perf(tv): reduced visual-effects tier for low-end devices

android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/edde746/plezy/MainActivity.kt

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import android.os.Build
 import android.os.Bundle
 import android.os.Handler
 import android.os.Looper
+import android.os.Process
 import android.provider.Settings
 import android.util.Log
 import android.util.Rational
@@ -191,6 +192,19 @@ class MainActivity : FlutterActivity() {
     )
   }
 
+  /** Hardware capability signals used by Dart to pick the visual-effects tier. */
+  private fun getPerformanceSignals(): Map<String, Any> {
+    val activityManager = getSystemService(Context.ACTIVITY_SERVICE) as ActivityManager
+    val memoryInfo = ActivityManager.MemoryInfo()
+    activityManager.getMemoryInfo(memoryInfo)
+    return mapOf(
+      // Actual process bitness: low-end TV boxes often run 32-bit userspace.
+      "is64Bit" to Process.is64Bit(),
+      "isLowRamDevice" to activityManager.isLowRamDevice,
+      "totalMemBytes" to memoryInfo.totalMem,
+    )
+  }
+
   /** User-assigned device name (Settings > About > Device name), or null. */
   private fun getDeviceName(): String? {
     // The name the user gave the device; also used by Cast/Nearby.
@@ -441,6 +455,7 @@ class MainActivity : FlutterActivity() {
       when (call.method) {
         "getTvDetection" -> result.success(getAndroidTvDetection())
         "getDeviceName" -> result.success(getDeviceName())
+        "getPerformanceSignals" -> result.success(getPerformanceSignals())
         else -> result.notImplemented()
       }
     }

lib/focus/focus_glow_overlay.dart

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 
+import '../services/device_performance.dart';
 import 'focus_theme.dart';
 
 /// Renders the focus glow for a focused card in the root [Overlay] so it paints
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ class _FocusGlowOverlayState extends State<FocusGlowOverlay> {
   @override
   void initState() {
     super.initState();
-    if (widget.isFocused) {
+    if (widget.isFocused && !DevicePerformance.isReduced) {
       _visible = true;
       _controller.show();
     }
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@ class _FocusGlowOverlayState extends State<FocusGlowOverlay> {
   @override
   void didUpdateWidget(FocusGlowOverlay oldWidget) {
     super.didUpdateWidget(oldWidget);
+    if (DevicePerformance.isReduced) return;
     if (widget.isFocused == oldWidget.isFocused) return;
     if (widget.isFocused) {
       _controller.show();
@@ -90,6 +92,10 @@ class _FocusGlowOverlayState extends State<FocusGlowOverlay> {
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    // Reduced tier: no glow at all — the blurred shadows + fade saveLayer are
+    // too expensive on weak GPUs. The crisp in-card focus border remains.
+    if (DevicePerformance.isReduced) return widget.child;
+
     // Gate the LeaderLayer to the focused card only: when not focused and not
     // mid-fade, return the bare child (no OverlayPortal, no leader).
     if (!widget.isFocused && !_controller.isShowing) {

lib/focus/focus_theme.dart

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
+import '../services/device_performance.dart';
 import '../theme/mono_tokens.dart';
 
 class FocusTheme {
@@ -17,6 +18,9 @@ class FocusTheme {
   }
 
   static Duration getAnimationDuration(BuildContext context) {
+    // Reduced tier: snap focus transitions (scale/border/glow) instead of
+    // animating — each animation frame re-rasterizes the focused card.
+    if (DevicePerformance.isReduced) return Duration.zero;
     return Theme.of(context).extension<MonoTokens>()?.fast ?? const Duration(milliseconds: 150);
   }
 

lib/i18n/en.i18n.json

@@ -134,6 +134,12 @@
     "showSeasonPostersOnTabsDescription": "Show each season's poster above its tab",
     "tvFullCardLayout": "Full TV Cards",
     "tvFullCardLayoutDescription": "Use image-only TV cards with actor names overlaid",
+    "visualEffects": "Visual Effects",
+    "visualEffectsAuto": "Auto",
+    "visualEffectsAutoDescription": "Reduce effects automatically on low-power devices",
+    "visualEffectsFull": "Full",
+    "visualEffectsReduced": "Reduced",
+    "visualEffectsReducedDescription": "Fewer animations and lower-resolution artwork",
     "hideSpoilers": "Hide Spoilers for Unwatched Episodes",
     "hideSpoilersDescription": "Blur thumbnails and descriptions for unwatched episodes",
     "playerBackend": "Player Backend",

lib/i18n/strings.g.dart

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 /// To regenerate, run: `dart run slang`
 ///
 /// Locales: 16
-/// Strings: 20259 (1266 per locale)
+/// Strings: 20265 (1266 per locale)
 
 // coverage:ignore-file
 // ignore_for_file: type=lint, unused_import

lib/i18n/strings_en.g.dart

@@ -513,6 +513,24 @@ class TranslationsSettingsEn {
 	/// en: 'Use image-only TV cards with actor names overlaid'
 	String get tvFullCardLayoutDescription => 'Use image-only TV cards with actor names overlaid';
 
+	/// en: 'Visual Effects'
+	String get visualEffects => 'Visual Effects';
+
+	/// en: 'Auto'
+	String get visualEffectsAuto => 'Auto';
+
+	/// en: 'Reduce effects automatically on low-power devices'
+	String get visualEffectsAutoDescription => 'Reduce effects automatically on low-power devices';
+
+	/// en: 'Full'
+	String get visualEffectsFull => 'Full';
+
+	/// en: 'Reduced'
+	String get visualEffectsReduced => 'Reduced';
+
+	/// en: 'Fewer animations and lower-resolution artwork'
+	String get visualEffectsReducedDescription => 'Fewer animations and lower-resolution artwork';
+
 	/// en: 'Hide Spoilers for Unwatched Episodes'
 	String get hideSpoilers => 'Hide Spoilers for Unwatched Episodes';
 
@@ -4586,6 +4604,12 @@ extension on Translations {
 			'settings.showSeasonPostersOnTabsDescription' => 'Show each season\'s poster above its tab',
 			'settings.tvFullCardLayout' => 'Full TV Cards',
 			'settings.tvFullCardLayoutDescription' => 'Use image-only TV cards with actor names overlaid',
+			'settings.visualEffects' => 'Visual Effects',
+			'settings.visualEffectsAuto' => 'Auto',
+			'settings.visualEffectsAutoDescription' => 'Reduce effects automatically on low-power devices',
+			'settings.visualEffectsFull' => 'Full',
+			'settings.visualEffectsReduced' => 'Reduced',
+			'settings.visualEffectsReducedDescription' => 'Fewer animations and lower-resolution artwork',
 			'settings.hideSpoilers' => 'Hide Spoilers for Unwatched Episodes',
 			'settings.hideSpoilersDescription' => 'Blur thumbnails and descriptions for unwatched episodes',
 			'settings.playerBackend' => 'Player Backend',
@@ -4968,14 +4992,14 @@ extension on Translations {
 			'messages.serverLimitBody' => 'Server error (HTTP 500). A bandwidth/transcoding limit likely rejected this session. Ask the owner to adjust it.',
 			'messages.logsUploaded' => 'Logs uploaded',
 			'messages.logsUploadFailed' => 'Failed to upload logs',
+			_ => null,
+		} ?? switch (path) {
 			'messages.logId' => 'Log ID',
 			'subtitlingStyling.text' => 'Text',
 			'subtitlingStyling.border' => 'Border',
 			'subtitlingStyling.background' => 'Background',
 			'subtitlingStyling.fontSize' => 'Font Size',
 			'subtitlingStyling.textColor' => 'Text Color',
-			_ => null,
-		} ?? switch (path) {
 			'subtitlingStyling.borderSize' => 'Border Size',
 			'subtitlingStyling.borderColor' => 'Border Color',
 			'subtitlingStyling.backgroundOpacity' => 'Background Opacity',
@@ -5482,14 +5506,14 @@ extension on Translations {
 			'companionRemote.pairing.failedToConnect' => ({required Object error}) => 'Failed to connect: ${error}',
 			'companionRemote.remote.disconnectConfirm' => 'Do you want to disconnect from the remote session?',
 			'companionRemote.remote.reconnecting' => 'Reconnecting...',
+			_ => null,
+		} ?? switch (path) {
 			'companionRemote.remote.attemptOf' => ({required Object current}) => 'Attempt ${current} of 5',
 			'companionRemote.remote.retryNow' => 'Retry Now',
 			'companionRemote.remote.tabRemote' => 'Remote',
 			'companionRemote.remote.tabPlay' => 'Play',
 			'companionRemote.remote.tabMore' => 'More',
 			'companionRemote.remote.menu' => 'Menu',
-			_ => null,
-		} ?? switch (path) {
 			'companionRemote.remote.tabNavigation' => 'Tab Navigation',
 			'companionRemote.remote.tabDiscover' => 'Discover',
 			'companionRemote.remote.tabLibraries' => 'Libraries',

lib/main.dart

@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import 'screens/auth_screen.dart';
 import 'screens/profile/pin_entry_dialog.dart';
 import 'screens/profile/profile_switch_screen.dart';
 import 'services/storage_service.dart';
+import 'services/device_performance.dart';
 import 'services/macos_window_service.dart';
 import 'services/native_window_service.dart';
 import 'services/fullscreen_state_manager.dart';
@@ -176,15 +177,6 @@ Future<void> _bootstrapApp() async {
     await settings.write(SettingsService.cleanedOldImageCache, true);
   }
 
-  // Configure image cache — keep budget modest to leave headroom for Skia decode buffers
-  if (PlatformDetector.isDesktopOS()) {
-    PaintingBinding.instance.imageCache.maximumSize = 1000;
-    PaintingBinding.instance.imageCache.maximumSizeBytes = 150 << 20; // 150MB
-  } else {
-    PaintingBinding.instance.imageCache.maximumSize = 800;
-    PaintingBinding.instance.imageCache.maximumSizeBytes = 100 << 20; // 100MB
-  }
-
   final futures = <Future<void>>[];
 
   if (PlatformDetector.isDesktopOS()) {
@@ -199,6 +191,8 @@ Future<void> _bootstrapApp() async {
   if (Platform.isAndroid || Platform.isIOS) {
     futures.add(TvDetectionService.getInstance(forceTv: settings.read(SettingsService.forceTvMode)));
   }
+  // Visual-effects tier (auto-detects low-end Android; full elsewhere).
+  futures.add(DevicePerformance.getInstance(override: settings.read(SettingsService.visualEffects)));
   if (Platform.isAndroid) {
     PipService();
   }
@@ -212,6 +206,10 @@ Future<void> _bootstrapApp() async {
   await Future.wait(futures);
   final storage = await storageFuture;
 
+  // Configure image cache — keep budget modest to leave headroom for Skia
+  // decode buffers. Runs after the futures so the effects tier is resolved.
+  DevicePerformance.applyImageCacheBudget();
+
   // The PLEX_TOKEN dart-define (screenshot automation) is consumed by
   // [ConnectionBootstrap.seedFromDevTokenDefine] later, when the registry
   // is available — keeps the deprecated legacy slots out of runtime paths.
@@ -225,7 +223,10 @@ Future<void> _bootstrapApp() async {
   if (Platform.isAndroid) {
     renderer = ' [${await const MethodChannel('com.plezy/theme').invokeMethod<String>('getRenderer')}]';
   }
-  appLogger.i('Plezy v${packageInfo.version}+${packageInfo.buildNumber}$commitSuffix$renderer');
+  appLogger.i(
+    'Plezy v${packageInfo.version}+${packageInfo.buildNumber}$commitSuffix$renderer'
+    ' [effects: ${DevicePerformance.describeSync()}]',
+  );
 
   await DownloadStorageService.instance.initialize(settings);
 

lib/navigation/main_screen_scope.dart

@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
+
+/// Dependency aspects for [MainScreenFocusScope].
+///
+/// The scope is an [InheritedModel] so the per-sidebar-flip values (`offset`)
+/// only rebuild the few widgets that position against them — depending on the
+/// whole scope from a screen's top-level build makes the entire screen rebuild
+/// on every sidebar focus flip (measured 150-330ms frames on low-end TVs).
+enum MainScreenScopeAspect {
+  /// `foregroundLeft` / `sideNavigationWidth` — change when the sidebar
+  /// expands or collapses. Depend on these only from small positioning
+  /// widgets (e.g. [SideNavigationBleedBuilder] call sites).
+  offset,
+
+  /// `isSidebarFocused`.
+  focus,
+
+  /// `foregroundWidth` / `viewportWidth` / `reservedSideNavigationWidth` —
+  /// stable across sidebar flips (only change with window geometry).
+  layout,
+}
+
+class MainScreenFocusScope extends InheritedModel<MainScreenScopeAspect> {
+  final VoidCallback focusSidebar;
+  final VoidCallback focusContent;
+  final bool isSidebarFocused;
+  final double sideNavigationWidth;
+  final double? reservedSideNavigationWidth;
+  final double? foregroundLeft;
+  final double? foregroundWidth;
+  final double? viewportWidth;
+  final void Function(String libraryGlobalKey)? selectLibrary;
+  final VoidCallback? openSettings;
+
+  const MainScreenFocusScope({
+    super.key,
+    required this.focusSidebar,
+    required this.focusContent,
+    required this.isSidebarFocused,
+    required this.sideNavigationWidth,
+    this.reservedSideNavigationWidth,
+    this.foregroundLeft,
+    this.foregroundWidth,
+    this.viewportWidth,
+    this.selectLibrary,
+    this.openSettings,
+    required super.child,
+  });
+
+  /// Whole-scope access. With `listen: true` this registers an aspect-less
+  /// dependency (notified on ANY scope change) — use the aspect-scoped static
+  /// getters instead wherever possible. Callback access (focusSidebar etc.)
+  /// should always pass `listen: false`.
+  static MainScreenFocusScope? of(BuildContext context, {bool listen = true}) {
+    if (listen) return context.dependOnInheritedWidgetOfExactType<MainScreenFocusScope>();
+    return context.getElementForInheritedWidgetOfExactType<MainScreenFocusScope>()?.widget as MainScreenFocusScope?;
+  }
+
+  static MainScreenFocusScope? _dependOn(BuildContext context, MainScreenScopeAspect aspect) {
+    return InheritedModel.inheritFrom<MainScreenFocusScope>(context, aspect: aspect);
+  }
+
+  /// Sidebar bleed target (== content offset). Changes per sidebar flip —
+  /// depend on it only from small positioning builders.
+  static double sideNavigationBleedOf(BuildContext context) {
+    return _dependOn(context, MainScreenScopeAspect.offset)?.sideNavigationWidth ?? 0.0;
+  }
+
+  /// Content box left edge. Changes per sidebar flip — depend on it only from
+  /// small positioning builders.
+  static double foregroundLeftOf(BuildContext context) {
+    final left = _dependOn(context, MainScreenScopeAspect.offset)?.foregroundLeft;
+    if (left != null) return left;
+    return 0.0;
+  }
+
+  static double foregroundWidthOf(BuildContext context) {
+    final width = _dependOn(context, MainScreenScopeAspect.layout)?.foregroundWidth;
+    if (width != null && width > 0) return width;
+    return MediaQuery.sizeOf(context).width;
+  }
+
+  static Size foregroundSizeOf(BuildContext context) {
+    final size = MediaQuery.sizeOf(context);
+    return Size(foregroundWidthOf(context), size.height);
+  }
+
+  static double fullBleedWidthOf(BuildContext context) {
+    final width = _dependOn(context, MainScreenScopeAspect.layout)?.viewportWidth;
+    if (width != null && width > 0) return width;
+    return MediaQuery.sizeOf(context).width;
+  }
+
+  @override
+  bool updateShouldNotify(MainScreenFocusScope oldWidget) {
+    return isSidebarFocused != oldWidget.isSidebarFocused ||
+        sideNavigationWidth != oldWidget.sideNavigationWidth ||
+        reservedSideNavigationWidth != oldWidget.reservedSideNavigationWidth ||
+        foregroundLeft != oldWidget.foregroundLeft ||
+        foregroundWidth != oldWidget.foregroundWidth ||
+        viewportWidth != oldWidget.viewportWidth;
+  }
+
+  @override
+  bool updateShouldNotifyDependent(MainScreenFocusScope oldWidget, Set<MainScreenScopeAspect> dependencies) {
+    if (dependencies.contains(MainScreenScopeAspect.offset) &&
+        (foregroundLeft != oldWidget.foregroundLeft || sideNavigationWidth != oldWidget.sideNavigationWidth)) {
+      return true;
+    }
+    if (dependencies.contains(MainScreenScopeAspect.focus) && isSidebarFocused != oldWidget.isSidebarFocused) {
+      return true;
+    }
+    if (dependencies.contains(MainScreenScopeAspect.layout) &&
+        (foregroundWidth != oldWidget.foregroundWidth ||
+            viewportWidth != oldWidget.viewportWidth ||
+            reservedSideNavigationWidth != oldWidget.reservedSideNavigationWidth)) {
+      return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+/// Animates toward the sidebar bleed target for overlays that must stay
+/// viewport-pinned (full-bleed backgrounds, the overlaid app bar) while the
+/// content box slides during sidebar expansion.
+///
+/// The duration/curve MUST mirror the content-slide tween in MainScreen's
+/// `_buildContent`: pinning works because the two tweens retarget on the same
+/// frame and track each other exactly, so the animated `-bleed` cancels the
+/// content translate tick for tick.
+class SideNavigationBleedBuilder extends StatelessWidget {
+  final double targetBleed;
+  final Widget? child;
+  final Widget Function(BuildContext context, double bleed, Widget? child) builder;
+
+  const SideNavigationBleedBuilder({super.key, required this.targetBleed, this.child, required this.builder});
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    return TweenAnimationBuilder<double>(
+      tween: Tween(end: targetBleed),
+      duration: const Duration(milliseconds: 200),
+      curve: Curves.easeOutCubic,
+      builder: builder,
+      child: child,
+    );
+  }
+}

lib/screens/discover_screen.dart

@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ import '../mixins/item_updatable.dart';
 import '../mixins/watch_state_aware.dart';
 import '../utils/watch_state_notifier.dart';
 import '../utils/app_logger.dart';
+import '../utils/debouncer.dart';
 import '../utils/dialogs.dart';
 import '../utils/formatters.dart';
 import '../utils/media_hub_ordering.dart';
@@ -144,7 +145,12 @@ class _DiscoverScreenState extends State<DiscoverScreen>
   final ValueNotifier<double> _indicatorProgress = ValueNotifier(0.0);
   bool _isAutoScrollPaused = false;
   bool _heroFocusPausedAutoScroll = false;
-  MediaItem? _spotlightItem;
+  // ValueNotifier (not setState) so a spotlight swap rebuilds only the
+  // TvSpotlightBackground subtree, never the rail/rows.
+  final ValueNotifier<MediaItem?> _spotlightItem = ValueNotifier(null);
+  // Settle delay so d-pad scrubbing across a row doesn't fetch/decode a
+  // full-screen backdrop for every intermediate item.
+  final Debouncer _spotlightDebouncer = Debouncer(const Duration(milliseconds: 150));
   bool _isTabVisible = true;
   HiddenLibrariesProvider? _hiddenLibrariesProvider;
   LibrariesProvider? _librariesProvider;
@@ -283,7 +289,7 @@ class _DiscoverScreenState extends State<DiscoverScreen>
   }
 
   MediaItem? get _effectiveSpotlightItem {
-    final current = _spotlightItem;
+    final current = _spotlightItem.value;
     if (current == null) return _defaultSpotlightItem;
     if (_onDeck.any((item) => item.globalKey == current.globalKey)) return current;
     for (final hub in _hubs) {
@@ -293,8 +299,13 @@ class _DiscoverScreenState extends State<DiscoverScreen>
   }
 
   void _setSpotlightItem(MediaItem item) {
-    if (_spotlightItem?.globalKey == item.globalKey) return;
-    setState(() => _spotlightItem = item);
+    // Same-key check lives inside the callback: an A→B→A scrub must cancel
+    // the pending B, not early-return and let it fire.
+    _spotlightDebouncer.run(() {
+      if (!mounted) return;
+      if (_spotlightItem.value?.globalKey == item.globalKey) return;
+      _spotlightItem.value = item;
+    });
   }
 
   void _scrollToTop() {
@@ -552,6 +563,8 @@ class _DiscoverScreenState extends State<DiscoverScreen>
     WidgetsBinding.instance.removeObserver(this);
     _autoScrollTimer?.cancel();
     _indicatorTimer?.cancel();
+    _spotlightDebouncer.dispose();
+    _spotlightItem.dispose();
     _pendingSystemShelfItems = null;
     _indicatorProgress.dispose();
     _heroController.dispose();
@@ -1543,18 +1556,16 @@ class _DiscoverScreenState extends State<DiscoverScreen>
   Widget _buildTvContent(BuildContext context) {
     final size = MediaQuery.sizeOf(context);
     final theme = Theme.of(context);
-    final spotlight = _effectiveSpotlightItem;
     final svc = SettingsService.instance;
     final hideSpoilers = svc.read(SettingsService.hideSpoilers);
     final browseHubs = _tvBrowseHubs;
     final scale = TvLayoutConstants.scaleForSize(size);
-    final sidebarBleed = MainScreenFocusScope.sideNavigationBleedOf(
-      context,
-      alwaysKeepSidebarOpen: svc.read(SettingsService.alwaysKeepSidebarOpen),
-    );
+    // Only layout-aspect (flip-stable) scope values may be read here: an
+    // offset-aspect read at this level would rebuild the whole screen on
+    // every sidebar focus flip. Offset values are read in small Builders
+    // around the widgets that position against them.
     final railSize = MainScreenFocusScope.foregroundSizeOf(context);
     final fullBleedWidth = MainScreenFocusScope.fullBleedWidthOf(context);
-    final foregroundLeft = MainScreenFocusScope.foregroundLeftOf(context);
     final railHeight = browseHubs.isEmpty
         ? 0.0
         : TvBrowseRailLayout.estimateHeight(
@@ -1580,21 +1591,35 @@ class _DiscoverScreenState extends State<DiscoverScreen>
       child: Stack(
         clipBehavior: Clip.none,
         children: [
-          Positioned(
-            top: 0,
-            bottom: 0,
-            left: -foregroundLeft,
-            width: fullBleedWidth,
-            child: TvSpotlightBackground(
-              item: spotlight,
-              client: _getMediaClientForItem(spotlight),
-              hideSpoilers: hideSpoilers,
-              contentTop: spotlightTop,
-              contentBottom: spotlightBottom,
-              contentLeft: spotlightLeft + foregroundLeft,
-              compact: true,
-              showPrimaryAction: false,
-            ),
+          // The animated -bleed mirrors the content-slide tween in MainScreen,
+          // keeping the full-bleed background viewport-pinned while the
+          // content box slides during sidebar expansion. The Builder scopes
+          // the offset-aspect dependency to just this subtree.
+          Builder(
+            builder: (context) {
+              final foregroundLeft = MainScreenFocusScope.foregroundLeftOf(context);
+              return SideNavigationBleedBuilder(
+                targetBleed: foregroundLeft,
+                child: ValueListenableBuilder<MediaItem?>(
+                  valueListenable: _spotlightItem,
+                  builder: (context, _, _) {
+                    final spotlight = _effectiveSpotlightItem;
+                    return TvSpotlightBackground(
+                      item: spotlight,
+                      client: _getMediaClientForItem(spotlight),
+                      hideSpoilers: hideSpoilers,
+                      contentTop: spotlightTop,
+                      contentBottom: spotlightBottom,
+                      contentLeft: spotlightLeft + foregroundLeft,
+                      compact: true,
+                      showPrimaryAction: false,
+                    );
+                  },
+                ),
+                builder: (context, animatedBleed, child) =>
+                    Positioned(top: 0, bottom: 0, left: -animatedBleed, width: fullBleedWidth, child: child!),
+              );
+            },
           ),
           if (_isLoading || (_areHubsLoading && browseHubs.isEmpty)) const Center(child: CircularProgressIndicator()),
           if (_errorMessage != null)
@@ -1642,17 +1667,18 @@ class _DiscoverScreenState extends State<DiscoverScreen>
                 onNavigateUp: _focusTopActions,
                 onNavigateToSidebar: _navigateToSidebar,
                 tallPosterScale: TvBrowseRailLayout.compactTallPosterScale,
-                backgroundBleedLeft: sidebarBleed,
                 selectSuppressionGestureSignal: PlatformDetector.isAppleTV()
                     ? AppleTvRemoteTouchService.instance.touchActiveListenable
                     : null,
               ),
             ),
-          SideNavigationBleedBuilder(
-            targetBleed: sidebarBleed,
-            child: ExcludeFocusTraversal(child: _buildOverlaidAppBar()),
-            builder: (context, animatedBleed, child) =>
-                Positioned(top: 0, left: -animatedBleed, width: fullBleedWidth, child: child!),
+          Builder(
+            builder: (context) => SideNavigationBleedBuilder(
+              targetBleed: MainScreenFocusScope.sideNavigationBleedOf(context),
+              child: ExcludeFocusTraversal(child: _buildOverlaidAppBar()),
+              builder: (context, animatedBleed, child) =>
+                  Positioned(top: 0, left: -animatedBleed, width: fullBleedWidth, child: child!),
+            ),
           ),
           if (_switchingProfile) const ProfileSwitchingOverlay(),
         ],

lib/screens/libraries/tabs/library_recommended_tab.dart

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import '../../../media/media_server_client.dart';
 import '../../../mixins/item_updatable.dart';
 import '../../../mixins/watch_state_aware.dart';
 import '../../../services/settings_service.dart';
+import '../../../utils/debouncer.dart';
 import '../../../utils/global_key_utils.dart';
 import '../../../utils/layout_constants.dart';
 import '../../../utils/platform_detector.dart';
@@ -47,7 +48,12 @@ class _LibraryRecommendedTabState extends BaseLibraryTabState<MediaHub, LibraryR
   /// GlobalKeys for each hub section to enable vertical navigation
   final List<GlobalKey<HubSectionState>> _hubKeys = [];
   final _tvBrowseRailKey = GlobalKey<TvBrowseRailState>();
-  MediaItem? _spotlightItem;
+  // ValueNotifier (not setState) so a spotlight swap rebuilds only the
+  // TvSpotlightBackground subtree, never the rail/rows.
+  final ValueNotifier<MediaItem?> _spotlightItem = ValueNotifier(null);
+  // Settle delay so d-pad scrubbing across a row doesn't fetch/decode a
+  // full-screen backdrop for every intermediate item.
+  final Debouncer _spotlightDebouncer = Debouncer(const Duration(milliseconds: 150));
 
   MediaItem? get _defaultSpotlightItem {
     for (final hub in items) {
@@ -57,7 +63,7 @@ class _LibraryRecommendedTabState extends BaseLibraryTabState<MediaHub, LibraryR
   }
 
   MediaItem? get _effectiveSpotlightItem {
-    final current = _spotlightItem;
+    final current = _spotlightItem.value;
     if (current == null) return _defaultSpotlightItem;
     for (final hub in items) {
       if (hub.items.any((item) => item.globalKey == current.globalKey)) return current;
@@ -66,8 +72,20 @@ class _LibraryRecommendedTabState extends BaseLibraryTabState<MediaHub, LibraryR
   }
 
   void _setSpotlightItem(MediaItem item) {
-    if (_spotlightItem?.globalKey == item.globalKey) return;
-    setState(() => _spotlightItem = item);
+    // Same-key check lives inside the callback: an A→B→A scrub must cancel
+    // the pending B, not early-return and let it fire.
+    _spotlightDebouncer.run(() {
+      if (!mounted) return;
+      if (_spotlightItem.value?.globalKey == item.globalKey) return;
+      _spotlightItem.value = item;
+    });
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void dispose() {
+    _spotlightDebouncer.dispose();
+    _spotlightItem.dispose();
+    super.dispose();
   }
 
   @override
@@ -298,19 +316,16 @@ class _LibraryRecommendedTabState extends BaseLibraryTabState<MediaHub, LibraryR
 
   Widget _buildTvContent(List<MediaHub> items) {
     final tvHubs = items.where((hub) => hub.items.isNotEmpty).toList();
-    final spotlight = _effectiveSpotlightItem;
     final size = MediaQuery.sizeOf(context);
     final theme = Theme.of(context);
     final svc = SettingsService.instance;
-    final client = context.tryGetMediaClientForServer(serverIdOrNull(spotlight?.serverId ?? widget.library.serverId));
     final scale = TvLayoutConstants.scaleForSize(size);
-    final sidebarBleed = MainScreenFocusScope.sideNavigationBleedOf(
-      context,
-      alwaysKeepSidebarOpen: svc.read(SettingsService.alwaysKeepSidebarOpen),
-    );
+    // Only layout-aspect (flip-stable) scope values may be read here: an
+    // offset-aspect read at this level would rebuild the whole screen on
+    // every sidebar focus flip. Offset values are read in small Builders
+    // around the widgets that position against them.
     final railSize = MainScreenFocusScope.foregroundSizeOf(context);
     final fullBleedWidth = MainScreenFocusScope.fullBleedWidthOf(context);
-    final foregroundLeft = MainScreenFocusScope.foregroundLeftOf(context);
     final railHeight = tvHubs.isEmpty
         ? 0.0
         : TvBrowseRailLayout.estimateHeight(
@@ -338,21 +353,38 @@ class _LibraryRecommendedTabState extends BaseLibraryTabState<MediaHub, LibraryR
           fit: StackFit.expand,
           clipBehavior: Clip.none,
           children: [
-            Positioned(
-              top: 0,
-              bottom: 0,
-              left: -foregroundLeft,
-              width: fullBleedWidth,
-              child: TvSpotlightBackground(
-                item: spotlight,
-                client: client,
-                hideSpoilers: svc.read(SettingsService.hideSpoilers),
-                contentTop: spotlightTop,
-                contentBottom: spotlightBottom,
-                contentLeft: spotlightLeft + foregroundLeft,
-                compact: true,
-                showPrimaryAction: false,
-              ),
+            // The animated -bleed mirrors the content-slide tween in
+            // MainScreen, keeping the full-bleed background viewport-pinned
+            // while the content box slides during sidebar expansion. The
+            // Builder scopes the offset-aspect dependency to this subtree.
+            Builder(
+              builder: (context) {
+                final foregroundLeft = MainScreenFocusScope.foregroundLeftOf(context);
+                return SideNavigationBleedBuilder(
+                  targetBleed: foregroundLeft,
+                  child: ValueListenableBuilder<MediaItem?>(
+                    valueListenable: _spotlightItem,
+                    builder: (context, _, _) {
+                      final spotlight = _effectiveSpotlightItem;
+                      final client = context.tryGetMediaClientForServer(
+                        serverIdOrNull(spotlight?.serverId ?? widget.library.serverId),
+                      );
+                      return TvSpotlightBackground(
+                        item: spotlight,
+                        client: client,
+                        hideSpoilers: svc.read(SettingsService.hideSpoilers),
+                        contentTop: spotlightTop,
+                        contentBottom: spotlightBottom,
+                        contentLeft: spotlightLeft + foregroundLeft,
+                        compact: true,
+                        showPrimaryAction: false,
+                      );
+                    },
+                  ),
+                  builder: (context, animatedBleed, child) =>
+                      Positioned(top: 0, bottom: 0, left: -animatedBleed, width: fullBleedWidth, child: child!),
+                );
+              },
             ),
             if (tvHubs.isNotEmpty)
               Positioned(
@@ -371,7 +403,6 @@ class _LibraryRecommendedTabState extends BaseLibraryTabState<MediaHub, LibraryR
                   onNavigateToSidebar: _navigateToSidebar,
                   onBack: widget.onBack,
                   tallPosterScale: TvBrowseRailLayout.compactTallPosterScale,
-                  backgroundBleedLeft: sidebarBleed,
                 ),
               ),
           ],

lib/screens/main_screen.dart

@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 import 'dart:async';
 import '../media/ids.dart';
+import '../navigation/main_screen_scope.dart';
 import 'dart:io' show Platform, exit;
 
+export '../navigation/main_screen_scope.dart'
+    show MainScreenFocusScope, MainScreenScopeAspect, SideNavigationBleedBuilder;
+
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/services.dart'
     show HardwareKeyboard, KeyDownEvent, KeyRepeatEvent, KeyUpEvent, LogicalKeyboardKey;
@@ -34,6 +38,7 @@ import '../providers/hidden_libraries_provider.dart';
 import '../providers/libraries_provider.dart';
 import '../providers/playback_state_provider.dart';
 import '../widgets/settings_builder.dart';
+import '../widgets/tv_virtual_keyboard.dart';
 import '../services/api_cache.dart';
 import '../services/multi_server_manager.dart';
 import '../services/offline_watch_sync_service.dart';
@@ -59,96 +64,9 @@ import '../services/system_shelf_service.dart';
 import '../watch_together/watch_together.dart';
 
 /// Provides access to the main screen's focus control.
-class MainScreenFocusScope extends InheritedWidget {
-  final VoidCallback focusSidebar;
-  final VoidCallback focusContent;
-  final bool isSidebarFocused;
-  final double sideNavigationWidth;
-  final double? reservedSideNavigationWidth;
-  final double? foregroundLeft;
-  final double? foregroundWidth;
-  final double? viewportWidth;
-  final void Function(String libraryGlobalKey)? selectLibrary;
-  final VoidCallback? openSettings;
-
-  const MainScreenFocusScope({
-    super.key,
-    required this.focusSidebar,
-    required this.focusContent,
-    required this.isSidebarFocused,
-    required this.sideNavigationWidth,
-    this.reservedSideNavigationWidth,
-    this.foregroundLeft,
-    this.foregroundWidth,
-    this.viewportWidth,
-    this.selectLibrary,
-    this.openSettings,
-    required super.child,
-  });
-
-  static MainScreenFocusScope? of(BuildContext context, {bool listen = true}) {
-    if (listen) return context.dependOnInheritedWidgetOfExactType<MainScreenFocusScope>();
-    return context.getElementForInheritedWidgetOfExactType<MainScreenFocusScope>()?.widget as MainScreenFocusScope?;
-  }
-
-  static double sideNavigationBleedOf(BuildContext context, {required bool alwaysKeepSidebarOpen}) {
-    final width = of(context)?.sideNavigationWidth;
-    if (width != null) return width;
-    return 0.0;
-  }
-
-  static double foregroundWidthOf(BuildContext context) {
-    final width = of(context)?.foregroundWidth;
-    if (width != null && width > 0) return width;
-    return MediaQuery.sizeOf(context).width;
-  }
-
-  static double foregroundLeftOf(BuildContext context) {
-    final left = of(context)?.foregroundLeft;
-    if (left != null) return left;
-    return 0.0;
-  }
-
-  static Size foregroundSizeOf(BuildContext context) {
-    final size = MediaQuery.sizeOf(context);
-    return Size(foregroundWidthOf(context), size.height);
-  }
-
-  static double fullBleedWidthOf(BuildContext context) {
-    final width = of(context)?.viewportWidth;
-    if (width != null && width > 0) return width;
-    return MediaQuery.sizeOf(context).width;
-  }
-
-  @override
-  bool updateShouldNotify(MainScreenFocusScope oldWidget) {
-    return isSidebarFocused != oldWidget.isSidebarFocused ||
-        sideNavigationWidth != oldWidget.sideNavigationWidth ||
-        reservedSideNavigationWidth != oldWidget.reservedSideNavigationWidth ||
-        foregroundLeft != oldWidget.foregroundLeft ||
-        foregroundWidth != oldWidget.foregroundWidth ||
-        viewportWidth != oldWidget.viewportWidth;
-  }
-}
-
-class SideNavigationBleedBuilder extends StatelessWidget {
-  final double targetBleed;
-  final Widget? child;
-  final Widget Function(BuildContext context, double bleed, Widget? child) builder;
-
-  const SideNavigationBleedBuilder({super.key, required this.targetBleed, this.child, required this.builder});
-
-  @override
-  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
-    return TweenAnimationBuilder<double>(
-      tween: Tween(end: targetBleed),
-      duration: const Duration(milliseconds: 200),
-      curve: Curves.easeOutCubic,
-      builder: builder,
-      child: child,
-    );
-  }
-}
+// MainScreenFocusScope and SideNavigationBleedBuilder live in
+// navigation/main_screen_scope.dart (re-exported above) so widgets like the
+// browse rail can import the scope without an import cycle through this file.
 
 @visibleForTesting
 ({double left, double width}) mainScreenSideNavigationContentLayout({
@@ -344,6 +262,17 @@ class _MainScreenState extends State<MainScreen>
         : null;
     _screens = _buildScreens(_isOffline);
 
+    // Warm the TV keyboard's text-layout caches off the first real open
+    // (measured ~315ms first-open frame on low-end boxes, mostly cold font
+    // shaping). Delayed past the startup burst; no-op off TV.
+    if (PlatformDetector.isTV()) {
+      WidgetsBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) {
+        Future.delayed(const Duration(seconds: 3), () {
+          if (mounted) warmUpTvVirtualKeyboardText(context);
+        });
+      });
+    }
+
     // Set up Watch Together callbacks immediately (must be synchronous to catch early messages)
     if (!_isOffline) {
       _setupWatchTogetherCallback();
@@ -1616,9 +1545,14 @@ class _MainScreenState extends State<MainScreen>
                   return LayoutBuilder(
                     builder: (context, constraints) {
                       final viewportWidth = constraints.maxWidth;
+                      // Layout from the tween END value: deriving it from the
+                      // animated value changed MainScreenFocusScope every tick
+                      // of the sidebar expansion, rebuilding every dependent
+                      // (the whole TV content tree) per frame. The slide is a
+                      // paint-only translate on the content below instead.
                       final contentLayout = mainScreenSideNavigationContentLayout(
                         viewportWidth: viewportWidth,
-                        currentSideNavigationWidth: contentLeftPadding,
+                        currentSideNavigationWidth: targetContentOffset,
                         reservedSideNavigationWidth: reservedContentOffset,
                       );
                       return MainScreenFocusScope(
@@ -1641,7 +1575,13 @@ class _MainScreenState extends State<MainScreen>
                                 bottom: 0,
                                 left: contentLayout.left,
                                 width: contentLayout.width,
-                                child: contentChild!,
+                                // Duration/curve of this tween must stay in
+                                // sync with SideNavigationBleedBuilder, which
+                                // counter-animates viewport-pinned overlays.
+                                child: Transform.translate(
+                                  offset: Offset(contentLeftPadding - targetContentOffset, 0),
+                                  child: contentChild!,
+                                ),
                               ),
                               Positioned(
                                 top: 0,

lib/screens/settings/appearance_settings_screen.dart

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import '../../navigation/navigation_tabs.dart';
 import '../../services/settings_service.dart' hide ThemeMode;
 import '../../services/settings_service.dart' as settings show ThemeMode;
 import '../../focus/focusable_slider.dart';
+import '../../services/device_performance.dart';
 import '../../utils/platform_detector.dart';
 import '../../widgets/app_icon.dart';
 import '../../widgets/setting_tile.dart';
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ class AppearanceSettingsScreen extends StatelessWidget {
             title: t.settings.tvFullCardLayout,
             subtitle: t.settings.tvFullCardLayoutDescription,
           ),
+        if (Platform.isAndroid) _visualEffectsSelector(context),
         SettingSwitchTile(
           pref: SettingsService.showEpisodeNumberOnCards,
           icon: Symbols.tag_rounded,
@@ -286,6 +288,39 @@ class AppearanceSettingsScreen extends StatelessWidget {
     encode: (v) => v,
   );
 
+  String _visualEffectsLabel(VisualEffectsSetting value) => switch (value) {
+    VisualEffectsSetting.auto => t.settings.visualEffectsAuto,
+    VisualEffectsSetting.full => t.settings.visualEffectsFull,
+    VisualEffectsSetting.reduced => t.settings.visualEffectsReduced,
+  };
+
+  Widget _visualEffectsSelector(BuildContext context) =>
+      SettingSelectionTile<VisualEffectsSetting, VisualEffectsSetting>(
+        pref: SettingsService.visualEffects,
+        icon: Symbols.animation_rounded,
+        title: t.settings.visualEffects,
+        subtitleBuilder: _visualEffectsLabel,
+        options: [
+          DialogOption(
+            value: VisualEffectsSetting.auto,
+            title: t.settings.visualEffectsAuto,
+            subtitle: t.settings.visualEffectsAutoDescription,
+          ),
+          DialogOption(value: VisualEffectsSetting.full, title: t.settings.visualEffectsFull),
+          DialogOption(
+            value: VisualEffectsSetting.reduced,
+            title: t.settings.visualEffectsReduced,
+            subtitle: t.settings.visualEffectsReducedDescription,
+          ),
+        ],
+        decode: (v) => v,
+        encode: (v) => v,
+        onAfterWrite: (value) {
+          DevicePerformance.setOverrideSync(value);
+          _restartApp(context);
+        },
+      );
+
   Widget _requireProfileSelection() {
     return Consumer<ActiveProfileProvider>(
       builder: (context, activeProvider, _) {

lib/services/device_performance.dart

@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+import 'dart:io';
+
+import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
+import 'package:flutter/painting.dart';
+import 'package:flutter/services.dart';
+
+import '../utils/platform_detector.dart';
+
+/// User override for the visual-effects tier (stored by SettingsService).
+enum VisualEffectsSetting { auto, full, reduced }
+
+/// Detects whether the device is too weak for the full visual-effects budget
+/// and exposes a single sync gate ([isReduced]) the effect chokepoints check.
+///
+/// The reduced tier auto-triggers only on low-end Android hardware: a 32-bit
+/// process (cheap TV boxes/sticks run 32-bit userspace), the system low-RAM
+/// flag, or ≤ ~2.2 GiB total memory. All other platforms are always full
+/// unless the user forces "reduced" via the setting.
+class DevicePerformance {
+  DevicePerformance._();
+
+  static DevicePerformance? _instance;
+  static const MethodChannel _deviceChannel = MethodChannel('com.plezy/device');
+
+  /// ~2.2 GiB: above what 2 GB boxes report (≤ ~1.95 GiB after kernel
+  /// reservations), below 3 GB Shield-class devices (~2.8 GiB).
+  static const int _lowMemThresholdBytes = 2252 << 20;
+
+  bool _autoReduced = false;
+  VisualEffectsSetting _override = VisualEffectsSetting.auto;
+
+  // Raw signals retained for the startup log line.
+  bool? _is64Bit;
+  bool? _isLowRam;
+  int? _totalMemBytes;
+
+  /// Get the singleton, detecting hardware signals on first call.
+  /// [override] is the persisted SettingsService.visualEffects value.
+  static Future<DevicePerformance> getInstance({VisualEffectsSetting override = VisualEffectsSetting.auto}) async {
+    if (_instance == null) {
+      _instance = DevicePerformance._();
+      _instance!._override = override;
+      await _instance!._detect();
+    }
+    return _instance!;
+  }
+
+  Future<void> _detect() async {
+    if (!Platform.isAndroid) return; // tvOS/iOS/desktop: always full tier
+    try {
+      final result = await _deviceChannel.invokeMapMethod<dynamic, dynamic>('getPerformanceSignals');
+      if (result == null) return;
+      _is64Bit = result['is64Bit'] == true;
+      _isLowRam = result['isLowRamDevice'] == true;
+      _totalMemBytes = (result['totalMemBytes'] as num?)?.toInt();
+      _autoReduced =
+          _is64Bit == false ||
+          _isLowRam == true ||
+          (_totalMemBytes != null && _totalMemBytes! <= _lowMemThresholdBytes);
+    } on MissingPluginException {
+      // Stale native build — stay on the full tier.
+    } on PlatformException {
+      // Signal query failed — stay on the full tier.
+    }
+  }
+
+  /// Primary gate for effect chokepoints. Safe before init (full tier).
+  static bool get isReduced {
+    final instance = _instance;
+    if (instance == null) return false;
+    return switch (instance._override) {
+      VisualEffectsSetting.auto => instance._autoReduced,
+      VisualEffectsSetting.full => false,
+      VisualEffectsSetting.reduced => true,
+    };
+  }
+
+  /// [full] on the full tier, [Duration.zero] on the reduced tier.
+  static Duration reducedDuration(Duration full) => isReduced ? Duration.zero : full;
+
+  /// Update the user override from the settings screen and re-apply the
+  /// budgets that were computed at boot.
+  static void setOverrideSync(VisualEffectsSetting value) {
+    _instance?._override = value;
+    applyImageCacheBudget();
+  }
+
+  /// Flutter image-cache budget per platform/tier — kept modest to leave
+  /// headroom for Skia decode buffers.
+  static void applyImageCacheBudget() {
+    final cache = PaintingBinding.instance.imageCache;
+    if (PlatformDetector.isDesktopOS()) {
+      cache.maximumSize = 1000;
+      cache.maximumSizeBytes = 150 << 20; // 150MB
+    } else if (isReduced) {
+      cache.maximumSize = 400;
+      cache.maximumSizeBytes = 48 << 20; // 48MB
+    } else {
+      cache.maximumSize = 800;
+      cache.maximumSizeBytes = 100 << 20; // 100MB
+    }
+  }
+
+  /// One-line tier summary for the startup log, e.g.
+  /// `reduced (auto: 32-bit, lowRam, 1.9GiB)` or `full (forced)`.
+  static String describeSync() {
+    final instance = _instance;
+    if (instance == null) return 'unknown';
+    final tier = isReduced ? 'reduced' : 'full';
+    if (instance._override != VisualEffectsSetting.auto) return '$tier (forced)';
+    final signals = <String>[
+      if (instance._is64Bit != null) (instance._is64Bit! ? '64-bit' : '32-bit'),
+      if (instance._isLowRam == true) 'lowRam',
+      if (instance._totalMemBytes != null) '${(instance._totalMemBytes! / (1024 * 1024 * 1024)).toStringAsFixed(1)}GiB',
+    ];
+    return signals.isEmpty ? tier : '$tier (auto: ${signals.join(', ')})';
+  }
+
+  @visibleForTesting
+  static void debugReset({bool? autoReduced, VisualEffectsSetting? override}) {
+    if (autoReduced == null && override == null) {
+      _instance = null;
+      return;
+    }
+    _instance ??= DevicePerformance._();
+    if (autoReduced != null) _instance!._autoReduced = autoReduced;
+    if (override != null) _instance!._override = override;
+  }
+}

lib/services/settings_service.dart

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import '../i18n/strings.g.dart';
 import '../models/mpv_config_models.dart';
 import '../models/external_player_models.dart';
 import 'base_shared_preferences_service.dart';
+import 'device_performance.dart';
 export 'base_shared_preferences_service.dart'
     show Pref, BoolPref, IntPref, DoublePref, StringPref, NullableStringPref, StringListPref, EnumPref, JsonPref;
 import '../models/transcode_quality_preset.dart';
@@ -362,6 +363,11 @@ class SettingsService extends BaseSharedPreferencesService {
   static const requireProfileSelectionOnOpen = BoolPref('require_profile_selection_on_open');
   static const useExternalPlayer = BoolPref('use_external_player');
   static const forceTvMode = BoolPref('force_tv_mode');
+  static const visualEffects = EnumPref<VisualEffectsSetting>(
+    'visual_effects',
+    values: VisualEffectsSetting.values,
+    defaultValue: VisualEffectsSetting.auto,
+  );
   static const ambientLighting = BoolPref('ambient_lighting');
   static const audioPassthrough = BoolPref('audio_passthrough');
   static const audioNormalization = BoolPref('audio_normalization');
@@ -754,6 +760,7 @@ class SettingsService extends BaseSharedPreferencesService {
     requireProfileSelectionOnOpen,
     useExternalPlayer,
     forceTvMode,
+    visualEffects,
     ambientLighting,
     audioPassthrough,
     audioNormalization,

lib/utils/debouncer.dart

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import 'dart:async';
+
+import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
+
+/// Trailing-edge debouncer: [run] (re)starts the timer; only the last action
+/// within [delay] executes. Call [dispose] from the owning State's dispose.
+class Debouncer {
+  Debouncer(this.delay);
+
+  final Duration delay;
+  Timer? _timer;
+
+  void run(VoidCallback action) {
+    _timer?.cancel();
+    _timer = Timer(delay, action);
+  }
+
+  void cancel() => _timer?.cancel();
+
+  void dispose() => cancel();
+}

lib/utils/media_image_helper.dart

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import 'dart:math';
 import 'package:flutter/widgets.dart';
 import '../media/media_server_client.dart';
+import '../services/device_performance.dart';
 import 'platform_detector.dart';
 
 /// Image types for different transcoding strategies
@@ -41,6 +42,13 @@ class MediaImageHelper {
   /// Minimum DPR for TV to ensure sharp artwork on large screens
   static const double _tvMinDpr = 2.0;
 
+  /// Reduced tier caps: tiles at 1.5× DPR, backdrops at ~720p. Smaller
+  /// transcodes mean fewer bytes fetched AND cheaper decodes on weak 32-bit
+  /// hardware; the art cap is masked by the gradient scrims drawn over it.
+  static const double _reducedMaxDpr = 1.5;
+  static const int _reducedMaxArtWidth = 1280;
+  static const int _reducedMaxArtHeight = 720;
+
   /// Rounds a value up to the next multiple of [factor]. Shared between the
   /// URL dimension rounding (transcode bucket) and the mem-cache dimension
   /// rounding (decode bucket) so both snap to the same grid.
@@ -68,6 +76,7 @@ class MediaImageHelper {
     } catch (_) {
       dpr = reportedDpr;
     }
+    if (DevicePerformance.isReduced) return min(dpr, _reducedMaxDpr);
     if (PlatformDetector.isTV()) dpr = max(dpr, _tvMinDpr);
     return dpr;
   }
@@ -84,6 +93,13 @@ class MediaImageHelper {
 
     switch (imageType) {
       case ImageType.art:
+        if (DevicePerformance.isReduced) {
+          // No 1.1× cover overshoot, capped at ~720p.
+          return roundDimensions(
+            min(targetWidth, _reducedMaxArtWidth.toDouble()),
+            min(targetHeight, _reducedMaxArtHeight.toDouble()),
+          );
+        }
         final coverWidth = targetWidth * 1.1;
         final coverHeight = targetHeight * 1.1;
 
@@ -218,6 +234,9 @@ class MediaImageHelper {
     final (int maxW, int maxH) = switch (imageType) {
       ImageType.poster => (720, 1080),
       ImageType.thumb => (960, 540),
+      // Match the reduced-tier fetch cap so oversized originals (failed
+      // transcodes, external images) can't decode past the art budget.
+      ImageType.art when DevicePerformance.isReduced => (_reducedMaxArtWidth, _reducedMaxArtHeight),
       ImageType.art => (1920, 1080),
       ImageType.logo => (600, 300),
       ImageType.avatar => (300, 300),

lib/utils/navigation_transitions.dart

@@ -1,14 +1,18 @@
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 
+import '../services/device_performance.dart';
 import 'layout_constants.dart';
 
 Route<T> fadeRoute<T>(Widget page) {
   return PageRouteBuilder<T>(
+    // opaque must stay false: routes composite over the video player layer
+    // below the transparent root scaffold. The reduced tier only drops the
+    // fade (two full-screen layers blending for the whole transition).
     opaque: false,
     pageBuilder: (context, animation, secondaryAnimation) => page,
     transitionsBuilder: (context, animation, secondaryAnimation, child) =>
         FadeTransition(opacity: animation, child: child),
-    transitionDuration: AppDurations.animSlow,
-    reverseTransitionDuration: AppDurations.animSlow,
+    transitionDuration: DevicePerformance.reducedDuration(AppDurations.animSlow),
+    reverseTransitionDuration: DevicePerformance.reducedDuration(AppDurations.animSlow),
   );
 }

lib/widgets/episode_card.dart

@@ -135,216 +135,221 @@ class _EpisodeCardState extends State<EpisodeCard> with ContextMenuTapMixin<Epis
 
     return Padding(
       padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(vertical: 2),
-      child: FocusableWrapper(
-        focusNode: widget.focusNode,
-        autofocus: widget.autofocus,
-        enableLongPress: true,
-        onNavigateUp: widget.onNavigateUp,
-        onSelect: widget.onTap,
-        onLongPress: showContextMenuFromTap,
-        disableScale: true,
-        child: MediaContextMenu(
-          key: contextMenuKey,
-          item: episode,
-          onRefresh: widget.onRefresh,
-          onListRefresh: widget.onListRefresh,
-          onTap: widget.onTap,
-          child: InkWell(
-            key: Key(episode.id),
-            mouseCursor: SystemMouseCursors.click,
-            borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(FocusTheme.defaultBorderRadius),
+      // MergeSemantics: one node per card instead of one per text/progress —
+      // the per-frame semantics pass scales with node count (see MediaCard).
+      // The card has a single action, so merging is safe.
+      child: MergeSemantics(
+        child: FocusableWrapper(
+          focusNode: widget.focusNode,
+          autofocus: widget.autofocus,
+          enableLongPress: true,
+          onNavigateUp: widget.onNavigateUp,
+          onSelect: widget.onTap,
+          onLongPress: showContextMenuFromTap,
+          disableScale: true,
+          child: MediaContextMenu(
+            key: contextMenuKey,
+            item: episode,
+            onRefresh: widget.onRefresh,
+            onListRefresh: widget.onListRefresh,
             onTap: widget.onTap,
-            canRequestFocus: false,
-            onTapDown: storeTapPosition,
-            onLongPress: showContextMenuFromTap,
-            onSecondaryTapDown: storeTapPosition,
-            onSecondaryTap: showContextMenuFromTap,
-            hoverColor: Theme.of(context).colorScheme.surface.withValues(alpha: 0.05),
-            child: Container(
-              decoration: BoxDecoration(
-                color: Theme.of(context).colorScheme.surfaceContainerLow,
-                borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(FocusTheme.defaultBorderRadius),
-              ),
-              padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(horizontal: 8, vertical: 6),
-              child: Row(
-                crossAxisAlignment: .start,
-                children: [
-                  SizedBox(
-                    width: 160,
-                    child: Stack(
-                      children: [
-                        ClipRRect(
-                          borderRadius: const BorderRadius.all(Radius.circular(6)),
-                          child: AspectRatio(
-                            aspectRatio: 16 / 9,
-                            child: shouldBlur
-                                ? ClipRect(
-                                    child: ImageFiltered(
-                                      imageFilter: ImageFilter.blur(sigmaX: 12, sigmaY: 12),
-                                      child: _buildEpisodeThumbnail(episode),
-                                    ),
-                                  )
-                                : _buildEpisodeThumbnail(episode),
-                          ),
-                        ),
-
-                        Positioned.fill(
-                          child: Container(
-                            decoration: BoxDecoration(
-                              borderRadius: const BorderRadius.all(Radius.circular(6)),
-                              gradient: LinearGradient(
-                                begin: Alignment.topCenter,
-                                end: Alignment.bottomCenter,
-                                colors: [Colors.transparent, Colors.black.withValues(alpha: 0.2)],
-                              ),
-                            ),
-                            child: Center(
-                              child: Container(
-                                padding: const EdgeInsets.all(6),
-                                decoration: BoxDecoration(
-                                  color: Colors.black.withValues(alpha: 0.6),
-                                  shape: BoxShape.circle,
-                                ),
-                                child: const AppIcon(
-                                  Symbols.play_arrow_rounded,
-                                  fill: 1,
-                                  color: Colors.white,
-                                  size: 20,
-                                ),
-                              ),
-                            ),
-                          ),
-                        ),
-
-                        if (hasActiveProgress)
-                          Positioned(
-                            bottom: 0,
-                            left: 0,
-                            right: 0,
-                            child: ClipRRect(
-                              borderRadius: const BorderRadius.only(
-                                bottomLeft: Radius.circular(6),
-                                bottomRight: Radius.circular(6),
-                              ),
-                              child: LinearProgressIndicator(
-                                value: progress,
-                                backgroundColor: tokens(context).outline,
-                                minHeight: 3,
-                              ),
-                            ),
-                          ),
-
-                        if (episode.isWatched && !hasActiveProgress)
-                          Positioned(
-                            top: 4,
-                            right: 4,
-                            child: Container(
-                              padding: const EdgeInsets.all(4),
-                              decoration: BoxDecoration(
-                                color: tokens(context).text,
-                                shape: BoxShape.circle,
-                                boxShadow: [BoxShadow(color: Colors.black.withValues(alpha: 0.3), blurRadius: 4)],
-                              ),
-                              child: AppIcon(Symbols.check_rounded, fill: 1, color: tokens(context).bg, size: 12),
-                            ),
-                          ),
-                      ],
-                    ),
-                  ),
-
-                  const SizedBox(width: 12),
-
-                  Expanded(
-                    child: Column(
-                      crossAxisAlignment: .start,
-                      children: [
-                        Selector<DownloadProvider, _DownloadSlice>(
-                          selector: (_, p) =>
-                              _DownloadSlice.from(p.getProgress(episode.globalKey), p.isQueueing(episode.globalKey)),
-                          builder: (context, slice, _) {
-                            Widget? downloadStatusIcon;
-
-                            // Only show download status in online mode
-                            if (!widget.isOffline && episode.serverId != null) {
-                              final status = slice.status;
-                              final mutedBase = tokens(context).textMuted;
-
-                              if (slice.isQueueing) {
-                                downloadStatusIcon = DownloadQueueingSpinner(size: 12, color: mutedBase);
-                              } else if (status != null) {
-                                final iconSize = status == DownloadStatus.downloading ? 14.0 : 12.0;
-                                downloadStatusIcon = DownloadStatusIcon(
-                                  status: status,
-                                  size: iconSize,
-                                  variant: DownloadStatusIconVariant.muted,
-                                  mutedBase: mutedBase,
-                                  progress: slice.progressPercent,
-                                );
-                              }
-                              // Note: No icon shown if not downloaded (null)
-                            }
-
-                            return Row(
-                              children: [
-                                if (episode.index != null)
-                                  Container(
-                                    padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(horizontal: 6, vertical: 3),
-                                    decoration: BoxDecoration(
-                                      color: Theme.of(context).colorScheme.primaryContainer,
-                                      borderRadius: const BorderRadius.all(Radius.circular(3)),
-                                    ),
-                                    child: Text(
-                                      'E${episode.index}',
-                                      style: TextStyle(
-                                        color: Theme.of(context).colorScheme.onPrimaryContainer,
-                                        fontSize: 11,
-                                        fontWeight: .w600,
+            child: InkWell(
+              key: Key(episode.id),
+              mouseCursor: SystemMouseCursors.click,
+              borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(FocusTheme.defaultBorderRadius),
+              onTap: widget.onTap,
+              canRequestFocus: false,
+              onTapDown: storeTapPosition,
+              onLongPress: showContextMenuFromTap,
+              onSecondaryTapDown: storeTapPosition,
+              onSecondaryTap: showContextMenuFromTap,
+              hoverColor: Theme.of(context).colorScheme.surface.withValues(alpha: 0.05),
+              child: Container(
+                decoration: BoxDecoration(
+                  color: Theme.of(context).colorScheme.surfaceContainerLow,
+                  borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(FocusTheme.defaultBorderRadius),
+                ),
+                padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(horizontal: 8, vertical: 6),
+                child: Row(
+                  crossAxisAlignment: .start,
+                  children: [
+                    SizedBox(
+                      width: 160,
+                      child: Stack(
+                        children: [
+                          ClipRRect(
+                            borderRadius: const BorderRadius.all(Radius.circular(6)),
+                            child: AspectRatio(
+                              aspectRatio: 16 / 9,
+                              child: shouldBlur
+                                  ? ClipRect(
+                                      child: ImageFiltered(
+                                        imageFilter: ImageFilter.blur(sigmaX: 12, sigmaY: 12),
+                                        child: _buildEpisodeThumbnail(episode),
                                       ),
-                                    ),
+                                    )
+                                  : _buildEpisodeThumbnail(episode),
+                            ),
+                          ),
+
+                          Positioned.fill(
+                            child: Container(
+                              decoration: BoxDecoration(
+                                borderRadius: const BorderRadius.all(Radius.circular(6)),
+                                gradient: LinearGradient(
+                                  begin: Alignment.topCenter,
+                                  end: Alignment.bottomCenter,
+                                  colors: [Colors.transparent, Colors.black.withValues(alpha: 0.2)],
+                                ),
+                              ),
+                              child: Center(
+                                child: Container(
+                                  padding: const EdgeInsets.all(6),
+                                  decoration: BoxDecoration(
+                                    color: Colors.black.withValues(alpha: 0.6),
+                                    shape: BoxShape.circle,
                                   ),
-                                if (downloadStatusIcon != null) ...[const SizedBox(width: 6), downloadStatusIcon],
-                                const SizedBox(width: 8),
-                                Expanded(
-                                  child: Text(
-                                    episode.title!,
-                                    style: Theme.of(context).textTheme.titleSmall?.copyWith(fontWeight: .bold),
-                                    maxLines: 2,
-                                    overflow: .ellipsis,
+                                  child: const AppIcon(
+                                    Symbols.play_arrow_rounded,
+                                    fill: 1,
+                                    color: Colors.white,
+                                    size: 20,
                                   ),
                                 ),
-                              ],
-                            );
-                          },
-                        ),
+                              ),
+                            ),
+                          ),
 
-                        if (!shouldBlur && episode.summary != null && episode.summary!.isNotEmpty) ...[
-                          const SizedBox(height: 6),
-                          if (PlatformDetector.isTV())
-                            Text(
-                              episode.summary!,
-                              style: Theme.of(
-                                context,
-                              ).textTheme.bodySmall?.copyWith(color: tokens(context).textMuted, height: 1.3),
-                              maxLines: 3,
-                              overflow: .ellipsis,
-                            )
-                          else
-                            CollapsibleText(
-                              text: episode.summary!,
-                              maxLines: 3,
-                              small: true,
-                              style: Theme.of(
-                                context,
-                              ).textTheme.bodySmall?.copyWith(color: tokens(context).textMuted, height: 1.3),
+                          if (hasActiveProgress)
+                            Positioned(
+                              bottom: 0,
+                              left: 0,
+                              right: 0,
+                              child: ClipRRect(
+                                borderRadius: const BorderRadius.only(
+                                  bottomLeft: Radius.circular(6),
+                                  bottomRight: Radius.circular(6),
+                                ),
+                                child: LinearProgressIndicator(
+                                  value: progress,
+                                  backgroundColor: tokens(context).outline,
+                                  minHeight: 3,
+                                ),
+                              ),
+                            ),
+
+                          if (episode.isWatched && !hasActiveProgress)
+                            Positioned(
+                              top: 4,
+                              right: 4,
+                              child: Container(
+                                padding: const EdgeInsets.all(4),
+                                decoration: BoxDecoration(
+                                  color: tokens(context).text,
+                                  shape: BoxShape.circle,
+                                  boxShadow: [BoxShadow(color: Colors.black.withValues(alpha: 0.3), blurRadius: 4)],
+                                ),
+                                child: AppIcon(Symbols.check_rounded, fill: 1, color: tokens(context).bg, size: 12),
+                              ),
                             ),
                         ],
-
-                        const SizedBox(height: 8),
-                        _buildEpisodeMetaRow(context, episode, qualityLabels),
-                      ],
+                      ),
                     ),
-                  ),
-                ],
+
+                    const SizedBox(width: 12),
+
+                    Expanded(
+                      child: Column(
+                        crossAxisAlignment: .start,
+                        children: [
+                          Selector<DownloadProvider, _DownloadSlice>(
+                            selector: (_, p) =>
+                                _DownloadSlice.from(p.getProgress(episode.globalKey), p.isQueueing(episode.globalKey)),
+                            builder: (context, slice, _) {
+                              Widget? downloadStatusIcon;
+
+                              // Only show download status in online mode
+                              if (!widget.isOffline && episode.serverId != null) {
+                                final status = slice.status;
+                                final mutedBase = tokens(context).textMuted;
+
+                                if (slice.isQueueing) {
+                                  downloadStatusIcon = DownloadQueueingSpinner(size: 12, color: mutedBase);
+                                } else if (status != null) {
+                                  final iconSize = status == DownloadStatus.downloading ? 14.0 : 12.0;
+                                  downloadStatusIcon = DownloadStatusIcon(
+                                    status: status,
+                                    size: iconSize,
+                                    variant: DownloadStatusIconVariant.muted,
+                                    mutedBase: mutedBase,
+                                    progress: slice.progressPercent,
+                                  );
+                                }
+                                // Note: No icon shown if not downloaded (null)
+                              }
+
+                              return Row(
+                                children: [
+                                  if (episode.index != null)
+                                    Container(
+                                      padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(horizontal: 6, vertical: 3),
+                                      decoration: BoxDecoration(
+                                        color: Theme.of(context).colorScheme.primaryContainer,
+                                        borderRadius: const BorderRadius.all(Radius.circular(3)),
+                                      ),
+                                      child: Text(
+                                        'E${episode.index}',
+                                        style: TextStyle(
+                                          color: Theme.of(context).colorScheme.onPrimaryContainer,
+                                          fontSize: 11,
+                                          fontWeight: .w600,
+                                        ),
+                                      ),
+                                    ),
+                                  if (downloadStatusIcon != null) ...[const SizedBox(width: 6), downloadStatusIcon],
+                                  const SizedBox(width: 8),
+                                  Expanded(
+                                    child: Text(
+                                      episode.title!,
+                                      style: Theme.of(context).textTheme.titleSmall?.copyWith(fontWeight: .bold),
+                                      maxLines: 2,
+                                      overflow: .ellipsis,
+                                    ),
+                                  ),
+                                ],
+                              );
+                            },
+                          ),
+
+                          if (!shouldBlur && episode.summary != null && episode.summary!.isNotEmpty) ...[
+                            const SizedBox(height: 6),
+                            if (PlatformDetector.isTV())
+                              Text(
+                                episode.summary!,
+                                style: Theme.of(
+                                  context,
+                                ).textTheme.bodySmall?.copyWith(color: tokens(context).textMuted, height: 1.3),
+                                maxLines: 3,
+                                overflow: .ellipsis,
+                              )
+                            else
+                              CollapsibleText(
+                                text: episode.summary!,
+                                maxLines: 3,
+                                small: true,
+                                style: Theme.of(
+                                  context,
+                                ).textTheme.bodySmall?.copyWith(color: tokens(context).textMuted, height: 1.3),
+                              ),
+                          ],
+
+                          const SizedBox(height: 8),
+                          _buildEpisodeMetaRow(context, episode, qualityLabels),
+                        ],
+                      ),
+                    ),
+                  ],
+                ),
               ),
             ),
           ),

lib/widgets/listenable_selector.dart

@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+import 'package:flutter/widgets.dart';
+
+/// Rebuilds [builder] only when [selector]'s result changes (by `==`) after
+/// [listenable] notifies — unlike [ListenableBuilder], which rebuilds on every
+/// notification.
+///
+/// Pass the expensive subtree as [child]: it is built once by the parent and
+/// handed through untouched, so a selection flip rebuilds only the cheap
+/// wrapper in [builder]. Used to give every card in a focus-driven rail its
+/// own `isFocused` without rebuilding the whole row per d-pad press.
+class ListenableSelector<T> extends StatefulWidget {
+  const ListenableSelector({
+    super.key,
+    required this.listenable,
+    required this.selector,
+    required this.builder,
+    this.child,
+  });
+
+  final Listenable listenable;
+
+  /// Derives the watched value. Re-evaluated on every notification and on
+  /// widget updates (the closure may capture fresh values from a parent build).
+  final T Function() selector;
+
+  final Widget Function(BuildContext context, T value, Widget? child) builder;
+
+  final Widget? child;
+
+  @override
+  State<ListenableSelector<T>> createState() => _ListenableSelectorState<T>();
+}
+
+class _ListenableSelectorState<T> extends State<ListenableSelector<T>> {
+  late T _value;
+
+  @override
+  void initState() {
+    super.initState();
+    _value = widget.selector();
+    widget.listenable.addListener(_handleChange);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void didUpdateWidget(ListenableSelector<T> oldWidget) {
+    super.didUpdateWidget(oldWidget);
+    if (!identical(oldWidget.listenable, widget.listenable)) {
+      oldWidget.listenable.removeListener(_handleChange);
+      widget.listenable.addListener(_handleChange);
+    }
+    _value = widget.selector();
+  }
+
+  void _handleChange() {
+    final next = widget.selector();
+    if (next == _value) return;
+    setState(() => _value = next);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void dispose() {
+    widget.listenable.removeListener(_handleChange);
+    super.dispose();
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) => widget.builder(context, _value, widget.child);
+}

lib/widgets/media_card.dart

@@ -253,19 +253,28 @@ class MediaCardState extends State<MediaCard> with ContextMenuTapMixin<MediaCard
 
   /// Grid layout — inlined from former _MediaCardGrid, _PosterOverlay, and
   /// flattened Column. Semantics removed (InkWell provides button semantics).
+  ///
+  /// MergeSemantics collapses the card (texts, progress, button) into ONE
+  /// semantics node. Browse rails/grids show dozens of cards and the
+  /// platform-driven semantics pass runs every frame on TV boxes with an
+  /// accessibility service active — node count is the cost driver. The card
+  /// has a single action (tap; long-press menu), so merging is safe and gives
+  /// screen readers one coherent announcement per card.
   Widget _buildGridCard(BuildContext context, Object item, String? localPosterPath) {
     if (widget.fullBleedImage) {
-      return LayoutBuilder(
-        builder: (context, constraints) {
-          final cardWidth = widget.width ?? (constraints.hasBoundedWidth ? constraints.maxWidth : null);
-          final cardHeight = widget.height ?? (constraints.hasBoundedHeight ? constraints.maxHeight : null);
-          if (cardHeight == null) return _buildStandardGridCard(context, item, localPosterPath);
-          return _buildFullBleedGridCard(context, item, localPosterPath, width: cardWidth, height: cardHeight);
-        },
+      return MergeSemantics(
+        child: LayoutBuilder(
+          builder: (context, constraints) {
+            final cardWidth = widget.width ?? (constraints.hasBoundedWidth ? constraints.maxWidth : null);
+            final cardHeight = widget.height ?? (constraints.hasBoundedHeight ? constraints.maxHeight : null);
+            if (cardHeight == null) return _buildStandardGridCard(context, item, localPosterPath);
+            return _buildFullBleedGridCard(context, item, localPosterPath, width: cardWidth, height: cardHeight);
+          },
+        ),
       );
     }
 
-    return _buildStandardGridCard(context, item, localPosterPath);
+    return MergeSemantics(child: _buildStandardGridCard(context, item, localPosterPath));
   }
 
   Widget _buildFullBleedGridCard(

lib/widgets/optimized_media_image.dart

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import 'package:material_symbols_icons/symbols.dart';
 import 'package:plezy/widgets/app_icon.dart';
 
 import '../media/media_server_client.dart';
+import '../services/device_performance.dart';
 import '../services/image_cache_service.dart';
 import '../utils/app_logger.dart';
 import '../utils/media_image_helper.dart';
@@ -249,7 +250,7 @@ class OptimizedMediaImage extends StatelessWidget {
       // CachedNetworkImageProvider.
       cacheHeight: memHeight > 0 ? memHeight : null,
       fit: fit,
-      filterQuality: filterQuality,
+      filterQuality: _effectiveFilterQuality,
       alignment: alignment,
       errorBuilder: (context, error, stackTrace) {
         if (errorWidget != null) {
@@ -260,6 +261,10 @@ class OptimizedMediaImage extends StatelessWidget {
     );
   }
 
+  /// Reduced tier: bilinear-only sampling — mip generation per texture upload
+  /// adds up during scroll decode bursts on weak GPUs.
+  FilterQuality get _effectiveFilterQuality => DevicePerformance.isReduced ? FilterQuality.low : filterQuality;
+
   static double _resolvedDimension(double? explicit, double constraintMax, double fallback) {
     // Pick the explicit size when it's a finite positive number, otherwise
     // fall back to the constraint or a sensible default so we don't end up
@@ -311,7 +316,7 @@ class OptimizedMediaImage extends StatelessWidget {
       width: width,
       height: height,
       fit: fit,
-      filterQuality: filterQuality,
+      filterQuality: _effectiveFilterQuality,
       alignment: alignment,
       errorBuilder: (context, error, stackTrace) {
         _imageFailureCount++;
@@ -328,6 +333,11 @@ class OptimizedMediaImage extends StatelessWidget {
       },
       frameBuilder: (context, child, frame, wasSynchronouslyLoaded) {
         if (wasSynchronouslyLoaded) return child;
+        // Reduced tier: swap in directly — each in-flight fade is a tile-sized
+        // saveLayer, and grid scrolling runs many of them concurrently.
+        if (DevicePerformance.isReduced) {
+          return frame != null ? child : _buildPlaceholder(context, imageUrl);
+        }
         return AnimatedSwitcher(
           duration: const Duration(milliseconds: 300),
           child: frame != null ? child : _buildPlaceholder(context, imageUrl),

lib/widgets/tv_browse_rail.dart

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import '../focus/focus_theme.dart';
 import '../focus/key_event_utils.dart';
 import '../focus/locked_hub_controller.dart';
 import '../i18n/strings.g.dart';
+import '../navigation/main_screen_scope.dart';
 import '../media/media_hub.dart';
 import '../media/media_item.dart';
 import '../screens/hub_detail_screen.dart';
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ import 'app_icon.dart';
 import 'clickable_cursor.dart';
 import 'focus_builders.dart';
 import 'horizontal_scroll_with_arrows.dart';
+import 'listenable_selector.dart';
 import 'media_card.dart';
 import 'optimized_media_image.dart';
 import 'settings_builder.dart';
@@ -319,7 +321,11 @@ class TvBrowseRail extends StatefulWidget {
   final bool autofocus;
   final EpisodePosterMode Function(MediaHub hub)? episodePosterModeForHub;
   final double Function(MediaHub hub)? widePosterScaleForHub;
-  final double backgroundBleedLeft;
+
+  /// Explicit background bleed override. When null, the bleed target is read
+  /// from [MainScreenFocusScope] (offset aspect) inside the bleed widget
+  /// itself, so sidebar flips never rebuild the rail — only the bleed layer.
+  final double? backgroundBleedLeft;
 
   /// Optional signal that is `true` while an input gesture (e.g. a Siri-remote
   /// touch) is in progress. When select-suppression is armed during an active
@@ -352,7 +358,7 @@ class TvBrowseRail extends StatefulWidget {
     this.autofocus = false,
     this.episodePosterModeForHub,
     this.widePosterScaleForHub,
-    this.backgroundBleedLeft = 0,
+    this.backgroundBleedLeft,
     this.selectSuppressionGestureSignal,
   });
 
@@ -386,6 +392,11 @@ class TvBrowseRailState extends State<TvBrowseRail> {
 
   int _hubIndex = 0;
   int _itemIndex = 0;
+
+  /// Mirrors (_hubIndex, _itemIndex) for the per-card focus selectors, so
+  /// plain left/right moves repaint only the two affected cards instead of
+  /// setState-rebuilding every visible row (expensive on low-end TVs).
+  final _RailFocusPosition _focusPosition = _RailFocusPosition();
   List<double> _sectionOffsets = const [];
   double _sectionMaxScrollExtent = 0;
   Timer? _longPressTimer;
@@ -440,6 +451,7 @@ class TvBrowseRailState extends State<TvBrowseRail> {
     _focusNode.addListener(_handleFocusChange);
     _selectInitialHubIfPossible();
     final selectedInitialItem = _selectInitialItemIfPossible();
+    _focusPosition.set(_hubIndex, _itemIndex, notify: false);
     _rememberTrailingStates();
     WidgetsBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) {
       if (!mounted || widget.hubs.isEmpty) return;
@@ -476,6 +488,7 @@ class TvBrowseRailState extends State<TvBrowseRail> {
     if (widget.hubs.isEmpty) {
       _hubIndex = 0;
       _itemIndex = 0;
+      _focusPosition.set(_hubIndex, _itemIndex, notify: false);
       _rememberTrailingStates();
       return;
     }
@@ -496,6 +509,9 @@ class TvBrowseRailState extends State<TvBrowseRail> {
     if (hub == null) return;
     _itemIndex = _itemIndex.clamp(0, _totalItemCount(hub) == 0 ? 0 : _totalItemCount(hub) - 1);
     final selectedInitialItem = _selectInitialItemIfPossible();
+    // notify:false — this runs during the build phase and the enclosing
+    // rebuild already refreshes every selector.
+    _focusPosition.set(_hubIndex, _itemIndex, notify: false);
     final activeHubChanged = oldActiveHubId != _activeHub?.id;
     final activeHubStateChanged =
         _hubStateChanged(oldWidget.hubs, widget.hubs, _hubIndex) ||
@@ -564,6 +580,7 @@ class TvBrowseRailState extends State<TvBrowseRail> {
     _detachGestureSignalListener();
     _focusNode.removeListener(_handleFocusChange);
     _focusNode.dispose();
+    _focusPosition.dispose();
     for (final controller in _scrollControllers.values) {
       controller.dispose();
     }
@@ -689,10 +706,11 @@ class TvBrowseRailState extends State<TvBrowseRail> {
 
     if (key.isLeftKey) {
       if (_itemIndex > 0) {
-        setState(() {
-          _itemIndex--;
-          _hasUserChangedItem = true;
-        });
+        // No setState: the per-card focus selectors repaint the two affected
+        // cards via _focusPosition; nothing else in the rail depends on it.
+        _itemIndex--;
+        _hasUserChangedItem = true;
+        _focusPosition.set(_hubIndex, _itemIndex);
         _rememberFocus(hub);
         _notifyFocusedItem();
         _scrollToItem(duration: event is KeyRepeatEvent ? _repeatNavigationScrollDuration : _navigationScrollDuration);
@@ -704,10 +722,9 @@ class TvBrowseRailState extends State<TvBrowseRail> {
 
     if (key.isRightKey) {
       if (_itemIndex < _totalItemCount(hub) - 1) {
-        setState(() {
-          _itemIndex++;
-          _hasUserChangedItem = true;
-        });
+        _itemIndex++;
+        _hasUserChangedItem = true;
+        _focusPosition.set(_hubIndex, _itemIndex);
         _rememberFocus(hub);
         _notifyFocusedItem();
         _scrollToItem(duration: event is KeyRepeatEvent ? _repeatNavigationScrollDuration : _navigationScrollDuration);
@@ -749,6 +766,7 @@ class TvBrowseRailState extends State<TvBrowseRail> {
       _hubIndex = next;
       _itemIndex = remembered.clamp(0, _totalItemCount(nextHub) == 0 ? 0 : _totalItemCount(nextHub) - 1);
       _hasUserChangedHub = true;
+      _focusPosition.set(_hubIndex, _itemIndex, notify: false);
     });
     _notifyFocusedItem();
     _notifyActiveHubChanged();
@@ -792,10 +810,9 @@ class TvBrowseRailState extends State<TvBrowseRail> {
 
   void _setHoveredItem(MediaHub hub, int index) {
     if (_activeHub?.id != hub.id || index >= hub.items.length || _itemIndex == index) return;
-    setState(() {
-      _itemIndex = index;
-      _hasUserChangedItem = true;
-    });
+    _itemIndex = index;
+    _hasUserChangedItem = true;
+    _focusPosition.set(_hubIndex, _itemIndex);
     _rememberFocus(hub);
     _notifyFocusedItem();
   }
@@ -813,6 +830,7 @@ class TvBrowseRailState extends State<TvBrowseRail> {
       _itemIndex = clampedItemIndex;
       _hasUserChangedHub = true;
       _hasUserChangedItem = true;
+      _focusPosition.set(_hubIndex, _itemIndex, notify: false);
     });
     _rememberFocus(hub);
     _notifyFocusedItem();
@@ -1228,45 +1246,66 @@ class TvBrowseRailState extends State<TvBrowseRail> {
               ),
               itemCount: totalCount,
               itemBuilder: (context, itemIndex) {
-                final isFocused = hasFocus && isActiveHub && itemIndex == _itemIndex;
+                // Focus is observed through _focusPosition so a d-pad move
+                // rebuilds only the cheap wrapper of the two affected cards;
+                // the card content below is passed through as a stable child.
+                bool isItemFocused() => hasFocus && _focusPosition.value == (hubIndex, itemIndex);
+
                 if (itemIndex == hub.items.length) {
                   return Padding(
                     padding: .only(right: metrics.itemGap),
                     child: Align(
                       alignment: .centerLeft,
-                      child: _buildTrailingSlot(context, hub, hubIndex, itemIndex, isFocused: isFocused, scale: scale),
+                      child: ListenableSelector<bool>(
+                        listenable: _focusPosition,
+                        selector: isItemFocused,
+                        builder: (context, isFocused, _) =>
+                            _buildTrailingSlot(context, hub, hubIndex, itemIndex, isFocused: isFocused, scale: scale),
+                      ),
                     ),
                   );
                 }
 
                 final item = hub.items[itemIndex];
-                final focusableCard = FocusBuilders.buildLockedFocusWrapper(
-                  context: context,
-                  isFocused: isFocused,
-                  borderRadius: tokens(context).radiusSm,
-                  focusScale: fullCardLayout ? TvBrowseRailLayout.fullCardFocusScale : FocusTheme.focusScale,
-                  focusBorderStrokeAlign: fullCardLayout ? BorderSide.strokeAlignOutside : BorderSide.strokeAlignInside,
-                  useFocusGlow: fullCardLayout,
-                  useForegroundFocusDecoration: fullCardLayout,
-                  glowSize: fullCardLayout ? Size(metrics.cardWidth, metrics.posterHeight) : null,
-                  onTap: () {
-                    _selectHubItem(hub, hubIndex, itemIndex);
-                    unawaited(_activateCurrentItem());
-                  },
-                  onLongPress: metrics.isPersonHub
-                      ? null
-                      : () {
-                          _selectHubItem(hub, hubIndex, itemIndex);
-                          _cardKeyFor(hub, itemIndex).currentState?.showContextMenu();
-                        },
+                final focusableCard = ListenableSelector<bool>(
+                  listenable: _focusPosition,
+                  selector: isItemFocused,
+                  builder: (context, isFocused, child) => FocusBuilders.buildLockedFocusWrapper(
+                    context: context,
+                    isFocused: isFocused,
+                    borderRadius: tokens(context).radiusSm,
+                    focusScale: fullCardLayout ? TvBrowseRailLayout.fullCardFocusScale : FocusTheme.focusScale,
+                    focusBorderStrokeAlign: fullCardLayout
+                        ? BorderSide.strokeAlignOutside
+                        : BorderSide.strokeAlignInside,
+                    useFocusGlow: fullCardLayout,
+                    useForegroundFocusDecoration: fullCardLayout,
+                    glowSize: fullCardLayout ? Size(metrics.cardWidth, metrics.posterHeight) : null,
+                    onTap: () {
+                      _selectHubItem(hub, hubIndex, itemIndex);
+                      unawaited(_activateCurrentItem());
+                    },
+                    onLongPress: metrics.isPersonHub
+                        ? null
+                        : () {
+                            _selectHubItem(hub, hubIndex, itemIndex);
+                            _cardKeyFor(hub, itemIndex).currentState?.showContextMenu();
+                          },
+                    child: child!,
+                  ),
+                  // MergeSemantics: one node per card (MediaCard merges
+                  // internally) — the per-frame semantics pass scales with
+                  // node count on TV boxes with an accessibility service.
                   child: metrics.isPersonHub
-                      ? _buildPersonCard(
-                          context,
-                          item,
-                          cardWidth: metrics.cardWidth,
-                          imageSize: metrics.posterHeight,
-                          scale: scale,
-                          fullCardLayout: fullCardLayout,
+                      ? MergeSemantics(
+                          child: _buildPersonCard(
+                            context,
+                            item,
+                            cardWidth: metrics.cardWidth,
+                            imageSize: metrics.posterHeight,
+                            scale: scale,
+                            fullCardLayout: fullCardLayout,
+                          ),
                         )
                       : MediaCard(
                           key: _cardKeyFor(hub, itemIndex),
@@ -1572,15 +1611,19 @@ class TvBrowseRailState extends State<TvBrowseRail> {
 
 class _RailBackgroundBleed extends StatelessWidget {
   final double width;
-  final double targetBleedLeft;
+
+  /// Explicit target; when null the value comes from [MainScreenFocusScope]
+  /// (offset aspect) so sidebar flips rebuild only this widget, not the rail.
+  final double? targetBleedLeft;
   final Color backgroundColor;
 
   const _RailBackgroundBleed({required this.width, required this.targetBleedLeft, required this.backgroundColor});
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    final target = targetBleedLeft ?? MainScreenFocusScope.sideNavigationBleedOf(context);
     return TweenAnimationBuilder<double>(
-      tween: Tween(end: targetBleedLeft),
+      tween: Tween(end: target),
       duration: FocusTheme.getAnimationDuration(context),
       curve: Curves.easeOutCubic,
       child: DecoratedBox(
@@ -1627,3 +1670,21 @@ class _RailClipper extends CustomClipper<Rect> {
         oldClipper.bottomOverflow != bottomOverflow;
   }
 }
+
+/// (hubIndex, itemIndex) focus position observed by the per-card
+/// [ListenableSelector]s. `notify: false` covers build-phase syncs
+/// (initState/didUpdateWidget/setState), where notifying would call setState
+/// on descendants mid-build and the enclosing rebuild refreshes the selectors
+/// anyway.
+class _RailFocusPosition extends ChangeNotifier {
+  (int, int) _value = (0, 0);
+
+  (int, int) get value => _value;
+
+  void set(int hubIndex, int itemIndex, {bool notify = true}) {
+    final next = (hubIndex, itemIndex);
+    if (next == _value) return;
+    _value = next;
+    if (notify) notifyListeners();
+  }
+}

lib/widgets/tv_spotlight_background.dart

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import '../media/media_item.dart';
 import '../media/media_item_types.dart';
 import '../media/media_server_client.dart';
 import '../providers/watch_state_store.dart';
+import '../services/device_performance.dart';
 import '../services/image_cache_service.dart';
 import '../utils/content_utils.dart';
 import '../utils/formatters.dart';
@@ -56,7 +57,9 @@ class TvSpotlightBackground extends StatelessWidget {
     final bgColor = Theme.of(context).scaffoldBackgroundColor;
 
     return AnimatedSwitcher(
-      duration: const Duration(milliseconds: 280),
+      // Reduced tier swaps instantly: the cross-fade keeps two full-screen
+      // stacks (backdrop + two full-screen gradients each) blending per frame.
+      duration: DevicePerformance.reducedDuration(const Duration(milliseconds: 280)),
       switchInCurve: Curves.easeOutCubic,
       switchOutCurve: Curves.easeOutCubic,
       child: SizedBox.expand(
@@ -161,6 +164,10 @@ class TvSpotlightBackground extends StatelessWidget {
         cacheManager: PlexImageCacheManager.instance,
         fit: BoxFit.cover,
         memCacheHeight: memHeight,
+        // Explicit fades: the package defaults (500ms in / 1000ms out) double
+        // up with the AnimatedSwitcher cross-fade above on every swap.
+        fadeInDuration: DevicePerformance.reducedDuration(const Duration(milliseconds: 200)),
+        fadeOutDuration: DevicePerformance.reducedDuration(const Duration(milliseconds: 200)),
         placeholder: (context, url) => ColoredBox(color: Theme.of(context).colorScheme.surfaceContainerHighest),
         errorBuilder: (context, error, stackTrace) =>
             ColoredBox(color: Theme.of(context).colorScheme.surfaceContainerHighest),
@@ -276,6 +283,8 @@ class TvSpotlightBackground extends StatelessWidget {
           fit: BoxFit.contain,
           alignment: .centerLeft,
           memCacheWidth: (logoWidth * dpr).clamp(200, 1000).round(),
+          fadeInDuration: DevicePerformance.reducedDuration(const Duration(milliseconds: 200)),
+          fadeOutDuration: DevicePerformance.reducedDuration(const Duration(milliseconds: 200)),
           placeholder: (context, url) => const SizedBox.shrink(),
           errorBuilder: (context, error, stackTrace) => _buildTitle(context, title),
         ),

lib/widgets/tv_virtual_keyboard.dart

@@ -8,6 +8,39 @@ import '../mixins/mounted_set_state_mixin.dart';
 import '../utils/platform_detector.dart';
 import 'clickable_cursor.dart';
 
+bool _keyboardTextWarmedUp = false;
+
+/// One-shot warm-up of the keyboard's text layout caches.
+///
+/// The first keyboard open lays out ~60 key labels in one frame; on low-end
+/// TVs the first paragraph alone measured 130ms+ (cold font/shaping caches)
+/// and the full first open ~315ms. Laying the keyboard's glyph set out once
+/// during startup idle moves that cost off the first real open. Subsequent
+/// calls are no-ops.
+void warmUpTvVirtualKeyboardText(BuildContext context) {
+  if (_keyboardTextWarmedUp || !PlatformDetector.isTV()) return;
+  _keyboardTextWarmedUp = true;
+  // Matches the key cap style (titleLarge w800, see _buildKey) at the sizes
+  // the metrics clamp to; shaping caches are per font/size.
+  final baseStyle = Theme.of(context).textTheme.titleLarge?.copyWith(fontWeight: FontWeight.w800);
+  const samples = [
+    'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz',
+    'ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ',
+    '0123456789 @#_/:=&-+()[]{}<>!?\'".,;*%\\^~|',
+    'Space Del Line Shift Symbols Done Cancel Clear Search Next Go',
+  ];
+  for (final fontSize in const [18.0, 22.0]) {
+    final style = baseStyle?.copyWith(fontSize: fontSize);
+    for (final sample in samples) {
+      final painter = TextPainter(
+        text: TextSpan(text: sample, style: style),
+        textDirection: TextDirection.ltr,
+      )..layout();
+      painter.dispose();
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 Future<void> showTvVirtualKeyboard({
   required BuildContext context,
   required TextEditingController controller,

test/screens/discover_screen_test.dart

@@ -182,8 +182,15 @@ void main() {
         : desiredSpotlightBottom;
     expect(spotlightBackground.contentBottom, closeTo(expectedSpotlightBottom, 0.001));
 
+    // The rail no longer receives the bleed via constructor (a per-flip param
+    // would rebuild the whole rail); its bleed layer reads the scope's
+    // sideNavigationWidth itself. Assert the rendered bleed position instead.
     final browseRail = tester.widget<TvBrowseRail>(find.byType(TvBrowseRail));
-    expect(browseRail.backgroundBleedLeft, targetSidebarOffset);
+    expect(browseRail.backgroundBleedLeft, isNull);
+    final railBleedPositions = tester
+        .widgetList<Positioned>(find.descendant(of: find.byType(TvBrowseRail), matching: find.byType(Positioned)))
+        .where((p) => p.left == -targetSidebarOffset);
+    expect(railBleedPositions, isNotEmpty, reason: 'rail bleed layer positions at -sideNavigationWidth');
 
     final backgroundPosition = tester.widget<Positioned>(
       find.ancestor(of: find.byType(TvSpotlightBackground), matching: find.byType(Positioned)).first,