol)) parts.push(`volume=${vol}`);
+		const speed = opts?.speed ?? 1;
+		if (Number.isFinite(speed) && speed > 0) parts.push(`speed=${speed}`);
+		return parts.join(",");
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Get a property value from mpv via IPC.
-	 *
-	 * Resolves the parsed numeric value, or `undefined` when the read fails
-	 * (socket error, timeout, unparseable response, or the property being
-	 * unavailable — e.g. `time-pos` before playback starts). Failure is
-	 * distinct from a legitimate `0` so callers can keep the last known
-	 * value instead of snapping the position clock to zero on a transient
-	 * error; the next poll retries.
-	 *
-	 * mpv multiplexes unsolicited events (audio-reconfig, file-loaded, ...)
-	 * onto the same connection, so we line-buffer and only settle on the
-	 * line that carries the command response (`request_id` set). The socket
-	 * is closed once the response is handled — leaving it open leaks an fd
-	 * per poll, while closing it before mpv processes the request drops the
-	 * reply.
+	 * Every loadfile (play, preload, replay) runs under this mutex: useAudio
+	 * fires the boot preload unawaited, so without serialization a user
+	 * pressing Play mid-preload would send loadfile(no-pause) followed by the
+	 * in-flight preload's loadfile(pause=yes) — and the stale preload would
+	 * pause the file the user just started. The mutex also prevents
+	 * presentation options (title/cover) of one episode from interleaving
+	 * with the loadfile of another.
 	 */
-	private async getProperty(name: string): Promise<number | undefined> {
-		try {
-			return await new Promise<number | undefined>((resolve) => {
-				let settled = false;
-				let sock: Socket | null = null;
-				let buf = "";
-				const done = (value: number | undefined) => {
-					if (settled) return;
-					settled = true;
-					clearTimeout(timeout);
-					try {
-						sock?.end();
-					} catch {
-						/* ignore */
-					}
-					resolve(value);
-				};
-				const timeout = setTimeout(() => done(undefined), 300);
+	private loadMutex: Promise<unknown> = Promise.resolve();
 
-				Bun.connect({
-					unix: this.socketPath,
-					socket: {
-						open(socket) {
-							sock = socket;
-							socket.write(
-								JSON.stringify({ command: ["get_property", name] }) + "\n",
-							);
-						},
-						data(_socket, data) {
-							buf += Buffer.from(data).toString();
-							let nl = buf.indexOf("\n");
-							while (nl !== -1) {
-								const line = buf.slice(0, nl);
-								buf = buf.slice(nl + 1);
-								nl = buf.indexOf("\n");
-								try {
-									const parsed = JSON.parse(line);
-									// Events carry no request_id; only settle on
-									// the actual command response.
-									if (parsed?.request_id === undefined) continue;
-									if (parsed?.data !== undefined) {
-										done(Number(parsed.data) || 0);
-									} else {
-										done(undefined);
-									}
-									return;
-								} catch {
-									/* skip malformed lines */
-								}
-							}
-						},
-						error() {
-							done(undefined);
-						},
-						close() {
-							done(undefined);
-						},
-					},
-				}).catch(() => done(undefined));
-			});
-		} catch {
-			return undefined;
+	private runLoadExclusive<T>(fn: () => Promise<T>): Promise<T> {
+		const result = this.loadMutex.then(fn);
+		this.loadMutex = result.catch(() => {});
+		return result;
+	}
+
+	private async loadFileLocked(
+		url: string,
+		opts: PlayOptions | undefined,
+		paused: boolean,
+	): Promise<void> {
+		await this.applyPresentation(opts);
+		// Paused preload of a mid-episode restore: pass NO start= option and
+		// seek while paused instead. mpv defers --start stream work (open,
+		// header probe, demuxer seek) until playback begins — measured: the
+		// demuxer cache stays EMPTY during the whole preload and the eventual
+		// unpause pays 4.3s. A time-pos seek while paused executes at once,
+		// so the stream opens and buffers during the preload, and the first
+		// real Play is a sub-second unpause.
+		const pausedSeek =
+			paused && opts?.startPosition && opts.startPosition > 0
+				? opts.startPosition
+				: null;
+		const loadOpts =
+			pausedSeek && opts ? { ...opts, startPosition: undefined } : opts;
+		// Register the file-loaded waiter BEFORE loadfile: the event can
+		// arrive between the command response and listener setup otherwise.
+		const fileLoaded = pausedSeek && this.conn ? this.conn.waitEvent("file-loaded") : null;
+		const resp = await this.send([
+			"loadfile",
+			url,
+			"replace",
+			-1,
+			this.loadfileOptions(loadOpts, paused),
+		]);
+		if (resp.error && resp.error !== "success") {
+			throw new Error(`mpv loadfile failed: ${resp.error}`);
 		}
+		if (pausedSeek) {
+			// time-pos sent before file-loaded is silently dropped by mpv
+			// (no file yet) — the preload then parked at 0 and the restore
+			// position was lost. Wait for the open, then seek.
+			await fileLoaded;
+			await this.send(["set_property", "time-pos", pausedSeek]);
+			this._position = pausedSeek;
+		}
+		this._loadedUrl = url;
+		this._loadedPaused = paused;
+		this._ended = false;
+		this._playbackError = null;
+		this._position = opts?.startPosition ?? 0;
+		this._duration = 0;
+		this._volume = Math.round((opts?.volume ?? 1) * 100);
+		this._speed = opts?.speed ?? 1;
+	}
+
+	// ── AudioBackend ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+	async play(url: string, opts?: PlayOptions): Promise<void> {
+		await this.ensureDaemon();
+		// Mark intent before the mutex: a boot preload queued behind this
+		// play checks it and skips its own stale paused-load.
+		this._intentPlaying = true;
+		await this.runLoadExclusive(async () => {
+			// Fast path: this exact URL was PRELOADED paused (boot restore) —
+			// mpv has been buffering it since boot, so flipping pause off starts
+			// audio ~instantly. Re-acquire the start position only when it
+			// moved meaningfully since the preload (progress saved meanwhile).
+			if (this._loadedUrl === url && this._loadedPaused && !this._ended) {
+				const target = opts?.startPosition ?? this._position;
+				if (Math.abs(target - this._position) > 2) {
+					await this.send(["set_property", "time-pos", target]);
+					this._position = target;
+				}
+				await this.send([
+					"set_property",
+					"volume",
+					Math.round((opts?.volume ?? 1) * 100),
+				]);
+				await this.send(["set_property", "speed", opts?.speed ?? 1]);
+				if (opts?.coverArtPath) {
+					// File is already loaded: cover-art-files only applies at
+					// load, so add the art as a runtime albumart track instead.
+					await this.send(["set_property", "cover-art-files", opts.coverArtPath]);
+					await this.send(["video-add", opts.coverArtPath]);
+				}
+				if (opts?.mediaTitle) {
+					await this.send(["set_property", "force-media-title", opts.mediaTitle]);
+				}
+				await this.send(["set_property", "pause", false]);
+				this._loadedPaused = false;
+				return;
+			}
+
+			await this.loadFileLocked(url, opts, false);
+		});
+	}
+
+	async preload(url: string, opts?: PlayOptions): Promise<void> {
+		await this.ensureDaemon();
+		await this.runLoadExclusive(async () => {
+			// Already loaded (paused park, or actively playing because the
+			// user pressed Play while this preload was queued — either way
+			// the file is in the player and must not be clobbered).
+			if (this._loadedUrl === url) return;
+			await this.loadFileLocked(url, opts, true);
+			this._intentPlaying = false;
+		});
+	}
+
+	async addCoverArt(path: string): Promise<void> {
+		if (!this._loadedUrl) return;
+		// Keep the property pointing at the latest art too, so a subsequent
+		// loadfile of the same episode carries it.
+		await this.send(["set_property", "cover-art-files", path]);
+		await this.send(["video-add", path]);
 	}
 
 	async pause(): Promise<void> {
 		await this.send(["set_property", "pause", true]);
-		this._playing = false;
+		this._intentPlaying = false;
 	}
 
 	async resume(): Promise<void> {
+		if (this._ended && this._loadedUrl) {
+			// Play pressed on a finished episode: replay from the top.
+			this._ended = false;
+			const url = this._loadedUrl;
+			await this.runLoadExclusive(async () => {
+				await this.loadFileLocked(
+					url,
+					{ volume: this._volume / 100, speed: this._speed },
+					false,
+				);
+			});
+			this._intentPlaying = true;
+			return;
+		}
+		if (this._loadedPaused && this._loadedUrl) {
+			// Deferred first play of a preloaded file.
+			this._loadedPaused = false;
+		}
+		this._ended = false;
 		await this.send(["set_property", "pause", false]);
-		this._playing = true;
+		this._intentPlaying = true;
 	}
 
 	async stop(): Promise<void> {
-		if (this.proc) {
-			try {
-				this.proc.kill();
-			} catch {
-				/* ignore */
-			}
-			this.proc = null;
+		if (this.conn && this._loadedUrl) {
+			await this.send(["stop"]);
 		}
-		this._playing = false;
+		this._intentPlaying = false;
+		this._loadedUrl = null;
+		this._loadedPaused = false;
+		this._ended = false;
 		this._position = 0;
-
-		// Clean up socket
-		try {
-			if (existsSync(this.socketPath)) {
-				const { unlinkSync } = await import("fs");
-				unlinkSync(this.socketPath);
-			}
-		} catch {
-			/* ignore */
-		}
+		this._duration = 0;
+		await this.send(["set_property", "cover-art-files", ""]);
 	}
 
 	async seek(seconds: number): Promise<void> {
@@ -333,30 +698,55 @@ export class MpvBackend implements AudioBackend {
 	}
 
 	async getPosition(): Promise<number> {
-		// Live-fetch `time-pos` so the position clock is as fresh as the
-		// UI's poll rate (the hook polls this at ~150ms). On a transient IPC
-		// failure, keep the last known value rather than returning 0.
-		if (this._playing && this.proc) {
-			const pos = await this.getProperty("time-pos");
-			if (pos !== undefined) this._position = pos;
-		}
+		// Observed at ~20Hz by mpv — no socket roundtrip on the UI poll.
 		return this._position;
 	}
 
 	async getDuration(): Promise<number> {
-		if (this._duration <= 0) {
-			const dur = await this.getProperty("duration");
-			if (dur !== undefined && dur > 0) this._duration = dur;
-		}
 		return this._duration;
 	}
 
 	isPlaying(): boolean {
-		return this._playing;
+		return this._intentPlaying && this.isAlive() && !this._ended;
+	}
+
+	async getPauseState(): Promise<boolean | undefined> {
+		if (!this.isAlive() || this._paused === null) return undefined;
+		return this._paused;
+	}
+
+	isAlive(): boolean {
+		return this.proc !== null && !this._exited;
+	}
+
+	/** Last mpv playback failure (end-file reason "error"), if any. */
+	getPlaybackError(): string | null {
+		return this._playbackError;
 	}
 
 	dispose(): void {
-		this.stop();
+		const conn = this.conn;
+		this.conn = null;
+		if (conn) {
+			// Ask nicely, then force: dispose runs inside process-exit
+			// handlers where awaiting is not guaranteed to complete.
+			conn.send(["quit"], 500).catch(() => {});
+		}
+		if (this.proc) {
+			try {
+				this.proc.kill();
+			} catch {
+				/* ignore */
+			}
+			this.proc = null;
+		}
+		this._exited = true;
+		this._intentPlaying = false;
+		try {
+			unlinkSync(this.socketPath);
+		} catch {
+			/* ignore */
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -365,6 +755,8 @@ export class MpvBackend implements AudioBackend {
 class NoopBackend implements AudioBackend {
 	readonly name: BackendName = "none";
 	async play(): Promise<void> {}
+	async preload(): Promise<void> {}
+	async addCoverArt(): Promise<void> {}
 	async pause(): Promise<void> {}
 	async resume(): Promise<void> {}
 	async stop(): Promise<void> {}
@@ -380,6 +772,13 @@ class NoopBackend implements AudioBackend {
 	isPlaying(): boolean {
 		return false;
 	}
+	async getPauseState(): Promise<boolean | undefined> {
+		// Nothing plays on the no-op backend — never externally paused.
+		return false;
+	}
+	isAlive(): boolean {
+		return false;
+	}
 	dispose(): void {}
 }
 

src/utils/audio-signals.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+/**
+ * audio-signals — module-level playback state shared by useAudio and
+ * non-component consumers.
+ *
+ * useAudio's playback state is a module-level singleton (signals live at
+ * module scope, every `useAudio()` call shares them). Those signals are
+ * declared here so components that must react to playback WITHOUT mounting
+ * a `useAudio()` owner — the visualizer store — can subscribe directly via
+ * `audioPlaybackSignals` (or the individual accessors/setters), instead of
+ * going through the hook. `useAudio()` re-exports nothing from this module
+ * for callers; it imports the accessors and setters for its own use.
+ */
+
+import { createSignal } from "solid-js";
+import type { Episode } from "../types/episode";
+import type { BackendName, DetectedPlayer } from "./audio-player";
+
+export const [isPlaying, setIsPlaying] = createSignal(false);
+export const [position, setPosition] = createSignal(0);
+export const [duration, setDuration] = createSignal(0);
+export const [volume, setVolume] = createSignal(1);
+export const [speed, setSpeed] = createSignal(1);
+export const [backendName, setBackendName] = createSignal<BackendName>("none");
+export const [error, setError] = createSignal<string | null>(null);
+export const [currentEpisode, setCurrentEpisode] = createSignal<Episode | null>(
+	null,
+);
+export const [availablePlayers, setAvailablePlayers] = createSignal<
+	DetectedPlayer[]
+>([]);
+
+/**
+ * The playback signals the visualizer pipeline reacts to. `useAudio()`
+ * itself remains the component-facing surface; this is for module-level
+ * consumers that must track playback without a component owner.
+ */
+export const audioPlaybackSignals = {
+	isPlaying,
+	position,
+	speed,
+	currentEpisode,
+} as const;

src/utils/audio-stream-reader.ts

@@ -1,324 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * Real-time audio stream reader for visualization.
- *
- * Spawns a separate ffmpeg process that decodes the same audio URL
- * the player is using and outputs raw PCM data (signed 16-bit LE, mono,
- * 44100 Hz) to a pipe. The reader accumulates samples in a ring buffer
- * and serves windows *at a requested playback position* to the caller.
- *
- * This is independent from the actual playback backend — it's a
- * read-only "tap" on the audio for FFT analysis purposes. Sync with the
- * player is maintained by pacing decode at the player's clock rate
- * (`-readrate <speed>`) while front-loading a burst of LEAD_SECONDS
- * (`-readrate_initial_burst`) so the decode head leads the player
- * position by a stable lead — read() samples at the exact position the
- * player reports, never at the decode head.
- */
-
-/** PCM output format constants */
-const SAMPLE_RATE = 44100;
-const CHANNELS = 1;
-const BYTES_PER_SAMPLE = 2; // s16le
-
-/**
- * How many samples to buffer (~10 seconds).
- * Large enough to absorb the gap between mpv's startup latency (0.5–3s,
- * more for network streams at speed) and the reader's decode head, plus
- * short player stalls. Samples older than the ring window are never needed
- * again — the renderer only samples at the current playback position.
- */
-const RING_BUFFER_SAMPLES = SAMPLE_RATE * 10;
-
-/**
- * Decode-head lead over the player position, in seconds.
- *
- * `-readrate_initial_burst LEAD_SECONDS` makes ffmpeg emit this much audio
- * immediately on start, then pace at realtime (`-readrate speed`) after.
- * The decode head thus leads the player by ~LEAD_SECONDS from the very
- * first frame. read() samples at the player's current position, which is
- * always behind the head — so it finds freshly decoded samples there
- * instead of clamping to stale data.
- *
- * Bare `-readrate speed` (no burst) starts ffmpeg ε behind mpv (input-open
- * + first-packet latency) and, since both advance at the same rate, never
- * catches up — the bars lag by ε (up to several seconds on network
- * streams). The burst eliminates that constant offset.
- *
- * Must stay within the ring window (RING_BUFFER_SAMPLES ~10s) so the
- * lead audio hasn't wrapped out by the time the player reaches it.
- */
-const LEAD_SECONDS = 3;
-
-export interface AudioStreamReaderOptions {
-	/** Audio URL or file path to decode */
-	url: string;
-	/** Sample rate (default: 44100) */
-	sampleRate?: number;
-}
-
-/**
- * Monotonically increasing generation counter.
- * Each start() increments this; the read loop checks it to know
- * if it's been superseded and should bail out.
- */
-let globalGeneration = 0;
-
-import type { Subprocess } from "bun";
-
-export class AudioStreamReader {
-	private proc: Subprocess | null = null;
-	private ringBuffer: Float64Array;
-	private writePos = 0;
-	private totalSamplesWritten = 0;
-	private startPosition = 0;
-	private _running = false;
-	private generation = 0;
-	readonly url: string;
-	private sampleRate: number;
-
-	constructor(options: AudioStreamReaderOptions) {
-		this.url = options.url;
-		this.sampleRate = options.sampleRate ?? SAMPLE_RATE;
-		this.ringBuffer = new Float64Array(RING_BUFFER_SAMPLES);
-	}
-
-	/** Whether the reader is actively reading samples. */
-	get running(): boolean {
-		return this._running;
-	}
-
-	/** Total number of samples written since start(). */
-	get samplesWritten(): number {
-		return this.totalSamplesWritten;
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * Start the ffmpeg decode process and begin reading PCM data.
-	 *
-	 * If already running, the previous process is killed first.
-	 * Uses a generation counter to guarantee that only one read loop
-	 * is ever active — stale loops from killed processes bail out
-	 * immediately.
-	 *
-	 * @param startPosition Seek position in seconds (default: 0).
-	 * @param speed Playback speed multiplier (default: 1). Paces ffmpeg
-	 *              at the player's advance rate so decode tracks the
-	 *              player clock; `-readrate_initial_burst` front-loads
-	 *              a LEAD_SECONDS head start.
-	 */
-	start(startPosition = 0, speed = 1): void {
-		// Always kill the previous process first — no early return on _running
-		this.killProcess();
-
-		if (!Bun.which("ffmpeg")) {
-			throw new Error("ffmpeg not found — required for audio visualization");
-		}
-
-		// Increment generation so any lingering read loop from a previous
-		// start() will see a mismatch and exit.
-		this.generation = ++globalGeneration;
-		this.startPosition = Math.max(0, startPosition);
-
-		const readRate = Math.max(0.25, speed > 0 ? speed : 1);
-
-		const args = [
-			"ffmpeg",
-			"-loglevel",
-			"quiet",
-			// Pace input at the player's advance rate (speed× native). Combined
-			// with -readrate_initial_burst below, the decode head starts
-			// LEAD_SECONDS ahead of the player and advances at the same rate —
-			// read() samples at the player position and always finds fresh data.
-			"-readrate",
-			String(readRate),
-			// Front-load LEAD_SECONDS of audio immediately so the decode head
-			// leads the player from the very first frame. Without this, ffmpeg
-			// starts ε behind mpv (input-open + first-packet latency) and,
-			// pacing at the same rate, never catches up — bars lag by ε.
-			"-readrate_initial_burst",
-			String(LEAD_SECONDS),
-		];
-
-		// `-reconnect*` are http-protocol options: ffmpeg rejects them at
-		// input-open when the input is a local file, killing the process
-		// before any PCM is produced. Only pass them for network URLs.
-		if (/^https?:\/\//i.test(this.url)) {
-			args.push(
-				"-reconnect",
-				"1",
-				"-reconnect_streamed",
-				"1",
-				"-reconnect_delay_max",
-				"5",
-			);
-		}
-
-		// Seek before input for network efficiency
-		if (startPosition > 0) {
-			args.push("-ss", String(startPosition));
-		}
-
-		args.push("-i", this.url);
-
-		// No atempo filter: the renderer samples the *source* audio at the
-		// player's current position, so output samples map 1:1 to input time
-		// (stream index = (targetSeconds - startPosition) * sampleRate).
-		args.push(
-			"-ac",
-			String(CHANNELS),
-			"-ar",
-			String(this.sampleRate),
-			"-f",
-			"s16le",
-			"-acodec",
-			"pcm_s16le",
-			"-",
-		);
-
-		this.proc = Bun.spawn(args, {
-			stdout: "pipe",
-			stderr: "ignore",
-			stdin: "ignore",
-		});
-
-		this._running = true;
-		this.writePos = 0;
-		this.totalSamplesWritten = 0;
-
-		const myGeneration = this.generation;
-
-		this.readLoop(myGeneration);
-
-		// Detect process exit
-		this.proc.exited
-			.then(() => {
-				// Only clear _running if this is still the current generation
-				if (this.generation === myGeneration) {
-					this._running = false;
-				}
-			})
-			.catch(() => {
-				if (this.generation === myGeneration) {
-					this._running = false;
-				}
-			});
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * Read the visualization window ending at `targetSeconds` of playback.
-	 *
-	 * The player (mpv) and this decoder are independent processes, so the
-	 * decode head and the actual playback position drift apart (startup skew,
-	 * stalls, speed changes). Instead of sampling the decode head, we select
-	 * the window *at* the position the player reports, clamped to the nearest
-	 * available samples when the target hasn't been decoded yet (decode head
-	 * behind) or has already wrapped out of the ring (long stall).
-	 *
-	 * @param out - Float64Array to fill with samples (scaled ~+/-32768 for cavacore).
-	 * @param targetSeconds - Playback position (input seconds) to sample.
-	 * @returns Number of samples written to `out`.
-	 */
-	read(out: Float64Array, targetSeconds: number): number {
-		if (this.totalSamplesWritten <= 0 || out.length === 0) return 0;
-
-		const headSample = this.totalSamplesWritten - 1;
-		const coveredStart = Math.max(
-			0,
-			this.totalSamplesWritten - this.ringBuffer.length,
-		);
-
-		const targetSample = Math.max(
-			0,
-			Math.round((targetSeconds - this.startPosition) * this.sampleRate),
-		);
-
-		// Window end: the target, clamped to what's been decoded so far.
-		const endSample = Math.min(targetSample, headSample);
-		// Window start: at most out.length samples back, clamped to what the
-		// ring still holds (target older than the ring -> serve the oldest
-		// available window, which is the closest to the target).
-		const startSample = Math.max(
-			coveredStart,
-			Math.min(endSample, endSample - out.length + 1),
-		);
-		const available = endSample - startSample + 1;
-		if (available <= 0) return 0;
-
-		const ringLen = this.ringBuffer.length;
-		for (let i = 0; i < available; i++) {
-			out[i] = this.ringBuffer[(startSample + i) % ringLen];
-		}
-
-		return available;
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * Stop the ffmpeg process and clean up.
-	 * Safe to call multiple times. Guarantees the read loop exits.
-	 */
-	stop(): void {
-		// Bump generation to invalidate any running read loop
-		this.generation = ++globalGeneration;
-		this._running = false;
-		this.killProcess();
-		this.writePos = 0;
-		this.totalSamplesWritten = 0;
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * Restart the reader at a new position and/or speed.
-	 */
-	restart(startPosition = 0, speed = 1): void {
-		this.start(startPosition, speed);
-	}
-
-	/** Kill the ffmpeg process without touching generation/state. */
-	private killProcess(): void {
-		if (this.proc) {
-			try {
-				this.proc.kill();
-			} catch {
-				/* ignore */
-			}
-			this.proc = null;
-		}
-	}
-
-	/** Internal: continuously reads stdout from ffmpeg and fills the ring buffer. */
-	private async readLoop(myGeneration: number): Promise<void> {
-		const stdout = this.proc?.stdout;
-		if (!stdout || typeof stdout === "number") return;
-
-		const reader = (stdout as ReadableStream<Uint8Array>).getReader();
-		try {
-			while (this.generation === myGeneration) {
-				const { done, value } = await reader.read();
-				if (done || this.generation !== myGeneration) break;
-				if (!value || value.byteLength === 0) continue;
-
-				const sampleCount = Math.floor(value.byteLength / BYTES_PER_SAMPLE);
-				if (sampleCount === 0) continue;
-
-				const int16View = new Int16Array(
-					value.buffer,
-					value.byteOffset,
-					sampleCount,
-				);
-
-				for (let i = 0; i < sampleCount; i++) {
-					this.ringBuffer[this.writePos] = int16View[i];
-					this.writePos = (this.writePos + 1) % this.ringBuffer.length;
-					this.totalSamplesWritten++;
-				}
-			}
-		} catch {
-			// Stream ended or process killed — expected during stop()
-		} finally {
-			try {
-				reader.releaseLock();
-			} catch {
-				/* ignore */
-			}
-		}
-	}
-}

src/utils/config.ts

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
  * always overwrite — no backup files are created.
  */
 
+import { mkdir } from "fs/promises";
 import { ensureConfigDir, getConfigDir, getConfigFilePath } from "./config-dir";
 import type {
 	AppSettings,
@@ -58,15 +59,34 @@ let writeChain: Promise<void> = Promise.resolve();
 
 /** Update sections of config.json (read-modify-write, serialized, overwrite). */
 export function updateConfig(patch: Partial<PodTuiConfig>): void {
+	// Capture the target path AND the patch data eagerly, at call time:
+	// the write chain defers execution, and both the config dir (tests
+	// re-point XDG_CONFIG_HOME between ops) and the state object (stores
+	// mutate in place) move under a pending write. Without the capture, a
+	// queued save writes the LATEST state into whatever directory is
+	// current when the chain drains — a cross-directory misdelivery that
+	// was the source of a flaky "enabled:false survives reload" test.
+	const configPath = getConfigFilePath(CONFIG_FILE);
+	const configDir = getConfigDir();
+	const snapshot = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(patch)) as Partial<PodTuiConfig>;
 	writeChain = writeChain.then(async () => {
 		try {
-			await ensureConfigDir();
-			const current = await loadConfig();
-			const next = { ...current, ...patch };
-			await Bun.write(
-				getConfigFilePath(CONFIG_FILE),
-				JSON.stringify(next, null, 2),
-			);
+			await migrateOnce();
+			await mkdir(configDir, { recursive: true });
+			let current: PodTuiConfig = {};
+			try {
+				const file = Bun.file(configPath);
+				if (await file.exists()) {
+					const raw = await file.json();
+					if (raw && typeof raw === "object") {
+						current = raw as PodTuiConfig;
+					}
+				}
+			} catch {
+				/* unreadable existing config — treat as empty */
+			}
+			const next = { ...current, ...snapshot };
+			await Bun.write(configPath, JSON.stringify(next, null, 2));
 		} catch {
 			// Fire-and-forget persistence — silently ignore write errors.
 		}

src/utils/cover-art.ts

@@ -2,34 +2,97 @@
  * Cover-art staging for the system Now Playing session.
  *
  * macOS shows the media session's albumart in the audio center (Control
- * Center / lock screen). mpv reads it from `--cover-art-files` (loads the
- * file as an albumart video track), so the podcast cover is staged to a temp
- * file BEFORE playback starts and passed to mpv.
+ * Center / lock screen). mpv reads artwork from `--cover-art-files` (loads
+ * the file as an albumart video track), so the podcast cover must exist on
+ * disk before (cover-art-files) or right after (video-add) playback starts.
+ *
+ * Covers are cached persistently under `$XDG_CACHE_HOME/podtui/covers`
+ * (~/.cache/podtui/covers by default), keyed by the URL hash, so the
+ * download happens ONCE per feed — subsequent plays (including the
+ * boot-restored episode) hit the disk cache and never wait on the network.
+ * The play path must never block on art: `cachedCoverPath` is the sync
+ * fast path; `fetchCoverArt` is awaited only by flows where latency does
+ * not matter (CLI play) or fired in the background with the result
+ * applied to a live mpv via `video-add`.
  *
  * Downloaded via `curl` (not `fetch`): Bun's `fetch` hangs in compiled
  * `bun build --compile` binaries (Bun 1.3.8), timing out on any host —
  * which would silently drop every cover in shipped builds. curl is present
- * on macOS and Linux. Bounded: a slow cover server must never stall audio,
- * so an 8s cap drops the art.
+ * on macOS and Linux. Bounded: a slow cover server must never stall audio.
  */
 
-import { tmpdir } from "os";
+import { existsSync, mkdirSync, renameSync, statSync } from "fs";
+import { createHash } from "crypto";
 import { join } from "path";
-import { unlinkSync, statSync } from "fs";
 
-export const coverTempPath = () => join(tmpdir(), "podtui-cover.jpg");
+/** Resolved once per process; null when no home directory is detectable. */
+let cacheDir: string | null | undefined;
 
-export async function fetchCoverArt(url: string): Promise<string | null> {
-	const path = coverTempPath();
+function coversDir(): string | null {
+	if (cacheDir !== undefined) return cacheDir;
+	let dir: string | null = null;
 	try {
-		unlinkSync(path);
+		const home = process.env.HOME ?? process.env.USERPROFILE ?? "";
+		if (home) {
+			dir = join(process.env.XDG_CACHE_HOME ?? join(home, ".cache"), "podtui", "covers");
+			mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
+		}
 	} catch {
-		/* no stale cover */
+		dir = null;
 	}
+	cacheDir = dir;
+	return dir;
+}
+
+function cachePathFor(url: string): string | null {
+	const dir = coversDir();
+	if (!dir) return null;
+	return join(dir, `${createHash("sha1").update(url).digest("hex")}.jpg`);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Sync fast path: the cached cover file for `url`, or null when it has not
+ * been downloaded yet. This is what keeps cover art off the play() critical
+ * path — a cache hit costs one stat() and a miss simply plays without art
+ * (or applies it late via video-add).
+ */
+export function cachedCoverPath(url: string): string | null {
+	const path = cachePathFor(url);
+	if (!path) return null;
 	try {
-		return await Promise.race([
-			(async () => {
-				const proc = Bun.spawn([
+		return existsSync(path) && statSync(path).size > 0 ? path : null;
+	} catch {
+		return null;
+	}
+}
+
+/** In-flight downloads keyed by URL — a burst of plays of the same show
+ *  shares one curl instead of racing ephemeral files. */
+const inflight = new Map<string, Promise<string | null>>();
+
+/**
+ * Fetch the cover for `url`, returns its cache path. Cache hits return
+ * immediately. Downloads are single-flight per URL and time-bounded (8s);
+ * failure resolves null and retries on the next call. The file is written
+ * to a temp name and renamed into place so a killed process can never
+ * poison the cache with a truncated file.
+ */
+export function fetchCoverArt(url: string): Promise<string | null> {
+	const cached = cachedCoverPath(url);
+	if (cached) return Promise.resolve(cached);
+
+	const dest = cachePathFor(url);
+	if (!dest) return Promise.resolve(null);
+
+	const pending = inflight.get(url);
+	if (pending) return pending;
+
+	const task = (async (): Promise<string | null> => {
+		const staging = `${dest}.${process.pid}.tmp`;
+		try {
+			const { promise, resolve } = Promise.withResolvers<string | null>();
+			const proc = Bun.spawn(
+				[
 					"curl",
 					"-sS",
 					"--fail",
@@ -38,20 +101,41 @@ export async function fetchCoverArt(url: string): Promise<string | null> {
 					"--max-filesize",
 					"2097152",
 					"-o",
-					path,
+					staging,
 					url,
-				]);
-				const code = await proc.exited;
-				if (code !== 0) return null;
-				try {
-					return statSync(path).size > 0 ? path : null;
-				} catch {
-					return null;
-				}
-			})(),
-			new Promise<null>((resolve) => setTimeout(() => resolve(null), 8000)),
-		]);
-	} catch {
-		return null;
-	}
+				],
+				{ stdout: "ignore", stderr: "ignore", stdin: "ignore" },
+			);
+			proc.exited
+				.then((code) => {
+					if (code !== 0) return resolve(null);
+					try {
+						if (statSync(staging).size <= 0) return resolve(null);
+						renameSync(staging, dest);
+						resolve(dest);
+					} catch {
+						resolve(null);
+					}
+				})
+				.catch(() => resolve(null));
+			setTimeout(() => resolve(null), 8000);
+			return await promise;
+		} finally {
+			inflight.delete(url);
+			// Best-effort staging cleanup (no-op after a successful rename).
+			try {
+				Bun.spawn(["rm", "-f", staging], { stdout: "ignore", stderr: "ignore" });
+			} catch {
+				/* ignore */
+			}
+		}
+	})();
+
+	inflight.set(url, task);
+	return task;
+}
+
+/** Fire-and-forget warm-up used by the boot/restore path. */
+export function prefetchCoverArt(url: string): void {
+	fetchCoverArt(url).catch(() => {});
 }

src/utils/dispatch.ts

@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ export const PAGE_ACTIONS: ReadonlySet<KeybindActionName> =
 		"sort",
 		"toggle-hidden",
 		"refresh",
+		"subscribe",
 		"unsubscribe",
 		"download",
 		"delete-download",

src/utils/keybinds-persistence.ts

@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ const DEFAULT_KEYBINDS: KeybindsResolved = {
 	sort: [","],
 	"toggle-hidden": ["."],
 	refresh: ["r"],
+	// a subscribes the focused show/episode result in place (x unsubscribes)
+	subscribe: ["a"],
 	unsubscribe: ["x"],
 	// downloads
 	download: ["d"],

tests/audio-backend.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,192 @@
+/**
+ * MpvBackend resident-daemon contract tests (real mpv process).
+ *
+ * Pins the IPC contract the app's playback depends on:
+ *
+ * 1. play() loads a file and position advances (observed, no polling).
+ * 2. pause()/resume() flip the player-reported pause state through IPC.
+ * 3. seek() lands where asked.
+ * 4. stop() unloads the file but keeps the daemon alive (isAlive stays
+ *    true — the daemon model's whole point: no process churn per episode).
+ * 5. preload() parks an episode paused; play() of the SAME url then starts
+ *    it by unpausing — the boot-restore fast path with no second load.
+ * 6. EOF: the episode ends → isPlaying() goes false on its own; pressing
+ *    resume() afterwards replays from the top.
+ *
+ * All playback runs silent (volume 0). Requires a real mpv on PATH;
+ * tests skip where it is missing.
+ */
+import { test, expect } from "bun:test";
+import { tmpdir } from "os";
+import { join } from "path";
+import { MpvBackend } from "../src/utils/audio-player";
+
+const SAMPLE_RATE = 22050;
+const FREQ = 440;
+const AMP = 20000;
+
+/** Write a WAV file containing `seconds` of a sine at AMP amplitude. */
+function writeSineWav(path: string, seconds: number): void {
+	const total = Math.round(seconds * SAMPLE_RATE);
+	const dataSize = total * 2;
+	const buf = new Uint8Array(44 + dataSize);
+	const dv = new DataView(buf.buffer);
+	const ascii = (off: number, s: string) => {
+		for (let i = 0; i < s.length; i++) buf[off + i] = s.charCodeAt(i);
+	};
+	ascii(0, "RIFF");
+	dv.setUint32(4, 36 + dataSize, true);
+	ascii(8, "WAVE");
+	ascii(12, "fmt ");
+	dv.setUint32(16, 16, true);
+	dv.setUint16(20, 1, true);
+	dv.setUint16(22, 1, true);
+	dv.setUint32(24, SAMPLE_RATE, true);
+	dv.setUint32(28, SAMPLE_RATE * 2, true);
+	dv.setUint16(32, 2, true);
+	dv.setUint16(34, 16, true);
+	ascii(36, "data");
+	dv.setUint32(40, dataSize, true);
+	for (let i = 0; i < total; i++) {
+		const v = Math.round(AMP * Math.sin((2 * Math.PI * FREQ * i) / SAMPLE_RATE));
+		dv.setInt16(44 + i * 2, v, true);
+	}
+	Bun.write(path, buf);
+}
+
+/** Poll a predicate until true or the deadline expires. */
+async function waitFor(
+	label: string,
+	pred: () => boolean | Promise<boolean>,
+	timeoutMs = 8000,
+): Promise<void> {
+	const start = Date.now();
+	for (;;) {
+		if (await pred()) return;
+		if (Date.now() - start > timeoutMs) {
+			throw new Error(`${label}: not true within ${timeoutMs}ms`);
+		}
+		await Bun.sleep(50);
+	}
+}
+
+const hasMpv = !!Bun.which("mpv");
+const wavA = join(tmpdir(), `podtui-backend-${process.pid}-a.wav`);
+const wavB = join(tmpdir(), `podtui-backend-${process.pid}-b.wav`);
+
+function fixtureWavs(): void {
+	writeSineWav(wavA, 8);
+	writeSineWav(wavB, 8);
+}
+
+async function cleanup(backend: MpvBackend): Promise<void> {
+	backend.dispose();
+	await Bun.$`rm -f ${wavA} ${wavB}`.quiet();
+}
+
+test.skipIf(!hasMpv)(
+	"play / pause / resume / seek over the resident daemon",
+	async () => {
+		fixtureWavs();
+		const backend = new MpvBackend();
+		try {
+			await backend.play(wavA, { volume: 0, speed: 1, startPosition: 1 });
+			expect(backend.isAlive()).toBe(true);
+			expect(backend.isPlaying()).toBe(true);
+
+			// Observed position advances without any polling from us.
+			await waitFor("position advances", async () => (await backend.getPosition()) > 1.3);
+			expect(await backend.getPauseState()).toBe(false);
+			expect(await backend.getDuration()).toBeGreaterThan(7.5);
+
+			// Pause: reported by the player's own state, position stalls.
+			await backend.pause();
+			await waitFor("paused state observed", async () => (await backend.getPauseState()) === true);
+			const posAtPause = await backend.getPosition();
+			await Bun.sleep(400);
+			expect(Math.abs((await backend.getPosition()) - posAtPause)).toBeLessThan(0.3);
+
+			// Resume: clock advances again.
+			await backend.resume();
+			await waitFor("resumed state observed", async () => (await backend.getPauseState()) === false);
+			await waitFor(
+				"position advances after resume",
+				async () => (await backend.getPosition()) > posAtPause + 0.3,
+			);
+
+			// Seek lands where asked.
+			await backend.seek(6);
+			await waitFor(
+				"seek observed",
+				async () => Math.abs((await backend.getPosition()) - 6) < 0.5,
+			);
+
+			// Stop unloads the file — but the daemon stays resident.
+			await backend.stop();
+			expect(backend.isPlaying()).toBe(false);
+			expect(backend.isAlive()).toBe(true);
+			expect(await backend.getPosition()).toBe(0);
+		} finally {
+			await cleanup(backend);
+		}
+	},
+	{ timeout: 20000 },
+);
+
+test.skipIf(!hasMpv)(
+	"preload parks the episode paused; play() of the same url starts it by unpausing",
+	async () => {
+		fixtureWavs();
+		const backend = new MpvBackend();
+		try {
+			await backend.preload(wavB, { volume: 0, speed: 1, startPosition: 2 });
+			// Parked: paused, at the requested offset, nothing advancing.
+			await waitFor(
+				"preload observed paused",
+				async () => (await backend.getPauseState()) === true,
+			);
+			const parkedPos = await backend.getPosition();
+			expect(parkedPos).toBeGreaterThan(1.5);
+			expect(backend.isPlaying()).toBe(false);
+			await Bun.sleep(400);
+			expect(Math.abs((await backend.getPosition()) - parkedPos)).toBeLessThan(0.3);
+
+			// The boot-restore fast path: play() unpauses instead of re-loading.
+			await backend.play(wavB, { volume: 0, speed: 1, startPosition: parkedPos });
+			expect(backend.isPlaying()).toBe(true);
+			await waitFor(
+				"preload fast path plays",
+				async () => (await backend.getPosition()) > parkedPos + 0.3,
+			);
+		} finally {
+			await cleanup(backend);
+		}
+	},
+	{ timeout: 20000 },
+);
+
+test.skipIf(!hasMpv)(
+	"EOF marks playback ended; resume() then replays from the top",
+	async () => {
+		const wavShort = join(tmpdir(), `podtui-backend-${process.pid}-short.wav`);
+		writeSineWav(wavShort, 2);
+		const backend = new MpvBackend();
+		try {
+			await backend.play(wavShort, { volume: 0, speed: 2 });
+			// 2s at 2x ends in ~1s+startup. isPlaying() must drop on its own.
+			await waitFor("episode ended", async () => !backend.isPlaying());
+
+			// Play pressed on a finished episode replays from the top.
+			await backend.resume();
+			await waitFor("replay started", async () => backend.isPlaying());
+			await waitFor(
+				"replay position near start",
+				async () => (await backend.getPosition()) < 3 && backend.isPlaying(),
+			);
+		} finally {
+			backend.dispose();
+			await Bun.$`rm -f ${wavShort}`.quiet();
+		}
+	},
+	{ timeout: 20000 },
+);

tests/audio-pcm-cache.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,280 @@
+/**
+ * EpisodePcmCache position-index contract tests.
+ *
+ * The visualizer's bars are served from a position-indexed PCM cache that
+ * ffmpeg fills at full speed. These tests pin the observable contracts the
+ * fragile paced-ring design kept breaking:
+ *
+ * 1. readWindow(out, at) serves the EXACT window ending at playback time
+ *    `at` — position mapping is sample-precise, independent of how fast or
+ *    far the decode has run.
+ * 2. Reads outside decoded coverage return 0 — the renderer HOLDS the last
+ *    frame. (The old reader CLAMPED to a stale buffer; re-rendering the
+ *    same window decayed cava into a frozen junk pattern after pause.)
+ * 3. pauseDecode kills ffmpeg but keeps the cache: resume serves bars
+ *    instantly, ensureDecodeAround restarts the tail decode.
+ * 4. Seeking into an undecoded region starts a new segment there WITHOUT
+ *    invalidating the previously decoded coverage.
+ *
+ * Uses a self-generated WAV (440Hz sine, mono, 22050Hz s16le — the cache's
+ * native rate) so expected samples are computed analytically with no
+ * resampler tolerance.
+ */
+import { test, expect } from "bun:test";
+import { tmpdir } from "os";
+import { join } from "path";
+import { EpisodePcmCache } from "../src/utils/audio-pcm-cache";
+
+const SAMPLE_RATE = 22050;
+const FREQ = 440;
+const AMP = 30000;
+
+/** Write a WAV file containing `seconds` of a 440Hz sine at AMP amplitude. */
+function writeSineWav(path: string, seconds: number): void {
+	const total = Math.round(seconds * SAMPLE_RATE);
+	const dataSize = total * 2;
+	const buf = new Uint8Array(44 + dataSize);
+	const dv = new DataView(buf.buffer);
+	const ascii = (off: number, s: string) => {
+		for (let i = 0; i < s.length; i++) buf[off + i] = s.charCodeAt(i);
+	};
+	ascii(0, "RIFF");
+	dv.setUint32(4, 36 + dataSize, true);
+	ascii(8, "WAVE");
+	ascii(12, "fmt ");
+	dv.setUint32(16, 16, true);
+	dv.setUint16(20, 1, true); // PCM
+	dv.setUint16(22, 1, true); // mono
+	dv.setUint32(24, SAMPLE_RATE, true);
+	dv.setUint32(28, SAMPLE_RATE * 2, true);
+	dv.setUint16(32, 2, true);
+	dv.setUint16(34, 16, true);
+	ascii(36, "data");
+	dv.setUint32(40, dataSize, true);
+	for (let i = 0; i < total; i++) {
+		const v = Math.round(AMP * Math.sin((2 * Math.PI * FREQ * i) / SAMPLE_RATE));
+		dv.setInt16(44 + i * 2, v, true);
+	}
+	Bun.write(path, buf);
+}
+
+/** Analytic sample value at a file index, matching the writer's formula. */
+function expectedAt(fileIndex: number): number {
+	return Math.round(AMP * Math.sin((2 * Math.PI * FREQ * fileIndex) / SAMPLE_RATE));
+}
+
+/** Block until the cache covers playback time `sec`. */
+async function waitForCoverage(
+	cache: EpisodePcmCache,
+	sec: number,
+	timeoutMs = 10000,
+): Promise<void> {
+	const start = Date.now();
+	while (!cache.covers(sec)) {
+		if (Date.now() - start > timeoutMs) {
+			throw new Error(`cache did not cover ${sec}s in time`);
+		}
+		await Bun.sleep(25);
+	}
+}
+
+/** Block until the furthest decode pass has hit stream EOF. */
+async function waitForFinished(
+	cache: EpisodePcmCache,
+	timeoutMs = 10000,
+): Promise<void> {
+	const start = Date.now();
+	while (!cache.decodeFinished) {
+		if (Date.now() - start > timeoutMs) {
+			throw new Error("decode did not finish in time");
+		}
+		await Bun.sleep(25);
+	}
+}
+
+function tmpWav(): string {
+	return join(tmpdir(), `podtui-pcm-${process.pid}-${Math.floor(Math.random() * 1e9)}.wav`);
+}
+
+const hasFfmpeg = !!Bun.which("ffmpeg");
+
+test.skipIf(!hasFfmpeg)(
+	"far-forward seek into undecoded territory restarts decode AT the target (bars recover in seconds, not minutes)",
+	async () => {
+		const wav = tmpWav();
+		writeSineWav(wav, 60);
+		const cache = new EpisodePcmCache({ url: wav });
+		try {
+			cache.startDecode(0);
+			await waitForCoverage(cache, 1);
+
+			// Skipping 45s ahead while the pass still crawls at 4x must restart
+			// the segment at the target — waiting for the frontier to chew
+			// through the skipped region is minutes of frozen bars.
+			cache.ensureDecodeAround(45);
+			expect(cache.decoding).toBe(true);
+			expect(cache.activeDecodeBaseSec).toBe(45);
+			await waitForCoverage(cache, 45.1);
+		} finally {
+			cache.stop();
+			await Bun.$`rm -f ${wav}`.quiet();
+		}
+	},
+	{ timeout: 20000 },
+);
+
+test.skipIf(!hasFfmpeg)(
+	"small forward gap closes in place — no needless reconnect",
+	async () => {
+		const wav = tmpWav();
+		writeSineWav(wav, 60);
+		const cache = new EpisodePcmCache({ url: wav });
+		try {
+			cache.startDecode(0);
+			await waitForCoverage(cache, 2);
+
+			// ~5s past the running frontier: at 4x pacing this closes in ~1.5s,
+			// cheaper than a reconnect — the pass must NOT restart.
+			const target = cache.coverageEndSec + 5;
+			cache.ensureDecodeAround(target);
+			expect(cache.activeDecodeBaseSec).toBe(0);
+			await waitForCoverage(cache, target);
+		} finally {
+			cache.stop();
+			await Bun.$`rm -f ${wav}`.quiet();
+		}
+	},
+	{ timeout: 20000 },
+);
+const FIVE_SEC_BASE = 5 * SAMPLE_RATE; // decode offset for position-mapping tests
+
+test.skipIf(!hasFfmpeg)(
+	"readWindow serves the exact window ending at the requested position",
+	async () => {
+		const wav = tmpWav();
+		writeSineWav(wav, 30);
+		const cache = new EpisodePcmCache({ url: wav });
+		try {
+			cache.startDecode(5);
+			await waitForCoverage(cache, 6.5);
+
+			const out = new Float64Array(512);
+			expect(cache.readWindow(out, 5.1)).toBe(512);
+			// Window ENDS at the target: out[i] is the sample at
+			// round(5.1*SR) - (len-1) + i (5s offset + 0.1s).
+			const endIdx = Math.round(5.1 * SAMPLE_RATE);
+			for (let i = 0; i < 512; i++) {
+				const idx = endIdx - (out.length - 1) + i;
+				expect(Math.abs(out[i] - expectedAt(idx))).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
+			}
+
+			// A 5ms later window is the same stream shifted by exactly
+			// round(0.005*SR)=110 samples — pins position mapping precision.
+			const later = new Float64Array(512);
+			expect(cache.readWindow(later, 5.105)).toBe(512);
+			for (let i = 0; i <= 512 - 111; i++) {
+				expect(later[i]).toBe(out[i + 110]);
+			}
+		} finally {
+			cache.stop();
+			await Bun.$`rm -f ${wav}`.quiet();
+		}
+	},
+);
+
+test.skipIf(!hasFfmpeg)(
+	"reads outside decoded coverage return 0 (renderer holds last frame, never stale junk)",
+	async () => {
+		const wav = tmpWav();
+		writeSineWav(wav, 30);
+		const cache = new EpisodePcmCache({ url: wav });
+		try {
+			cache.startDecode(5);
+			await waitForCoverage(cache, 5.5);
+
+			const out = new Float64Array(512);
+			out.fill(-999);
+
+			// Beyond the decode frontier.
+			expect(cache.readWindow(out, 999)).toBe(0);
+			// Before the segment base (decode started at 5s).
+			expect(cache.readWindow(out, 4.0)).toBe(0);
+			// Buffer untouched — no partial/stale samples leak through.
+			for (let i = 0; i < 16; i++) expect(out[i]).toBe(-999);
+		} finally {
+			cache.stop();
+			await Bun.$`rm -f ${wav}`.quiet();
+		}
+	},
+);
+
+test.skipIf(!hasFfmpeg)(
+	"pauseDecode keeps the cache: resume serves instantly, tail decode continues",
+	async () => {
+		const wav = tmpWav();
+		writeSineWav(wav, 12); // short: full tail decode lands well under a second
+		const cache = new EpisodePcmCache({ url: wav });
+		try {
+			cache.startDecode(0);
+			await waitForCoverage(cache, 1.5);
+
+			// Pause: decode dies, cache must survive.
+			cache.pauseDecode();
+			expect(cache.decoding).toBe(false);
+			expect(cache.covers(1)).toBe(true);
+
+			// Serve from cache immediately after pause — this is the resume
+			// fast path: zero ffmpeg cold start.
+			const out = new Float64Array(512);
+			expect(cache.readWindow(out, 1.0)).toBe(512);
+			const endIdx = Math.round(1.0 * SAMPLE_RATE);
+			for (let i = 0; i < 512; i++) {
+				const idx = endIdx - (out.length - 1) + i;
+				expect(Math.abs(out[i] - expectedAt(idx))).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
+			}
+
+			// Resume: tail decode restarts and eventually covers the file.
+			cache.ensureDecodeAround(1.0);
+			await waitForFinished(cache);
+			expect(cache.coverageEndSec).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(11.9);
+			expect(cache.readWindow(out, 11.5)).toBe(512);
+		} finally {
+			cache.stop();
+			await Bun.$`rm -f ${wav}`.quiet();
+		}
+	},
+	{ timeout: 20000 },
+);
+
+test.skipIf(!hasFfmpeg)(
+	"seek into an undecoded region starts a new segment without losing earlier coverage",
+	async () => {
+		const wav = tmpWav();
+		writeSineWav(wav, 30);
+		const cache = new EpisodePcmCache({ url: wav });
+		try {
+			// Decoded the back half only...
+			cache.startDecode(10);
+			await waitForCoverage(cache, 11);
+			expect(cache.covers(2)).toBe(false);
+
+			// ...then the user seeks to 2s: a new segment decodes the front,
+			// and the back-half coverage stays valid throughout.
+			cache.ensureDecodeAround(2);
+			await waitForCoverage(cache, 2.2);
+			expect(cache.covers(10.5)).toBe(true);
+
+			const out = new Float64Array(512);
+			expect(cache.readWindow(out, 10.5)).toBe(512);
+			const endIdx = Math.round(10.5 * SAMPLE_RATE);
+			for (let i = 0; i < 512; i++) {
+				const idx = endIdx - (out.length - 1) + i;
+				expect(Math.abs(out[i] - expectedAt(idx))).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
+			}
+		} finally {
+			cache.stop();
+			await Bun.$`rm -f ${wav}`.quiet();
+		}
+	},
+	{ timeout: 20000 },
+);

tests/audio-stream-reader.test.ts

@@ -1,239 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * AudioStreamReader sync contract tests.
- *
- * The visualizer's bars must track the player's position in real time even
- * though the reader is an independent ffmpeg process. These tests pin the
- * two mechanisms that make that true:
- *
- * 1. `read(out, target)` serves the FFT window *at* the requested playback
- *    position — not at the decode head, which drifts from the player
- *    (startup skew, stalls).
- * 2. Decode is paced at the player's clock rate (`-readrate <speed>`), so
- *    the decode head keeps up with the position at any playback speed —
- *    native-rate pacing falls behind by (speed-1)s per second.
- *
- * Uses a self-generated WAV (440Hz sine, mono, 44.1kHz s16le) so the
- * expected samples can be computed analytically and compared exactly.
- */
-import { test, expect } from "bun:test";
-import { tmpdir } from "os";
-import { join } from "path";
-import { AudioStreamReader } from "../src/utils/audio-stream-reader";
-
-const SAMPLE_RATE = 44100;
-const FREQ = 440;
-const AMP = 30000;
-
-/** Write a WAV file containing `seconds` of a 440Hz sine at AMP amplitude. */
-function writeSineWav(path: string, seconds: number): void {
-	const total = Math.round(seconds * SAMPLE_RATE);
-	const dataSize = total * 2;
-	const buf = new Uint8Array(44 + dataSize);
-	const dv = new DataView(buf.buffer);
-	const ascii = (off: number, s: string) => {
-		for (let i = 0; i < s.length; i++) buf[off + i] = s.charCodeAt(i);
-	};
-	ascii(0, "RIFF");
-	dv.setUint32(4, 36 + dataSize, true);
-	ascii(8, "WAVE");
-	ascii(12, "fmt ");
-	dv.setUint32(16, 16, true);
-	dv.setUint16(20, 1, true); // PCM
-	dv.setUint16(22, 1, true); // mono
-	dv.setUint32(24, SAMPLE_RATE, true);
-	dv.setUint32(28, SAMPLE_RATE * 2, true);
-	dv.setUint16(32, 2, true);
-	dv.setUint16(34, 16, true);
-	ascii(36, "data");
-	dv.setUint32(40, dataSize, true);
-	for (let i = 0; i < total; i++) {
-		const v = Math.round(AMP * Math.sin((2 * Math.PI * FREQ * i) / SAMPLE_RATE));
-		dv.setInt16(44 + i * 2, v, true);
-	}
-	Bun.write(path, buf);
-}
-
-/** Analytic sample value at a file index, matching the writer's formula. */
-function expectedAt(fileIndex: number): number {
-	return Math.round(AMP * Math.sin((2 * Math.PI * FREQ * fileIndex) / SAMPLE_RATE));
-}
-
-/**
- * Block until the reader's decode head has advanced past `samples` samples.
- * The head advances at readrate × real time, so this bounds how long we wait.
- */
-async function waitForHead(
-	reader: AudioStreamReader,
-	samples: number,
-	timeoutMs = 8000,
-): Promise<void> {
-	const start = Date.now();
-	while (reader.samplesWritten < samples) {
-		if (Date.now() - start > timeoutMs) {
-			throw new Error("reader decode head did not advance in time");
-		}
-		await Bun.sleep(25);
-	}
-}
-
-const hasFfmpeg = !!Bun.which("ffmpeg");
-
-test.skipIf(!hasFfmpeg)(
-	"read() serves the exact window at the requested position",
-	async () => {
-		const wav = join(tmpdir(), `podtui-reader-${process.pid}-${Date.now()}.wav`);
-		writeSineWav(wav, 20);
-		const reader = new AudioStreamReader({ url: wav });
-		try {
-			reader.start(5, 1);
-			// Cover targets up to ~5.6s (head must pass the read target).
-			await waitForHead(reader, Math.round(0.6 * SAMPLE_RATE));
-
-			const out = new Float64Array(512);
-
-			// Window at 5.1s: the window ENDS at the target, so out[i] is at
-			// file index 5*SR + round((5.1-5)*SR) - (len-1) + i.
-			expect(reader.read(out, 5.1)).toBe(512);
-			for (let i = 0; i < 512; i++) {
-				const idx =
-					Math.round(5 * SAMPLE_RATE) +
-					Math.round((5.1 - 5) * SAMPLE_RATE) -
-					(out.length - 1) +
-					i;
-				expect(Math.abs(out[i] - expectedAt(idx))).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
-			}
-
-			// Window at 5.105s is the same stream shifted by exactly
-			// round(0.005*SR)=221 samples — pins that the target maps to a
-			// precise offset, not "whatever the decode head is at".
-			const later = new Float64Array(512);
-			expect(reader.read(later, 5.105)).toBe(512);
-			for (let i = 0; i <= 512 - 222; i++) {
-				expect(later[i]).toBe(out[i + 221]);
-			}
-		} finally {
-			reader.stop();
-			await Bun.$`rm -f ${wav}`.quiet();
-		}
-	},
-);
-
-test.skipIf(!hasFfmpeg)(
-	"decode keeps up with the player clock at 2x speed",
-	async () => {
-		const wav = join(tmpdir(), `podtui-reader-${process.pid}-${Date.now()}.wav`);
-		writeSineWav(wav, 20);
-		const reader = new AudioStreamReader({ url: wav });
-		try {
-			reader.start(0, 2);
-			// At 2x pacing the head reaches 2.5s after ~1.25s of wall time.
-			// With native-rate pacing it would only be at ~1.25s, and the
-			// window at 2.5s would clamp to the head — content mismatch.
-			await waitForHead(reader, Math.round(2.5 * SAMPLE_RATE));
-
-			const out = new Float64Array(512);
-			expect(reader.read(out, 2.5)).toBe(512);
-			for (let i = 0; i < 512; i++) {
-				const idx =
-					Math.round(2.5 * SAMPLE_RATE) - (out.length - 1) + i;
-				expect(Math.abs(out[i] - expectedAt(idx))).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
-			}
-		} finally {
-			reader.stop();
-			await Bun.$`rm -f ${wav}`.quiet();
-		}
-	},
-);
-
-test.skipIf(!hasFfmpeg)(
-	"read() clamps to the nearest samples when the target is beyond the head",
-	async () => {
-		const wav = join(tmpdir(), `podtui-reader-${process.pid}-${Date.now()}.wav`);
-		writeSineWav(wav, 20);
-		const reader = new AudioStreamReader({ url: wav });
-		try {
-			reader.start(0, 1);
-			await waitForHead(reader, Math.round(0.3 * SAMPLE_RATE));
-
-			// Target far beyond the decode head: serve the newest available
-			// window (real sine samples, never zeros or garbage).
-			const out = new Float64Array(512);
-			expect(reader.read(out, 999)).toBe(512);
-			const maxAbs = Math.max(...Array.from(out, Math.abs));
-			expect(maxAbs).toBeGreaterThan(10000);
-			for (const v of out) {
-				expect(Math.abs(v)).toBeLessThanOrEqual(AMP + 1);
-			}
-		} finally {
-			reader.stop();
-			await Bun.$`rm -f ${wav}`.quiet();
-		}
-	},
-);
-
-test.skipIf(!hasFfmpeg)(
-	"sustained render loop: ffmpeg stays alive and decode head maintains a lead over the player",
-	async () => {
-		// Real wall-clock time is required here: this test validates ffmpeg's
-		// actual decode pacing (-readrate + -readrate_initial_burst) against
-		// the platform clock. Deterministic time control cannot reproduce the
-		// race where ffmpeg exits early and the bars freeze — that only
-		// surfaces when a real process writes to a real pipe.
-		//
-		// Simulates the actual render loop: for ~5s of wall time, advance a
-		// simulated player position at 1× realtime and call read() each frame.
-		// The decode head must stay ahead of the player position so read()
-		// always returns 512 samples, and ffmpeg must not exit early (which
-		// would freeze the bars). This test would have caught the
-		// backpressure-pacing failure where ffmpeg decoded all data into the
-		// pipe buffer instantly, exited, and the readLoop stopped.
-		const wav = join(
-			tmpdir(),
-			`podtui-reader-${process.pid}-${Date.now()}.wav`,
-		);
-		writeSineWav(wav, 30);
-		const reader = new AudioStreamReader({ url: wav });
-		try {
-			reader.start(0, 1);
-
-			const FRAME_MS = 33;
-			const DURATION_MS = 5000;
-			const out = new Float64Array(512);
-			let successes = 0;
-			let failures = 0;
-			let minLead = Infinity;
-
-			const start = Date.now();
-			for (let frame = 0; Date.now() - start < DURATION_MS; frame++) {
-				const playerPos = (Date.now() - start) / 1000;
-				const count = reader.read(out, playerPos);
-				if (count === 512) successes++;
-				else failures++;
-
-				// The decode head should stay ahead of the player position.
-				const headPos = reader.samplesWritten / SAMPLE_RATE;
-				const lead = headPos - playerPos;
-				if (frame > 3) minLead = Math.min(minLead, lead);
-
-				await Bun.sleep(FRAME_MS);
-			}
-
-			// ffmpeg must still be running — it must not have exited early.
-			expect(reader.running).toBe(true);
-
-			// The vast majority of frames should return a full window.
-			// A few early failures during ffmpeg startup are acceptable.
-			expect(failures).toBeLessThan(5);
-			expect(successes).toBeGreaterThan(100);
-
-			// The decode head must maintain a positive lead over the player.
-			// Without -readrate_initial_burst, the head would lag behind by
-			// the ffmpeg startup latency and never catch up.
-			expect(minLead).toBeGreaterThan(0);
-		} finally {
-			reader.stop();
-			await Bun.$`rm -f ${wav}`.quiet();
-		}
-	},
-	{ timeout: 15000 },
-);

tests/cover-art.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+/**
+ * Cover-art disk-cache contract tests.
+ *
+ * fetchCoverArt downloads each cover ONCE into a persistent per-URL cache;
+ * playback never waits on the network for art it has already fetched. Pins:
+ *
+ * 1. A fetch stores the bytes on disk and returns the cache path.
+ * 2. A second fetch of the same URL returns the cached path WITHOUT hitting
+ *    the server again (request count stays 1).
+ * 3. Concurrent fetches of the same URL share one download (single-flight).
+ * 4. A failed fetch (404) resolves null instead of throwing.
+ *
+ * Served from a local Bun server — no external network dependence. Cache
+ * entries created here are removed afterwards.
+ */
+import { test, expect } from "bun:test";
+import { unlinkSync } from "fs";
+import { cachedCoverPath, fetchCoverArt } from "../src/utils/cover-art";
+
+const FAKE_JPEG = Buffer.from([0xff, 0xd8, 0xff, 0xe0, ...new Array(256).fill(7)]);
+
+test("cover art is fetched once, cached on disk, and shared", async () => {
+	let requests = 0;
+	const server = Bun.serve({
+		port: 0,
+		fetch(req) {
+			requests++;
+			if (new URL(req.url).pathname === "/missing.jpg") {
+				return new Response("nope", { status: 404 });
+			}
+			return new Response(FAKE_JPEG, {
+				headers: { "content-type": "image/jpeg" },
+			});
+		},
+	});
+
+	const url = `http://127.0.0.1:${server.port}/cover.jpg`;
+	const missing = `http://127.0.0.1:${server.port}/missing.jpg`;
+	let cachedPath: string | null = null;
+	try {
+		expect(cachedCoverPath(url)).toBeNull();
+
+		// First fetch: downloads and caches.
+		cachedPath = await fetchCoverArt(url);
+		expect(cachedPath).not.toBeNull();
+		expect(requests).toBe(1);
+		expect(Bun.file(cachedPath!).size).toBe(FAKE_JPEG.byteLength);
+
+		// Second fetch: disk hit, server untouched.
+		expect(await fetchCoverArt(url)).toBe(cachedPath);
+		expect(requests).toBe(1);
+
+		// Single-flight: parallel misses of a fresh URL make ONE request.
+		const shared = `http://127.0.0.1:${server.port}/shared.jpg`;
+		const [a, b, c] = await Promise.all([
+			fetchCoverArt(shared),
+			fetchCoverArt(shared),
+			fetchCoverArt(shared),
+		]);
+		expect(a).not.toBeNull();
+		expect(a).toBe(b);
+		expect(b).toBe(c);
+		if (a) unlinkSync(a);
+
+		// 404 resolves null, never throws.
+		expect(await fetchCoverArt(missing)).toBeNull();
+	} finally {
+		server.stop(true);
+		if (cachedPath) {
+			try {
+				unlinkSync(cachedPath);
+			} catch {
+				/* ignore */
+			}
+		}
+	}
+});

tests/dispatch-keybinds.test.ts

@@ -171,6 +171,20 @@ test("dispatch('move-up') emits nav.action on the current pane only (j/k never c
 	});
 });
 
+test("dispatch('subscribe') on a depth-tab current pane emits nav.action (page-local, like unsubscribe)", () => {
+	withHarness(({ nav, dispatch }) => {
+		nav.setActiveTab(TABS.SEARCH);
+		nav.enterTabContent();
+		expect(nav.activePane()).toBe(DEPTH_CENTER_PANE);
+
+		const events = captureNavActions(() => dispatch("subscribe"));
+		expect(events).toHaveLength(1);
+		expect(events[0].action).toBe("subscribe");
+		expect(events[0].tab).toBe(TABS.SEARCH);
+		expect(events[0].pane).toBe(DEPTH_CENTER_PANE);
+	});
+});
+
 // ── Integration: l drills (open emit), h pops, h@0 → tab root ────────────────
 test("dispatch('swipe-next') on a depth-tab at depth 0 emits 'open' (drill)", () => {
 	withHarness(({ nav, dispatch }) => {

tests/download-unsubscribed.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+/**
+ * Unsubscribed-show download tests — the download store contract behind the
+ * "Unsubscribed Show Downloads" list (My Shows depth 0 and the settings
+ * Download Manager):
+ *
+ *   1. startUnsubscribedDownload records the episode under a deterministic
+ *      synthetic feed id with the show's metadata, and
+ *      getUnsubscribedDownloads lists it.
+ *   2. A download made under a real (subscribed) feed id is NOT listed as
+ *      unsubscribed.
+ *   3. Subscribing to the show re-classifies its unsubscribed download into
+ *      the subscribed group — it drops out of getUnsubscribedDownloads.
+ *   4. removeDownloadsForFeed with the show's feed URL removes that show's
+ *      unsubscribed downloads too (unsubscribing purges search downloads).
+ *
+ * Served over a real local HTTP server, mirroring how the app's other store
+ * tests exercise the network path. The store singleton is shared with other
+ * test files, so every added feed/download is removed in afterAll.
+ */
+
+import { test, expect, beforeAll, afterAll } from "bun:test";
+import { mkdtempSync, rmSync } from "fs";
+import { tmpdir } from "os";
+import { join } from "path";
+
+// Point the config/data dirs at throwaway directories BEFORE importing the
+// stores (their module-level init reads them).
+const configHome = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "podtui-unsubdl-"));
+process.env.XDG_CONFIG_HOME = configHome;
+const dataHome = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "podtui-unsubdl-data-"));
+process.env.XDG_DATA_HOME = dataHome;
+
+import { useDownloadStore } from "../src/stores/download";
+import { useFeedStore } from "../src/stores/feed";
+import type { Episode } from "../src/types/episode";
+import type { Podcast } from "../src/types/podcast";
+
+let server: ReturnType<typeof Bun.serve> | null = null;
+let audioUrl = "";
+const addedFeedIds: string[] = [];
+const addedEpisodeIds: string[] = [];
+
+/** Minimal RSS feed for one show. */
+function feedXml(title: string, origin: string): string {
+	return `<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<rss version="2.0"><channel>
+<title>${title}</title>
+<description>Test feed</description>
+<item>
+<title>Ep 1</title>
+<pubDate>2026-08-01T00:00:00Z</pubDate>
+<enclosure url="${origin}/audio.mp3" length="12345" type="audio/mpeg"/>
+</item>
+</channel></rss>`;
+}
+
+const makeEpisode = (id: string, title: string): Episode => ({
+	id,
+	podcastId: "pod",
+	title,
+	description: "",
+	audioUrl,
+	duration: 0,
+	pubDate: new Date("2026-08-01T00:00:00Z"),
+});
+
+const makePodcast = (feedUrl: string, title: string): Podcast => ({
+	id: `dir-${title}`,
+	title,
+	description: "Test feed",
+	author: "tester",
+	feedUrl,
+	lastUpdated: new Date(),
+	isSubscribed: false,
+});
+
+beforeAll(() => {
+	server = Bun.serve({
+		port: 0,
+		fetch(req) {
+			const url = new URL(req.url);
+			if (url.pathname.endsWith(".xml")) {
+				return new Response(feedXml("Test Show", url.origin), {
+					headers: { "Content-Type": "application/rss+xml" },
+				});
+			}
+			return new Response("audio bytes", {
+				headers: { "Content-Type": "audio/mpeg" },
+			});
+		},
+	});
+	audioUrl = `http://127.0.0.1:${server!.port}/audio.mp3`;
+});
+
+afterAll(() => {
+	for (const id of addedEpisodeIds) {
+		const dl = useDownloadStore();
+		dl.cancelDownload(id);
+		dl.removeDownload(id).catch(() => {});
+	}
+	for (const id of addedFeedIds) {
+		useFeedStore().removeFeed(id);
+	}
+	server?.stop(true);
+	rmSync(configHome, { recursive: true, force: true });
+	rmSync(dataHome, { recursive: true, force: true });
+});
+
+test("startUnsubscribedDownload records a synthetic-feed download with show metadata", () => {
+	const dl = useDownloadStore();
+	const episode = makeEpisode("unsub-ep-1", "Ep 1");
+	const podcast = makePodcast("https://example.com/feed.xml", "Unsub Show");
+	addedEpisodeIds.push(episode.id);
+
+	dl.startUnsubscribedDownload(episode, podcast);
+
+	const listed = dl.getUnsubscribedDownloads();
+	const mine = listed.find((d) => d.episodeId === episode.id);
+	expect(mine).toBeDefined();
+	expect(mine!.feedId).toBe("unsub-https-example-com-feed-xml");
+	expect(mine!.podcastTitle).toBe("Unsub Show");
+	expect(mine!.podcastFeedUrl).toBe("https://example.com/feed.xml");
+	expect(mine!.episodeTitle).toBe("Ep 1");
+});
+
+test("downloads under a real feed id are not listed as unsubscribed", async () => {
+	const feedStore = useFeedStore();
+	const dl = useDownloadStore();
+	const feedUrl = `http://127.0.0.1:${server!.port}/subbed.xml`;
+	const feed = await feedStore.addFeed(makePodcast(feedUrl, "Subbed"), "test");
+	expect(feed).not.toBeNull();
+	addedFeedIds.push(feed!.id);
+
+	const episode = makeEpisode("subbed-ep-1", "Ep 1");
+	addedEpisodeIds.push(episode.id);
+	dl.startDownload(episode, feed!.id);
+
+	expect(dl.getUnsubscribedDownloads().some((d) => d.episodeId === episode.id)).toBe(
+		false,
+	);
+});
+
+test("subscribing to the show re-classifies its unsubscribed download", async () => {
+	const feedStore = useFeedStore();
+	const dl = useDownloadStore();
+	const feedUrl = `http://127.0.0.1:${server!.port}/later.xml`;
+	const episode = makeEpisode("unsub-ep-later", "Ep 1");
+	const podcast = makePodcast(feedUrl, "Later Show");
+	addedEpisodeIds.push(episode.id);
+
+	// Downloaded while unsubscribed.
+	dl.startUnsubscribedDownload(episode, podcast);
+	expect(dl.getUnsubscribedDownloads().some((d) => d.episodeId === episode.id)).toBe(
+		true,
+	);
+
+	// Subscribing later (same feed URL) moves it into the subscribed group.
+	const feed = await feedStore.addFeed(podcast, "test");
+	expect(feed).not.toBeNull();
+	addedFeedIds.push(feed!.id);
+	expect(dl.getUnsubscribedDownloads().some((d) => d.episodeId === episode.id)).toBe(
+		false,
+	);
+});
+
+test("removeDownloadsForFeed purges the show's unsubscribed downloads by feed URL", async () => {
+	const feedStore = useFeedStore();
+	const dl = useDownloadStore();
+	const feedUrl = `http://127.0.0.1:${server!.port}/purge.xml`;
+	const episode = makeEpisode("unsub-ep-purge", "Ep 1");
+	addedEpisodeIds.push(episode.id);
+
+	dl.startUnsubscribedDownload(episode, makePodcast(feedUrl, "Purge Show"));
+	expect(dl.getUnsubscribedDownloads().some((d) => d.episodeId === episode.id)).toBe(
+		true,
+	);
+
+	// Unsubscribe the show: the feed is gone, but its URL still identifies
+	// the search downloads made while it was unsubscribed.
+	await dl.removeDownloadsForFeed("no-such-feed-id", feedUrl);
+	expect(dl.getAllDownloads().some((d) => d.episodeId === episode.id)).toBe(false);
+});

tests/external-pause-reconcile.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,264 @@
+/**
+ * external-pause-reconcile.test.ts — "audio paused outside PodTUI must not
+ * freeze the player tab" regression test.
+ *
+ * The OS can pause the player without PodTUI knowing: system sleep/lock,
+ * AirPod removal / device swap, OS media keys, the Now Playing center. mpv
+ * flips its own `pause` property and keeps it there. Before the fix,
+ * useAudio's signals stayed on "playing" — [Pause] button shown while
+ * silent, a poll that only re-read the same frozen `time-pos` (stuck
+ * waveform), and no way to catch an external RESUME either (the poll was
+ * stopped whenever the UI thought it was paused).
+ *
+ * Integration style (like restore-session.test.ts): real stores and real
+ * persistence files in a temp XDG_CONFIG_HOME — but with the REAL mpv
+ * backend driven over its actual IPC socket. The test flips mpv's pause
+ * property the same way the OS does and asserts useAudio reconciles in
+ * both directions. Skipped when mpv isn't installed.
+ *
+ * Real-timer note: the reconcile path runs on useAudio's real 150ms poll
+ * interval against a real mpv process, with no injectable clock — the
+ * deliberate-exception case from the no-real-timers rule (same as
+ * visualizer-store.test.ts). `waitFor` polls with Bun.sleep.
+ *
+ * Shared-worker note (same as restore-session.test.ts): the suite reuses
+ * bun test workers, so other files' `mock.module("../src/hooks/useAudio")`
+ * leaks into this file's module registry. The REAL useAudio is therefore
+ * imported via a `?external-pause-test` query suffix — a distinct module
+ * identity bun loads from disk, bypassing the leaked mock.
+ */
+import { test, expect, afterAll } from "bun:test";
+import {
+	mkdirSync,
+	mkdtempSync,
+	writeFileSync,
+	rmSync,
+	readdirSync,
+	statSync,
+} from "node:fs";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+
+const hasMpv = !!Bun.which("mpv");
+
+// ── Sandbox BEFORE any app module evaluates (mirrors restore-session) ────
+const CONFIG = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "podtui-extpause-"));
+process.env.XDG_CONFIG_HOME = CONFIG;
+process.env.XDG_DATA_HOME = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "podtui-extpause-data-"));
+process.env.PODTUI_AUDIO_BACKEND = "mpv"; // real backend; the test drives mpv's IPC
+const APP_CONFIG = join(CONFIG, "podtui");
+mkdirSync(APP_CONFIG, { recursive: true });
+
+// Seed one feed so the app store boots cleanly. No coverUrl — the play()
+// path skips cover-art fetching. The RSS URL is unreachable so the
+// background refresh fails fast and leaves the seeded data untouched.
+const ISO = "2026-08-10T00:00:00.000Z";
+const feed = {
+	id: "feed1",
+	podcast: {
+		id: "pod1",
+		title: "Pod One",
+		description: "",
+		feedUrl: "http://127.0.0.1:1/show.xml",
+		lastUpdated: ISO,
+		isSubscribed: true,
+	},
+	episodes: [],
+	visibility: "public",
+	sourceId: "test",
+	lastUpdated: ISO,
+	isPinned: false,
+};
+
+await Bun.write(
+	join(APP_CONFIG, "config.json"),
+	JSON.stringify({ feeds: [feed] }, null, 2),
+);
+
+// ── Local 60s WAV so playback is hermetic (no network, no early EOF) ─────
+const wavPath = join(tmpdir(), `podtui-extpause-${process.pid}.wav`);
+{
+	const SAMPLE_RATE = 44100;
+	const DURATION = 60;
+	const dataLen = SAMPLE_RATE * DURATION; // mono 16-bit
+	const buf = Buffer.alloc(44 + dataLen * 2);
+	buf.write("RIFF", 0);
+	buf.writeUInt32LE(36 + dataLen * 2, 4);
+	buf.write("WAVE", 8);
+	buf.write("fmt ", 12);
+	buf.writeUInt32LE(16, 16); // fmt chunk size
+	buf.writeUInt16LE(1, 20); // PCM
+	buf.writeUInt16LE(1, 22); // mono
+	buf.writeUInt32LE(SAMPLE_RATE, 24);
+	buf.writeUInt32LE(SAMPLE_RATE * 2, 28); // byte rate
+	buf.writeUInt16LE(2, 32); // block align
+	buf.writeUInt16LE(16, 34); // bits per sample
+	buf.write("data", 36);
+	buf.writeUInt32LE(dataLen * 2, 40);
+	for (let i = 0; i < dataLen; i++) {
+		const sample = Math.round(
+			Math.sin((2 * Math.PI * 440 * i) / SAMPLE_RATE) * 8000,
+		);
+		buf.writeInt16LE(sample, 44 + i * 2);
+	}
+	writeFileSync(wavPath, buf);
+}
+
+// ── Real modules (loaded after env + sandbox are set up) ──────────────────
+// @ts-expect-error — bun-only query suffix: distinct module identity that
+// loads the real file instead of a leaked mock.module from another test file.
+const { useAudio } = await import("../src/hooks/useAudio?external-pause-test");
+
+/**
+ * The socket path of the LIVE backend daemon in this process. The backend
+ * names sockets per-instance (`podtui-mpv-<pid>-<instance>.sock`), so scan
+ * tmpdir for this pid's sockets and take the newest (the one mpv actually
+ * bound — earlier instances may have been orphaned by a re-spawn).
+ */
+function mpvSocket(): string | null {
+	let newest: string | null = null;
+	let newestMtime = 0;
+	for (const name of readdirSync(tmpdir())) {
+		if (
+			!name.startsWith(`podtui-mpv-${process.pid}-`) ||
+			!name.endsWith(".sock")
+		) {
+			continue;
+		}
+		const candidate = join(tmpdir(), name);
+		const mtime = statSync(candidate).mtimeMs;
+		if (mtime > newestMtime) {
+			newest = candidate;
+			newestMtime = mtime;
+		}
+	}
+	return newest;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Send a raw mpv IPC command over the unix socket — exactly how the OS
+ * media session pauses/resumes mpv without PodTUI's involvement.
+ */
+async function mpvCommand(command: unknown[]): Promise<void> {
+	const socket = mpvSocket();
+	if (!socket) throw new Error("backend mpv socket not found");
+	const { promise, resolve, reject } = Promise.withResolvers<void>();
+	let settled = false;
+	const settle = (err: Error | null): void => {
+		if (settled) return;
+		settled = true;
+		if (err) reject(err);
+		else resolve();
+	};
+	Bun.connect({
+		unix: socket,
+		socket: {
+			open(s) {
+				s.write(JSON.stringify({ command }) + "\n");
+			},
+			data() {},
+			error() {
+				settle(new Error("mpv IPC connect failed"));
+			},
+			close() {
+				settle(null);
+			},
+		},
+	}).then((s) =>
+		setTimeout(() => {
+			try {
+				s.end();
+			} catch {}
+		}, 150),
+	);
+	// Never hang the test on a vanished socket.
+	setTimeout(() => settle(null), 1000);
+	await promise;
+}
+
+/** Poll `check` every 25ms until truthy; throw after `timeoutMs`. */
+async function waitFor(
+	check: () => boolean,
+	timeoutMs = 10000,
+): Promise<void> {
+	const start = Date.now();
+	while (!check()) {
+		if (Date.now() - start > timeoutMs) {
+			throw new Error("condition not met in time");
+		}
+		await Bun.sleep(25);
+	}
+}
+
+const episode = {
+	id: "ep1",
+	podcastId: "pod1",
+	title: "Episode One",
+	description: "desc",
+	audioUrl: wavPath,
+	duration: 60,
+	pubDate: new Date(),
+};
+
+// ── Tests ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+test.skipIf(!hasMpv)(
+	"external pause flips the UI to paused; external resume recovers",
+	async () => {
+		const audio = useAudio();
+		await audio.play(episode);
+		expect(audio.isPlaying()).toBe(true);
+
+		// Simulate the OS pausing the session (lock/sleep, AirPod removal,
+		// device swap, media-center pause): flip mpv's own pause property
+		// over IPC. PodTUI is never told.
+		await mpvCommand(["set_property", "pause", true]);
+		await waitFor(() => !audio.isPlaying());
+		expect(audio.isPlaying()).toBe(false);
+		// The episode stays loaded — nothing was torn down.
+		expect(audio.currentEpisode()?.id).toBe("ep1");
+
+		// Simulate an external resume (AirPod play tap, media-center play).
+		await mpvCommand(["set_property", "pause", false]);
+		await waitFor(() => audio.isPlaying());
+		expect(audio.isPlaying()).toBe(true);
+
+		// The TUI transport still works from the reconciled state.
+		await audio.togglePlayback();
+		expect(audio.isPlaying()).toBe(false);
+		await audio.togglePlayback();
+		expect(audio.isPlaying()).toBe(true);
+
+		await audio.stop();
+		expect(audio.isPlaying()).toBe(false);
+	},
+	{ timeout: 30000 },
+);
+
+// ── Teardown ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+afterAll(async () => {
+	try {
+		useAudio().stop();
+	} catch {
+		/* best-effort */
+	}
+	// The resident daemon survives stop() by design — quit it so test
+	// workers don't leak idle mpv processes.
+	try {
+		await mpvCommand(["quit"]);
+	} catch {
+		/* best-effort */
+	}
+	try {
+		const socket = mpvSocket();
+		if (socket) rmSync(socket, { force: true });
+	} catch {
+		/* best-effort */
+	}
+	try {
+		rmSync(wavPath, { force: true });
+	} catch {
+		/* best-effort */
+	}
+});

tests/feed-refresh.test.ts

@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ interface ServedEpisode {
 let server: ReturnType<typeof Bun.serve> | null = null;
 let servedEpisodes: ServedEpisode[] = [];
 let feedAId = "";
+/** When set, the server 503s this path — simulates a feed going down. */
+let failPath: string | null = null;
 
 /** XML for the current served episode list (episode ids = feedUrl#index). */
 function feedXml(episodes: ServedEpisode[], origin: string): string {
@@ -72,6 +74,9 @@ beforeAll(() => {
 		port: 0,
 		fetch(req) {
 			const url = new URL(req.url);
+			if (failPath && url.pathname === failPath) {
+				return new Response("feed unavailable", { status: 503 });
+			}
 			if (url.pathname.endsWith(".xml")) {
 				return new Response(feedXml(servedEpisodes, url.origin), {
 					headers: { "Content-Type": "application/rss+xml" },
@@ -130,6 +135,31 @@ test("refresh with a genuinely new episode bumps lastUpdated", async () => {
 	expect(after.episodes.length).toBe(4);
 });
 
+test("a failed refresh does not wipe the feed's episodes", async () => {
+	const store = useFeedStore();
+	servedEpisodes = [{ title: "Ep 1", date: "2026-08-01T00:00:00Z" }];
+	const feedUrl = `http://127.0.0.1:${server!.port}/flaky.xml`;
+	const feed = await store.addFeed(makePodcast(feedUrl), "test-source");
+	expect(feed).not.toBeNull();
+	const feedId = feed!.id;
+	expect(store.getFeed(feedId)!.episodes.length).toBe(1);
+
+	// The feed now 503s. fetchEpisodes returns null, and both refresh paths
+	// must leave the loaded episodes untouched — a failed refresh must never
+	// look like an empty feed (which would wipe the show's episodes).
+	failPath = "/flaky.xml";
+	vi.advanceTimersByTime(60_000);
+	await store.refreshFeed(feedId);
+	expect(store.getFeed(feedId)!.episodes.length).toBe(1);
+
+	vi.advanceTimersByTime(60_000);
+	await store.refreshAllFeeds();
+	expect(store.getFeed(feedId)!.episodes.length).toBe(1);
+
+	failPath = null;
+	store.removeFeed(feedId);
+});
+
 test("refreshAllFeeds keeps unchanged feeds' order and timestamps", async () => {
 	const store = useFeedStore();
 	// Feed B: distinct URL, identical served content, so refreshing it is a

tests/restore-session.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,195 @@
+/**
+ * restore-session.test.ts — "load the last player session at boot" feature.
+ *
+ * useAudio persists which episode is loaded in the player (on play/load/stop
+ * and synchronously at exit), and `restoreLastSession()` reloads it at boot
+ * PAUSED at its saved position — never autostarted — skipping episodes at or
+ * above 98% completion. The first play action must START the backend (a
+ * restored episode was never handed to it), not unpause a dead player.
+ *
+ * Strategy — the suite shares bun test workers across files, so OTHER test
+ * files' `mock.module("../src/hooks/useAudio")` leaks into this file's module
+ * registry, and store singletons may already exist. Hence:
+ *   - the real useAudio is imported via a `?restore-test` query suffix, which
+ *     bun treats as a distinct module identity and loads from disk, bypassing
+ *     the suite's useAudio mock (verified: query-suffixed imports are not
+ *     intercepted by mock.module);
+ *   - feeds are injected through the REAL feed store's public addFeed() API
+ *     against a local RSS server (no config seeding — works on whatever
+ *     singleton state this worker holds), and progress through update().
+ * Audio is the no-op backend via PODTUI_AUDIO_BACKEND=none.
+ */
+import { test, expect, afterAll } from "bun:test";
+import { mkdtempSync, rmSync } from "node:fs";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+
+// ── Sandbox BEFORE any app module evaluates ───────────────────────────────
+const CONFIG = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "podtui-restore-"));
+const DATA = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "podtui-restore-data-"));
+process.env.XDG_CONFIG_HOME = CONFIG;
+process.env.XDG_DATA_HOME = DATA;
+process.env.PODTUI_AUDIO_BACKEND = "none";
+
+// ── Local RSS feed server (episode ids = feedUrl#index) ────────────────────
+let server: ReturnType<typeof Bun.serve> | null = null;
+function feedXml(origin: string): string {
+	const items = ["Episode One", "Episode Two"]
+		.map(
+			(title) => `<item>
+	<title>${title}</title>
+	<pubDate>2026-08-10T00:00:00Z</pubDate>
+	<enclosure url="${origin}/audio.mp3" length="12345" type="audio/mpeg"/>
+</item>`,
+		)
+		.join("\n");
+	return `<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<rss version="2.0"><channel>
+<title>Restore Test Show</title>
+<description>restore-session test feed</description>
+${items}
+</channel></rss>`;
+}
+
+server = Bun.serve({
+	port: 0,
+	fetch(req) {
+		const url = new URL(req.url);
+		if (url.pathname.endsWith(".xml")) {
+			return new Response(feedXml(url.origin), {
+				headers: { "Content-Type": "application/rss+xml" },
+			});
+		}
+		return new Response("not found", { status: 404 });
+	},
+});
+
+// ── Real modules (loaded after env + server are up) ───────────────────────
+// @ts-expect-error — bun-only query suffix: distinct module identity that
+// loads the real file instead of a leaked mock.module from another test file.
+const { useAudio, restoreLastSession } = await import("../src/hooks/useAudio?restore-test");
+const { useFeedStore } = await import("../src/stores/feed");
+const { useProgressStore } = await import("../src/stores/progress");
+const { saveLastPlayerToFile, waitForLastPlayerWrite } = await import(
+	"../src/utils/app-persistence"
+);
+
+const feedStore = useFeedStore();
+const progressStore = useProgressStore();
+
+// Subscribe to the local feed through the real store API.
+const feedUrl = `http://127.0.0.1:${server!.port}/show.xml`;
+const feed = await feedStore.addFeed(
+	{
+		id: feedUrl,
+		title: "Restore Test Show",
+		description: "restore-session test feed",
+		feedUrl,
+		lastUpdated: new Date(),
+		isSubscribed: true,
+	},
+	"test-source",
+);
+if (!feed || feed.episodes.length < 2) {
+	throw new Error("test feed did not load two episodes");
+}
+const ep1 = feed.episodes[0];
+const ep2 = feed.episodes[1];
+
+// Simulate a previous session: ep1 loaded, 20% through, marker persisted.
+progressStore.update(ep1.id, 120, 600);
+saveLastPlayerToFile({ episodeId: ep1.id, timestamp: new Date() });
+await waitForLastPlayerWrite();
+
+/** Rewrite the marker as if a previous session had ended this way. */
+async function writeMarker(episodeId: string | null): Promise<void> {
+	saveLastPlayerToFile({ episodeId, timestamp: new Date() });
+	await waitForLastPlayerWrite();
+}
+
+/** Read the current last-player marker from disk. */
+async function readMarker(): Promise<{ episodeId: string | null } | null> {
+	const file = Bun.file(join(CONFIG, "podtui", "last-player.json"));
+	if (!(await file.exists())) return null;
+	return (await file.json()) as { episodeId: string | null };
+}
+
+afterAll(() => {
+	server?.stop(true);
+	rmSync(CONFIG, { recursive: true, force: true });
+	rmSync(DATA, { recursive: true, force: true });
+});
+
+// ── Tests ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+test("restore loads the last player episode paused, without autostart", async () => {
+	const audio = useAudio(); // boot trigger also fires restoreLastSession()
+	await restoreLastSession();
+
+	expect(audio.currentEpisode()?.id).toBe(ep1.id);
+	expect(audio.isPlaying()).toBe(false);
+	// Position reflects where playback will resume — the player tab shows it.
+	expect(audio.position()).toBe(120);
+});
+
+test("first play on a restored episode starts playback from saved progress", async () => {
+	const audio = useAudio();
+	expect(audio.currentEpisode()?.id).toBe(ep1.id);
+
+	await audio.togglePlayback();
+
+	expect(audio.isPlaying()).toBe(true);
+	expect(audio.position()).toBe(120);
+
+	// A second toggle pauses (normal pause path) — no backend restart.
+	await audio.togglePlayback();
+	expect(audio.isPlaying()).toBe(false);
+});
+
+test("restore skips episodes at or above 98% completion", async () => {
+	const audio = useAudio();
+	await audio.stop(); // clear the previously restored episode
+	await waitForLastPlayerWrite(); // stop()'s null marker has landed
+	await writeMarker(ep1.id); // stop() cleared the marker; restore needs it
+
+	// Exactly 98% — boundary: NOT restored.
+	progressStore.update(ep1.id, 588, 600);
+	await restoreLastSession();
+	expect(audio.currentEpisode()).toBeNull();
+
+	// Just under 98% — restored.
+	progressStore.update(ep1.id, 587, 600);
+	await restoreLastSession();
+	expect(audio.currentEpisode()?.id).toBe(ep1.id);
+	expect(audio.position()).toBe(587);
+
+	await audio.stop();
+});
+
+test("restore no-ops when the player was empty at last quit", async () => {
+	const audio = useAudio();
+	await writeMarker(null);
+
+	await restoreLastSession();
+	expect(audio.currentEpisode()).toBeNull();
+});
+
+test("restore no-ops when the episode is no longer in any feed", async () => {
+	const audio = useAudio();
+	await writeMarker("gone-ep");
+
+	await restoreLastSession();
+	expect(audio.currentEpisode()).toBeNull();
+});
+
+test("play persists the marker; stop clears it", async () => {
+	const audio = useAudio();
+
+	await audio.play(ep2);
+	await waitForLastPlayerWrite();
+	expect((await readMarker())?.episodeId).toBe(ep2.id);
+
+	await audio.stop();
+	await waitForLastPlayerWrite();
+	expect((await readMarker())?.episodeId).toBeNull();
+});

tests/search-episode-actions.test.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,344 @@
+/**
+ * search-episode-actions.test.tsx — episode search results must stream
+ * directly, subscribed or not, and `a` must subscribe an unsubscribed show
+ * in place.
+ *
+ * Regression: `enter` on an unsubscribed show's episode result used to
+ * subscribe instead of play — there was no direct "stream unsubscribed
+ * episode" path (subscribing first was the only way to hear it). `enter` now
+ * plays every episode result (matching Feed/My Shows), and the new `subscribe`
+ * action (`a`, sibling of `x` unsubscribe) subscribes the focused result.
+ *
+ * Mounts the real app (sandboxed, silent audio, mocked search store) and
+ * drives the Search tab with the test renderer's mock keys: enter on an
+ * unsubscribed episode plays it without subscribing; `a` subscribes (feed
+ * fetched from a local server); enter then plays the now-subscribed episode.
+ * The search store is mocked so results are deterministic (no directory
+ * network calls); the feed store is real and served from a local HTTP server.
+ *
+ * App modules are loaded dynamically (never statically) because the sandbox
+ * config/data dirs must be set BEFORE they evaluate — their module-level init
+ * reads those env vars at import time.
+ */
+
+import { test, expect, afterAll, beforeAll, mock } from "bun:test";
+import type { Server } from "bun";
+import { testRender } from "@opentui/solid";
+import { createSignal } from "solid-js";
+import { mkdirSync, rmSync } from "node:fs";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import type { AudioControls } from "../src/hooks/useAudio";
+import type { SearchResult, SearchScope } from "../src/types/source";
+import type { Episode } from "../src/types/episode";
+import type { Podcast } from "../src/types/podcast";
+import type { DepthFrame, NavigationState } from "../src/context/navigation-store";
+
+// Recording audio stub: `play` pushes what was streamed. Registered FIRST so
+// a leaked partial useAudio mock from another file in this worker can't break
+// the app mount (see tests/search-focus.test.tsx for the same hazard).
+const played: Episode[] = [];
+const stubAudio: AudioControls = {
+	isPlaying: () => false,
+	position: () => 0,
+	duration: () => 0,
+	volume: () => 1,
+	speed: () => 1,
+	backendName: () => "none",
+	error: () => null,
+	currentEpisode: () => null,
+	availablePlayers: () => [],
+	play: async (episode: Episode) => {
+		played.push(episode);
+	},
+	load: async () => {},
+	pause: async () => {},
+	resume: async () => {},
+	togglePlayback: async () => {},
+	stop: async () => {},
+	seek: async () => {},
+	seekRelative: async () => {},
+	setVolume: async () => {},
+	setSpeed: async () => {},
+	switchBackend: async () => {},
+	prev: async () => {},
+	next: async () => {},
+};
+mock.module("../src/hooks/useAudio", () => ({
+	useAudio: () => stubAudio,
+}));
+
+// Deterministic search store: `search` feeds the seeded results synchronously;
+// markSubscribed/markUnsubscribed flip the result's flag (SearchPage renders
+// it, and the real feed store still owns the actual subscription).
+const [scope, setScope] = createSignal<SearchScope>("episode");
+const [results, setResults] = createSignal<SearchResult[]>([]);
+const [query, setQuery] = createSignal("");
+const [isSearching, setIsSearching] = createSignal(false);
+const [error, setError] = createSignal<string | null>(null);
+const [history, setHistory] = createSignal<string[]>([]);
+const flip = (id: string, feedUrl: string | undefined, subscribed: boolean) =>
+	setResults((prev) =>
+		prev.map((r) =>
+			r.podcast.id === id ||
+			(feedUrl && r.podcast.feedUrl === feedUrl)
+				? { ...r, podcast: { ...r.podcast, isSubscribed: subscribed } }
+				: r,
+		),
+	);
+const mockSearchStore = {
+	query,
+	isSearching,
+	results,
+	error,
+	history,
+	selectedSources: () => [] as string[],
+	scope,
+	search: async () => {},
+	setQuery,
+	clearResults: () => setResults([]),
+	clearHistory: () => setHistory([]),
+	removeFromHistory: () => {},
+	setSelectedSources: () => {},
+	setScope,
+	markSubscribed: (id: string, feedUrl?: string) => flip(id, feedUrl, true),
+	markUnsubscribed: (id: string, feedUrl?: string) => flip(id, feedUrl, false),
+};
+mock.module("../src/stores/search", () => ({
+	useSearchStore: () => mockSearchStore,
+}));
+
+// Sandbox BEFORE any app module evaluates — config-dir/persistence read these
+// env vars at import time, so the app modules are loaded dynamically.
+const SANDBOX = join(process.cwd(), ".harness", "test-episode-actions");
+mkdirSync(join(SANDBOX, "config-home"), { recursive: true });
+mkdirSync(join(SANDBOX, "data-home"), { recursive: true });
+process.env.XDG_CONFIG_HOME = join(SANDBOX, "config-home");
+process.env.XDG_DATA_HOME = join(SANDBOX, "data-home");
+process.env.PODTUI_AUDIO_BACKEND = "none";
+
+const { App } = await import("../src/App");
+const { ThemeProvider } = await import("../src/context/ThemeContext");
+const toast = await import("../src/ui/toast");
+const { KeybindProvider, useKeybinds } = await import(
+	"../src/context/KeybindContext"
+);
+const { NavigationProvider, useNavigation } = await import(
+	"../src/context/NavigationContext"
+);
+const { DialogProvider } = await import("../src/ui/dialog");
+const { CommandProvider } = await import("../src/ui/command");
+const { TABS } = await import("../src/utils/navigation");
+const { useFeedStore } = await import("../src/stores/feed");
+
+// Local HTTP server serving one show's RSS feed (the feed store fetches it
+// when subscribing).
+let server: Server<unknown> | null = null;
+let feedUrl = "";
+let audioUrl = "";
+
+function feedXml(origin: string): string {
+	return `<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<rss version="2.0"><channel>
+<title>Stream Me Show</title>
+<description>Test feed</description>
+<item>
+<title>Ep 1</title>
+<pubDate>2026-08-01T00:00:00Z</pubDate>
+<enclosure url="${origin}/audio.mp3" length="12345" type="audio/mpeg"/>
+</item>
+</channel></rss>`;
+}
+
+function makeResult(): SearchResult {
+	const episode: Episode = {
+		id: "stream-ep-1",
+		podcastId: "dir-stream-me",
+		title: "Ep 1",
+		description: "",
+		audioUrl,
+		duration: 0,
+		pubDate: new Date("2026-08-01T00:00:00Z"),
+	};
+	const podcast: Podcast = {
+		id: "dir-stream-me",
+		title: "Stream Me Show",
+		description: "Test feed",
+		author: "tester",
+		feedUrl,
+		lastUpdated: new Date(),
+		isSubscribed: false,
+	};
+	return {
+		kind: "episode",
+		sourceId: "test",
+		sourceName: "Test",
+		podcast,
+		episode,
+	};
+}
+
+type MockInput = { pressKey: (key: string) => void; pressEnter: () => void };
+type Mounted = {
+	renderer: { destroy: () => void };
+	renderOnce: () => Promise<void>;
+	mockInput: MockInput;
+	nav: () => NavigationState;
+	keybindsReady: () => boolean;
+};
+
+async function mountApp(): Promise<Mounted> {
+	let navRef: NavigationState | null = null;
+	let keybindsRef: { ready: boolean } | null = null;
+	const StateProbe = () => {
+		navRef = useNavigation();
+		keybindsRef = useKeybinds();
+		return null;
+	};
+	const HarnessRoot = () => (
+		<toast.ToastProvider>
+			<ThemeProvider mode="dark">
+				<KeybindProvider>
+					<NavigationProvider>
+						<StateProbe />
+						<DialogProvider>
+							<CommandProvider>
+								<App />
+								<toast.Toast />
+							</CommandProvider>
+						</DialogProvider>
+					</NavigationProvider>
+				</KeybindProvider>
+			</ThemeProvider>
+		</toast.ToastProvider>
+	);
+	const setup = await testRender(() => <HarnessRoot />, {
+		width: 100,
+		height: 30,
+		useThread: false,
+	});
+	// The test renderer intercepts stdout; the app is a TUI that writes frames
+	// asynchronously, so silence that interception (same as search-focus).
+	(
+		setup.renderer as unknown as {
+			disableStdoutInterception?: () => void;
+		}
+	).disableStdoutInterception?.();
+	await setup.renderOnce();
+	await sleep(60);
+	return {
+		renderer: setup.renderer,
+		renderOnce: setup.renderOnce,
+		mockInput: setup.mockInput,
+		nav: () => navRef!,
+		keybindsReady: () => keybindsRef?.ready ?? false,
+	};
+}
+
+function sleep(ms: number): Promise<void> {
+	const { promise, resolve } = Promise.withResolvers<void>();
+	setTimeout(resolve, ms);
+	return promise;
+}
+
+async function settleReady(m: Mounted): Promise<void> {
+	for (let i = 0; i < 80; i++) {
+		await m.renderOnce();
+		await sleep(60);
+		if (m.keybindsReady()) return;
+	}
+	throw new Error("keybinds never became ready");
+}
+
+async function waitFor(
+	m: Mounted,
+	cond: () => boolean,
+	what: string,
+	timeoutMs = 5000,
+): Promise<void> {
+	const deadline = Date.now() + timeoutMs;
+	while (Date.now() < deadline) {
+		if (cond()) return;
+		await m.renderOnce();
+		await sleep(25);
+	}
+	throw new Error(`timed out waiting for: ${what}`);
+}
+
+beforeAll(() => {
+	server = Bun.serve({
+		port: 0,
+		fetch(req) {
+			const url = new URL(req.url);
+			if (url.pathname.endsWith(".xml")) {
+				return new Response(feedXml(url.origin), {
+					headers: { "Content-Type": "application/rss+xml" },
+				});
+			}
+			return new Response("audio bytes", {
+				headers: { "Content-Type": "audio/mpeg" },
+			});
+		},
+	});
+	feedUrl = `http://127.0.0.1:${server!.port}/show.xml`;
+	audioUrl = `http://127.0.0.1:${server!.port}/audio.mp3`;
+});
+
+afterAll(() => {
+	server?.stop(true);
+	rmSync(SANDBOX, { recursive: true, force: true });
+});
+
+test("enter streams an unsubscribed show's episode; a subscribes it in place; enter then still plays", async () => {
+	const m = await mountApp();
+	try {
+		await settleReady(m);
+
+		// Open the Search tab (digit press retried until the router attaches).
+		for (let i = 0; i < 20 && m.nav().activeTab() !== TABS.SEARCH; i++) {
+			m.mockInput.pressKey("4");
+			await m.renderOnce();
+			await sleep(40);
+		}
+		expect(m.nav().activeTab()).toBe(TABS.SEARCH);
+		m.mockInput.pressEnter(); // open the tab's content (query depth)
+		await waitFor(m, () => m.nav().inputFocused(), "search tab mounted");
+
+		// Seed one unsubscribed-show episode result and drill to results
+		// (mirrors SearchPage.runSearch: set results, push the frame).
+		setResults([makeResult()]);
+		const frame: DepthFrame = { kind: "search:results", ctx: "test", focus: 0 };
+		m.nav().pushDepth(frame);
+		m.nav().setActivePane(1);
+		await waitFor(m, () => m.nav().currentDepth() === 1, "results depth");
+
+		// enter → the episode streams; the show is NOT subscribed.
+		m.mockInput.pressEnter();
+		await waitFor(m, () => played.length === 1, "play called on enter");
+		expect(played[0].id).toBe("stream-ep-1");
+		expect(
+			useFeedStore()
+				.feeds()
+				.some((f) => f.podcast.feedUrl === feedUrl),
+		).toBe(false);
+		expect(mockSearchStore.results()[0].podcast.isSubscribed).toBe(false);
+
+		// a → subscribes in place (real feed fetch against the local server).
+		m.mockInput.pressKey("a");
+		await waitFor(
+			m,
+			() =>
+				useFeedStore()
+					.feeds()
+					.some((f) => f.podcast.feedUrl === feedUrl),
+			"a subscribes the show",
+		);
+		expect(mockSearchStore.results()[0].podcast.isSubscribed).toBe(true);
+
+		// enter again → still streams (now under the subscribed show).
+		m.mockInput.pressEnter();
+		await waitFor(m, () => played.length === 2, "play called after subscribe");
+		expect(played[1].id).toBe("stream-ep-1");
+	} finally {
+		m.renderer.destroy();
+	}
+});

tests/search-focus.test.tsx

@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ const stubAudio: AudioControls = {
 	currentEpisode: () => null,
 	availablePlayers: () => [],
 	play: async () => {},
+	load: async () => {},
 	pause: async () => {},
 	resume: async () => {},
 	togglePlayback: async () => {},

tests/visualizer-store.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,247 @@
+/**
+ * Visualizer store lifecycle tests — pin the waveform pipeline contract:
+ *
+ *  - playback starts the pipeline and exposes a loading state until the
+ *    first FFT frame renders (the braille-spinner window);
+ *  - losing Player-tab focus does NOT kill a warm pipeline — it keeps
+ *    rendering for the grace period, and regaining focus within the delay
+ *    resumes it without a restart;
+ *  - after VISUALIZER_UNLOAD_DELAY_MS unfocused the pipeline tears down
+ *    (ffmpeg process + cava plan released).
+ *
+ * The store subscribes to the module-level signals in utils/audio-signals.ts
+ * (no useAudio mock — the signals are exported and driven directly, so this
+ * file can never leak a module mock into another test's worker).
+ *
+ * Uses a self-generated local WAV (a frequency chirp, so different playback
+ * positions produce measurably different bar output) and the real ffmpeg +
+ * native cavacore pipeline, mirroring audio-pcm-cache.test.ts.
+ *
+ * Timing note: this is an integration test of the store's real timers — the
+ * unload path is a genuine `setTimeout` in the store, and bun 1.3.8 ships no
+ * fake-timer API (no `mock.timer`, no `vi.useFakeTimers`), so the grace
+ * period must be exercised against the platform clock. Delays are kept to
+ * the minimum that observes the contract (see the 30s unload test).
+ */
+import { test, expect, afterAll } from "bun:test";
+import { tmpdir } from "os";
+import { join } from "path";
+import { setIsPlaying, setPosition, setCurrentEpisode } from "../src/utils/audio-signals";
+import { useAppStore } from "../src/stores/app";
+import type { Episode } from "../src/types/episode";
+
+// ── Sandbox (the app store reads config from XDG_CONFIG_HOME at first
+//    use; set before importing the store) ─────────────────────────────────
+
+process.env.XDG_CONFIG_HOME = join(tmpdir(), `podtui-viz-test-${process.pid}`);
+process.env.XDG_DATA_HOME = join(tmpdir(), `podtui-viz-data-${process.pid}`);
+process.env.PODTUI_AUDIO_BACKEND = "none";
+
+const { useVisualizer, VISUALIZER_UNLOAD_DELAY_MS } = await import(
+	"../src/stores/visualizer"
+);
+
+// ── Local chirp WAV (200Hz → 2kHz over 45s) ─────────────────────────────
+
+const SAMPLE_RATE = 44100;
+const F0 = 200;
+const F1 = 2000;
+const DURATION = 45;
+const AMP = 30000;
+const hasFfmpeg = !!Bun.which("ffmpeg");
+const hasNativeLib = Bun.file(
+	join(process.cwd(), "src", "native", "libcavacore.dylib"),
+).exists();
+
+async function writeChirpWav(path: string): Promise<void> {
+	const total = Math.round(DURATION * SAMPLE_RATE);
+	const dataSize = total * 2;
+	const buf = new Uint8Array(44 + dataSize);
+	const dv = new DataView(buf.buffer);
+	const ascii = (off: number, s: string) => {
+		for (let i = 0; i < s.length; i++) buf[off + i] = s.charCodeAt(i);
+	};
+	ascii(0, "RIFF");
+	dv.setUint32(4, 36 + dataSize, true);
+	ascii(8, "WAVE");
+	ascii(12, "fmt ");
+	dv.setUint32(16, 16, true);
+	dv.setUint16(20, 1, true); // PCM
+	dv.setUint16(22, 1, true); // mono
+	dv.setUint32(24, SAMPLE_RATE, true);
+	dv.setUint32(28, SAMPLE_RATE * 2, true);
+	dv.setUint16(32, 2, true);
+	dv.setUint16(34, 16, true);
+	ascii(36, "data");
+	dv.setUint32(40, dataSize, true);
+	// Linear chirp: instantaneous frequency sweeps F0 → F1 over DURATION.
+	const sweep = (F1 - F0) / DURATION;
+	for (let i = 0; i < total; i++) {
+		const t = i / SAMPLE_RATE;
+		const phase = 2 * Math.PI * (F0 * t + 0.5 * sweep * t * t);
+		dv.setInt16(44 + i * 2, Math.round(AMP * Math.sin(phase)), true);
+	}
+	await Bun.write(path, buf);
+}
+
+const wavPath = join(tmpdir(), `podtui-viz-${process.pid}-${Date.now()}.wav`);
+await writeChirpWav(wavPath); // long enough to outlast the unload delay at readrate 1
+
+// ── Helpers ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+/** Poll `check` every 5ms until truthy; throw after `timeoutMs`. */
+async function waitFor(
+	check: () => boolean,
+	timeoutMs = 10000,
+): Promise<void> {
+	const start = Date.now();
+	while (!check()) {
+		if (Date.now() - start > timeoutMs) {
+			throw new Error("condition not met in time");
+		}
+		await Bun.sleep(5);
+	}
+}
+
+/**
+ * Start playback against the local WAV and wait for the first frame.
+ *
+ * The reader samples the window ENDING at the playback position, so a
+ * frozen position clock would serve a 1-sample window at position 0 and
+ * never produce a full frame (in production mpv advances the clock every
+ * poll). Drive the clock to 2s right after play — inside the 3s decode-head
+ * burst — so complete windows are available immediately.
+ */
+async function startPlaying(): Promise<void> {
+	const viz = useVisualizer();
+	viz.setBarCount(64);
+	viz.setFocused(true);
+	setCurrentEpisode({ audioUrl: wavPath } as unknown as Episode);
+	setIsPlaying(true);
+	setPosition(2);
+	await waitFor(() => viz.isRunning(), 10000);
+	await waitFor(() => !viz.isLoading() && viz.barData().length > 0, 10000);
+}
+
+const skip = !(hasFfmpeg && hasNativeLib);
+
+// ── Tests ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+test.skipIf(skip)(
+	"starts on playback: loading state first, then frequency bars",
+	async () => {
+		const viz = useVisualizer();
+		await startPlaying();
+		expect(viz.barData().length).toBe(64);
+		expect(viz.isLoading()).toBe(false);
+	},
+	{ timeout: 20000 },
+);
+
+// Regression: with the position clock frozen at the start position (mpv
+// still opening the stream), the reader samples a window ending at the
+// start — a 1-sample slice it can never fill. The smooth clock must be
+// seeded at pipeline start so the interpolated target advances and bars
+// render as soon as ffmpeg has ANY audio, not after the first position poll.
+test.skipIf(skip)(
+	"renders bars while the position clock is still frozen at 0",
+	async () => {
+		const viz = useVisualizer();
+		viz.setBarCount(64);
+		viz.setFocused(true);
+		setCurrentEpisode({ audioUrl: wavPath } as unknown as Episode);
+		setIsPlaying(true);
+		// Deliberately do NOT advance the mock position: the clock stays at 0.
+		await waitFor(() => viz.isRunning(), 10000);
+		await waitFor(() => !viz.isLoading() && viz.barData().length > 0, 10000);
+		expect(viz.barData().length).toBe(64);
+	},
+	{ timeout: 20000 },
+);
+
+test.skipIf(skip)(
+	"losing focus keeps the warm pipeline alive; refocus within the delay resumes without restart",
+	async () => {
+		const viz = useVisualizer();
+		await startPlaying();
+
+		viz.setFocused(false);
+		// Not an instant teardown: observe the pipeline well inside the 30s
+		// grace window.
+		await Bun.sleep(500);
+		expect(viz.isRunning()).toBe(true);
+		expect(viz.isLoading()).toBe(false);
+
+		// Still live: moving the position clock changes the bars (chirp →
+		// different spectrum at 3s than at the 2s start position).
+		setPosition(3);
+		const barsBefore = viz.barData();
+		await waitFor(() => viz.barData() !== barsBefore, 3000);
+
+		// Refocus within the delay: warm pipeline, no restart — a restart
+		// would respawn ffmpeg and flash the loading state. Watch for that
+		// flash over a short observation window.
+		viz.setFocused(true);
+		let sawRestartLoading = false;
+		const start = Date.now();
+		while (Date.now() - start < 250) {
+			if (viz.isLoading()) sawRestartLoading = true;
+			await Bun.sleep(5);
+		}
+		expect(sawRestartLoading).toBe(false);
+		expect(viz.isRunning()).toBe(true);
+		expect(viz.barData().length).toBe(64);
+	},
+	{ timeout: 20000 },
+);
+
+// The store's unload is a real `setTimeout(VISUALIZER_UNLOAD_DELAY_MS)` with
+// no injectable clock (bun 1.3.8 has no fake timers), so the grace period is
+// exercised against the platform clock — this is the deliberate-exception
+// case from the no-real-timers rule.
+test.skipIf(skip)(
+	"unloads the pipeline after the unfocused grace delay",
+	async () => {
+		const viz = useVisualizer();
+		await startPlaying();
+		expect(viz.isRunning()).toBe(true);
+
+		viz.setFocused(false);
+		await Bun.sleep(VISUALIZER_UNLOAD_DELAY_MS + 1500);
+
+		expect(viz.isRunning()).toBe(false);
+		expect(viz.isLoading()).toBe(false);
+	},
+	{ timeout: 45000 },
+);
+
+// Settings master switch: turning the visualizer off must tear the running
+// pipeline down (not just hide the component), and re-enabling restarts it
+// from the current position.
+test.skipIf(skip)(
+	"disabling the visualizer stops a running pipeline; re-enabling restarts it",
+	async () => {
+		const viz = useVisualizer();
+		const app = useAppStore();
+		await app.whenReady();
+		await startPlaying();
+		expect(viz.isRunning()).toBe(true);
+
+		app.updateVisualizer({ enabled: false });
+		await waitFor(() => !viz.isRunning(), 10000);
+		expect(viz.isLoading()).toBe(false);
+
+		app.updateVisualizer({ enabled: true });
+		await waitFor(() => viz.isRunning(), 10000);
+		await waitFor(() => !viz.isLoading() && viz.barData().length > 0, 10000);
+		expect(viz.barData().length).toBe(64);
+	},
+	{ timeout: 20000 },
+);
+
+// ── Teardown ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+afterAll(() => {
+	// Release any pipeline still running (e.g. if a test failed midway).
+	setIsPlaying(false);
+});

tests/visualizer-toggle.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+/**
+ * visualizer-toggle.test.ts — "waveform visualizer toggleable on/off in
+ * settings, default on".
+ *
+ * Pins three contracts:
+ *  1. The default is ON (fresh config, before any user change).
+ *  2. The Settings → Visualizer "Waveform" item flips it via updateVisualizer.
+ *  3. Persistence: a config saved BEFORE `enabled` existed (no key) still
+ *     loads as ON with its other visualizer fields intact (deep-merge
+ *     backfill), and an explicit `enabled: false` survives a reload.
+ *
+ * The config dir is derived from XDG_CONFIG_HOME at call time, so each
+ * persistence test points it at a fresh tmpdir and writes its own
+ * config.json before calling loadAppStateFromFile directly.
+ */
+import { test, expect } from "bun:test";
+import { mkdtempSync, mkdirSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+
+// ── Sandbox BEFORE any app module evaluates ───────────────────────────────
+const CONFIG = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "podtui-viz-toggle-"));
+process.env.XDG_CONFIG_HOME = CONFIG;
+process.env.XDG_DATA_HOME = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "podtui-viz-toggle-data-"));
+process.env.PODTUI_AUDIO_BACKEND = "none";
+
+const { useAppStore } = await import("../src/stores/app");
+const { useVisualizerItems } = await import(
+	"../src/pages/Settings/VisualizerSettings"
+);
+const { loadAppStateFromFile } = await import("../src/utils/app-persistence");
+
+/** Write a config.json into a fresh XDG_CONFIG_HOME and load app state. */
+async function loadWithConfig(settings: unknown): Promise<{
+	state: ReturnType<typeof loadAppStateFromFile> extends Promise<infer T>
+		? T
+		: never;
+}> {
+	const dir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "podtui-viz-toggle-cfg-"));
+	process.env.XDG_CONFIG_HOME = dir;
+	mkdirSync(join(dir, "podtui"), { recursive: true });
+	writeFileSync(
+		join(dir, "podtui", "config.json"),
+		JSON.stringify({ settings }, null, 2),
+	);
+	return { state: await loadAppStateFromFile() };
+}
+
+test("waveform visualizer defaults to ON with a fresh config", async () => {
+	const app = useAppStore();
+	await app.whenReady(); // empty sandbox config → defaults
+	expect(app.state().settings.visualizer.enabled).toBe(true);
+});
+
+test("Settings → Visualizer exposes a Waveform toggle that flips the setting", async () => {
+	const app = useAppStore();
+	await app.whenReady();
+	const items = useVisualizerItems();
+	const item = items.find((it) => it.id === "enabled");
+	expect(item).toBeDefined();
+	expect(item!.kind).toBe("toggle");
+	expect(item!.display()).toBe("On");
+
+	item!.toggle!();
+	expect(app.state().settings.visualizer.enabled).toBe(false);
+	expect(item!.display()).toBe("Off");
+
+	item!.toggle!();
+	expect(app.state().settings.visualizer.enabled).toBe(true);
+	expect(item!.display()).toBe("On");
+});
+
+test("a config saved before `enabled` existed loads as ON with other fields intact", async () => {
+	const { state } = await loadWithConfig({
+		visualizer: { bars: 16, lowCutOff: 80 },
+	});
+	expect(state.settings.visualizer.enabled).toBe(true); // backfilled
+	expect(state.settings.visualizer.bars).toBe(16); // preserved, not clobbered
+	expect(state.settings.visualizer.lowCutOff).toBe(80);
+});
+
+test("an explicit enabled:false survives a reload", async () => {
+	const { state } = await loadWithConfig({
+		visualizer: { enabled: false, bars: 128 },
+	});
+	expect(state.settings.visualizer.enabled).toBe(false);
+	expect(state.settings.visualizer.bars).toBe(128);
+});
+
+test("an empty visualizer object in config falls back to full defaults", async () => {
+	const { state } = await loadWithConfig({ visualizer: {} });
+	expect(state.settings.visualizer.enabled).toBe(true);
+	expect(state.settings.visualizer.bars).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+});

tests/volume-persistence.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+/**
+ * volume-persistence.test.ts — "store and reuse the previous session's
+ * audio level" feature.
+ *
+ * useAudio's volume starts at 100% (default, before any user change);
+ * setVolume() persists the new level to app settings (config.json); and
+ * at boot the volume signal re-syncs from the persisted settings — so the
+ * next session resumes at the previous level.
+ *
+ * Same worker-leak defenses as restore-session.test.ts: other test files
+ * mock.module("../src/hooks/useAudio") and bun reuses workers, so the real
+ * module is imported via a query-suffixed specifier (distinct module
+ * identity, loads from disk). A fresh module instance simulates the next
+ * launch: its refCount starts at 0, so its boot sync re-reads settings.
+ * The boot sync awaits the app store's async config load (whenReady), so
+ * tests await it too and flush microtasks — no wall-clock sleeps.
+ */
+import { test, expect } from "bun:test";
+import { mkdtempSync, rmSync } from "node:fs";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+
+// ── Sandbox BEFORE any app module evaluates ───────────────────────────────
+const CONFIG = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "podtui-volume-"));
+process.env.XDG_CONFIG_HOME = CONFIG;
+process.env.XDG_DATA_HOME = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "podtui-volume-data-"));
+process.env.PODTUI_AUDIO_BACKEND = "none";
+
+// ── Real modules ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// @ts-expect-error — bun-only query suffix: distinct module identity that
+// loads the real file instead of a leaked mock.module from another test file.
+const { useAudio } = await import("../src/hooks/useAudio?restore-test");
+const { useAppStore } = await import("../src/stores/app");
+
+/** Flush the boot sync's promise chain (whenReady.then(...)) — microtasks
+ *  only, no timers. */
+async function flushMicrotasks(): Promise<void> {
+	for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) await Promise.resolve();
+}
+
+test("volume defaults to 100% and is persisted and reused across sessions", async () => {
+	const appStore = useAppStore();
+	await appStore.whenReady(); // empty sandbox config → defaults
+
+	// Boot 1: no persisted volume — the default is 100% (not the old 70%).
+	const audio = useAudio();
+	await flushMicrotasks();
+	expect(audio.volume()).toBe(1);
+	expect(appStore.state().settings.volume).toBe(1);
+
+	// User change: signal updates and the level lands in app settings.
+	await audio.setVolume(0.35);
+	expect(audio.volume()).toBe(0.35);
+	expect(appStore.state().settings.volume).toBe(0.35);
+
+	// Boot 2 (fresh module instance — refCount starts at 0, so the boot
+	// sync re-reads settings): the previous session's level is restored.
+	// @ts-expect-error — same bun-only query-suffix mechanism as above.
+	const { useAudio: useAudioNext } = await import("../src/hooks/useAudio?restore-test-vol");
+	const nextAudio = useAudioNext();
+	await flushMicrotasks();
+	expect(nextAudio.volume()).toBe(0.35);
+});
+
+test("setVolume clamps to the 0–1 range before persisting", async () => {
+	const audio = useAudio();
+	await audio.setVolume(1.7);
+	expect(audio.volume()).toBe(1);
+	expect(useAppStore().state().settings.volume).toBe(1);
+
+	await audio.setVolume(-0.3);
+	expect(audio.volume()).toBe(0);
+	expect(useAppStore().state().settings.volume).toBe(0);
+});
+
+test("a persisted volume wins over the default at boot", async () => {
+	// Persist a non-default level, then simulate a fresh launch that has no
+	// prior signal state (new module instance).
+	useAppStore().updateSettings({ volume: 0.6 });
+	// @ts-expect-error — same bun-only query-suffix mechanism as above.
+	const { useAudio: useAudioNext } = await import("../src/hooks/useAudio?restore-test-vol2");
+	const nextAudio = useAudioNext();
+	await flushMicrotasks();
+	expect(nextAudio.volume()).toBe(0.6);
+});