fix(plex): a link too slow for the stream resumes in place, and says so

A request hls.js got no answer to in time (no status) was taken for a server
away: a new session, the same first segment lost again, a restart every half
minute that never ended, since every session answer reset the away window.
Measured on prod: a work network at ~4 Mbit/s against 11-16 MB remux segments.

A timeout now resumes loading in the same session; the away window ends only
when media arrives (or a direct stream answers), and runs out in a 'too slow'
error. A segment gets 30 s to its first byte. After 5 s of stalling on a link
measured slower than the stream, the player says so with both rates.

frontend/src/i18n/locales/en/plex.json

@@ -191,6 +191,9 @@
     "errNotFound": "This file can't be played — the media isn't reachable on the server (the Plex media mount is missing or the path map is wrong). Ask the admin to check the Plex configuration.",
     "errTranscode": "This file's format needs transcoding, which isn't supported yet.",
     "errGeneric": "Playback couldn't start. Please try again.",
+    "errSlow": "Couldn't play: the connection is too slow for this file",
+    "slowLink": "Slow connection",
+    "slowLinkRates": "This file needs about {{need}}, about {{got}} is arriving",
     "help": "Keyboard shortcuts",
     "infoBtn": "Media info",
     "more": "More",

frontend/src/i18n/locales/hu/plex.json

@@ -191,6 +191,9 @@
     "errNotFound": "Ez a fájl nem játszható le — a média nem érhető el a szerveren (hiányzik a Plex media-mount, vagy hibás az útvonal-leképezés). Kérd meg az adminisztrátort, hogy ellenőrizze a Plex beállításait.",
     "errTranscode": "Ennek a fájlnak a formátuma átkódolást igényel, ami még nem támogatott.",
     "errGeneric": "Nem sikerült elindítani a lejátszást. Próbáld újra.",
+    "errSlow": "Nem sikerült lejátszani: a kapcsolat túl lassú ehhez a fájlhoz",
+    "slowLink": "Lassú a kapcsolat",
+    "slowLinkRates": "A fájlhoz kb. {{need}} kell, most kb. {{got}} érkezik",
     "help": "Billentyűparancsok",
     "infoBtn": "Média infó",
     "more": "Továbbiak",

frontend/src/lib/format.test.ts

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {
   formatCompact,
   formatCountOrDash,
   formatDecimal,
+  formatMbps,
   formatMoney,
   formatDate,
   formatDateTime,
@@ -284,3 +285,11 @@ describe("numbers in the UI language", () => {
     expect(formatMoney(160_000_000, "hu")).not.toBe(formatMoney(160_000_000, "en"));
   });
 });
+
+describe("formatMbps", () => {
+  it("writes a rate in the browser's own unit, a decimal only under 10", () => {
+    expect(formatMbps(19_600_000, "en")).toBe("20 Mb/s");
+    expect(formatMbps(4_130_000, "en")).toBe("4.1 Mb/s");
+    expect(formatMbps(4_130_000, "hu")).toBe("4,1 Mb/mp");
+  });
+});

frontend/src/lib/format.ts

@@ -133,6 +133,20 @@ export function formatUnit(
   );
 }
 
+/** A rate in megabits per second, in the browser's own short form ("20 Mb/s" / "20 Mb/mp"): one
+ *  decimal under 10, whole above. */
+export function formatMbps(bitsPerSecond: number, lang: string): string {
+  const mbps = bitsPerSecond / 1_000_000;
+  const digits = mbps < 10 ? 1 : 0;
+  return numberFormat(lang, {
+    style: "unit",
+    unit: "megabit-per-second",
+    unitDisplay: "short",
+    maximumFractionDigits: digits,
+    minimumFractionDigits: digits,
+  }).format(mbps);
+}
+
 /** Compact human runtime ("1 hr 30 min", "45 min", "45 sec"; HU "1 ó 30 p") from seconds. Formats
  * BOTH a single item's length (Plex movies/episodes) and an aggregate total (playlist playtime, on
  * the YouTube and the Plex side alike) — it is the one renderer for a playlist total, so a total

frontend/src/lib/hlsEngine.test.ts

@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ class FakeHls implements HlsPort {
   loaded: string | null = null;
   destroyed = false;
   audioTrack = 0;
+  resumes = 0;
   constructor(readonly handlers: HlsHandlers) {}
   load(url: string) {
     this.loaded = url;
@@ -53,6 +54,24 @@ class FakeHls implements HlsPort {
   destroy() {
     this.destroyed = true;
   }
+  resume() {
+    this.resumes++;
+  }
+  /** hls.js gave up on a request that never answered in time: no response, so no status. */
+  timedOut(details = "fragLoadTimeOut") {
+    this.handlers.onError({
+      fatal: true,
+      network: true,
+      status: null,
+      timeout: true,
+      type: "networkError",
+      details,
+    });
+  }
+  /** A fragment arrived: media is getting through. */
+  arrived() {
+    this.handlers.onFragLoaded({ type: "main", bytes: 1_000_000, durationS: 6 });
+  }
   getAudioTrack() {
     return this.audioTrack;
   }
@@ -72,6 +91,7 @@ class FakeHls implements HlsPort {
       fatal: false,
       network: true,
       status: 410,
+      timeout: false,
       type: "networkError",
       details: "fragLoadError",
     });
@@ -82,6 +102,7 @@ class FakeHls implements HlsPort {
       fatal: false,
       network: true,
       status,
+      timeout: false,
       type: "networkError",
       details: "fragLoadError",
     });
@@ -92,6 +113,7 @@ class FakeHls implements HlsPort {
       fatal: true,
       network: true,
       status,
+      timeout: false,
       type: "networkError",
       details: "levelLoadError",
     });
@@ -579,6 +601,7 @@ describe("a server that is restarting (a deploy)", () => {
     fire();
     await asks[1]!.resolve(hls("A"));
     hlses[1]!.handlers.onManifestParsed();
+    hlses[1]!.arrived(); // back: media gets through again
     advance(AWAY_WINDOW_MS + 1);
     hlses[1]!.lost(502); // a second deploy, long after the first
     expect(engine.getSnapshot().error).toBeNull();
@@ -608,6 +631,93 @@ describe("a server that is restarting (a deploy)", () => {
     hlses[0]!.lost(500);
     expect(engine.getSnapshot().error).toBe("generic");
   });
+
+  it("takes a direct stream's answer for the server being back: it has no fragments to show it", async () => {
+    const { engine, asks, fire, advance } = setup();
+    engine.start("A", 0);
+    await asks[0]!.reject({ status: 502 });
+    fire();
+    await asks[1]!.resolve(direct("A"));
+    advance(AWAY_WINDOW_MS + 1);
+    engine.start("A", 100); // a second deploy, long after the first
+    await asks[2]!.reject({ status: 502 });
+    expect(engine.getSnapshot().error).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("ends in an error when the server answers every session but none of them delivers", async () => {
+    // Every answer used to start the absence over, so this asked for a new session forever.
+    const { engine, asks, hlses, fire } = setup();
+    engine.start("A", 0);
+    await asks[0]!.resolve(hls("A"));
+    hlses[0]!.handlers.onManifestParsed();
+    hlses[0]!.lost(0);
+    for (let i = 1; i < 40 && fire(); i++) {
+      await asks[i]!.resolve(hls("A", 0, `s-${i}`));
+      hlses[i]!.handlers.onManifestParsed();
+      hlses[i]!.lost(0);
+    }
+    expect(engine.getSnapshot().error).toBe("generic");
+    expect(asks.length).toBeLessThan(40);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("a link too slow for the stream", () => {
+  // Measured on prod (2026-11-04, a work network at ~4 Mbit/s against 11–16 MB remux segments): an
+  // audio segment waited behind a video one past hls.js's time to first byte, five times, and gave up
+  // with no answer. That was taken for a server away: a new session, the same segment lost again, a
+  // restart every half minute until the viewer closed the player.
+  it("resumes loading in the same session, and asks for no new one", async () => {
+    const { engine, asks, hlses, timers } = setup();
+    engine.start("A", 453);
+    await asks[0]!.resolve(hls("A", 453));
+    hlses[0]!.handlers.onManifestParsed();
+    hlses[0]!.timedOut();
+    expect(asks).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(timers.filter((t) => t.armed)).toHaveLength(0);
+    expect(hlses[0]!.resumes).toBe(1);
+    expect(hlses[0]!.destroyed).toBe(false);
+    expect(engine.getSnapshot()).toMatchObject({ ready: true, error: null });
+  });
+
+  it.each(["fragLoadTimeOut", "levelLoadTimeOut", "audioTrackLoadTimeOut"])(
+    "treats a %s the same way",
+    async (details) => {
+      const { engine, asks, hlses } = setup();
+      engine.start("A", 0);
+      await asks[0]!.resolve(hls("A"));
+      hlses[0]!.timedOut(details);
+      expect(asks).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(hlses[0]!.resumes).toBe(1);
+    },
+  );
+
+  it("keeps going for as long as media still arrives, however slowly", async () => {
+    const { engine, asks, hlses, advance } = setup();
+    engine.start("A", 0);
+    await asks[0]!.resolve(hls("A"));
+    hlses[0]!.handlers.onManifestParsed();
+    for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+      hlses[0]!.timedOut();
+      advance(60_000);
+      hlses[0]!.arrived();
+    }
+    hlses[0]!.timedOut();
+    expect(engine.getSnapshot().error).toBeNull();
+    expect(asks).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+
+  it("says the connection is too slow once nothing has arrived for the whole window", async () => {
+    const { engine, asks, hlses, advance } = setup();
+    engine.start("A", 0);
+    await asks[0]!.resolve(hls("A"));
+    hlses[0]!.handlers.onManifestParsed();
+    hlses[0]!.timedOut();
+    advance(AWAY_WINDOW_MS + 1);
+    hlses[0]!.timedOut();
+    expect(engine.getSnapshot().error).toBe("slow");
+    expect(hlses[0]!.resumes).toBe(1);
+    expect(asks).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
 });
 
 describe("play intent while a session is asked for", () => {

frontend/src/lib/hlsEngine.ts

@@ -30,14 +30,20 @@ export const RECLAIM_WINDOW_MS = 120_000;
 // gone with it, but the buffer keeps playing — so the engine asks again where the viewer is, less and
 // less often, and says it cannot play only once the server has been away this long. It used to say
 // so at the first 502, over a picture still playing from the buffer, and never asked again.
+//
+// The absence ends when MEDIA arrives again (a fragment loads), not when a session request is
+// answered: a server that answers every session and delivers none of them is still not serving, and
+// ending the absence at each answer restarted the stream forever. The same window bounds a link too
+// slow for the stream (see `slowLink`).
 export const AWAY_WINDOW_MS = 180_000;
 const AWAY_RETRY_MS = [2_000, 4_000, 8_000, 15_000];
 const SERVER_AWAY = new Set([0, 502, 503, 504]);
 // The server's answer for a session it no longer has; its 404 means a segment not there yet.
 const SESSION_GONE = 410;
 
-/** Why a session could not play, in the three buckets the player has a sentence for. */
+/** Why a session could not play, in the buckets the player has a sentence for. `slow`: the link
-type EngineError = "transcode" | "notFound" | "generic";
+ *  never delivered the stream in time for the whole away window. */
+type EngineError = "transcode" | "notFound" | "slow" | "generic";
 
 /** What the player renders from the engine. A new object whenever any of it changes. */
 export interface EngineSnapshot {
@@ -55,14 +61,27 @@ export interface HlsFailure {
   fatal: boolean;
   network: boolean;
   status: number | null;
+  /** A request that got no answer in time (no response, so `status` is null). */
+  timeout: boolean;
   type: string;
   details: string;
 }
 
+/** A loaded fragment, as the meters read it. `loading`: when its download started and ended
+ *  (performance.now() ms), when known. */
+export interface FragLoaded {
+  type: string;
+  bytes: number;
+  durationS: number;
+  loading?: { start: number; end: number };
+}
+
 /** One hls.js instance, narrowed to what the engine uses (hlsPort.ts binds the real one). */
 export interface HlsPort {
   load(url: string, media: HTMLMediaElement): void;
   destroy(): void;
+  /** Start loading again where it stopped, after a fatal network error (same session). */
+  resume(): void;
   getAudioTrack(): number;
   setAudioTrack(track: number): void;
   levelInfo(): HlsLevelInfo;
@@ -71,7 +90,7 @@ export interface HlsPort {
 export interface HlsHandlers {
   onManifestParsed(): void;
   onAudioTracksUpdated(): void;
-  onFragLoaded(frag: { type: string; bytes: number; durationS: number }): void;
+  onFragLoaded(frag: FragLoaded): void;
   onError(e: HlsFailure): void;
 }
 
@@ -106,7 +125,7 @@ export interface EngineDeps {
   statusOf(e: unknown): number | undefined;
   /** A request for a session went out: the player clears its stall spinner. */
   onLoadStart?(): void;
-  onFragLoaded?(frag: { type: string; bytes: number; durationS: number }): void;
+  onFragLoaded?(frag: FragLoaded): void;
   onHlsError?(e: HlsFailure): void;
 }
 
@@ -358,7 +377,9 @@ export class HlsEngine {
     }
     const media = this.deps.media();
     if (!media) return;
-    this.away = null; // the server answered: a later absence is a new one
+    // A direct stream reports no fragments: its answer is the only sign the server is back. An HLS
+    // absence ends when a fragment arrives (see `AWAY_WINDOW_MS`).
+    if (sess.mode !== "hls") this.away = null;
     const { intent, startAt, id } = req;
     // The stream that kept playing is replaced from here: the new one loads like any other.
     if (req.quiet) this.set({ ready: false });
@@ -456,7 +477,10 @@ export class HlsEngine {
           /* out of range — ignore */
         }
       },
-      onFragLoaded: (frag) => this.deps.onFragLoaded?.(frag),
+      onFragLoaded: (frag) => {
+        if (this.current(req)) this.away = null; // media gets through: whatever was away is back
+        this.deps.onFragLoaded?.(frag);
+      },
       onError: (e) => this.onHlsError(req, media, e),
     };
   }
@@ -489,6 +513,10 @@ export class HlsEngine {
       return;
     }
     if (!e.fatal) return;
+    if (e.network && e.timeout) {
+      this.slowLink();
+      return;
+    }
     if (e.network && SERVER_AWAY.has(e.status ?? 0) && this.serverAway(req)) return;
     if (e.network && e.status === 404) {
       this.reclaim(req, media, false);
@@ -538,6 +566,23 @@ export class HlsEngine {
     return true;
   }
 
+  /** A request got no answer in time: the link is too slow for what the stream asks of it, not the
+   *  server away (measured on prod: a work network at ~4 Mbit/s against 11–16 MB remux segments; an
+   *  audio segment waited behind a video one past hls.js's time to first byte). A new session would
+   *  throw away what had arrived and lose its first segment the same way — a restart every half
+   *  minute, never playing. So loading resumes in the same session, for as long as media still
+   *  arrives; the away window says it is too slow once nothing has for that long. */
+  private slowLink(): void {
+    const now = this.deps.now();
+    const away = (this.away ??= { since: now, tries: 0 });
+    if (now - away.since > AWAY_WINDOW_MS) {
+      this.set({ error: "slow" });
+      return;
+    }
+    away.tries += 1;
+    this.hls?.resume();
+  }
+
   /** Where the viewer is: the ticked position, or — before playback has ticked (a session still
    *  loading, or a resumed one that has stayed paused) — where the session was ASKED to start.
    *  Anything that restarts "here" must use this: reading the ticked 0 restarted a resume at 20:00

frontend/src/lib/hlsPort.test.ts

@@ -1,42 +1,124 @@
+// The one place hls.js is built for the Plex player, held against a stand-in hls.js: what config it is
+// built with, and what it hands the engine from hls.js's events.
+//
 // hls.js empties the cues of every text track on the <video> when a manifest loads or the media
 // attaches — the Plex player's own subtitle <track> included, so a VTT that loaded first showed
 // nothing for the rest of the session. Its subtitle and caption controllers are not built at all.
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import type { FragLoaded, HlsFailure } from "./hlsEngine";
 
-const built: Record<string, unknown>[] = [];
+type Listener = (e: string, data: unknown) => void;
+interface Built {
+  config: Record<string, unknown>;
+  on: Record<string, Listener>;
+  starts: number[];
+  media: { currentTime: number } | null;
+}
+const built: Built[] = [];
 vi.mock("hls.js", () => {
   class FakeHls {
     static isSupported = () => true;
-    static Events = {};
+    static Events = {
-    static ErrorTypes = {};
+      MANIFEST_PARSED: "hlsManifestParsed",
+      AUDIO_TRACKS_UPDATED: "hlsAudioTracksUpdated",
+      FRAG_LOADED: "hlsFragLoaded",
+      ERROR: "hlsError",
+    };
+    static ErrorTypes = { NETWORK_ERROR: "networkError" };
+    readonly self: Built;
     constructor(config: Record<string, unknown>) {
-      built.push(config);
+      this.self = { config, on: {}, starts: [], media: null };
+      built.push(this.self);
+    }
+    get media() {
+      return this.self.media;
+    }
+    on(event: string, fn: Listener) {
+      this.self.on[event] = fn;
+    }
+    startLoad(at: number) {
+      this.self.starts.push(at);
     }
-    on() {}
   }
   return { default: FakeHls };
 });
 
 const { createHlsPort } = await import("./hlsPort");
 
+function build() {
+  const frags: FragLoaded[] = [];
+  const errors: HlsFailure[] = [];
+  const noop = () => {};
+  const port = createHlsPort({
+    onManifestParsed: noop,
+    onAudioTracksUpdated: noop,
+    onFragLoaded: (f) => void frags.push(f),
+    onError: (e) => void errors.push(e),
+  })!;
+  return { port, hls: built[built.length - 1]!, frags, errors };
+}
+
 describe("createHlsPort", () => {
   it("builds hls.js without the controllers that clear every text track's cues", () => {
-    const noop = () => {};
+    const { hls } = build();
-    createHlsPort({
-      onManifestParsed: noop,
-      onAudioTracksUpdated: noop,
-      onFragLoaded: noop,
-      onError: noop,
-    });
-    const config = built[0] ?? {};
     for (const key of [
       "subtitleTrackController",
       "subtitleStreamController",
       "timelineController",
     ]) {
       // Set, as undefined: hls.js spreads the config over its defaults, so an absent key keeps them.
-      expect(key in config).toBe(true);
+      expect(key in hls.config).toBe(true);
-      expect(config[key]).toBeUndefined();
+      expect(hls.config[key]).toBeUndefined();
     }
   });
+
+  it("gives a fragment 30 s to its first byte: a small audio one waits behind a big remux one", () => {
+    const { hls } = build();
+    const policy = hls.config.fragLoadPolicy as { default: { maxTimeToFirstByteMs: number } };
+    expect(policy.default.maxTimeToFirstByteMs).toBe(30_000);
+  });
+
+  it("names a request that got no answer in time a timeout, and an answered failure not", () => {
+    const { hls, errors } = build();
+    const err = (details: string, code?: number) =>
+      hls.on.hlsError!("hlsError", {
+        fatal: true,
+        type: "networkError",
+        details,
+        response: code ? { code } : undefined,
+      });
+    err("fragLoadTimeOut");
+    err("levelLoadTimeOut");
+    err("fragLoadError", 404);
+    expect(errors.map((e) => [e.timeout, e.status])).toEqual([
+      [true, null],
+      [true, null],
+      [false, 404],
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it("hands on when a fragment's download ran", () => {
+    const { hls, frags } = build();
+    const frag = (loading?: { start: number; end: number }) =>
+      hls.on.hlsFragLoaded!("hlsFragLoaded", {
+        frag: { type: "main", duration: 6, stats: { total: 16_000_000, loading } },
+      });
+    frag({ start: 1000, end: 32_200 });
+    frag(undefined);
+    frag({ start: 0, end: 0 }); // not timed
+    expect(frags.map((f) => f.loading)).toEqual([
+      { start: 1000, end: 32_200 },
+      undefined,
+      undefined,
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it("resumes loading where the media is — at 0 for one that never ticked, not the live edge", () => {
+    const { port, hls } = build();
+    hls.media = { currentTime: 0 };
+    port.resume();
+    hls.media = { currentTime: 312.5 };
+    port.resume();
+    expect(hls.starts).toEqual([0, 312.5]);
+  });
 });

frontend/src/lib/hlsPort.ts

@@ -17,10 +17,23 @@ export function createHlsPort(handlers: HlsHandlers): HlsPort | null {
   // a <track> of ours, out of band, and hls.js empties the cues of EVERY text track on the element
   // when a manifest loads or the media attaches/detaches — ours included, so a VTT that loaded before
   // the manifest showed nothing for the rest of the session.
+  //
+  // A fragment gets 30 s to its first byte, not hls.js's 10: a remux segment is the source's own
+  // bitrate (11–16 MB measured on prod), and on a slow link (a work network at ~4 Mbit/s) the small
+  // audio segment beside it waits behind it longer than 10 s — five such waits ended the load. The
+  // rest is hls.js's default policy.
   const hls = new Hls({
     maxBufferLength: 30,
     enableWorker: true,
     startPosition: 0,
+    fragLoadPolicy: {
+      default: {
+        maxTimeToFirstByteMs: 30_000,
+        maxLoadTimeMs: 120_000,
+        timeoutRetry: { maxNumRetry: 4, retryDelayMs: 0, maxRetryDelayMs: 0 },
+        errorRetry: { maxNumRetry: 6, retryDelayMs: 1000, maxRetryDelayMs: 8000 },
+      },
+    },
     subtitleTrackController: undefined,
     subtitleStreamController: undefined,
     timelineController: undefined,
@@ -28,19 +41,24 @@ export function createHlsPort(handlers: HlsHandlers): HlsPort | null {
   hls.on(Hls.Events.MANIFEST_PARSED, () => handlers.onManifestParsed());
   hls.on(Hls.Events.AUDIO_TRACKS_UPDATED, () => handlers.onAudioTracksUpdated());
   // The delivered bitrate is measured per fragment: the master playlist's own BANDWIDTH is not a
-  // measurement (see plexStats.ts).
+  // measurement (see plexStats.ts). When its download ran says how fast the link delivers.
-  hls.on(Hls.Events.FRAG_LOADED, (_e, data) =>
+  hls.on(Hls.Events.FRAG_LOADED, (_e, data) => {
+    const l = data.frag.stats?.loading;
     handlers.onFragLoaded({
       type: data.frag.type,
       bytes: data.frag.stats?.total || data.frag.stats?.loaded || 0,
       durationS: data.frag.duration,
-    }),
+      loading: l && l.end > l.start ? { start: l.start, end: l.end } : undefined,
-  );
+    });
+  });
   hls.on(Hls.Events.ERROR, (_e, data) =>
     handlers.onError({
       fatal: data.fatal,
       network: data.type === Hls.ErrorTypes.NETWORK_ERROR,
       status: data.response?.code ?? null,
+      // hls.js names every no-answer-in-time failure `…TimeOut` (fragLoadTimeOut, levelLoadTimeOut,
+      // audioTrackLoadTimeOut, manifestLoadTimeOut, …).
+      timeout: data.details.endsWith("TimeOut"),
       type: data.type,
       details: data.details,
     }),
@@ -51,6 +69,10 @@ export function createHlsPort(handlers: HlsHandlers): HlsPort | null {
       hls.attachMedia(media);
     },
     destroy: () => hls.destroy(),
+    // hls.js's own recovery after a fatal network error: load again from where the media is. The
+    // position is passed: with none, a session that never ticked would start at the live edge (see
+    // `startPosition: 0` above).
+    resume: () => hls.startLoad(hls.media?.currentTime ?? 0),
     getAudioTrack: () => hls.audioTrack,
     setAudioTrack(track) {
       hls.audioTrack = track;

frontend/src/lib/plexPlayerHooks.slowLink.dom.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+// @vitest-environment jsdom
+//
+// The player says the link is too slow only when a stall has lasted and the measured arrival rate is
+// below what the stream needs (measured on prod: ~4 Mbit/s arriving against a ~20 Mbit/s remux).
+import { act, renderHook } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import { SLOW_LINK_AFTER_MS, slowLinkRates, useSlowLink, type LinkRates } from "./plexPlayerHooks";
+
+describe("slowLinkRates", () => {
+  it("names both rates only when the link delivers slower than the stream needs", () => {
+    expect(slowLinkRates(20e6, 4e6)).toEqual({ need: 20e6, got: 4e6 });
+    expect(slowLinkRates(20e6, 25e6)).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("says nothing before both are measured", () => {
+    expect(slowLinkRates(undefined, 4e6)).toBeNull();
+    expect(slowLinkRates(20e6, undefined)).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
+describe("useSlowLink", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => vi.useFakeTimers());
+  afterEach(() => vi.useRealTimers());
+  const slow: LinkRates = { need: 20e6, got: 4e6 };
+
+  it("shows nothing for a short stall, the rates once it has lasted", () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(({ stalled }) => useSlowLink(stalled, () => slow), {
+      initialProps: { stalled: true },
+    });
+    act(() => void vi.advanceTimersByTime(SLOW_LINK_AFTER_MS - 1));
+    expect(result.current).toBeNull();
+    act(() => void vi.advanceTimersByTime(1));
+    expect(result.current).toEqual(slow);
+  });
+
+  it("follows the measurement while the stall lasts", () => {
+    let rates: LinkRates | null = slow;
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useSlowLink(true, () => rates));
+    act(() => void vi.advanceTimersByTime(SLOW_LINK_AFTER_MS));
+    expect(result.current).toEqual(slow);
+    rates = null; // the link caught up
+    act(() => void vi.advanceTimersByTime(2000));
+    expect(result.current).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("goes when the stall ends, and the next stall waits its own 5 s", () => {
+    const { result, rerender } = renderHook(({ stalled }) => useSlowLink(stalled, () => slow), {
+      initialProps: { stalled: true },
+    });
+    act(() => void vi.advanceTimersByTime(SLOW_LINK_AFTER_MS));
+    expect(result.current).toEqual(slow);
+    rerender({ stalled: false });
+    expect(result.current).toBeNull();
+    rerender({ stalled: true });
+    expect(result.current).toBeNull();
+    act(() => void vi.advanceTimersByTime(SLOW_LINK_AFTER_MS));
+    expect(result.current).toEqual(slow);
+  });
+});

frontend/src/lib/plexPlayerHooks.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import {
   useCallback,
   useEffect,
+  useEffectEvent,
   useRef,
   useState,
   type RefObject,
@@ -47,6 +48,49 @@ export function useWallClock(): Date {
   return now;
 }
 
+/** How long a stall lasts before the player says the link is too slow: a short rebuffer is ordinary. */
+export const SLOW_LINK_AFTER_MS = 5000;
+
+export interface LinkRates {
+  /** Bits per second the stream needs (its own bitrate, measured from what arrived). */
+  need: number;
+  /** Bits per second the link delivered it at. */
+  got: number;
+}
+
+/** Both rates when the link delivers slower than the stream needs; null when it keeps up, or before
+ *  anything has been measured — the player never says "slow" without a number behind it. */
+export function slowLinkRates(need: number | undefined, got: number | undefined): LinkRates | null {
+  return need && got && got < need ? { need, got } : null;
+}
+
+/** The slow-link rates to show while `stalled` (loading, or rebuffering mid-play) has lasted
+ *  `SLOW_LINK_AFTER_MS`, re-read every 2 s while it lasts; null otherwise. `read` is called from the
+ *  timers only (it reads the fragment meter, a ref). */
+export function useSlowLink(stalled: boolean, read: () => LinkRates | null): LinkRates | null {
+  const [rates, setRates] = useState<LinkRates | null>(null);
+  // Every stall starts from nothing: what the previous one measured is not shown before its 5 s.
+  const [wasStalled, setWasStalled] = useState(stalled);
+  if (wasStalled !== stalled) {
+    setWasStalled(stalled);
+    setRates(null);
+  }
+  const readNow = useEffectEvent(() => setRates(read()));
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!stalled) return;
+    let iv = 0;
+    const t = window.setTimeout(() => {
+      readNow();
+      iv = window.setInterval(readNow, 2000);
+    }, SLOW_LINK_AFTER_MS);
+    return () => {
+      window.clearTimeout(t);
+      window.clearInterval(iv);
+    };
+  }, [stalled]);
+  return stalled ? rates : null;
+}
+
 // Fullscreen toggle for `el` (the player wrapper) + a reactive `fs` flag.
 // Via lib/fullscreen, not the raw API: WebKit (Safari/iPadOS) ships only the prefixed spelling, so
 // reading `document.fullscreenElement` alone made this player believe it is never fullscreen — the

frontend/src/lib/plexStats.test.ts

@@ -180,6 +180,38 @@ describe("measured bitrate", () => {
     expect(m.bitrate()).toBe(8_000_000 + 200_000);
   });
 
+  it("measures how fast the bytes arrive, beside how fast the stream needs them", () => {
+    // The prod case: a 16 MB, 6 s video segment that took 31.2 s to come through.
+    const m = createFragMeter();
+    m.add({ type: "main", bytes: 16_000_000, durationS: 6, loading: { start: 0, end: 31_200 } });
+    expect(m.bitrate()).toBeCloseTo((16_000_000 * 8) / 6);
+    expect(m.arrival()).toBeCloseTo((16_000_000 * 8) / 31.2);
+  });
+
+  it("counts downloads that overlap once: the renditions share one link", () => {
+    // Measured live: summing the per-rendition rates read 2.3 Mbit/s through a 1.6 Mbit/s link.
+    const m = createFragMeter();
+    m.add({ type: "main", bytes: 1_800_000, durationS: 4, loading: { start: 0, end: 10_000 } });
+    m.add({ type: "audio", bytes: 100_000, durationS: 4, loading: { start: 2_000, end: 8_000 } });
+    m.add({ type: "audio", bytes: 100_000, durationS: 4, loading: { start: 9_000, end: 12_000 } });
+    m.add({
+      type: "main",
+      bytes: 2_000_000,
+      durationS: 4,
+      loading: { start: 15_000, end: 25_000 },
+    });
+    // 4 MB over the 22 s something was downloading (0–12 s and 15–25 s): not the 29 s the downloads
+    // add up to, nor per type.
+    expect(m.arrival()).toBeCloseTo((4_000_000 * 8) / 22);
+  });
+
+  it("has no arrival rate for fragments whose download time is unknown", () => {
+    const m = createFragMeter();
+    m.add({ type: "main", bytes: 6_000_000, durationS: 6 });
+    expect(m.bitrate()).toBe(8_000_000);
+    expect(m.arrival()).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
   it("has nothing to say before the first fragment, and after a reset", () => {
     const m = createFragMeter();
     expect(m.bitrate()).toBeUndefined(); // an honest dash — never the manifest's stand-in number

frontend/src/lib/plexStats.ts

@@ -188,12 +188,18 @@ interface FragSample {
   type: string; // hls.js fragment type: "main" (video, and muxed audio) / "audio" / "subtitle"
   bytes: number;
   durationS: number; // MEDIA seconds the fragment carries (not how long it took to download)
+  loading?: { start: number; end: number }; // when its download ran (ms), when hls.js knew
 }
 
 export interface FragMeter {
   add(sample: FragSample): void;
   /** Bits per second of media, or undefined while nothing has been measured yet. */
   bitrate(): number | undefined;
+  /** Bits per second the link delivered them at, or undefined while no download time is known: every
+   *  timed fragment's bytes over the time ANY of them was downloading. Not per type and summed like
+   *  `bitrate` — the renditions share one link, and their downloads overlap (measured: summing read
+   *  2.3 Mbit/s through a 1.6 Mbit/s link). */
+  arrival(): number | undefined;
   reset(): void;
 }
 
@@ -222,6 +228,22 @@ export function createFragMeter(window = 10): FragMeter {
       }
       return total > 0 ? total : undefined;
     },
+    arrival() {
+      const timed = [...byType.values()]
+        .flat()
+        .filter((f) => f.loading && f.loading.end > f.loading.start)
+        .sort((a, b) => a.loading!.start - b.loading!.start);
+      let busyMs = 0;
+      let until = -Infinity;
+      for (const { loading } of timed) {
+        const { start, end } = loading!;
+        if (end <= until) continue;
+        busyMs += end - Math.max(start, until);
+        until = end;
+      }
+      const bytes = timed.reduce((n, f) => n + f.bytes, 0);
+      return busyMs > 0 ? (bytes * 8) / (busyMs / 1000) : undefined;
+    },
     reset() {
       byType.clear();
     },

frontend/src/modules/plex/PlexPlayer.tsx

@@ -70,7 +70,9 @@ import {
   usePlayerVolume,
   usePlexProgress,
   usePlexTracks,
+  useSlowLink,
   useWallClock,
+  slowLinkRates,
 } from "../../lib/plexPlayerHooks";
 import { canFullscreenElements, fullscreenElement } from "../../lib/fullscreen";
 import {
@@ -101,7 +103,7 @@ import { MenuCheck } from "../../components/ui/MenuCheck";
 import { PopoverItem, PopoverSurface } from "../../components/ui/AnchoredPopover";
 import { closeThenAct, useAnchoredPopover } from "../../components/ui/anchoredPopoverHooks";
 import { Slider } from "../../components/ui/NativeControls";
-import { formatUnit } from "../../lib/format";
+import { formatMbps, formatUnit } from "../../lib/format";
 import { trackLabel } from "../../lib/vocab";
 import { msg } from "../../lib/notifications";
 
@@ -286,9 +288,16 @@ export default function PlexPlayer({
       ? t("plex.player.errTranscode")
       : engineError === "notFound"
         ? t("plex.player.errNotFound")
-        : engineError
+        : engineError === "slow"
-          ? t("plex.player.errGeneric")
+          ? t("plex.player.errSlow")
-          : null;
+          : engineError
+            ? t("plex.player.errGeneric")
+            : null;
+  // A stall that lasts, on a link measured slower than the stream: said under the spinner, with both
+  // numbers, so the viewer can tell their connection from a broken player.
+  const slowRates = useSlowLink((!ready || buffering) && !loadError, () =>
+    slowLinkRates(fragMeterRef.current.bitrate(), fragMeterRef.current.arrival()),
+  );
   // Refs for values read inside stable callbacks / the keyboard handler (avoid stale closures).
   const barAutoHideRef = useLatest(prefs.barAutoHide);
   // The two language prefs are read only at ITEM LOAD (the detail effect below), so they go through
@@ -1326,7 +1335,17 @@ export default function PlexPlayer({
               {/* Announce the stall to assistive tech. Initial load shows visible text; a mid-playback
                   rebuffer/seek (ready, no error) has no visible label, so give it an sr-only one via the
                   aria-live region so a screen reader distinguishes "buffering" from a frozen frame. */}
-              {!ready ? (
+              {slowRates ? (
+                <>
+                  <span>{t("plex.player.slowLink")}</span>
+                  <span className="text-xs text-white/60">
+                    {t("plex.player.slowLinkRates", {
+                      need: formatMbps(slowRates.need, i18n.language),
+                      got: formatMbps(slowRates.got, i18n.language),
+                    })}
+                  </span>
+                </>
+              ) : !ready ? (
                 <span>
                   {t(sessionIsTranscode ? "plex.player.preparing" : "plex.player.loading")}
                 </span>