ffmpeg's reconnect loop deliberately retries 503 without bound (#1520), so a
server that keeps refusing the stream at open time left a silent black screen:
ExoPlayer fell back to MPV, MPV reconnected forever, and no error ever reached
the screen. A new open-phase watchdog arms on the first 503 seen before any
frame renders and, after 20s without one, synthesizes a server-http-503 error
that shows an actionable dialog. Mid-stream 503s and live TV keep their
existing ride-out paths.
close#1830