chore(release): bump workspace version to 0.17.2

fix(steamdeck/install): add cmake dep + acquire sudo in preflight
pyrowave-sys's build.rs runs cmake to build the vendored PyroWave C library, but cmake wasn't in the distrobox apt list — so `cargo build -p punktfunk-host` dies on every SteamOS host with "is cmake not installed?". Add it. Also move sudo acquisition from step 4 (after the ~15-min build) into preflight and keep the timestamp warm across the build. Before, a non-interactive run (`ssh host 'bash install.sh'`) silently skipped the UDP-buffer/udev/vhci-hcd/ input-group tuning AND enable-linger — a "successful" host with no gamepad passthrough, lossy streaming, and no headless persistence (dies on logout). Now sudo is prompted once up front (authorize and walk away), and a no-TTY / no-password run fails loudly before the build instead of silently at the end. Validated end-to-end on SteamOS 3.8 in a VM with Radeon 780M passthrough: full host + web build, all planes listening, VAAPI render node, headless auto-start via linger. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-07-21 23:33:53 +02:00 · 2026-07-21 22:50:00 +02:00 · 2026-07-21 22:50:00 +02:00 · 2026-07-21 22:36:55 +02:00 · 2026-07-21 22:36:55 +02:00 · 2026-07-21 22:26:10 +02:00
63 changed files with 3220 additions and 765 deletions
@@ -6,17 +6,12 @@
 #
 # The plugin backend is PURE PYTHON (clients/decky/main.py — no compiled binary), so we do NOT
 # need the Decky CLI (which requires Docker + rust-nightly only to compile native backends).
-# We build the frontend with pnpm and assemble the store-layout zip by hand:
+# We build the frontend with pnpm and stage the store-layout tree with the SAME script local
-#
+# builds use (clients/decky/scripts/package.sh) — the plugin's file list lives in exactly ONE
-#   punktfunk.zip
+# place, so a file added there (bin/, assets/, controller_config/, …) can never be silently
-#     punktfunk/                  <- single top-level dir == plugin.json "name"
+# missing from the published build. (Hand-assembling the zip here is how the shipped plugin
-#       plugin.json   [required]
+# lost the shortcut artwork + Steam Input layout for a while.) CI only adds `update.json` on
-#       package.json  [required; CI stamps "version" — Decky reads the installed version here]
+# top: the {channel, manifest} pointer the plugin's self-update check polls.
 #       main.py       [required: python backend]
 #       dist/index.js [required: rollup output]
 #       update.json   [CI-baked {channel, manifest}: where the plugin's self-update check polls]
 #       README.md     (recommended)
 #       LICENSE       [required by the plugin store]
 #
 # SELF-UPDATE (no Decky store): alongside the zip we also publish a tiny per-channel
 # `manifest.json` ({version, artifact=<immutable per-version zip URL>, sha256}). The installed
@@ -90,28 +85,27 @@ jobs:
      - name: Assemble store-layout zip
        working-directory: ${{ gitea.workspace }}
        run: |
-          apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends zip >/dev/null
+          # node:22-bookworm ships python3 (a package.sh dep) but not zip; install both anyway
-          STAGE="$RUNNER_TEMP/decky"
+          # so an image change can't silently break the build.
-          DEST="$STAGE/$PLUGIN"
+          apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends zip python3 >/dev/null
-          rm -rf "$STAGE"; mkdir -p "$DEST/dist" "$DEST/bin"
+          # Stage the canonical plugin tree (dist/, main.py, bin/, assets/, controller_config/,
-          cp clients/decky/plugin.json   "$DEST/"
+          # LICENSE, …) with the same script local/sideload builds use — see the header comment.
-          cp clients/decky/package.json  "$DEST/"
+          # Runs AFTER the version stamp, so the staged package.json carries $VERSION.
-          cp clients/decky/main.py       "$DEST/"
+          bash clients/decky/scripts/package.sh
-          cp clients/decky/dist/index.js "$DEST/dist/"
+          DEST="clients/decky/out/$PLUGIN"
-          cp clients/decky/README.md     "$DEST/"
+          # CI-only addition: the self-update channel pointer the backend reads (main.py
-          # The stream-launch wrapper (target of the Steam shortcut); keep it executable
+          # check_update). It points at THIS channel's manifest.json (published below); that
-          # (runner_info() also re-chmods at runtime in case the zip/extract drops the bit).
+          # manifest in turn points at the immutable per-version zip, so its sha256 stays valid
-          cp clients/decky/bin/punktfunkrun.sh "$DEST/bin/"
+          # across future alias re-uploads.
          chmod 0755 "$DEST/bin/punktfunkrun.sh"
          # Store requires a LICENSE in the plugin root; the project is MIT OR Apache-2.0.
          cp LICENSE-MIT                 "$DEST/LICENSE"
          # Self-update channel pointer the backend reads (main.py check_update). It points at
          # THIS channel's manifest.json (published below); that manifest in turn points at the
          # immutable per-version zip, so its sha256 stays valid across future alias re-uploads.
          printf '{"channel":"%s","manifest":"%s/%s/manifest.json"}\n' "$ALIAS" "$BASE" "$ALIAS" > "$DEST/update.json"
-          ( cd "$STAGE" && zip -r "$RUNNER_TEMP/punktfunk.zip" "$PLUGIN" )
+          ( cd clients/decky/out && zip -r "$RUNNER_TEMP/punktfunk.zip" "$PLUGIN" )
          ls -lh "$RUNNER_TEMP/punktfunk.zip"
          unzip -l "$RUNNER_TEMP/punktfunk.zip"
          # Backstop against packaging drift: the runtime-loaded pieces MUST be in the zip.
          for f in main.py dist/index.js bin/punktfunkrun.sh assets/grid.png \
                   controller_config/punktfunk.vdf update.json; do
            unzip -l "$RUNNER_TEMP/punktfunk.zip" "$PLUGIN/$f" >/dev/null || { echo "MISSING $f" >&2; exit 1; }
          done
          # The update manifest the plugin polls: the immutable per-version artifact + its
          # sha256 (Decky's installer verifies the download against this hash, aborting on
          # mismatch — so it MUST be the per-version URL, never the mutable alias).
@@ -656,6 +656,30 @@ version = "0.2.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "613afe47fcd5fac7ccf1db93babcb082c5994d996f20b8b159f2ad1658eb5724"
 [[package]]
 name = "chacha20"
 version = "0.9.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "c3613f74bd2eac03dad61bd53dbe620703d4371614fe0bc3b9f04dd36fe4e818"
 dependencies = [
 "cfg-if",
 "cipher",
 "cpufeatures",
 ]
 [[package]]
 name = "chacha20poly1305"
 version = "0.10.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "10cd79432192d1c0f4e1a0fef9527696cc039165d729fb41b3f4f4f354c2dc35"
 dependencies = [
 "aead",
 "chacha20",
 "cipher",
 "poly1305",
 "zeroize",
 ]
 [[package]]
 name = "ciborium"
 version = "0.2.2"
@@ -691,6 +715,7 @@ checksum = "773f3b9af64447d2ce9850330c473515014aa235e6a783b02db81ff39e4a3dad"
 dependencies = [
 "crypto-common",
 "inout",
 "zeroize",
 ]
 [[package]]
@@ -2159,7 +2184,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "latency-probe"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 [[package]]
 name = "lazy_static"
@@ -2264,7 +2289,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "libvpl-sys"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "bindgen",
 "cmake",
@@ -2299,7 +2324,7 @@ checksum = "0ceec5bc11778974d1bcb055b18002eba7f4b3518b6a0081b3af5f21666da9ad"
 [[package]]
 name = "loss-harness"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "punktfunk-core",
 ]
@@ -2788,7 +2813,7 @@ checksum = "9b4f627cb1b25917193a259e49bdad08f671f8d9708acfd5fe0a8c1455d87220"
 [[package]]
 name = "pf-capture"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "anyhow",
 "ashpd",
@@ -2808,7 +2833,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "pf-client-core"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "anyhow",
 "ash",
@@ -2832,7 +2857,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "pf-clipboard"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "anyhow",
 "ashpd",
@@ -2850,7 +2875,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "pf-console-ui"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "anyhow",
 "ash",
@@ -2871,7 +2896,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "pf-encode"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "anyhow",
 "ash",
@@ -2881,6 +2906,7 @@ dependencies = [
 "libvpl-sys",
 "nvidia-video-codec-sdk",
 "openh264",
 "pf-capture",
 "pf-frame",
 "pf-gpu",
 "pf-host-config",
@@ -2894,7 +2920,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "pf-ffvk"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "ash",
 "bindgen",
@@ -2903,7 +2929,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "pf-frame"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "anyhow",
 "libc",
@@ -2915,7 +2941,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "pf-gpu"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "anyhow",
 "pf-host-config",
@@ -2929,11 +2955,11 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "pf-host-config"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 [[package]]
 name = "pf-inject"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "anyhow",
 "ashpd",
@@ -2961,14 +2987,14 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "pf-paths"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "tracing",
 ]
 [[package]]
 name = "pf-presenter"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "anyhow",
 "ash",
@@ -2983,7 +3009,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "pf-vdisplay"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "anyhow",
 "ashpd",
@@ -3013,7 +3039,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "pf-win-display"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "anyhow",
 "pf-paths",
@@ -3025,7 +3051,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "pf-zerocopy"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "anyhow",
 "ash",
@@ -3136,6 +3162,17 @@ dependencies = [
 "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
 [[package]]
 name = "poly1305"
 version = "0.8.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "8159bd90725d2df49889a078b54f4f79e87f1f8a8444194cdca81d38f5393abf"
 dependencies = [
 "cpufeatures",
 "opaque-debug",
 "universal-hash",
 ]
 [[package]]
 name = "polyval"
 version = "0.6.2"
@@ -3221,7 +3258,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "punktfunk-client-android"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "android_logger",
 "jni",
@@ -3237,7 +3274,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "punktfunk-client-linux"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "anyhow",
 "async-channel",
@@ -3253,7 +3290,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "punktfunk-client-session"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "anyhow",
 "pf-client-core",
@@ -3268,7 +3305,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "punktfunk-client-windows"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "async-channel",
 "ffmpeg-next",
@@ -3287,11 +3324,12 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "punktfunk-core"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "aes-gcm",
 "bytes",
 "cbindgen",
 "chacha20poly1305",
 "criterion",
 "fec-rs",
 "hmac",
@@ -3318,7 +3356,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "punktfunk-host"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "aes",
 "aes-gcm",
@@ -3402,7 +3440,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "punktfunk-probe"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "anyhow",
 "mdns-sd",
@@ -3416,7 +3454,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "punktfunk-tray"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "anyhow",
 "ksni",
@@ -3439,7 +3477,7 @@ checksum = "d55d956fa96f5ec02be2e13af0e20391a5aa83d6a074e3ad368959d0fab299ea"
 [[package]]
 name = "pyrowave-sys"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 dependencies = [
 "bindgen",
 "cmake",
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ exclude = [
 ndk = { path = "clients/android/native/vendor/ndk" }
 [workspace.package]
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.2"
 edition = "2021"
 rust-version = "1.82"
 license = "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
      "name": "MIT OR Apache-2.0",
      "identifier": "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
    },
-    "version": "0.17.0"
+    "version": "0.17.2"
  },
  "paths": {
    "/api/v1/clients": {
@@ -705,8 +705,11 @@ final class SessionModel: ObservableObject {
                    // captured before the 2026-07 floor policy); the appended trio carries the
                    // measured OS present floor and the floor-shaved values the HUD displays.
                    let line = String(
-                        format: "fps=%d presents=%d e2e_p50=%.1f e2e_p95=%.1f hostnet_p50=%.1f "
+                        // Swift Int is 64-bit → %lld, NOT %d (which is a 32-bit C int); macOS 26's
-                            + "decode_p50=%.1f display_p50=%.1f lost=%d "
+                        // strict String(format:) validator rejects the %d/Int mismatch and drops
                        // the whole line (a cascade error that also mis-blames the float args).
                        format: "fps=%lld presents=%lld e2e_p50=%.1f e2e_p95=%.1f hostnet_p50=%.1f "
                            + "decode_p50=%.1f display_p50=%.1f lost=%lld "
                            + "floor_p50=%.1f display_adj=%.1f e2e_adj=%.1f queue_p50=%.1f",
                        frames,
                        displayWindow?.count ?? 0,
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ struct GamepadSettingsView: View {
    @AppStorage(DefaultsKey.presentPriority) private var presentPriority =
        SettingsOptions.presentPriorityDefault
    @AppStorage(DefaultsKey.smoothBuffer) private var smoothBuffer = 0
    #if os(macOS)
    @AppStorage(DefaultsKey.windowedSafePresent) private var windowedSafePresent = true
    #endif
    #if os(iOS)
    @AppStorage(DefaultsKey.rumbleOnDevice) private var rumbleOnDevice = false
    #endif
@@ -345,6 +348,22 @@ struct GamepadSettingsView: View {
                detail: "Turn off to use the touch interface even with a controller connected.",
                value: $gamepadUIEnabled),
        ]
        #if os(macOS)
        // The windowed safe-present toggle slots in after "Smoothness buffer" (staying inside
        // the Video group) — macOS only, mirroring the touch SettingsView's Presentation row
        // (the DCP swapID-panic mitigation; see DefaultsKey.windowedSafePresent).
        if let at = list.firstIndex(where: { $0.id == "smoothBuffer" }) {
            list.insert(
                toggleRow(
                    id: "windowedSafePresent", icon: "macwindow.badge.plus",
                    label: "Safe windowed presentation",
                    detail: "Windowed streams present in step with the compositor — avoids a "
                        + "macOS display-driver crash on high-refresh displays, at a small "
                        + "latency cost. Fullscreen always uses the fastest path.",
                    value: $windowedSafePresent),
                at: at + 1)
        }
        #endif
        #if os(iOS)
        // The device-rumble mirror slots in after "Controller type" (staying inside the
        // Controller group — the next row carries the "Interface" header). iPhone only in
@@ -300,6 +300,18 @@ extension SettingsView {
                + "of added latency. Off shows frames as soon as they're ready.") {
                Toggle("V-Sync", isOn: $vsync)
            }
            // The DCP swapID-panic mitigation's user handle (see DefaultsKey.windowedSafePresent
            // for the saga). Default ON: turning it off re-arms a WHOLE-MACHINE kernel panic on
            // affected setups, so the caption says so in plain words.
            described(windowedSafePresent
                ? "Windowed streams present in step with the system compositor — avoids a macOS "
                    + "display-driver crash seen on high-refresh displays, at a small latency "
                    + "cost. Fullscreen always uses the fastest path."
                : "Windowed streams use the fastest present path. On some high-refresh setups "
                    + "this can crash macOS itself (kernel panic) — turn back on if your Mac "
                    + "restarts during windowed streaming.") {
                Toggle("Safe windowed presentation", isOn: $windowedSafePresent)
            }
            #endif
        }
    }
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ struct SettingsView: View {
    @AppStorage(DefaultsKey.smoothBuffer) var smoothBuffer = 0
    #if os(macOS)
    @AppStorage(DefaultsKey.vsync) var vsync = false
    @AppStorage(DefaultsKey.windowedSafePresent) var windowedSafePresent = true
    #endif
    #if !os(tvOS)
    @AppStorage(DefaultsKey.allowVRR) var allowVRR = true
@@ -23,6 +23,34 @@ import os
 private let presenterLog = Logger(subsystem: "io.unom.punktfunk", category: "presenter")
 #if os(macOS)
 /// HOW a windowed (composited) macOS session pushes finished frames to glass — the DCP
 /// "mismatched swapID's" kernel-panic saga's mechanism picker. Fullscreen always presents
 /// `async` (direct-scanout promotion, lowest latency, no panic reports there); the windowed
 /// mechanism is resolved per session by SessionPresenter (user setting +
 /// PUNKTFUNK_WINDOWED_PRESENT env override) and routed here via `setWindowedPresent`.
 ///
 /// - `async`: the CAMetalLayer image queue (`commandBuffer.present`) — the fastest composited
 ///   path and the PANIC TRIGGER on high-refresh displays (the out-of-band swaps race
 ///   WindowServer's compositor; it survived glass pacing and every codec).
 /// - `transaction`: `CAMetalLayer.presentsWithTransaction` — the swap commits WITH the layer
 ///   tree, in lockstep with the compositor (Apple's documented remedy; validated no-panic on
 ///   the 240 Hz repro machine). The present is committed from the RENDER thread inside an
 ///   explicit CATransaction + flush — see `encodePresent` for why that beats the original
 ///   main-thread hop.
 /// - `surface`: no image queue at all — render into a pooled IOSurface and swap it into a plain
 ///   CALayer's `contents` (the f407f418 PyroWave mitigation, resurrected format-aware:
 ///   rgba16Float + PQ tagging keeps HDR). WindowServer treats it as ordinary layer damage on
 ///   its own composite cadence. PROTOTYPE: whether the compositor honors PQ/EDR for plain-layer
 ///   IOSurface contents still needs an on-glass eyeball — the metal layer stays underneath with
 ///   `wantsExtendedDynamicRangeContent` as the EDR anchor.
 enum WindowedPresentMode: String, Sendable {
    case async
    case transaction
    case surface
 }
 #endif
 /// HDR reference white (BT.2408 "HDR Reference White"): the absolute luminance, in nits, that the
 /// PQ signal's diffuse white sits at. Passed to `CAEDRMetadata.hdr10(opticalOutputScale:)`, it anchors
 /// 203-nit diffuse white at EDR 1.0 (the display's SDR-white level) and lets the system tone-map the
@@ -198,8 +226,8 @@ fragment float4 pf_frag_hdr(VOut in [[stage_in]],
 // in a genuine HDR10 output, PQ passthrough is the correct emission and the TV tone-maps.)
 // The shared PQ→display-referred-SDR tail (see pf_frag_hdr_tv's rationale above): ST 2084
 // EOTF → 203-nit-anchored scene light → BT.2020→709 primaries → extended-Reinhard rolloff →
-// BT.709 OETF. Used by the tvOS biplanar tone-map and the planar (PyroWave) tone-map — the
+// BT.709 OETF. Used by the tvOS biplanar tone-map and the tvOS planar (PyroWave) tone-map (the
-// latter also on macOS windowed sessions, whose IOSurface present path is BGRA8-only.
+// no-HDR-headroom fallback). macOS keeps real HDR windowed now — see `WindowedPresentMode`.
 static inline float3 pqToSdr(float3 pq) {
    const float m1 = 2610.0/16384.0;
    const float m2 = 78.84375;
@@ -230,8 +258,7 @@ fragment float4 pf_frag_hdr_tv(VOut in [[stage_in]],
 // PyroWave planar HDR tone-map: three separate R16 planes (P010-style studio codes; the rows
 // fold in depth-10 MSB packing) → PQ R′G′B′ → the shared SDR tail. Used when a PQ pyrowave
-// stream must land on an 8-bit surface: tvOS without HDR headroom, and macOS WINDOWED sessions
+// stream must land on an 8-bit surface: tvOS without HDR headroom. The passthrough planar
 // (the IOSurface present path — the DCP-panic mitigation — is BGRA8). The passthrough planar
 // HDR pipeline reuses pf_frag_planar itself on an rgba16Float drawable (identical math — the
 // layer's itur_2100_PQ colour space + EDR metadata do the interpretation).
 fragment float4 pf_frag_planar_tm(VOut in [[stage_in]],
@@ -259,21 +286,51 @@ public final class MetalVideoPresenter {
    public let layer: CAMetalLayer
    #if os(macOS)
-    /// The WINDOWED-mode PyroWave present target: a plain CALayer sized like `layer` (installed
+    /// WINDOWED-mode present coordination — the macOS DCP KERNEL PANIC mitigation.
    /// as a sibling ABOVE it), fed IOSurfaces via `contents` inside ordinary CATransactions.
    ///
-    /// Why this exists — the macOS DCP KERNEL PANIC ("mismatched swapID's" @UnifiedPipeline.cpp,
+    /// The panic ("mismatched swapID's" @UnifiedPipeline.cpp, WindowServer dies, machine reboots):
-    /// WindowServer dies, machine reboots): out-of-band CAMetalLayer image-queue swaps into a
+    /// the CAMetalLayer's ASYNCHRONOUS image queue (`commandBuffer.present(drawable)` — an
-    /// COMPOSITED (windowed) session race WindowServer's own swap submissions on high-refresh
+    /// out-of-band flip, mandatory with `displaySyncEnabled=false`) diverges from WindowServer's
-    /// displays, and the race survives glass pacing — a fully serialized one-in-flight present
+    /// compositor on a high-refresh COMPOSITED (windowed) session — the compositor's notion of the
-    /// stream still panicked a 240 Hz Mac Studio (2026-07-18, twice). So in windowed mode we stop
+    /// current swap and the layer's queued swap disagree, and the DCP asserts. It survived glass
-    /// using the image queue entirely and present the way video players do: render the planar CSC
+    /// pacing: a fully serialized one-in-flight present stream still panicked a 240 Hz Mac Studio
-    /// into an IOSurface pool and swap `contents` on main — WindowServer treats it as ordinary
+    /// (2026-07-18, PyroWave), and a windowed HEVC session panicked the same machine 2026-07-21 —
-    /// damage on its own composite cadence, coalescing faster-than-refresh updates instead of
+    /// so it is the async image queue itself, at any pacing or codec, not a present rate.
-    /// latching queue swaps mid-cycle. Fullscreen keeps the CAMetalLayer path (direct-scanout
+    ///
-    /// promotion, no compositing, no panic reports). Contents updates are transparent to the
+    /// The fix keeps the full render path (rgba16Float / PQ / EDR — real HDR is preserved) and
-    /// layer below when nil, so flipping modes just covers/uncovers the metal layer.
+    /// only changes HOW the drawable is presented: `CAMetalLayer.presentsWithTransaction`. With it
-    public let surfaceLayer: CALayer = {
+    /// set, we don't hand the drawable to the command buffer; we commit, wait until scheduled, then
    /// call `drawable.present()` INSIDE a CATransaction — the present is enrolled in Core
    /// Animation's transaction and committed together with the layer tree, so the swap stays in
    /// lockstep with the compositor instead of racing it (Apple's documented remedy for Metal
    /// presentation drifting out of sync with CA). Fullscreen keeps the async path (direct-scanout
    /// promotion, lowest latency, no compositor and no panic reports there).
    ///
    /// 2026-07-21 latency rework: the mitigation MECHANISM is now a three-way pick
    /// (`WindowedPresentMode`) and the transactional present commits from the RENDER thread —
    /// see `encodePresent`. Staged under `stagingLock` (main pushes it via
    /// `setComposited`→`setWindowedPresent`); the render thread drains it and toggles the layer
    /// property + present style. `Active` is the render-thread copy so the layer property flips
    /// exactly once per mode change.
    private var windowedPresentStaged: WindowedPresentMode = .async
    private var windowedPresentActive: WindowedPresentMode = .async
    /// PUNKTFUNK_TXN_PRESENT=main — the ORIGINAL transactional present (commit →
    /// waitUntilScheduled → hop to the MAIN thread and present inside its CATransaction), kept
    /// as a field A/B lever. The default is the render-thread commit: the present harness
    /// (2026-07-21, this saga) measured the main hop landing a runloop turn late on a busy main
    /// thread, and an ACTIVE implicit transaction there NESTS the explicit one — presents batch
    /// at runloop-iteration rate (the field's presents=55 @ fps=240, display_p50 18.6 ms).
    /// Off-main commits measured immune to main-thread churn (~10 ms glass p50 at 240 Hz
    /// full-size vs 14+ ms under a churned main hop).
    private let txnPresentOnMain =
        ProcessInfo.processInfo.environment["PUNKTFUNK_TXN_PRESENT"] == "main"
    /// The WINDOWED-mode `surface` present target: a plain CALayer sized like `layer` (installed
    /// as a sibling ABOVE it by SessionPresenter), fed IOSurfaces via `contents` inside explicit
    /// CATransactions. Transparent (nil contents) whenever surface mode is off, so the metal
    /// layer below shows through. See `WindowedPresentMode.surface`.
    let surfaceLayer: CALayer = {
        let l = CALayer()
        l.contentsGravity = .resize // frame is already aspect-fit + pixel-snapped by layout
        l.isOpaque = true
@@ -281,8 +338,8 @@ public final class MetalVideoPresenter {
        return l
    }()
-    /// One IOSurface-backed render target of the windowed present pool. All pool state is
+    /// One IOSurface-backed render target of the windowed surface-present pool. All pool state
-    /// RENDER-THREAD confined; only the immutable surface refs cross to main (contents swap).
+    /// is RENDER-THREAD confined; only the immutable surface refs cross threads (contents swap).
    private struct SurfaceSlot {
        let surface: IOSurfaceRef
        let texture: MTLTexture
@@ -292,15 +349,52 @@ public final class MetalVideoPresenter {
    private var surfacePool: [SurfaceSlot] = []
    private var surfacePoolSize: CGSize = .zero
    private var surfacePoolHDR = false
    private var surfaceSeq: UInt64 = 0
    /// Index of the slot most recently handed to the layer — never rewritten next, even if its
    /// use count already dropped (the compositor may still be scanning out the previous frame).
    private var lastHandedOff: Int?
-    /// Staged (under `stagingLock`, like every cross-thread input): the hosting view's windowed
+
-    /// vs fullscreen state, pushed from main via `setSurfacePresents`. Drained in `renderPlanar`.
+    /// Once-per-second decomposition of the ACTIVE windowed present path (the field-diagnosis
-    private var surfacePresentsStaged = false
+    /// half of the DCP-latency work): scheduled/completed wait + commit/flush cost per present,
-    /// Render-thread copy, so pool teardown happens exactly once on a mode flip.
+    /// and how many presents/swaps were issued. The pf-present line shows the GLASS side
-    private var surfacePresentsActive = false
+    /// (latchMs / dropped); this shows the ISSUE side. Logged via `presenterLog` only while a
    /// windowed mechanism is active (zero cost fullscreen). Lock-guarded: transaction mode
    /// records from the render thread, surface mode from Metal completion threads.
    private final class WindowedPresentDiag: @unchecked Sendable {
        private let lock = NSLock()
        private var presents = 0
        private var schedMs: [Double] = []
        private var commitMs: [Double] = []
        private var last = CACurrentMediaTime()
        func record(schedMs sched: Double, commitMs commit: Double, mode: WindowedPresentMode) {
            lock.lock()
            presents += 1
            schedMs.append(sched)
            commitMs.append(commit)
            let now = CACurrentMediaTime()
            guard now - last >= 1 else {
                lock.unlock()
                return
            }
            last = now
            let sSched = schedMs.sorted()
            let sCommit = commitMs.sorted()
            let line = String(
                format: "pf-windowed mode=%@ presents=%d schedMs p50=%.2f max=%.2f "
                    + "commitMs p50=%.2f max=%.2f",
                mode.rawValue, presents, sSched[sSched.count / 2], sSched.last ?? 0,
                sCommit[sCommit.count / 2], sCommit.last ?? 0)
            presents = 0
            schedMs.removeAll(keepingCapacity: true)
            commitMs.removeAll(keepingCapacity: true)
            lock.unlock()
            presenterLog.info("\(line, privacy: .public)")
        }
    }
    private let windowedDiag = WindowedPresentDiag()
    #endif
    private let device: MTLDevice
@@ -316,7 +410,7 @@ public final class MetalVideoPresenter {
    private let pipelinePlanar: MTLRenderPipelineState
    /// PyroWave planar HDR passthrough (pf_frag_planar → rgba16Float; the layer's PQ colour
    /// space + EDR interpret the samples) and the planar PQ→SDR tone-map (pf_frag_planar_tm →
-    /// bgra8; tvOS without headroom + macOS windowed IOSurface presents).
+    /// bgra8; tvOS without HDR headroom).
    private let pipelinePlanarHDR: MTLRenderPipelineState
    private let pipelinePlanarToneMap: MTLRenderPipelineState
    private var textureCache: CVMetalTextureCache?
@@ -591,13 +685,14 @@ public final class MetalVideoPresenter {
    }
    #if os(macOS)
-    /// Park the windowed-vs-fullscreen present routing (MAIN thread — the hosting view pushes its
+    /// Park the windowed present mechanism (MAIN thread — the hosting view pushes its window
-    /// window state on every layout). true = PyroWave frames present via `surfaceLayer` contents
+    /// state on every layout; SessionPresenter resolves the mechanism per session). `.async` =
-    /// (the DCP swapID-panic mitigation — see `surfaceLayer`); false = the CAMetalLayer path.
+    /// FULLSCREEN (or the user opted out of the mitigation): the image queue. `.transaction` /
    /// `.surface` = COMPOSITED (windowed) mitigation mechanisms — see `WindowedPresentMode`.
    /// Applied by the render thread on the next frame, like every other staged value here.
-    public func setSurfacePresents(_ on: Bool) {
+    func setWindowedPresent(_ mode: WindowedPresentMode) {
        stagingLock.lock()
-        surfacePresentsStaged = on
+        windowedPresentStaged = mode
        stagingLock.unlock()
    }
    #endif
@@ -734,36 +829,12 @@ public final class MetalVideoPresenter {
    ) -> Bool {
        stagingLock.lock()
        let targetFromLayout = drawableTarget
        #if os(macOS)
        let surfaceMode = surfacePresentsStaged
        #endif
        stagingLock.unlock()
-        // A PQ (HDR) pyrowave stream drives the same layer/EDR machinery as the biplanar path;
+        // A PQ (HDR) pyrowave stream drives the same layer/EDR machinery as the biplanar path —
-        // macOS WINDOWED sessions stay on the SDR layer (the IOSurface path tone-maps in-shader).
+        // including macOS windowed sessions, which keep real HDR (the DCP mitigation is the
-        #if os(macOS)
+        // transactional present in `encodePresent`, not a colour downgrade).
        configure(hdr: planes.pq && !surfaceMode)
        #else
        configure(hdr: planes.pq)
        #endif
        var csc = planes.csc
        #if os(macOS)
        if surfaceMode != surfacePresentsActive {
            surfacePresentsActive = surfaceMode
            presenterLog.info(
                "stage2: windowed surface presents \(surfaceMode ? "ON" : "OFF", privacy: .public) (PyroWave DCP-panic mitigation)")
            if !surfaceMode {
                // Back to the metal path (fullscreen): drop the pool — at 5K it holds >100 MB,
                // and re-entering windowed mode rebuilds it in one frame.
                surfacePool.removeAll()
                surfacePoolSize = .zero
                lastHandedOff = nil
            }
        }
        if surfaceMode {
            return renderPlanarToSurface(
                planes, targetFromLayout: targetFromLayout, csc: &csc, onPresented: onPresented)
        }
        #endif
        // PQ passthrough needs the HDR drawable; a PQ frame while the drawable is (still)
        // 8-bit — tvOS without display headroom, or a not-yet-flipped layer — tone-maps
        // in-shader instead (the pipeline must match the drawable's pixel format).
@@ -792,118 +863,6 @@ public final class MetalVideoPresenter {
        }
    }
    #if os(macOS)
    /// The windowed-mode present tail (see `surfaceLayer` for why this path exists): render the
    /// planar CSC into a pooled IOSurface and hand it to `surfaceLayer.contents` on MAIN inside a
    /// plain CATransaction — an ordinary damaged-layer update on WindowServer's own composite
    /// cadence, no CAMetalLayer image-queue swap anywhere. `presentAtMediaTime` doesn't apply
    /// (the compositor paces); `onPresented` fires after the contents swap is committed, stamped
    /// with CLOCK_REALTIME then — the closest observable analogue of "reached glass" here (the
    /// composite follows within a refresh, so the meters' display stage reads slightly optimistic).
    private func renderPlanarToSurface(
        _ planes: WaveletPlanes, targetFromLayout: CGSize, csc: inout CscUniform,
        onPresented: ((Int64?) -> Void)?
    ) -> Bool {
        let decodedSize = CGSize(width: planes.width, height: planes.height)
        let targetSize = (targetFromLayout.width > 0 && targetFromLayout.height > 0)
            ? targetFromLayout : decodedSize
        ensureSurfacePool(size: targetSize)
        guard let slotIndex = takeSurfaceSlot(),
              let commandBuffer = queue.makeCommandBuffer()
        else { return false }
        let slot = surfacePool[slotIndex]
        let pass = MTLRenderPassDescriptor()
        pass.colorAttachments[0].texture = slot.texture
        pass.colorAttachments[0].loadAction = .clear
        pass.colorAttachments[0].clearColor = MTLClearColor(red: 0, green: 0, blue: 0, alpha: 1)
        pass.colorAttachments[0].storeAction = .store
        guard let encoder = commandBuffer.makeRenderCommandEncoder(descriptor: pass) else {
            return false
        }
        encoder.setRenderPipelineState(planes.pq ? pipelinePlanarToneMap : pipelinePlanar)
        encoder.setFragmentTexture(planes.y, index: 0)
        encoder.setFragmentTexture(planes.cb, index: 1)
        encoder.setFragmentTexture(planes.cr, index: 2)
        encoder.setFragmentBytes(&csc, length: MemoryLayout<CscUniform>.stride, index: 0)
        encoder.drawPrimitives(type: .triangle, vertexStart: 0, vertexCount: 3)
        encoder.endEncoding()
        let surface = slot.surface
        let surfaceLayer = surfaceLayer // captured directly — the handler must not retain self
        let keepAlive: [Any] = [planes.y, planes.cb, planes.cr]
        commandBuffer.addCompletedHandler { _ in
            _ = keepAlive // ring textures pinned until the GPU finished sampling
            DispatchQueue.main.async {
                CATransaction.begin()
                CATransaction.setDisableActions(true)
                surfaceLayer.contents = surface
                CATransaction.commit()
                onPresented?(
                    Stage2Pipeline.realtimeNs(forDisplayLinkTimestamp: CACurrentMediaTime()))
            }
        }
        commandBuffer.commit()
        lastHandedOff = slotIndex
        return true
    }
    /// (Re)build the pool at `size` — 4 BGRA8 IOSurface render targets (one on glass, one queued
    /// in CA, one rendering, one spare). RENDER THREAD. A failed allocation leaves the pool empty;
    /// the caller returns false and the ring's putBack + display-link retry take over.
    private func ensureSurfacePool(size: CGSize) {
        guard size != surfacePoolSize else { return }
        surfacePool.removeAll()
        surfacePoolSize = size
        lastHandedOff = nil
        let w = Int(size.width)
        let h = Int(size.height)
        guard w > 0, h > 0 else { return }
        // 256-byte row alignment satisfies both IOSurface and Metal linear-texture rules.
        let bytesPerRow = ((w * 4) + 255) & ~255
        let props: [String: Any] = [
            kIOSurfaceWidth as String: w,
            kIOSurfaceHeight as String: h,
            kIOSurfaceBytesPerElement as String: 4,
            kIOSurfaceBytesPerRow as String: bytesPerRow,
            kIOSurfacePixelFormat as String: kCVPixelFormatType_32BGRA,
        ]
        let desc = MTLTextureDescriptor.texture2DDescriptor(
            pixelFormat: .bgra8Unorm, width: w, height: h, mipmapped: false)
        desc.usage = [.renderTarget]
        desc.storageMode = .shared
        for _ in 0..<4 {
            guard let surface = IOSurfaceCreate(props as CFDictionary),
                  let texture = device.makeTexture(descriptor: desc, iosurface: surface, plane: 0)
            else {
                surfacePool.removeAll()
                return
            }
            surfacePool.append(SurfaceSlot(surface: surface, texture: texture))
        }
    }
    /// Pick the slot to render into: never the one just handed to the layer (the compositor may
    /// still scan it), prefer surfaces the window server isn't holding (`IOSurfaceIsInUse`), and
    /// among those the least recently rendered. Falls back to the LRU busy slot rather than
    /// stalling — a visible glitch at worst, never a queue-up. RENDER THREAD.
    private func takeSurfaceSlot() -> Int? {
        guard !surfacePool.isEmpty else { return nil }
        var free: Int?
        var busy: Int?
        for i in surfacePool.indices where i != lastHandedOff {
            if !IOSurfaceIsInUse(surfacePool[i].surface) {
                if free == nil || surfacePool[i].seq < surfacePool[free!].seq { free = i }
            } else {
                if busy == nil || surfacePool[i].seq < surfacePool[busy!].seq { busy = i }
            }
        }
        guard let pick = free ?? busy else { return nil }
        surfaceSeq += 1
        surfacePool[pick].seq = surfaceSeq
        return pick
    }
    #endif
    /// The shared present tail of `render`/`renderPlanar`: size the drawable, encode one
    /// fullscreen triangle with `pipeline` (`bind` supplies the fragment resources), schedule
    /// the present and the on-glass callback.
@@ -936,6 +895,36 @@ public final class MetalVideoPresenter {
        #if DEBUG
        logSizeIfChanged(decoded: decodedSize, drawable: targetSize)
        #endif
        #if os(macOS)
        // Windowed (composited) → the DCP swapID-panic mitigation mechanism (see
        // `WindowedPresentMode`). Toggle the layer property BEFORE vending a drawable so the
        // vend matches how it will be presented; drained here on the render thread, flipped
        // exactly once per mode change.
        stagingLock.lock()
        let windowedMode = windowedPresentStaged
        stagingLock.unlock()
        if windowedMode != windowedPresentActive {
            windowedPresentActive = windowedMode
            layer.presentsWithTransaction = windowedMode == .transaction
            if windowedMode != .surface, !surfacePool.isEmpty {
                // Leaving surface mode (fullscreen entry / mechanism A/B): drop the pool — at 5K
                // it holds >100 MB, and re-entering rebuilds it in one frame. SessionPresenter
                // clears the surface layer's contents on main.
                surfacePool.removeAll()
                surfacePoolSize = .zero
                lastHandedOff = nil
            }
            presenterLog.info(
                "stage2: windowed present mode \(windowedMode.rawValue, privacy: .public) (DCP swapID-panic mitigation)")
        }
        if windowedMode == .surface {
            // No image queue at all: render into a pooled IOSurface and swap it into the
            // sibling layer's contents. The drawable/queue tail below never runs.
            return encodeToSurface(
                targetSize: targetSize, pipeline: pipeline, onPresented: onPresented,
                keepAlive: keepAlive, bind: bind)
        }
        #endif
        if let providedDrawable,
           providedDrawable.texture.pixelFormat != layer.pixelFormat {
            return false // config outran the vend (HDR flip) — next vend has the new format
@@ -974,6 +963,61 @@ public final class MetalVideoPresenter {
            }
            #endif
        }
        // Keep the bound sources alive until the GPU finishes sampling (see the callers).
        commandBuffer.addCompletedHandler { _ in _ = keepAlive }
        #if os(macOS)
        if windowedPresentActive == .transaction {
            // Windowed DCP mitigation: present the drawable THROUGH a Core Animation transaction
            // (`presentsWithTransaction`, set above) instead of the async image queue, so the swap
            // commits with the layer tree and stays in lockstep with the compositor (no out-of-band
            // flip to race WindowServer's swaps). Wait until the GPU work is scheduled (contents
            // will be ready — p50 ~0.1 ms), then present inside an EXPLICIT CATransaction ON THIS
            // RENDER THREAD and `flush()`. `presentAtMediaTime` does not apply — the transaction
            // paces.
            //
            // Threading history, because BOTH failure modes shipped or nearly shipped:
            // • A bare `present()` from this thread (no transaction) never flushes — nothing
            //   commits a runloop-less thread's implicit transaction, so drawables are never
            //   released; after maximumDrawableCount vends `nextDrawable()` blocks forever and
            //   the stream FREEZES (the fullscreen→windowed switch did exactly this).
            // • The explicit begin/commit alone is NOT enough either: this thread has an ACTIVE
            //   implicit transaction (the layer mutations above — drawableSize/colour — created
            //   it), so the explicit transaction NESTS inside it and its commit defers to the
            //   implicit one that never comes. The harness reproduced the exact freeze: every
            //   present reported presentedTime=0, nothing reached glass. `CATransaction.flush()`
            //   pushes the implicit transaction (present included) to the render server NOW.
            // • The original fix hopped to MAIN and presented there — correct, but slow in the
            //   field (presents=55 @ fps=240, display_p50 18.6 ms on the 240 Hz Studio): each
            //   present lands a runloop turn late, and main's own implicit transaction batches
            //   enrolled presents at runloop-iteration rate. Kept as PUNKTFUNK_TXN_PRESENT=main.
            //   The off-main commit measured immune to main-thread churn in the harness
            //   (2026-07-21: glass p50 ~10 ms at 240 Hz full-size, cadence a clean 4.17 ms).
            commandBuffer.commit()
            let schedStart = CACurrentMediaTime()
            commandBuffer.waitUntilScheduled()
            let schedMs = (CACurrentMediaTime() - schedStart) * 1000
            let commitStart = CACurrentMediaTime()
            if txnPresentOnMain {
                let presentedDrawable = drawable
                DispatchQueue.main.async {
                    CATransaction.begin()
                    CATransaction.setDisableActions(true)
                    presentedDrawable.present()
                    CATransaction.commit()
                }
            } else {
                CATransaction.begin()
                CATransaction.setDisableActions(true)
                drawable.present()
                CATransaction.commit()
                CATransaction.flush()
            }
            windowedDiag.record(
                schedMs: schedMs, commitMs: (CACurrentMediaTime() - commitStart) * 1000,
                mode: .transaction)
            return true
        }
        #endif
        // Scheduled on the vsync when the pipeline gave us the link's target (see the doc comment);
        // immediate otherwise. A target already in the past presents immediately — same thing.
        if let presentAtMediaTime {
@@ -981,12 +1025,146 @@ public final class MetalVideoPresenter {
        } else {
            commandBuffer.present(drawable)
        }
        // Keep the bound sources alive until the GPU finishes sampling (see the callers).
        commandBuffer.addCompletedHandler { _ in _ = keepAlive }
        commandBuffer.commit()
        return true
    }
    #if os(macOS)
    /// The WINDOWED `surface` present tail (see `WindowedPresentMode.surface`): render with the
    /// same per-frame pipeline into a pooled IOSurface and hand it to `surfaceLayer.contents`
    /// from the command buffer's COMPLETION handler, inside an explicit CATransaction + flush
    /// (the same off-main commit discipline as the transactional present — an ordinary
    /// damaged-layer update on WindowServer's own composite cadence, no image queue anywhere).
    /// RENDER THREAD. `onPresented` is stamped right after the contents swap commits — the
    /// closest observable analogue of "reached glass" here (the composite follows within a
    /// refresh, so the display-stage meters read slightly OPTIMISTIC in this mode).
    ///
    /// The pool tracks `hdrActive`: bgra8 for SDR, rgba16Float tagged BT.2100 PQ for HDR —
    /// `configure` already ran, so the caller's `pipeline` attachment format always matches.
    /// HDR OPEN RISK (why this whole mode is a prototype): whether the compositor honors the
    /// PQ tag + EDR for plain-CALayer IOSurface contents needs an on-glass eyeball; the metal
    /// layer underneath keeps `wantsExtendedDynamicRangeContent` as the EDR anchor (the harness
    /// measured the display's EDR headroom engaging with this arrangement).
    private func encodeToSurface(
        targetSize: CGSize, pipeline: MTLRenderPipelineState,
        onPresented: ((Int64?) -> Void)?,
        keepAlive: [Any], bind: (MTLRenderCommandEncoder) -> Void
    ) -> Bool {
        ensureSurfacePool(size: targetSize, hdr: hdrActive)
        guard let slotIndex = takeSurfaceSlot(),
              let commandBuffer = queue.makeCommandBuffer()
        else { return false }
        let slot = surfacePool[slotIndex]
        let pass = MTLRenderPassDescriptor()
        pass.colorAttachments[0].texture = slot.texture
        pass.colorAttachments[0].loadAction = .clear
        pass.colorAttachments[0].clearColor = MTLClearColor(red: 0, green: 0, blue: 0, alpha: 1)
        pass.colorAttachments[0].storeAction = .store
        guard let encoder = commandBuffer.makeRenderCommandEncoder(descriptor: pass) else {
            return false
        }
        encoder.setRenderPipelineState(pipeline)
        bind(encoder)
        encoder.drawPrimitives(type: .triangle, vertexStart: 0, vertexCount: 3)
        encoder.endEncoding()
        let surface = slot.surface
        let surfaceLayer = surfaceLayer // captured directly — the handler must not retain self
        let diag = windowedDiag
        let commitStamp = CACurrentMediaTime()
        commandBuffer.addCompletedHandler { _ in
            _ = keepAlive // sources pinned until the GPU finished sampling
            let completedAt = CACurrentMediaTime()
            // Swap on THIS Metal completion thread: explicit transaction + flush, so the commit
            // reaches the render server now, independent of main (completion handlers for one
            // queue fire in execution order, so swaps can't reorder).
            CATransaction.begin()
            CATransaction.setDisableActions(true)
            surfaceLayer.contents = surface
            CATransaction.commit()
            CATransaction.flush()
            diag.record(
                schedMs: (completedAt - commitStamp) * 1000,
                commitMs: (CACurrentMediaTime() - completedAt) * 1000, mode: .surface)
            onPresented?(Stage2Pipeline.realtimeNs(forDisplayLinkTimestamp: CACurrentMediaTime()))
        }
        commandBuffer.commit()
        lastHandedOff = slotIndex
        return true
    }
    /// (Re)build the pool at `size`/`hdr` — 4 IOSurface render targets (one on glass, one
    /// committed in CA, one rendering, one spare). RENDER THREAD. A failed allocation leaves the
    /// pool empty; the caller returns false and the ring's putBack + display-link retry take
    /// over.
    private func ensureSurfacePool(size: CGSize, hdr: Bool) {
        guard size != surfacePoolSize || hdr != surfacePoolHDR else { return }
        surfacePool.removeAll()
        surfacePoolSize = size
        surfacePoolHDR = hdr
        lastHandedOff = nil
        let w = Int(size.width)
        let h = Int(size.height)
        guard w > 0, h > 0 else { return }
        // rgba16Float (8 B/px) carries the PQ-encoded HDR samples; bgra8 the SDR ones. 256-byte
        // row alignment satisfies both IOSurface and Metal linear-texture rules.
        let bytesPerElement = hdr ? 8 : 4
        let bytesPerRow = ((w * bytesPerElement) + 255) & ~255
        let props: [String: Any] = [
            kIOSurfaceWidth as String: w,
            kIOSurfaceHeight as String: h,
            kIOSurfaceBytesPerElement as String: bytesPerElement,
            kIOSurfaceBytesPerRow as String: bytesPerRow,
            kIOSurfacePixelFormat as String: hdr
                ? kCVPixelFormatType_64RGBAHalf : kCVPixelFormatType_32BGRA,
        ]
        let desc = MTLTextureDescriptor.texture2DDescriptor(
            pixelFormat: hdr ? .rgba16Float : .bgra8Unorm, width: w, height: h, mipmapped: false)
        desc.usage = [.renderTarget]
        desc.storageMode = .shared
        for _ in 0..<4 {
            guard let surface = IOSurfaceCreate(props as CFDictionary),
                  let texture = device.makeTexture(descriptor: desc, iosurface: surface, plane: 0)
            else {
                surfacePool.removeAll()
                return
            }
            if hdr, let name = CGColorSpace(name: CGColorSpace.itur_2100_PQ)?.name {
                // Tag the surface BT.2100 PQ so the compositor interprets the half-float
                // samples as PQ-encoded HDR (the CALayer-contents analogue of the metal
                // layer's colorspace).
                IOSurfaceSetValue(surface, "IOSurfaceColorSpace" as CFString, name)
            }
            surfacePool.append(SurfaceSlot(surface: surface, texture: texture))
        }
        // The EDR request rides the SURFACE layer too (its contents are what composite); the
        // metal layer underneath keeps its own from configureColor as the anchor. Layer flags
        // are committed by the next swap's transaction flush.
        surfaceLayer.wantsExtendedDynamicRangeContent = hdr
    }
    /// Pick the slot to render into: never the one just handed to the layer (the compositor may
    /// still scan it), prefer surfaces the window server isn't holding (`IOSurfaceIsInUse`), and
    /// among those the least recently rendered. Falls back to the LRU busy slot rather than
    /// stalling — a visible glitch at worst, never a queue-up. RENDER THREAD.
    private func takeSurfaceSlot() -> Int? {
        guard !surfacePool.isEmpty else { return nil }
        var free: Int?
        var busy: Int?
        for i in surfacePool.indices where i != lastHandedOff {
            if !IOSurfaceIsInUse(surfacePool[i].surface) {
                if free == nil || surfacePool[i].seq < surfacePool[free!].seq { free = i }
            } else {
                if busy == nil || surfacePool[i].seq < surfacePool[busy!].seq { busy = i }
            }
        }
        guard let pick = free ?? busy else { return nil }
        surfaceSeq += 1
        surfacePool[pick].seq = surfaceSeq
        return pick
    }
    #endif
    /// Returns the CVMetalTexture (not just its MTLTexture) so the caller can keep it alive past the
    /// draw — the MTLTexture is only valid while its CVMetalTexture is retained.
    private func makeTexture(
@@ -142,20 +142,17 @@ enum PresentPriority: Equatable {
 final class SessionPresenter {
    /// Present pacing for this session. Stage-3 always means glass gating; under the stage-2
-    /// default, macOS PyroWave sessions ALSO get glass gating — a kernel-panic mitigation, not a
+    /// default, macOS PyroWave sessions ALSO get glass gating — for SMOOTHNESS, not as the panic
-    /// latency tweak. macOS's DCP panics ("mismatched swapID's" @UnifiedPipeline.cpp, the whole
+    /// fix (that is the windowed transactional present — see `setComposited`). PyroWave's wavelet
-    /// machine dies) when WindowServer's swap submissions race, and the reliable trigger is
+    /// decode is near-instant Metal compute, so a network clump presents within the same
-    /// out-of-band CAMetalLayer presents (displaySyncEnabled=false — mandatory for us, see
+    /// millisecond, and it is the codec that sustains stream rates above the panel's refresh; the
-    /// MetalVideoPresenter's init) arriving faster than the compositor latches them in a
+    /// glass gate admits one presented-but-undisplayed swap at a time (serialized on the on-glass
-    /// COMPOSITED (windowed) session. Arrival pacing does exactly that with PyroWave: the wavelet
+    /// callback, 100 ms stale backstop) so those bursts coalesce in the newest-wins ring instead
-    /// decode is near-instant Metal compute, so a network clump of frames presents within the
+    /// of flooding the queue. (Glass pacing was ALSO the original DCP-panic mitigation attempt —
-    /// same millisecond, and PyroWave is the codec that sustains stream rates above the panel's
+    /// disproven: a fully serialized stream still panicked, which is why the real fix moved to the
-    /// refresh. The glass gate admits one presented-but-undisplayed swap at a time (serialized on
+    /// present mechanism.) An explicit stage-2 pick (setting/env) still forces arrival pacing —
-    /// the on-glass callback, 100 ms stale backstop), which removes the racing pattern outright;
+    /// that A/B lever must stay honest. VideoToolbox codecs keep arrival pacing: decode latency
-    /// frames the panel couldn't have shown anyway coalesce in the newest-wins ring. An explicit
+    /// spaces their presents.
    /// stage-2 pick (setting/env) still forces arrival pacing — that A/B lever must stay honest.
    /// VideoToolbox codecs keep arrival pacing: decode latency spaces their presents, and years
    /// of stage-2 defaults there predate any panic report.
    static func pacing(
        for choice: PresenterChoice, explicit: PresenterChoice?, codec: VideoCodec
    ) -> PresentPacing {
@@ -178,10 +175,25 @@ final class SessionPresenter {
    /// that doesn't exist after the first Wi-Fi clump. Sub-refresh display latency needs pacing
    /// that can't queue at all — that's stage-4 (`PresentPacing.deadline`), not a deeper gate.
    ///
    #if os(macOS)
    /// Resolve the windowed (composited) present MECHANISM for this session — the DCP
    /// swapID-panic mitigation picker (see `WindowedPresentMode`). The
    /// `PUNKTFUNK_WINDOWED_PRESENT=async|transaction|surface` env lever wins (dev A/B);
    /// otherwise the user's safe-present setting: ON/unset → `.transaction` (the validated
    /// mitigation), OFF → `.async` (the fast pre-mitigation path — the panic returns on
    /// affected high-refresh setups; the Settings caption says so). `.surface` is currently
    /// env-only (prototype — HDR-composite verification owed). Fullscreen always presents
    /// async regardless (`setComposited`). Internal (not private) for unit tests.
    static func windowedPresentMode(setting: Bool?, env: String?) -> WindowedPresentMode {
        if let env, let mode = WindowedPresentMode(rawValue: env) { return mode }
        return (setting ?? true) ? .transaction : .async
    }
    #endif
    /// `PUNKTFUNK_GATE_DEPTH` (1…3) still overrides on iOS/tvOS so the standing-queue ladder
-    /// stays reproducible on-device; macOS is pinned to 1, env ignored — glass pacing exists
+    /// stays reproducible on-device; macOS is pinned to 1, env ignored — a deeper gate only builds
-    /// there as the DCP swapID kernel-panic mitigation (see `pacing`), and STRICT present
+    /// a standing queue (see above), and macOS glass pacing exists for PyroWave smoothness
-    /// serialization is its point. Internal (not private) for unit tests.
+    /// (see `pacing`), where depth 1 is the point. Internal (not private) for unit tests.
    static func gateDepth(env: String?) -> Int {
        #if os(macOS)
        return 1
@@ -196,10 +208,16 @@ final class SessionPresenter {
    private var stage2Link: CADisplayLink?
    private var metalLayer: CAMetalLayer?
    #if os(macOS)
-    /// The windowed-mode PyroWave present target (sibling above `metalLayer`) and the last
+    /// The windowed present MECHANISM this session runs while composited (resolved once per
-    /// routing pushed to the pipeline — see `setComposited`. Main-thread only, like all of this.
+    /// session in `start` — the user's safe-present setting + the PUNKTFUNK_WINDOWED_PRESENT
    /// dev override) and the routing last pushed to the pipeline — see `setComposited` (the DCP
    /// swapID-panic mitigation). Main-thread only, like all of this.
    private var windowedMode: WindowedPresentMode = .transaction
    private var windowedPresentApplied: WindowedPresentMode = .async
    /// The windowed `surface` present target (sibling above `metalLayer`, transparent while
    /// unused) — installed whenever stage-2 runs so a mechanism flip never has to mutate the
    /// layer tree mid-session.
    private var surfaceLayer: CALayer?
    private var surfacePresentsActive = false
    #endif
    private var connection: PunktfunkConnection?
    /// The decoded frame's REAL pixel dimensions (ground truth, pushed by the view from the pump's
@@ -283,11 +301,17 @@ final class SessionPresenter {
            baseLayer.addSublayer(metal)
            metalLayer = metal
            #if os(macOS)
-            // The windowed-PyroWave present target sits ABOVE the metal layer: transparent (nil
+            windowedPresentApplied = .async
-            // contents) while the metal path presents, covering it while surface presents run.
+            // Resolve THIS session's windowed mechanism once (setting + dev env lever) —
            // `setComposited` routes between it and fullscreen-async from every layout.
            windowedMode = Self.windowedPresentMode(
                setting: UserDefaults.standard.object(
                    forKey: DefaultsKey.windowedSafePresent) as? Bool,
                env: ProcessInfo.processInfo.environment["PUNKTFUNK_WINDOWED_PRESENT"])
            // The surface present target sits ABOVE the metal layer: transparent (nil contents)
            // unless the surface mechanism actually presents, covering it while it does.
            baseLayer.addSublayer(pipeline.surfaceLayer)
            surfaceLayer = pipeline.surfaceLayer
            surfacePresentsActive = false
            #endif
            stage2 = pipeline
            // The link is the vsync CLOCK + putBack-retry nudge, not the presentation trigger
@@ -432,19 +456,23 @@ final class SessionPresenter {
    #if os(macOS)
    /// Route presents for the window's composited state (MAIN thread — the view pushes it on
-    /// every layout, which fullscreen transitions always trigger). PyroWave sessions in a
+    /// every layout, which fullscreen transitions always trigger). A COMPOSITED (windowed)
-    /// COMPOSITED (windowed) session present via `surfaceLayer` contents instead of the
+    /// session presents through this session's resolved mitigation mechanism (`windowedMode` —
-    /// CAMetalLayer image queue — the DCP "mismatched swapID's" kernel-panic mitigation (see
+    /// transactional by default, see `windowedPresentMode`) instead of the async image queue —
-    /// `MetalVideoPresenter.surfaceLayer`; the metal-swap race survives glass pacing, so pacing
+    /// the DCP "mismatched swapID's" kernel-panic mitigation (see `MetalVideoPresenter`; the
-    /// alone was not enough). VT codecs keep the metal path: no panic reports there, and their
+    /// async-swap race survives glass pacing, so pacing alone was not enough). ALL codecs:
-    /// HDR/EDR presentation has no surface-contents equivalent wired.
+    /// PyroWave hit it 2026-07-18 and windowed HEVC hit the same 240 Hz Mac Studio 2026-07-21 —
    /// it is the async image queue itself, not any codec or present rate. Fullscreen keeps the
    /// async path (direct scanout, lowest latency, no panic there). The full HDR/EDR render
    /// path is preserved in every mechanism.
    func setComposited(_ composited: Bool) {
-        guard let stage2, let connection else { return }
+        guard let stage2 else { return }
-        let wantsSurface = composited && connection.videoCodec == .pyrowave
+        let mode: WindowedPresentMode = composited ? windowedMode : .async
-        guard wantsSurface != surfacePresentsActive else { return }
+        guard mode != windowedPresentApplied else { return }
-        surfacePresentsActive = wantsSurface
+        let wasSurface = windowedPresentApplied == .surface
-        stage2.setSurfacePresents(wantsSurface)
+        windowedPresentApplied = mode
-        if !wantsSurface {
+        stage2.setWindowedPresent(mode)
        if wasSurface {
            // Uncover the metal layer NOW (its last drawable is still attached, so fullscreen
            // entry shows the previous frame until the next present — no black flash).
            CATransaction.begin()
@@ -471,7 +499,7 @@ final class SessionPresenter {
        #if os(macOS)
        surfaceLayer?.removeFromSuperlayer()
        surfaceLayer = nil
-        surfacePresentsActive = false
+        windowedPresentApplied = .async
        #endif
        connection = nil
    }
@@ -1114,15 +1114,15 @@ public final class Stage2Pipeline {
    }
    #if os(macOS)
-    /// The windowed-mode PyroWave present target (see `MetalVideoPresenter.surfaceLayer` — the
+    /// Forward the windowed present mechanism (MAIN thread — see
-    /// DCP swapID-panic mitigation). The hosting view installs it as a sibling above `layer`.
+    /// `MetalVideoPresenter.setWindowedPresent`, the DCP swapID-panic mitigation).
-    public var surfaceLayer: CALayer { presenter.surfaceLayer }
+    func setWindowedPresent(_ mode: WindowedPresentMode) {
-
+        presenter.setWindowedPresent(mode)
    /// Forward the windowed-vs-fullscreen present routing (MAIN thread — see
    /// `MetalVideoPresenter.setSurfacePresents`).
    public func setSurfacePresents(_ on: Bool) {
        presenter.setSurfacePresents(on)
    }
    /// The windowed `surface` present target the hosting SessionPresenter installs as a sibling
    /// ABOVE `layer` (transparent while unused — see `MetalVideoPresenter.surfaceLayer`).
    var surfaceLayer: CALayer { presenter.surfaceLayer }
    #endif
    /// Forward the display's current EDR headroom to the presenter (MAIN thread — a `UIScreen`
@@ -700,9 +700,9 @@ public final class StreamLayerView: NSView {
    private func layoutPresenter() {
        presenter.layout(in: bounds, contentsScale: window?.backingScaleFactor ?? 1)
        // Present routing tracks the window's composited state (fullscreen transitions always
-        // re-layout, so this stays current): windowed PyroWave presents via surface contents —
+        // re-layout, so this stays current): a windowed session presents through a Core Animation
-        // the DCP swapID kernel-panic mitigation (see SessionPresenter.setComposited). A view
+        // transaction — the DCP swapID kernel-panic mitigation (see SessionPresenter.setComposited).
-        // not yet in a window counts as composited (the safe default).
+        // A view not yet in a window counts as composited (the safe default).
        presenter.setComposited(!(window?.styleMask.contains(.fullScreen) ?? false))
        // Feed the follower only once in a window (backing scale is real then) and with real
        // bounds — a pre-window layout would report point-sized dimensions.
@@ -70,6 +70,16 @@ public enum DefaultsKey {
    /// (lowest latency — the default, OFF). Resolved once per session;
    /// PUNKTFUNK_PRESENT_MODE=immediate|vsync overrides it for A/B. See Stage2Pipeline's header.
    public static let vsync = "punktfunk.vsync"
    /// macOS: present WINDOWED sessions in lockstep with the system compositor (the DCP
    /// "mismatched swapID's" kernel-panic mitigation — see SessionPresenter.windowedPresentMode
    /// and the MetalVideoPresenter saga notes). ON/unset (the default): windowed presents ride
    /// a Core Animation transaction — validated panic-free on the 240 Hz repro machine, at a
    /// small display-latency cost vs the raw path. OFF: windowed sessions keep the fast async
    /// image queue — ON AFFECTED SETUPS (high-refresh displays) THAT PATH KERNEL-PANICS THE
    /// WHOLE MAC, which is why the default is ON. Fullscreen always presents async (fast path)
    /// regardless. Resolved once per session; PUNKTFUNK_WINDOWED_PRESENT=async|transaction|
    /// surface overrides it for dev A/B.
    public static let windowedSafePresent = "punktfunk.windowedSafePresent"
    /// Allow variable refresh rate: hand the display link a wide frame-rate RANGE (low floor,
    /// preferred = stream rate) so a ProMotion / adaptive-sync display can vary its physical
    /// refresh to match the stream. On by default; a no-op on fixed-refresh displays. When off,
@@ -316,6 +316,41 @@ final class PresentPacingTests: XCTestCase {
            SessionPresenter.pacing(for: .stage4, explicit: .stage4, codec: .pyrowave), .deadline)
    }
    // MARK: - Windowed present mechanism (the macOS DCP swapID-panic mitigation picker)
    #if os(macOS)
    /// The safe-present setting: ON/unset → the validated transactional mitigation; an explicit
    /// OFF → the fast async path (the user accepted the affected-setup panic risk). The
    /// PUNKTFUNK_WINDOWED_PRESENT env lever overrides both ways, `surface` is env-only (the
    /// prototype mechanism), and garbage/empty env values are "unset", not an override.
    func testWindowedPresentModeResolution() {
        XCTAssertEqual(
            SessionPresenter.windowedPresentMode(setting: nil, env: nil), .transaction,
            "unset defaults to the panic mitigation")
        XCTAssertEqual(
            SessionPresenter.windowedPresentMode(setting: true, env: nil), .transaction)
        XCTAssertEqual(
            SessionPresenter.windowedPresentMode(setting: false, env: nil), .async,
            "an explicit opt-out gets the fast async path")
        // The dev env lever wins over the setting, both directions.
        XCTAssertEqual(
            SessionPresenter.windowedPresentMode(setting: true, env: "async"), .async)
        XCTAssertEqual(
            SessionPresenter.windowedPresentMode(setting: false, env: "transaction"),
            .transaction)
        XCTAssertEqual(
            SessionPresenter.windowedPresentMode(setting: true, env: "surface"), .surface,
            "the surface prototype is reachable via env only")
        XCTAssertEqual(
            SessionPresenter.windowedPresentMode(setting: false, env: "surface"), .surface)
        // Garbage/empty env = unset.
        XCTAssertEqual(
            SessionPresenter.windowedPresentMode(setting: nil, env: "garbage"), .transaction)
        XCTAssertEqual(
            SessionPresenter.windowedPresentMode(setting: false, env: ""), .async)
    }
    #endif
    // MARK: - Glass-gate depth
    /// The in-flight present budget is 1 EVERYWHERE: any deeper gate keeps a standing queue —
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 #   PF_LAUNCH library id to launch on connect       (optional, e.g. steam:570 — pinned games)
 #   PF_BROWSE non-empty = open the gamepad library  (optional; --browse instead of --connect)
 #   PF_MGMT   management-API port for --browse       (optional; client defaults to 47990)
 #   PF_CONNECT_TIMEOUT  connect budget in seconds    (optional; the plugin stretches it after
 #                        firing Wake-on-LAN so the connect survives the host's resume)
 #   PF_APPID  flatpak app id                        (default io.unom.Punktfunk)
 #   PF_FLATPAK  override the flatpak binary path     (default: `flatpak` on PATH)
 #
@@ -61,10 +63,17 @@ if [ -z "${PF_HOST:-}" ]; then
    echo "punktfunkrun: PF_HOST is not set (the plugin sets it as a launch option)" >&2
    exit 2
 fi
 # Trailing args shared by both streaming execs. A stretched connect budget rides along when the
 # plugin set one (it just fired Wake-on-LAN, so the host may still be resuming); an older flatpak
 # without --connect-timeout ignores the flag harmlessly (hand-scanned argv).
 set -- --fullscreen
 if [ -n "${PF_CONNECT_TIMEOUT:-}" ]; then
    set -- --connect-timeout "$PF_CONNECT_TIMEOUT" "$@"
 fi
 if [ -n "${PF_LAUNCH:-}" ]; then
    # A pinned game: the id rides the session Hello and the host launches that title.
    echo "punktfunkrun: streaming $APPID --connect $PF_HOST --launch $PF_LAUNCH" >&2
-    exec "$FLATPAK" run --arch=x86_64 "$APPID" --connect "$PF_HOST" --launch "$PF_LAUNCH" --fullscreen
+    exec "$FLATPAK" run --arch=x86_64 "$APPID" --connect "$PF_HOST" --launch "$PF_LAUNCH" "$@"
 fi
 echo "punktfunkrun: streaming $APPID --connect $PF_HOST" >&2
-exec "$FLATPAK" run --arch=x86_64 "$APPID" --connect "$PF_HOST" --fullscreen
+exec "$FLATPAK" run --arch=x86_64 "$APPID" --connect "$PF_HOST" "$@"
@@ -70,7 +70,9 @@ function setShortcutHidden(appId: number, hidden: boolean): void {
 };
 // Bump when the shipped artwork changes so existing shortcuts re-apply it once (per appId).
-const ART_VERSION = 2;
+// v3: CI zips through 0.17.1 shipped no assets/ at all, yet v2 was still recorded as applied
 // on those installs — the bump makes them re-apply once on the first build that has the files.
 const ART_VERSION = 3;
 function artKey(appId: number): string {
  return `punktfunk:shortcutArt:${appId}`;
 }
@@ -79,7 +81,7 @@ function artKey(appId: number): string {
 * Apply the plugin's grid/hero/logo/icon to a shortcut (idempotent, once per ART_VERSION per
 * appId). Cosmetic and fully best-effort: any failure is swallowed and retried on the next call.
 */
-async function applyArtwork(appId: number): Promise<void> {
+async function applyArtwork(appId: number, isRetry = false): Promise<void> {
  try {
    if (localStorage.getItem(artKey(appId)) === `${ART_VERSION}`) {
      return;
@@ -91,16 +93,29 @@ async function applyArtwork(appId: number): Promise<void> {
      [art.logo, 2],
      [art.gridwide, 3],
    ];
    let applied = false;
    for (const [data, assetType] of assets) {
      if (data) {
        await SteamClient.Apps.SetCustomArtworkForApp(appId, data, "png", assetType);
        applied = true;
      }
    }
    if (art.icon_path) {
      SteamClient.Apps.SetShortcutIcon(appId, art.icon_path);
      applied = true;
    }
    // Only record "done" when something actually landed — a plugin build whose assets/ is
    // missing/empty must keep retrying on later mounts instead of poisoning the marker.
    if (applied) {
      localStorage.setItem(artKey(appId), `${ART_VERSION}`);
    }
  } catch (e) {
    // A shortcut fresh out of AddShortcut may not be registered yet (the same race
    // setShortcutHidden defers around) — one deferred second attempt, then leave it to
    // the next mount.
    if (!isRetry) {
      setTimeout(() => void applyArtwork(appId, true), 2500);
    }
    console.warn("punktfunk: shortcut artwork not applied", e);
  }
 }
@@ -157,7 +172,9 @@ async function ensureControllerConfig(): Promise<void> {
      return;
    }
    const r = await applyControllerConfig(SHORTCUT_NAME);
-    if (r?.ok) {
+    // `ok` alone isn't done: with zero account configset dirs (fresh Steam) the backend
    // succeeds without pointing any account at the template — keep retrying until one lands.
    if (r?.ok && (r.applied ?? []).some((a) => a.startsWith("configset:"))) {
      localStorage.setItem(CONFIG_KEY, `${CONFIG_VERSION}`);
    } else {
      console.warn("punktfunk: controller config not fully applied", r);
@@ -283,13 +300,21 @@ export async function launchStream(
  opts: LaunchOpts = {},
 ): Promise<void> {
  // Wake-on-LAN: if this host is asleep, nudge it awake before the stream connects. Kicked off now
-  // so it races with the shortcut setup (near-zero added latency), and awaited just before RunGame.
+  // so it races with the shortcut setup (near-zero added latency); its outcome is needed below
  // (the connect budget), and RunGame follows the await either way, so nothing is slower for it.
  // Best-effort — the flatpak client's --wake looks up the host's learned MAC (a no-op if none is
  // known), and the connect that follows has its own retry window, so a failure never blocks launch.
  const waking = wake(host, port).catch(() => ({ ok: false }));
-  const { appId, runner } = await ensureStreamShortcut();
+  const [{ appId, runner }, woke] = await Promise.all([ensureStreamShortcut(), waking]);
  const target = port && port !== 9777 ? `${host}:${port}` : host;
  const env = [`PF_HOST=${target}`];
  // A magic packet actually went out (a MAC was known), so the host may be mid-resume from
  // suspend — that takes far longer than the client's default 15 s connect budget. Stretch the
  // budget so the client's wake-tolerant dial keeps retrying across the resume; against an
  // already-awake host the connect still lands in under a second, so this costs nothing.
  if (woke.ok) {
    env.push("PF_CONNECT_TIMEOUT=75");
  }
  if (opts.browse) {
    env.push("PF_BROWSE=1");
    if (opts.mgmt) {
@@ -303,9 +328,9 @@ export async function launchStream(
    env.push(`PF_LAUNCH=${opts.launchId}`);
  }
  // KEY=value ... %command% args — %command% expands to the shortcut exe (/bin/sh); the wrapper
-  // script rides behind it as an argument and reads PF_* from the environment.
+  // script rides behind it as an argument and reads PF_* from the environment. The wake was
  // awaited above, so the magic packet is out before the connect attempt.
  SteamClient.Apps.SetAppLaunchOptions(appId, `${env.join(" ")} %command% "${runner}"`);
  await waking; // ensure the magic packet is out before the connect attempt
  SteamClient.Apps.RunGame(gameIdFromAppId(appId), "", -1, 100);
 }
@@ -498,6 +498,13 @@ async fn session(args: Args) -> Result<()> {
                if std::env::var_os("PUNKTFUNK_CLIENT_444").is_some() {
                    caps |= punktfunk_core::quic::VIDEO_CAP_444;
                }
                // PUNKTFUNK_CLIENT_CHACHA20=1 advertises VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20 — drives the
                // host's ChaCha20-Poly1305 session-cipher resolution (the soft-AES armv7
                // negotiation, design/chacha20-session-cipher.md §7) without a webOS build;
                // the negotiated cipher is reported in the welcome log line below.
                if std::env::var_os("PUNKTFUNK_CLIENT_CHACHA20").is_some() {
                    caps |= punktfunk_core::quic::VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20;
                }
                caps
            },
            // `--audio-channels` (default stereo); the probe multistream-decodes + validates the
@@ -535,6 +542,11 @@ async fn session(args: Args) -> Result<()> {
        chroma_444 = welcome.chroma_format == punktfunk_core::quic::CHROMA_IDC_444,
        chroma_format_idc = welcome.chroma_format,
        codec = codec_ext(welcome.codec),
        cipher = if welcome.cipher == punktfunk_core::quic::CIPHER_CHACHA20_POLY1305 {
            "chacha20-poly1305"
        } else {
            "aes-128-gcm"
        },
        "session offer"
    );
@@ -24,6 +24,16 @@ use pf_frame::DmabufFrame;
 pub trait Capturer: Send {
    fn next_frame(&mut self) -> Result<CapturedFrame>;
    /// [`next_frame`](Self::next_frame) with a caller-chosen first-frame budget instead of the
    /// backend's default. The pipeline retry loop shortens its FIRST attempt's wait: a PipeWire
    /// stream connected while gamescope re-inits its headless takeover can negotiate a format,
    /// reach `Streaming`, and still never receive a buffer — a fresh connect then delivers within
    /// ~0.5 s, so waiting out the full default budget on a doomed stream just delays the retry
    /// that fixes it. Backends without an internal wait budget ignore it (the default delegates).
    fn next_frame_within(&mut self, _budget: std::time::Duration) -> Result<CapturedFrame> {
        self.next_frame()
    }
    /// Non-blocking: the freshest frame available since the last call, or `None` if none has
    /// arrived (the caller reuses its last frame to hold a steady output rate). The default
    /// just produces a frame each call — fine for instant synthetic sources; the portal
@@ -249,6 +259,12 @@ pub struct ZeroCopyPolicy {
    /// passthrough (like the VAAPI backend) instead of the EGL→CUDA import whose payloads only
    /// NVENC can consume. Per-session (the codec is negotiated), unlike `backend_is_vaapi`.
    pub pyrowave_session: bool,
    /// THIS session's encoder can ingest a producer-native NV12 capture (the Linux raw Vulkan
    /// Video backend on an H265/AV1 session — resolved by the host facade via
    /// `pf_encode::linux_native_nv12_ok`). Gates whether the negotiation PREFERS gamescope's
    /// producer-side NV12 pod: libav VAAPI (H264's backend) would misread the two-plane buffer,
    /// so H264/GameStream/PyroWave sessions must never see NV12 frames.
    pub native_nv12_session: bool,
    /// The PyroWave encoder's Vulkan-importable dmabuf modifiers for the capture's packed-RGB fourcc,
    /// resolved when the session encodes PyroWave (the passthrough advertises them so Mutter+NVIDIA,
    /// which allocates tiled-only, still negotiates zero-copy). Empty otherwise.
@@ -299,29 +299,11 @@ fn spawn_pipewire(
 impl Capturer for PortalCapturer {
    fn next_frame(&mut self) -> Result<CapturedFrame> {
-        // First frame can lag behind format negotiation; later frames arrive at ~fps. Wait in
+        self.frame_within(Duration::from_secs(10))
        // short slices so a GPU-import poison (worker death) fails the capture within ~0.5 s
        // instead of sitting out the full first-frame budget.
        let deadline = std::time::Instant::now() + Duration::from_secs(10);
        loop {
            if self.broken.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
                return Err(anyhow!(
                    "zero-copy GPU import lost (node {}): the import worker died or tiled imports \
                     failed repeatedly — rebuilding capture",
                    self.node_id
                ));
            }
            if let Some(f) = self.pending.take() {
                return Ok(f); // a wait_arrival stash outranks the channel (it's older)
            }
            let slice = Duration::from_millis(500)
                .min(deadline.saturating_duration_since(std::time::Instant::now()));
            match self.frames.recv_timeout(slice) {
                Ok(frame) => return Ok(frame),
                Err(RecvTimeoutError::Timeout) if std::time::Instant::now() < deadline => continue,
                Err(e) => return self.next_frame_timed_out(e),
            }
    }
    fn next_frame_within(&mut self, budget: Duration) -> Result<CapturedFrame> {
        self.frame_within(budget)
    }
    fn supports_arrival_wait(&self) -> bool {
@@ -417,9 +399,41 @@ impl Capturer for PortalCapturer {
 }
 impl PortalCapturer {
-    /// The [`Capturer::next_frame`] budget expired (or the thread ended) — turn it into the
+    /// The blocking first-frame wait behind [`Capturer::next_frame`] /
-    /// diagnosis-bearing error. Split out of the slicing loop above; behavior unchanged.
+    /// [`Capturer::next_frame_within`]. First frame can lag behind format negotiation; later
-    fn next_frame_timed_out(&self, err: RecvTimeoutError) -> Result<CapturedFrame> {
+    /// frames arrive at ~fps. Wait in short slices so a GPU-import poison (worker death) fails
    /// the capture within ~0.5 s instead of sitting out the full first-frame budget.
    fn frame_within(&mut self, budget: Duration) -> Result<CapturedFrame> {
        let deadline = std::time::Instant::now() + budget;
        loop {
            if self.broken.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
                return Err(anyhow!(
                    "zero-copy GPU import lost (node {}): the import worker died or tiled imports \
                     failed repeatedly — rebuilding capture",
                    self.node_id
                ));
            }
            if let Some(f) = self.pending.take() {
                return Ok(f); // a wait_arrival stash outranks the channel (it's older)
            }
            let slice = Duration::from_millis(500)
                .min(deadline.saturating_duration_since(std::time::Instant::now()));
            match self.frames.recv_timeout(slice) {
                Ok(frame) => return Ok(frame),
                Err(RecvTimeoutError::Timeout) if std::time::Instant::now() < deadline => continue,
                Err(e) => return self.next_frame_timed_out(e, budget),
            }
        }
    }
    /// The [`frame_within`](Self::frame_within) budget expired (or the thread ended) — turn it
    /// into the diagnosis-bearing error. Split out of the slicing loop above; behavior unchanged.
    fn next_frame_timed_out(
        &self,
        err: RecvTimeoutError,
        budget: Duration,
    ) -> Result<CapturedFrame> {
        let within = budget.as_secs_f32();
        match err {
            RecvTimeoutError::Timeout => {
                // Split the two black-screen root causes apart so the operator gets a cause, not
@@ -427,9 +441,10 @@ impl PortalCapturer {
                // not (no acceptable format / node never emitted a param)?
                if self.negotiated.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
                    Err(anyhow!(
-                        "no PipeWire frame within 10s (node {}): format negotiated but no buffers \
+                        "no PipeWire frame within {within}s (node {}): format negotiated but no \
-                         arrived — the compositor produced no frames (virtual output idle/unmapped, \
+                         buffers arrived — the compositor produced no frames (virtual output \
-                         or capture never started)",
+                         idle/unmapped, capture never started, or a stream bound during a \
                         compositor (re)start that will never deliver — a reconnect fixes that)",
                        self.node_id
                    ))
                } else if self.hdr_offer {
@@ -440,10 +455,10 @@ impl PortalCapturer {
                    // auto-reconnects) negotiates SDR instead of re-running this same timeout.
                    super::note_hdr_capture_failed();
                    Err(anyhow!(
-                        "no PipeWire frame within 10s (node {}): the compositor never accepted \
+                        "no PipeWire frame within {within}s (node {}): the compositor never \
-                         the HDR (10-bit PQ/BT.2020 dmabuf) offer — is the mirrored monitor in \
+                         accepted the HDR (10-bit PQ/BT.2020 dmabuf) offer — is the mirrored \
-                         HDR mode on GNOME 50+? Downgrading this host to SDR capture; reconnect \
+                         monitor in HDR mode on GNOME 50+? Downgrading this host to SDR capture; \
-                         to stream SDR",
+                         reconnect to stream SDR",
                        self.node_id
                    ))
                } else if self.vaapi_dmabuf && !pf_zerocopy::vaapi_dmabuf_forced() {
@@ -452,14 +467,15 @@ impl PortalCapturer {
                    // retries on the CPU offer instead of failing this same negotiation forever.
                    pf_zerocopy::note_vaapi_dmabuf_failed();
                    Err(anyhow!(
-                        "no PipeWire frame within 10s (node {}): the compositor never accepted \
+                        "no PipeWire frame within {within}s (node {}): the compositor never \
-                         the LINEAR-dmabuf offer (VAAPI zero-copy) — downgrading this host to the \
+                         accepted the LINEAR-dmabuf offer (VAAPI zero-copy) — downgrading this \
-                         CPU capture path; the pipeline rebuild will renegotiate without dmabuf",
+                         host to the CPU capture path; the pipeline rebuild will renegotiate \
                         without dmabuf",
                        self.node_id
                    ))
                } else {
                    Err(anyhow!(
-                        "no PipeWire frame within 10s (node {}): format negotiation never \
+                        "no PipeWire frame within {within}s (node {}): format negotiation never \
                         completed — the compositor offered no format this consumer accepts \
                         (pixel-format/modifier mismatch) or the node never emitted a Format param",
                        self.node_id
@@ -824,6 +840,7 @@ mod pipewire {
            VideoFormat::RGBA => PixelFormat::Rgba,
            VideoFormat::RGB => PixelFormat::Rgb,
            VideoFormat::BGR => PixelFormat::Bgr,
            VideoFormat::NV12 => PixelFormat::Nv12,
            // The GNOME 50+ HDR screencast formats (packed 2:10:10:10; only ever negotiated by
            // the `want_hdr` offer, whose MANDATORY colorimetry props pin them to PQ/BT.2020).
            VideoFormat::xRGB_210LE => PixelFormat::X2Rgb10,
@@ -989,10 +1006,10 @@ mod pipewire {
        .into_inner())
    }
-    /// Build a BGRx dmabuf `EnumFormat` pod advertising the EGL-importable `modifiers` as a
+    /// Build a LINEAR/modifier DMA-BUF `EnumFormat` pod. Packed BGRx is the existing import path;
-    /// mandatory enum Choice; the compositor fixates to one of them that it can allocate, which
+    /// NV12 is gamescope's producer-side RGB→YUV path (opt-in during bring-up).
    /// we read back in `param_changed`.
    fn build_dmabuf_format(
        format: VideoFormat,
        modifiers: &[u64],
        preferred: Option<(u32, u32, u32)>,
    ) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
@@ -1003,7 +1020,7 @@ mod pipewire {
            pw::spa::param::ParamType::EnumFormat,
            pw::spa::pod::property!(FormatProperties::MediaType, Id, MediaType::Video),
            pw::spa::pod::property!(FormatProperties::MediaSubtype, Id, MediaSubtype::Raw),
-            pw::spa::pod::property!(FormatProperties::VideoFormat, Id, VideoFormat::BGRx),
+            pw::spa::pod::property!(FormatProperties::VideoFormat, Id, format),
            pw::spa::pod::property!(
                FormatProperties::VideoSize,
                Choice,
@@ -1032,6 +1049,22 @@ mod pipewire {
                pw::spa::utils::Fraction { num: 240, denom: 1 }
            ),
        );
        if format == VideoFormat::NV12 {
            obj.properties.push(pw::spa::pod::Property {
                key: pw::spa::sys::SPA_FORMAT_VIDEO_colorMatrix,
                flags: pw::spa::pod::PropertyFlags::MANDATORY,
                value: pw::spa::pod::Value::Id(pw::spa::utils::Id(
                    pw::spa::sys::SPA_VIDEO_COLOR_MATRIX_BT709,
                )),
            });
            obj.properties.push(pw::spa::pod::Property {
                key: pw::spa::sys::SPA_FORMAT_VIDEO_colorRange,
                flags: pw::spa::pod::PropertyFlags::MANDATORY,
                value: pw::spa::pod::Value::Id(pw::spa::utils::Id(
                    pw::spa::sys::SPA_VIDEO_COLOR_RANGE_16_235,
                )),
            });
        }
        obj.properties.push(pw::spa::pod::Property {
            key: pw::spa::sys::SPA_FORMAT_VIDEO_modifier,
            flags: pw::spa::pod::PropertyFlags::MANDATORY,
@@ -1604,8 +1637,8 @@ mod pipewire {
            }
        }
-        // VAAPI zero-copy passthrough: hand the raw dmabuf straight to the encoder, which imports
+        // Raw DMA-BUF passthrough: packed RGB is imported for GPU CSC; producer-native NV12 can
-        // it into a VA surface and does RGB→NV12 on the GPU video engine. No CUDA importer here.
+        // be consumed by the Vulkan Video encoder without another color conversion.
        if ud.vaapi_passthrough {
            if let Some(fmt) = ud.format {
                if datas[0].type_() == pw::spa::buffer::DataType::DmaBuf {
@@ -1613,9 +1646,41 @@ mod pipewire {
                        let chunk = datas[0].chunk();
                        let offset = chunk.offset();
                        let stride = chunk.stride().max(0) as u32;
                        // Native NV12 usually arrives as a two-plane SPA buffer over ONE buffer
                        // object; plane 1's chunk carries the REAL UV offset/stride (compositors
                        // may align the Y plane before UV). Pass it through instead of assuming
                        // contiguity. Each spa_data holds its own (dup'd) fd, so BO identity is
                        // by inode, not fd number; a genuinely two-BO frame cannot travel through
                        // the single-fd import — drop it with a diagnosis instead of streaming
                        // garbage chroma.
                        let plane1 =
                            if fmt == PixelFormat::Nv12 && datas.len() >= 2 && datas[1].fd() > 0 {
                                // SAFETY: zeroed `libc::stat` is a valid POD initializer; both fds are
                                // owned by the live PipeWire buffer for this callback, and `fstat`
                                // only writes the out-param structs, whose fields are read only after
                                // the `== 0` success checks.
                                let same_bo = unsafe {
                                    let mut s0: libc::stat = std::mem::zeroed();
                                    let mut s1: libc::stat = std::mem::zeroed();
                                    libc::fstat(datas[0].fd() as i32, &mut s0) == 0
                                        && libc::fstat(datas[1].fd() as i32, &mut s1) == 0
                                        && (s0.st_dev, s0.st_ino) == (s1.st_dev, s1.st_ino)
                                };
                                if !same_bo {
                                    warn_once(
                                        "NV12 planes live in different buffer objects — frames \
                                     dropped (single-fd import only)",
                                    );
                                    return;
                                }
                                let c1 = datas[1].chunk();
                                Some((c1.offset(), c1.stride().max(0) as u32))
                            } else {
                                None
                            };
                        // dup the fd so it survives the SPA buffer recycle — the encode thread
-                        // imports it. (Content stability across the brief map+CSC window relies on
+                        // imports it. Content stability across the brief import/encode window relies
-                        // the compositor's buffer-pool depth, like any zero-copy capture.)
+                        // on the compositor's buffer-pool depth, like any zero-copy capture.
                        // SAFETY: `datas[0].fd()` is the dmabuf fd owned by the live PipeWire buffer (valid
                        // for this callback). `fcntl(fd, F_DUPFD_CLOEXEC, 0)` reads only the integer fd,
                        // touches no Rust memory, and returns a fresh independent CLOEXEC duplicate (or -1).
@@ -1642,9 +1707,10 @@ mod pipewire {
                                    modifier: ud.modifier,
                                    offset,
                                    stride,
                                    plane1,
                                }),
-                                // Cursor-as-metadata: the encoder blends this into its owned VA
+                                // Cursor-as-metadata is blended only by RGB→NV12 backends. Gamescope
-                                // surface (raw dmabuf never touched).
+                                // embeds its pointer in the produced pixels, so native NV12 has none.
                                cursor: ud.cursor.overlay(),
                            });
                            static ONCE: std::sync::atomic::AtomicBool =
@@ -1655,7 +1721,12 @@ mod pipewire {
                                    h,
                                    modifier = ud.modifier,
                                    fourcc = format_args!("{:#010x}", fourcc),
-                                    "zero-copy: handing the raw dmabuf to the encoder (GPU import + CSC)"
+                                    source = if fmt == PixelFormat::Nv12 {
                                        "producer-native NV12"
                                    } else {
                                        "packed RGB (encoder GPU CSC)"
                                    },
                                    "zero-copy: handing the raw DMA-BUF to the encoder"
                                );
                            }
                            return;
@@ -2015,6 +2086,28 @@ mod pipewire {
        // PyroWave session (the wavelet encoder's own Vulkan device, any vendor) → hand the raw
        // dmabuf straight to the encoder.
        let vaapi_passthrough = zerocopy && !force_shm && importer.is_none() && raw_passthrough;
        // Producer-side NV12 (default-on; PUNKTFUNK_PIPEWIRE_NV12=0 escapes): gamescope offers a
        // one-fd LINEAR NV12 image when the consumer asks — its compositor pass does the RGB→YUV,
        // and the Vulkan Video encoder imports the buffer as its encode source directly (no host
        // CSC at all). `native_nv12_session` restricts this to sessions whose encoder can ingest
        // it (Linux vulkan-encode H265/AV1 — never H264/libav-VAAPI, GameStream-resolve, or
        // PyroWave, whose Vulkan compute CSC ingests packed RGB only). Raw passthrough is
        // required because the CUDA importer expects packed RGB, and 4:4:4/HDR must not be
        // silently subsampled/downconverted. Non-NV12 compositors (KWin/GNOME) simply match the
        // packed-RGB fallback pod.
        let prefer_native_nv12 = std::env::var("PUNKTFUNK_PIPEWIRE_NV12").as_deref() != Ok("0")
            && policy.native_nv12_session
            && backend_is_vaapi
            && vaapi_passthrough
            && !policy.pyrowave_session
            && !want_444
            && !want_hdr;
        if prefer_native_nv12 {
            tracing::info!(
                "zero-copy: preferring gamescope producer-side NV12 LINEAR DMA-BUF (no host \
                 RGB CSC; PUNKTFUNK_PIPEWIRE_NV12=0 restores the packed-RGB negotiation)"
            );
        }
        // Modifiers our import stack handles for BGRx: the EGL-importable (tiled) set, plus LINEAR
        // (0) — NVIDIA's EGL won't list it, but LINEAR dmabufs (gamescope's only offer) import via
        // CUDA external memory instead. For the VAAPI passthrough path we advertise LINEAR only:
@@ -2054,7 +2147,9 @@ mod pipewire {
            tracing::warn!("zero-copy: no importable dmabuf modifiers — using CPU path");
        } else if vaapi_passthrough && policy.pyrowave_modifiers.is_empty() {
            tracing::info!(
-                "zero-copy: advertising LINEAR dmabuf for direct VAAPI import (GPU CSC)"
+                native_nv12_preferred = prefer_native_nv12,
                "zero-copy: advertising LINEAR DMA-BUF for encoder import (native NV12 first \
                 when enabled, packed RGB fallback)"
            );
        } else if want_dmabuf && !vaapi_passthrough {
            tracing::info!(
@@ -2394,7 +2489,18 @@ mod pipewire {
                build_hdr_dmabuf_format(VideoFormat::xBGR_210LE, preferred)?,
            ]
        } else if want_dmabuf {
-            vec![build_dmabuf_format(&modifiers, preferred)?]
+            let mut pods = Vec::with_capacity(if prefer_native_nv12 { 2 } else { 1 });
            if prefer_native_nv12 {
                // First compatible consumer pod wins. Gamescope advertises NV12 and BGRx; pinning
                // BT.709 limited here selects its RGB→NV12 shader with our bitstream colorimetry.
                pods.push(build_dmabuf_format(VideoFormat::NV12, &[0], preferred)?);
            }
            pods.push(build_dmabuf_format(
                VideoFormat::BGRx,
                &modifiers,
                preferred,
            )?);
            pods
        } else {
            vec![serialize_pod(obj)?]
        };
@@ -308,8 +308,9 @@ float2 main(float4 pos : SV_POSITION, float2 uv : TEXCOORD0) : SV_TARGET {
 /// Plane writes use per-plane render-target views of the single P010 texture: an `R16_UNORM` RTV
 /// selects plane 0 (luma, full WxH), an `R16G16_UNORM` RTV selects plane 1 (chroma, W/2 x H/2). This
 /// planar-RTV mechanism needs a D3D11.3+ runtime + driver support; [`HdrP010Converter::convert`]
-/// surfaces a clear error if `CreateRenderTargetView` rejects the plane format so the caller can fall
+/// surfaces a clear error if `CreateRenderTargetView` rejects the plane format. (There is no runtime
-/// back to the existing R10 path.
+/// fallback — the error propagates through `try_consume` and ends the session; the "R10 path" the
 /// original design referenced was never kept.)
 pub(crate) struct HdrP010Converter {
    vs: ID3D11VertexShader,
    ps_y: ID3D11PixelShader,
@@ -737,14 +738,157 @@ fn p010_reference(r: f64, g: f64, b: f64) -> (f64, f64, f64) {
 /// Y ≤ 4 codes, U/V ≤ 5 codes (rounding + chroma averaging). Prints a per-colour table + PASS/FAIL.
 #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
 pub fn hdr_p010_selftest() -> Result<()> {
-    use windows::Win32::Graphics::Direct3D::D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_HARDWARE;
+    hdr_p010_selftest_at(64, 64, None)
-    use windows::Win32::Graphics::Dxgi::IDXGIAdapter;
+}
-    // 64x64, even dims. A 4x4 grid of 16x16 flat scRGB blocks (each 2x2 chroma footprint uniform →
+/// [`hdr_p010_selftest`] at an arbitrary even size and (optionally) on a specific GPU vendor
-    // exact chroma comparison) covering pure R/G/B/white/black/gray at plausible HDR nit levels, plus
+/// (PCI vendor id, e.g. `0x8086` Intel / `0x10de` NVIDIA / `0x1002` AMD). The size matters on
-    // a couple of bright (>1.0 scRGB) colours, then the rest is a gradient (compared on Y only).
+/// top of the 64×64 default because the field sessions run at capture resolutions whose height
-    const W: u32 = 64;
+/// is NOT 16-aligned (1080 → the encoder's align16 pool seam) and a driver may treat the planar
-    const H: u32 = 64;
+/// RTVs differently at real sizes; the vendor pin matters on dual-GPU boxes where the default
 /// adapter is not the one the session encodes on.
 /// Test support (used by pf-encode's live e2e): the 8 sRGB colour bars (white/yellow/cyan/green/
 /// magenta/red/blue/black, sRGB 1.0 = scRGB 1.0 = 80 nits) as a w×h FP16 scRGB texture on the
 /// adapter with `luid`, converted through the REAL [`HdrP010Converter`] into a P010 texture with
 /// **`BIND_RENDER_TARGET` only, `MiscFlags` 0 — the exact bind profile of the IDD out-ring** (the
 /// CPU-upload encoder tests can't use that profile, so only this path exercises "RTV-written P010
 /// → encoder ingest copy"). Returns `(device, p010)`; expected decoded codes per bar are the
 /// bars_pq2020 fixture's: (490,512,512) (478,423,518) (464,525,473) (450,432,476) (350,584,585)
 /// (325,448,598) (226,650,535) (64,512,512).
 #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
 #[doc(hidden)]
 pub fn hdr_p010_convert_bars_on_luid(
    luid: [u8; 8],
    w: u32,
    h: u32,
 ) -> Result<(ID3D11Device, ID3D11Texture2D)> {
    use windows::Win32::Graphics::Direct3D::D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_UNKNOWN;
    use windows::Win32::Graphics::Dxgi::{CreateDXGIFactory1, IDXGIAdapter1, IDXGIFactory4};
    if w == 0 || h == 0 || w % 2 != 0 || h % 2 != 0 {
        bail!("bars pattern needs even non-zero dimensions, got {w}x{h}");
    }
    // sRGB primaries at full/zero channels: sRGB EOTF(1.0)=1.0, (0)=0 → the scRGB pattern is
    // pure 0/1 floats and the PQ/BT.2020 reference codes above are exact.
    const BARS: [(f32, f32, f32); 8] = [
        (1.0, 1.0, 1.0),
        (1.0, 1.0, 0.0),
        (0.0, 1.0, 1.0),
        (0.0, 1.0, 0.0),
        (1.0, 0.0, 1.0),
        (1.0, 0.0, 0.0),
        (0.0, 0.0, 1.0),
        (0.0, 0.0, 0.0),
    ];
    let bar_w = (w / 8).max(1) as usize;
    let mut fp16 = vec![0u16; (w * h * 4) as usize];
    for y in 0..h as usize {
        for x in 0..w as usize {
            let (r, g, b) = BARS[(x / bar_w).min(7)];
            let i = (y * w as usize + x) * 4;
            fp16[i] = f32_to_f16(r);
            fp16[i + 1] = f32_to_f16(g);
            fp16[i + 2] = f32_to_f16(b);
            fp16[i + 3] = f32_to_f16(1.0);
        }
    }
    // SAFETY: same single-device/single-thread contract as `hdr_p010_selftest_at`; the FP16
    // initial-data Vec outlives the synchronous CreateTexture2D; the returned COM handles own
    // their references.
    unsafe {
        let luid = windows::Win32::Foundation::LUID {
            LowPart: u32::from_le_bytes(luid[..4].try_into().unwrap()),
            HighPart: i32::from_le_bytes(luid[4..].try_into().unwrap()),
        };
        let factory: IDXGIFactory4 = CreateDXGIFactory1().context("dxgi factory")?;
        let adapter: IDXGIAdapter1 = factory.EnumAdapterByLuid(luid).context("adapter by luid")?;
        let mut device: Option<ID3D11Device> = None;
        let mut context: Option<ID3D11DeviceContext> = None;
        D3D11CreateDevice(
            &adapter,
            D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_UNKNOWN,
            HMODULE::default(),
            D3D11_CREATE_DEVICE_BGRA_SUPPORT,
            Some(&[D3D_FEATURE_LEVEL_11_0]),
            D3D11_SDK_VERSION,
            Some(&mut device),
            None,
            Some(&mut context),
        )
        .context("D3D11CreateDevice(luid) for bars convert")?;
        let device = device.context("null device")?;
        let context = context.context("null context")?;
        let src_desc = D3D11_TEXTURE2D_DESC {
            Width: w,
            Height: h,
            MipLevels: 1,
            ArraySize: 1,
            Format: DXGI_FORMAT_R16G16B16A16_FLOAT,
            SampleDesc: DXGI_SAMPLE_DESC {
                Count: 1,
                Quality: 0,
            },
            Usage: D3D11_USAGE_DEFAULT,
            BindFlags: D3D11_BIND_SHADER_RESOURCE.0 as u32,
            ..Default::default()
        };
        let init = D3D11_SUBRESOURCE_DATA {
            pSysMem: fp16.as_ptr() as *const c_void,
            SysMemPitch: w * 8,
            SysMemSlicePitch: 0,
        };
        let mut src_tex: Option<ID3D11Texture2D> = None;
        device
            .CreateTexture2D(&src_desc, Some(&init), Some(&mut src_tex))
            .context("CreateTexture2D(fp16 bars)")?;
        let src_tex = src_tex.context("null src tex")?;
        let mut src_srv: Option<ID3D11ShaderResourceView> = None;
        device
            .CreateShaderResourceView(&src_tex, None, Some(&mut src_srv))
            .context("CreateShaderResourceView(fp16 bars)")?;
        let src_srv = src_srv.context("null src srv")?;
        // The IDD out-ring's exact profile: P010, RENDER_TARGET only, MiscFlags 0.
        let p010_desc = D3D11_TEXTURE2D_DESC {
            Width: w,
            Height: h,
            MipLevels: 1,
            ArraySize: 1,
            Format: DXGI_FORMAT_P010,
            SampleDesc: DXGI_SAMPLE_DESC {
                Count: 1,
                Quality: 0,
            },
            Usage: D3D11_USAGE_DEFAULT,
            BindFlags: D3D11_BIND_RENDER_TARGET.0 as u32,
            ..Default::default()
        };
        let mut p010: Option<ID3D11Texture2D> = None;
        device
            .CreateTexture2D(&p010_desc, None, Some(&mut p010))
            .context("CreateTexture2D(P010 bars dst)")?;
        let p010 = p010.context("null p010 tex")?;
        let conv = HdrP010Converter::new(&device)?;
        conv.convert(&device, &context, &src_srv, &p010, w, h)?;
        Ok((device, p010))
    }
 }
 #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
 pub fn hdr_p010_selftest_at(w: u32, h: u32, vendor: Option<u32>) -> Result<()> {
    use windows::Win32::Graphics::Direct3D::{D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_HARDWARE, D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_UNKNOWN};
    use windows::Win32::Graphics::Dxgi::{CreateDXGIFactory1, IDXGIAdapter, IDXGIFactory1};
    if w == 0 || h == 0 || w % 2 != 0 || h % 2 != 0 {
        bail!("hdr-p010-selftest needs even non-zero dimensions, got {w}x{h}");
    }
    // A grid of 16x16 flat scRGB blocks (each 2x2 chroma footprint uniform → exact chroma
    // comparison) covering pure R/G/B/white/black/gray at plausible HDR nit levels, plus a couple
    // of bright (>1.0 scRGB) colours, then the rest is a gradient (compared on Y only).
    #[allow(non_snake_case)]
    let (W, H) = (w, h);
    const BLK: u32 = 16;
    // (name, r, g, b) scRGB linear (1.0 = 80 nits). Mix of SDR-ish and HDR (>1.0) values.
    let named: [(&str, f32, f32, f32); 8] = [
@@ -797,12 +941,36 @@ pub fn hdr_p010_selftest() -> Result<()> {
    // `fp16` outlives the synchronous `CreateTexture2D` that reads it. The mapped-pointer reads are
    // proven individually at the `read_u16` closure below.
    unsafe {
-        // Hardware D3D11 device (no adapter pin — the default GPU is fine for the self-test).
+        // Device on the requested vendor's adapter (dual-GPU boxes encode on a specific one), else
        // the default hardware GPU. Always says which adapter ran — a PASS is only meaningful for
        // the GPU it actually tested.
        let adapter: Option<IDXGIAdapter> = match vendor {
            None => None,
            Some(want) => {
                let factory: IDXGIFactory1 = CreateDXGIFactory1().context("dxgi factory")?;
                let mut found = None;
                for i in 0.. {
                    let Ok(a) = factory.EnumAdapters(i) else {
                        break;
                    };
                    let desc = a.GetDesc().context("adapter desc")?;
                    if desc.VendorId == want {
                        found = Some(a);
                        break;
                    }
                }
                Some(found.with_context(|| format!("no adapter with vendor id {want:#x}"))?)
            }
        };
        let mut device: Option<ID3D11Device> = None;
        let mut context: Option<ID3D11DeviceContext> = None;
        D3D11CreateDevice(
-            None::<&IDXGIAdapter>,
+            adapter.as_ref(),
-            D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_HARDWARE,
+            if adapter.is_some() {
                D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_UNKNOWN
            } else {
                D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_HARDWARE
            },
            HMODULE::default(),
            D3D11_CREATE_DEVICE_BGRA_SUPPORT,
            Some(&[D3D_FEATURE_LEVEL_11_0]),
@@ -814,6 +982,22 @@ pub fn hdr_p010_selftest() -> Result<()> {
        .context("D3D11CreateDevice(hardware) for hdr-p010-selftest")?;
        let device = device.context("null device")?;
        let context = context.context("null context")?;
        {
            let dxgi: windows::Win32::Graphics::Dxgi::IDXGIDevice =
                device.cast().context("device -> IDXGIDevice")?;
            let desc = dxgi.GetAdapter().context("GetAdapter")?.GetDesc()?;
            let name = String::from_utf16_lossy(
                &desc.Description[..desc
                    .Description
                    .iter()
                    .position(|&c| c == 0)
                    .unwrap_or(desc.Description.len())],
            );
            println!(
                "adapter: {name} (vendor {:#06x}, luid {:08x}:{:08x})",
                desc.VendorId, desc.AdapterLuid.HighPart, desc.AdapterLuid.LowPart
            );
        }
        // Source FP16 texture (initialized) + SRV.
        let src_desc = D3D11_TEXTURE2D_DESC {
@@ -1175,3 +1359,16 @@ impl VideoConverter {
        blt.context("VideoProcessorBlt")
    }
 }
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod hdr_selftests {
    /// LIVE (needs the GPU): [`super::hdr_p010_selftest_at`] at the field capture size — 1080 is
    /// NOT 16-aligned, and the planar-RTV write path is driver-specific per vendor. Pinned to the
    /// Intel adapter (`0x8086`), so it runs on the Intel validation boxes and errors out cleanly
    /// ("no adapter") elsewhere. `cargo test -p pf-capture -- --ignored hdr_p010 --nocapture`.
    #[test]
    #[ignore]
    fn hdr_p010_selftest_intel_1080_live() {
        super::hdr_p010_selftest_at(1920, 1080, Some(0x8086)).expect("hdr p010 selftest @1080");
    }
 }
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@ tracing = "0.1"
 # A test writer for the NVENC backend's unit tests (`with_test_writer().try_init()`).
 tracing-subscriber = { version = "0.3", features = ["env-filter"] }
 [target.'cfg(target_os = "windows")'.dev-dependencies]
 # The QSV live e2e drives the REAL HdrP010Converter output (an RTV-written, ring-profile P010
 # texture) into the encoder — the one seam the CPU-upload tests can't reach.
 pf-capture = { path = "../pf-capture" }
 [target.'cfg(any(target_os = "linux", target_os = "windows"))'.dependencies]
 # Software H.264 (openh264, BSD-2) — the GPU-less encode path on both platforms.
 openh264 = "0.9"
@@ -37,9 +37,11 @@ pub(crate) fn fourcc_to_vk(fourcc: u32) -> Option<vk::Format> {
    const AR24: u32 = 0x3432_5241; // ARGB8888
    const XB24: u32 = 0x3432_4258; // XBGR8888
    const AB24: u32 = 0x3432_4241; // ABGR8888
    const NV12: u32 = 0x3231_564e; // DRM_FORMAT_NV12
    match fourcc {
        XR24 | AR24 => Some(vk::Format::B8G8R8A8_UNORM),
        XB24 | AB24 => Some(vk::Format::R8G8B8A8_UNORM),
        NV12 => Some(vk::Format::G8_B8R8_2PLANE_420_UNORM),
        _ => None,
    }
 }
@@ -90,9 +92,10 @@ pub(crate) unsafe fn import_rgb_dmabuf(
    )
 }
-/// [`import_rgb_dmabuf`] with the image usage explicit and an optional video-profile list
+/// [`import_rgb_dmabuf`] with the image usage explicit and an optional video-profile list.
-/// (chained into the image create) — the RGB-direct encode path imports the captured buffer
+/// Despite the historical name, this also imports gamescope's one-fd LINEAR NV12: the UV
-/// as a profiled `VIDEO_ENCODE_SRC` image instead of a sampled one.
+/// subresource layout comes from the producer's plane-1 chunk when it reported one, falling
 /// back to the shared-stride contiguous-plane contract.
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
 pub(crate) unsafe fn import_rgb_dmabuf_as(
    device: &ash::Device,
@@ -108,12 +111,27 @@ pub(crate) unsafe fn import_rgb_dmabuf_as(
    use std::os::fd::IntoRawFd;
    let fmt = fourcc_to_vk(d.fourcc)
        .with_context(|| format!("unsupported dmabuf fourcc {:#x}", d.fourcc))?;
-    let plane = [vk::SubresourceLayout::default()
+    let planes: Vec<vk::SubresourceLayout> = if fmt == vk::Format::G8_B8R8_2PLANE_420_UNORM {
        let (uv_offset, uv_stride) = d.plane1.map(|(o, s)| (o as u64, s as u64)).unwrap_or((
            d.offset as u64 + d.stride as u64 * ch as u64,
            d.stride as u64,
        ));
        vec![
            vk::SubresourceLayout::default()
                .offset(d.offset as u64)
-        .row_pitch(d.stride as u64)];
+                .row_pitch(d.stride as u64),
            vk::SubresourceLayout::default()
                .offset(uv_offset)
                .row_pitch(uv_stride),
        ]
    } else {
        vec![vk::SubresourceLayout::default()
            .offset(d.offset as u64)
            .row_pitch(d.stride as u64)]
    };
    let mut drm = vk::ImageDrmFormatModifierExplicitCreateInfoEXT::default()
        .drm_format_modifier(d.modifier)
-        .plane_layouts(&plane);
+        .plane_layouts(&planes);
    let mut ext = vk::ExternalMemoryImageCreateInfo::default()
        .handle_types(vk::ExternalMemoryHandleTypeFlags::DMA_BUF_EXT);
    let mut ci = vk::ImageCreateInfo::default()
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ use super::vk_util::{color_range, find_mem, make_plain_image, make_view, pixel_t
 use crate::{Codec, EncodedFrame, Encoder, EncoderCaps};
 use anyhow::{bail, Context, Result};
 use ash::vk;
-use pf_frame::{CapturedFrame, FramePayload};
+use pf_frame::{CapturedFrame, FramePayload, PixelFormat};
 use std::collections::VecDeque;
 use std::ffi::c_void;
 use std::os::fd::AsRawFd;
@@ -84,17 +84,36 @@ fn rgb_request() -> Option<bool> {
    }
 }
 /// True-extent RGB-direct at unaligned modes (default ON; `PUNKTFUNK_VULKAN_RGB_TRUE_EXTENT=0`
 /// restores the padded-copy staging): direct-import the visible-size capture with the TRUE-SIZE
 /// source `codedExtent` — RADV derives nonzero VCN firmware padding from it, so the EFC is told
 /// the source lacks the alignment rows (see [`RgbDirect::true_extent`]). Guarded-tested on Van
 /// Gogh 2026-07-21 (kernel clean, and the fastest 1080p encode path measured); the EFC only
 /// exists on Mesa ≥ 26, where the `codedExtent`-driven `session_init` is guaranteed.
 fn rgb_true_extent_request() -> bool {
    std::env::var("PUNKTFUNK_VULKAN_RGB_TRUE_EXTENT").as_deref() != Ok("0")
 }
 /// Live RGB-direct session config: the chroma-siting bits the session was created with
 /// (chosen from what the driver advertises — see [`probe_rgb_direct`]).
 struct RgbDirect {
    x_offset: u32, // vk_valve_rgb::CHROMA_OFFSET_*
    y_offset: u32,
    /// The mode is not 64x16-aligned, so the captured buffer cannot be the encode source
-    /// directly (the EFC would read past it — the 2026-07-20 field GPU hang). Instead each
+    /// under the session's ALIGNED source extent (the EFC read past it — the 2026-07-20 field
-    /// frame is copied into a per-slot ALIGNED BGRA staging image with the edge rows/columns
+    /// GPU hang, when the source `codedExtent` was the aligned size and RADV therefore derived
-    /// duplicated into the padding (transfer-only, no shader) and encoded from there. Aligned
+    /// ZERO firmware padding). Each frame is copied into a per-slot ALIGNED BGRA staging image
-    /// modes keep the true zero-copy import.
+    /// with the edge rows/columns duplicated into the padding (transfer-only, no shader) and
    /// encoded from there. Aligned modes keep the true zero-copy import.
    padded: bool,
    /// The default unaligned-mode source strategy (`PUNKTFUNK_VULKAN_RGB_TRUE_EXTENT=0` falls
    /// back to `padded`): direct-import the visible-size buffer and pass the TRUE-SIZE source
    /// `codedExtent` — RADV then programs nonzero firmware padding from it (Mesa ≥ 24.2
    /// derives `session_init` padding from `srcPictureResource.codedExtent`; see
    /// [`VulkanVideoEncoder::native_nv12`]), telling the VCN the source lacks the alignment
    /// rows, which the hardware edge-extends internally. The session/SPS/DPB stay app-aligned.
    /// Guarded-tested on Van Gogh (kernel clean; fastest 1080p path measured).
    true_extent: bool,
 }
 /// Stack storage for a complete rgb-chained video profile. Profiled image creation AFTER open
@@ -155,6 +174,51 @@ impl RgbProfileStack {
    }
 }
 /// Non-RGB video profile rebuilt for native NV12 DMA-BUF imports. Image creation after `open`
 /// must carry a profile identical by value to the session profile.
 struct NativeProfileStack {
    usage: vk::VideoEncodeUsageInfoKHR<'static>,
    h265: vk::VideoEncodeH265ProfileInfoKHR<'static>,
    av1: super::vk_av1_encode::VideoEncodeAV1ProfileInfoKHR,
    profile: vk::VideoProfileInfoKHR<'static>,
 }
 impl NativeProfileStack {
    fn new(codec_op: vk::VideoCodecOperationFlagsKHR) -> Self {
        use super::vk_av1_encode as av1b;
        Self {
            usage: vk::VideoEncodeUsageInfoKHR::default()
                .video_usage_hints(vk::VideoEncodeUsageFlagsKHR::STREAMING)
                .video_content_hints(vk::VideoEncodeContentFlagsKHR::RENDERED)
                .tuning_mode(vk::VideoEncodeTuningModeKHR::ULTRA_LOW_LATENCY),
            h265: vk::VideoEncodeH265ProfileInfoKHR::default().std_profile_idc(
                vk::native::StdVideoH265ProfileIdc_STD_VIDEO_H265_PROFILE_IDC_MAIN,
            ),
            av1: av1b::VideoEncodeAV1ProfileInfoKHR {
                s_type: av1b::stype(av1b::ST_PROFILE_INFO),
                p_next: std::ptr::null(),
                std_profile: vk::native::StdVideoAV1Profile_STD_VIDEO_AV1_PROFILE_MAIN,
            },
            profile: vk::VideoProfileInfoKHR::default()
                .video_codec_operation(codec_op)
                .chroma_subsampling(vk::VideoChromaSubsamplingFlagsKHR::TYPE_420)
                .luma_bit_depth(vk::VideoComponentBitDepthFlagsKHR::TYPE_8)
                .chroma_bit_depth(vk::VideoComponentBitDepthFlagsKHR::TYPE_8),
        }
    }
    fn wire(&mut self, av1: bool) -> &vk::VideoProfileInfoKHR<'static> {
        if av1 {
            self.av1.p_next = &self.usage as *const _ as *const c_void;
            self.profile.p_next = &self.av1 as *const _ as *const c_void;
        } else {
            self.h265.p_next = &self.usage as *const _ as *const c_void;
            self.profile.p_next = &self.h265 as *const _ as *const c_void;
        }
        &self.profile
    }
 }
 /// The Vulkan codec-operation bit for our codec selection (shared by open and the per-import
 /// profile rebuilds — the two must agree, profile identity is by value).
 fn codec_op_for(av1: bool) -> vk::VideoCodecOperationFlagsKHR {
@@ -173,12 +237,12 @@ enum SrcAcquire {
    /// CSC path: `nv12_src` was written by this frame's compute batch (GENERAL layout; the
    /// csc_sem orders the queues).
    CscGeneral,
-    /// RGB-direct, first use of a dmabuf import: acquire from the foreign producer
+    /// First use of a DMA-BUF imported directly as the video source: acquire from the foreign
-    /// (UNDEFINED preserves the modifier-tiled bytes) with a FOREIGN→encode-family transfer.
+    /// producer (UNDEFINED preserves modifier-backed bytes) with a FOREIGN→encode-family transfer.
-    RgbFresh,
+    DmabufFresh,
-    /// RGB-direct, cached import: the image is already VIDEO_ENCODE_SRC; visibility-only
+    /// Cached direct-source import: already VIDEO_ENCODE_SRC; visibility-only barrier for the
-    /// barrier for the producer's out-of-band rewrite of the bytes.
+    /// producer's out-of-band rewrite of the bytes.
-    RgbCached,
+    DmabufCached,
    /// RGB-direct CPU upload: the compute queue copied the staging buffer in (semaphore
    /// ordered); transition TRANSFER_DST → VIDEO_ENCODE_SRC.
    CpuUpload,
@@ -376,18 +440,33 @@ pub struct VulkanVideoEncoder {
    /// `ENCODE_QUALITY_LEVEL` control and baked into the session-parameters object (the spec
    /// requires the two to match).
    quality_level: u32,
-    /// `PUNKTFUNK_PERF` CSC/encode split: >0 ⇒ per-frame GPU timestamps are recorded around the
+    /// `PUNKTFUNK_PERF` pre-encode split: >0 ⇒ per-frame GPU timestamps bracket either the
-    /// compute batch and a sampled `csc_us` line is logged; the value is the device timestamp
+    /// RGB→NV12 compute batch or the native-NV12 padded copy. The measured duration is logged
-    /// period in ns/tick. 0.0 ⇒ off (env unset, or the compute family has no timestamp support).
+    /// separately from the host's fence wait; 0.0 means disabled or unsupported.
    ts_period_ns: f64,
-    perf_at: std::time::Instant, // last sampled csc_us log (2 s cadence)
+    perf_at: std::time::Instant,
    /// RGB-direct (EFC) session config — `Some` ⇒ the session's picture format is BGRA, frames
    /// are handed to the encoder as RGB (dmabuf import or CPU upload) and the VCN front-end does
    /// the CSC; `None` ⇒ the compute-CSC path. Fixed per session (the picture format is baked
    /// into the video session).
    rgb: Option<RgbDirect>,
-    /// One-shot warning latch: a cursor bitmap arrived on an RGB-direct session (EFC cannot
+    /// Producer supplied native NV12 rather than packed RGB. EVERY mode encodes the imported
-    /// composite it — the cursor will be missing from the stream until the CSC path is used).
+    /// visible-size buffer directly — safely, because native sessions use TRUE-SIZE headers:
    /// the SPS/sequence header is authored at the render size and every picture resource's
    /// `codedExtent` matches it, so RADV programs the VCN with `session_init` extent = the true
    /// size and a nonzero `padding_width/height`, and the FIRMWARE edge-extends the alignment
    /// padding internally (radv_video_enc.c `radv_enc_session_init`; the driver also rounds the
    /// bitstream SPS up itself and compensates with a conformance window —
    /// `radv_video_patch_encode_session_parameters`, per the VK_KHR_video_encode_h265 proposal's
    /// "implementations may override" clause). The source is never read past its extent — unlike
    /// the app-aligned-SPS convention the CSC/RGB paths use, where the coded extent is 64x16-
    /// aligned and an undersized direct source is the OOB-read class behind the 2026-07-20 field
    /// GPU reset (those paths keep their aligned-size sources/staging).
    native_nv12: bool,
    /// One-shot warning latch: a cursor bitmap arrived on an RGB-direct or native-NV12 session
    /// (neither has a compositing stage — the cursor will be missing from the stream until the
    /// CSC path is used).
    warned_cursor: bool,
    /// A [`reconfigure_bitrate`](Encoder::reconfigure_bitrate) rate not yet installed in the video
    /// session. The next `record_submit` emits an `ENCODE_RATE_CONTROL` control command carrying it
@@ -422,14 +501,24 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
    /// (B2). `PUNKTFUNK_VULKAN_RGB_DIRECT` overrides both ways (see [`rgb_request`]).
    pub fn open(
        codec: Codec,
        format: PixelFormat,
        width: u32,
        height: u32,
        fps: u32,
        bitrate_bps: u64,
        cursor_blend: bool,
    ) -> Result<Self> {
-        let want_rgb = rgb_request().unwrap_or(!cursor_blend);
+        let native_nv12 = format == PixelFormat::Nv12;
-        Self::open_opts(codec, width, height, fps, bitrate_bps, want_rgb)
+        let want_rgb = !native_nv12 && rgb_request().unwrap_or(!cursor_blend);
        Self::open_opts_inner(
            codec,
            width,
            height,
            fps,
            bitrate_bps,
            want_rgb,
            native_nv12,
        )
    }
    /// `open` with the RGB-direct request explicit instead of read from the env — the smoke
@@ -443,6 +532,18 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
        fps: u32,
        bitrate_bps: u64,
        want_rgb: bool,
    ) -> Result<Self> {
        Self::open_opts_inner(codec, width, height, fps, bitrate_bps, want_rgb, false)
    }
    fn open_opts_inner(
        codec: Codec,
        width: u32,
        height: u32,
        fps: u32,
        bitrate_bps: u64,
        want_rgb: bool,
        native_nv12: bool,
    ) -> Result<Self> {
        if !matches!(codec, Codec::H265 | Codec::Av1) {
            bail!("vulkan-encode backend supports HEVC + AV1 only (got {codec:?})");
@@ -464,6 +565,7 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
                fps.max(1),
                bitrate_bps.max(1_000_000),
                want_rgb,
                native_nv12,
            )
        }
    }
@@ -478,6 +580,7 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
        fps: u32,
        bitrate: u64,
        want_rgb: bool,
        native_nv12: bool,
    ) -> Result<Self> {
        use super::vk_av1_encode as av1b;
        use super::vk_valve_rgb as vrgb;
@@ -551,33 +654,50 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
                0.0
            };
-        // RGB-direct (EFC) resolution — BEFORE the profile is built, because an active rgb
+        // Resolve the encode source before building the profile: EFC RGB conversion changes
-        // session changes the profile identity (the rgb-conversion struct rides the chain) and
+        // profile identity; producer-native NV12 uses the ordinary 4:2:0 profile.
        // the session's picture format. The probe runs unconditionally: its verdict is the
        // field telemetry that decides where B2 can default this on.
        let rgb_probe = probe_rgb_direct(&instance, &vq_inst, pd, codec_op, av1);
        // ALIGNMENT GATE (field GPU-hang, 2026-07-20): the coded extent is 64x16-aligned but the
        // captured dmabuf is only the REAL mode size — handing it to the encoder as the direct
        // source makes the VCN's EFC read the alignment-padding rows PAST the end of the buffer.
        // At 1920x1080 (coded 1088) that is 8 rows = 61 KB of out-of-bounds reads per frame:
        // deterministic VM protection faults, vcn_enc ring timeouts, and — through the stall
        // watchdog's rebuild-and-refault loop — a full MODE1 GPU reset with VRAM loss. The CSC
        // shader absorbs the padding by clamping reads and duplicating the edge; RGB-direct has
        // no such stage. Mode select: an aligned mode (720p/1440p/4K) encodes the imported
        // buffer directly (true zero-copy); an unaligned one (1080p!) goes through the
        // padded-copy staging image (see [`RgbDirect::padded`]) — transfer-only, still no
        // compute CSC.
        let aligned = rw == w && rh == h;
        let rgb_probe = if native_nv12 {
            Err("not-probed(native NV12 source selected)")
        } else {
            probe_rgb_direct(&instance, &vq_inst, pd, codec_op, av1)
        };
        let rgb_cfg: Option<RgbDirect> = match (&rgb_probe, want_rgb) {
-            (Ok((x, y)), true) => Some(RgbDirect {
+            (Ok((x, y)), true) => {
                let true_extent = !aligned && rgb_true_extent_request();
                Some(RgbDirect {
                    x_offset: *x,
                    y_offset: *y,
-                padded: !aligned,
+                    padded: !aligned && !true_extent,
-            }),
+                    true_extent,
                })
            }
            _ => None,
        };
        if native_nv12 {
            tracing::info!(
                native_nv12 = "active(direct-import)",
                source_width = rw,
                source_height = rh,
                fw_padding_width = w - rw,
                fw_padding_height = h - rh,
                "vulkan-encode: producer-native NV12 encode source (true-size headers: the \
                 driver aligns the bitstream SPS itself and the firmware edge-extends the \
                 padding — the source is never read past its extent)"
            );
        } else {
            tracing::info!(
                rgb_direct = match (&rgb_probe, want_rgb, &rgb_cfg) {
                    (
                        _,
                        _,
                        Some(RgbDirect {
                            true_extent: true, ..
                        }),
                    ) =>
                        "active(true-extent: unaligned mode, direct import with the true-size \
                         source codedExtent — RADV firmware padding covers the alignment rows; \
                         PUNKTFUNK_VULKAN_RGB_TRUE_EXTENT=0 restores the padded copy)",
                    (_, _, Some(RgbDirect { padded: false, .. })) => "active",
                    (_, _, Some(RgbDirect { padded: true, .. })) =>
                        "active(padded-copy: mode is not 64x16-aligned — staging blit + edge \
@@ -586,11 +706,11 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
                        "available(off: PUNKTFUNK_VULKAN_RGB_DIRECT=0, or a cursor-blend session \
                         — =1 forces)",
                    (Err(e), _, None) => e,
                // (Ok, wanted) always builds Some above.
                    (Ok(_), true, None) => unreachable!("rgb gate and cfg disagree"),
                },
                "vulkan-encode: EFC RGB-direct encode source (design/vulkan-rgb-direct-encode.md)"
            );
        }
        // the encode profile — H265 Main, or AV1 Main; chained raw and uniformly (vendored AV1 +
        // rgb structs can't `push_next`, and the chain must match [`RgbProfileStack::wire`]'s
@@ -820,13 +940,19 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
        // ---- session parameters + header framing (HEVC: VPS/SPS/PPS on keyframes; AV1: a
        //      temporal-delimiter OBU per frame + a sequence-header OBU on keyframes) ----
        // Native NV12 authors TRUE-SIZE headers (SPS/seq at the render size, no app-side
        // conformance window): RADV rounds the bitstream SPS up itself and, keyed off the
        // matching true-size codedExtent, programs the VCN with firmware padding so the source
        // is never read past its extent. The CSC/RGB paths keep the app-aligned convention
        // (their sources genuinely cover the aligned extent).
        let (hdr_w, hdr_h) = if native_nv12 { (rw, rh) } else { (w, h) };
        let (params, header, frame_prefix) = if av1 {
            build_parameters_av1(
                &device,
                &vq_dev,
                session,
-                w,
+                hdr_w,
-                h,
+                hdr_h,
                rw,
                rh,
                av1_caps.max_level,
@@ -839,8 +965,8 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
                &vq_dev,
                &venc_dev,
                session,
-                w,
+                hdr_w,
-                h,
+                hdr_h,
                rw,
                rh,
                quality_level,
@@ -996,9 +1122,14 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
                compute_pool,
                bs_size,
                sampler,
-                ts_period_ns > 0.0 && rgb_cfg.is_none(),
+                ts_period_ns > 0.0
-                rgb_cfg.is_none(),
+                    && ((rgb_cfg.is_none() && !native_nv12)
-                rgb_cfg.as_ref().is_some_and(|c| c.padded),
+                        || rgb_cfg.as_ref().is_some_and(|c| c.padded)),
                rgb_cfg.is_none() && !native_nv12,
                rgb_cfg
                    .as_ref()
                    .is_some_and(|c| c.padded)
                    .then_some(vk::Format::B8G8R8A8_UNORM),
                guard.frames.last_mut().expect("frame just pushed"),
            )?;
        }
@@ -1052,6 +1183,7 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
            ts_period_ns,
            perf_at: std::time::Instant::now(),
            rgb: rgb_cfg,
            native_nv12,
            warned_cursor: false,
            pending_bitrate: None,
            width: w,
@@ -1200,15 +1332,31 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
        }
    }
-    /// Import a packed-RGB dmabuf as a VkImage (explicit DRM modifier). CSC sessions import it
+    /// Import a DMA-BUF VkImage with usage/profile matching this session's source mode. Native
-    /// SAMPLED (the compute shader reads it); RGB-direct sessions import it as a profiled
+    /// NV12 and aligned RGB-direct are profiled `VIDEO_ENCODE_SRC` images. Padded RGB-direct
-    /// `VIDEO_ENCODE_SRC` — the buffer IS the encode source. Caller destroys.
+    /// imports the producer allocation as transfer-source only.
    unsafe fn import_dmabuf(
        &self,
        d: &pf_frame::DmabufFrame,
        cw: u32,
        ch: u32,
    ) -> Result<(vk::Image, vk::DeviceMemory, vk::ImageView)> {
        if self.native_nv12 {
            let mut ps = NativeProfileStack::new(codec_op_for(self.codec == Codec::Av1));
            let profile = *ps.wire(self.codec == Codec::Av1);
            let arr = [profile];
            let mut plist = vk::VideoProfileListInfoKHR::default().profiles(&arr);
            return super::vk_util::import_rgb_dmabuf_as(
                &self.device,
                &self.ext_fd,
                &self.mem_props,
                d,
                cw,
                ch,
                vk::ImageUsageFlags::VIDEO_ENCODE_SRC_KHR,
                Some(&mut plist),
            );
        }
        if self.rgb.as_ref().is_some_and(|r| r.padded) {
            // Padded-copy mode: the import is only ever a transfer SOURCE (the blit into the
            // aligned staging image) — plain TRANSFER_SRC, no video profile involved.
@@ -1503,8 +1651,21 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
            setup_idx = (setup_idx + 1) % DPB_SLOTS as usize;
        }
-        // ---- 2..4 diverge by encode source; the RGB-direct twin returns through the shared
+        // ---- 2..4 diverge by encode source; native NV12 and RGB-direct return through the
-        //      bookkeeping tail (design/vulkan-rgb-direct-encode.md B1) ----
+        //      shared bookkeeping tail ----
        if self.native_nv12 {
            self.record_submit_nv12(slot, frame, is_idr, recovery, ref_slot, setup_idx, poc)?;
            self.post_submit_bookkeeping(
                slot,
                frame.pts_ns,
                wire,
                is_idr,
                recovery,
                setup_idx,
                poc,
            );
            return Ok(());
        }
        if self.rgb.is_some() {
            self.record_submit_rgb(slot, frame, is_idr, recovery, ref_slot, setup_idx, poc)?;
            self.post_submit_bookkeeping(
@@ -1831,12 +1992,20 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
        Ok(())
    }
-    /// Padded-copy blit (unaligned-mode RGB-direct): record — into `compute_cmd` — the visible
+    /// Padded-copy blit (unaligned-mode RGB-direct or native NV12): record — into `compute_cmd`
-    /// frame copy from the imported capture image into the aligned staging image, plus the edge
+    /// — the visible frame copy from the imported capture image into the aligned staging image,
-    /// duplication into the 64x16 padding (the same edge semantics the CSC shader implements
+    /// plus the edge duplication into the 64x16 padding (the same edge semantics the CSC shader
-    /// with clamped reads). Transfer-only, no shader. The staging image lives in GENERAL — it
+    /// implements with clamped reads). Transfer-only, no shader. The staging image lives in
-    /// is both copy dst and, for the right-column pass, copy src — and the encode acquires it
+    /// GENERAL — it is both copy dst and, for the right-column pass, copy src — and the encode
-    /// via [`SrcAcquire::CscGeneral`] (content produced on the compute queue, csc_sem-ordered).
+    /// acquires it via [`SrcAcquire::CscGeneral`] (content produced on the compute queue,
    /// csc_sem-ordered).
    ///
    /// `planes` lists the copy aspects with their subsampling divisor — `[(COLOR, 1)]` for
    /// packed RGB, `[(PLANE_0, 1), (PLANE_1, 2)]` for NV12 (multi-planar copy regions are in
    /// each plane's own coordinate space; barriers on non-disjoint images stay COLOR-aspect).
    /// Every divisor must divide the visible and aligned extents (4:2:0 frames are even, the
    /// coded extent is 64x16-aligned).
    #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
    unsafe fn record_pad_blit(
        &self,
        dev: &ash::Device,
@@ -1844,6 +2013,8 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
        src: vk::Image,
        src_fresh: bool,
        pad: vk::Image,
        ts_pool: vk::QueryPool,
        planes: &[(vk::ImageAspectFlags, u32)],
    ) -> Result<()> {
        let (rw, rh) = (self.render_w, self.render_h);
        let (w, h) = (self.width, self.height);
@@ -1852,6 +2023,10 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
            &vk::CommandBufferBeginInfo::default()
                .flags(vk::CommandBufferUsageFlags::ONE_TIME_SUBMIT),
        )?;
        if self.ts_period_ns > 0.0 {
            dev.cmd_reset_query_pool(compute_cmd, ts_pool, 0, 2);
            dev.cmd_write_timestamp2(compute_cmd, vk::PipelineStageFlags2::NONE, ts_pool, 0);
        }
        // Acquire the imported capture buffer for transfer reads (FOREIGN hand-off on first
        // import — UNDEFINED preserves the modifier-tiled bytes — visibility-only afterwards),
        // and the staging image for transfer writes (prior contents discarded).
@@ -1893,10 +2068,11 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
            compute_cmd,
            &vk::DependencyInfo::default().image_memory_barriers(&[src_acq, pad_dst]),
        );
        let region =
            |aspect: vk::ImageAspectFlags, sx: i32, sy: i32, dx: i32, dy: i32, cw: u32, ch: u32| {
                let layers = vk::ImageSubresourceLayers::default()
-            .aspect_mask(vk::ImageAspectFlags::COLOR)
+                    .aspect_mask(aspect)
                    .layer_count(1);
        let region = |sx: i32, sy: i32, dx: i32, dy: i32, cw: u32, ch: u32| {
                vk::ImageCopy::default()
                    .src_subresource(layers)
                    .dst_subresource(layers)
@@ -1908,11 +2084,16 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
                        depth: 1,
                    })
            };
-        // Pass 1 — from the capture: the visible region, then each bottom padding row as a
+        // Pass 1 — from the capture, per plane: the visible region, then each bottom padding row
-        // copy of the last visible row (1080p: 8 such rows). One call, disjoint regions.
+        // as a copy of the last visible row (1080p: 8 luma + 4 chroma rows). One call, disjoint
-        let mut regions = vec![region(0, 0, 0, 0, rw, rh)];
+        // regions.
        let mut regions = Vec::new();
        for &(aspect, div) in planes {
            let (rw, rh, h) = (rw / div, rh / div, h / div);
            regions.push(region(aspect, 0, 0, 0, 0, rw, rh));
            for y in rh..h {
-            regions.push(region(0, rh as i32 - 1, 0, y as i32, rw, 1));
+                regions.push(region(aspect, 0, rh as i32 - 1, 0, y as i32, rw, 1));
            }
        }
        dev.cmd_copy_image(
            compute_cmd,
@@ -1942,9 +2123,13 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
                compute_cmd,
                &vk::DependencyInfo::default().image_memory_barriers(&[self_dep]),
            );
-            let cols: Vec<vk::ImageCopy> = (rw..w)
+            let mut cols = Vec::new();
-                .map(|x| region(rw as i32 - 1, 0, x as i32, 0, 1, h))
+            for &(aspect, div) in planes {
-                .collect();
+                let (rw, w, h) = (rw / div, w / div, h / div);
                for x in rw..w {
                    cols.push(region(aspect, rw as i32 - 1, 0, x as i32, 0, 1, h));
                }
            }
            dev.cmd_copy_image(
                compute_cmd,
                pad,
@@ -1954,10 +2139,112 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
                &cols,
            );
        }
        if self.ts_period_ns > 0.0 {
            dev.cmd_write_timestamp2(
                compute_cmd,
                vk::PipelineStageFlags2::ALL_COMMANDS,
                ts_pool,
                1,
            );
        }
        dev.end_command_buffer(compute_cmd)?;
        Ok(())
    }
    /// Producer-native NV12 submit: import the producer's visible-size buffer directly as the
    /// encode source. Safe at every mode because native sessions run true-size headers — the
    /// picture resources' codedExtent equals the source extent and the VCN firmware edge-extends
    /// the alignment padding internally (see the [`Self::native_nv12`] field docs).
    #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
    unsafe fn record_submit_nv12(
        &mut self,
        slot: usize,
        frame: &CapturedFrame,
        is_idr: bool,
        recovery: bool,
        ref_slot: usize,
        setup_idx: usize,
        poc: i32,
    ) -> Result<()> {
        if frame.format != PixelFormat::Nv12 {
            bail!(
                "vulkan-encode (native NV12): negotiated NV12 but received {:?}",
                frame.format
            );
        }
        if frame.width != self.render_w || frame.height != self.render_h {
            bail!(
                "vulkan-encode (native NV12): frame {}x{} != mode {}x{}",
                frame.width,
                frame.height,
                self.render_w,
                self.render_h
            );
        }
        if frame.width % 2 != 0 || frame.height % 2 != 0 {
            bail!("vulkan-encode (native NV12): 4:2:0 frame dimensions must be even");
        }
        let FramePayload::Dmabuf(d) = &frame.payload else {
            bail!("vulkan-encode (native NV12): producer frame is not a DMA-BUF");
        };
        if d.fourcc != pf_frame::drm_fourcc(PixelFormat::Nv12).expect("NV12 FourCC") {
            bail!(
                "vulkan-encode (native NV12): DMA-BUF FourCC {:#x} is not NV12",
                d.fourcc
            );
        }
        if d.modifier != 0 {
            bail!(
                "vulkan-encode (native NV12): only LINEAR is supported, got modifier {:#x}",
                d.modifier
            );
        }
        // No compositing stage exists here (like RGB-direct/EFC): gamescope embeds its pointer
        // in the produced pixels, but any other NV12 producer's metadata cursor would be lost —
        // say so once instead of silently.
        if frame.cursor.is_some() && !self.warned_cursor {
            self.warned_cursor = true;
            tracing::warn!(
                "cursor bitmap on a native-NV12 session — nothing composites it; the cursor \
                 will be missing from the stream (unset PUNKTFUNK_PIPEWIRE_NV12 for \
                 metadata-cursor captures)"
            );
        }
        let dev = self.device.clone();
        let cmd = self.frames[slot].cmd;
        let fence = self.frames[slot].fence;
        let query_pool = self.frames[slot].query_pool;
        let bs_buf = self.frames[slot].bs_buf;
        // The frame-size check above proved the buffer covers the (true-size) coded extent —
        // the direct import is the encode source at every mode.
        let (src_img, src_view, fresh) = self.import_cached(d, frame.width, frame.height)?;
        let acquire = if fresh {
            SrcAcquire::DmabufFresh
        } else {
            SrcAcquire::DmabufCached
        };
        if self.codec == Codec::Av1 {
            self.record_coding_av1(
                &dev, cmd, query_pool, bs_buf, src_img, src_view, acquire, is_idr, recovery,
                ref_slot, setup_idx, poc,
            )?;
        } else {
            self.record_coding_h265(
                &dev, cmd, query_pool, bs_buf, src_img, src_view, acquire, is_idr, ref_slot,
                setup_idx, poc,
            )?;
        }
        dev.reset_fences(&[fence])?;
        // The whole frame is one submit: the encoder reads the imported NV12 directly.
        let ecmds = [cmd];
        dev.queue_submit(
            self.encode_queue,
            &[vk::SubmitInfo::default().command_buffers(&ecmds)],
            fence,
        )?;
        Ok(())
    }
    /// RGB-direct twin of [`record_submit`]'s steps 2–4 (step 1 and the bookkeeping tail are
    /// shared): resolve the RGB encode source — the imported capture dmabuf itself, or the CPU
    /// staging upload — record the encode, and submit. There is no compute CSC: the VCN EFC
@@ -1981,6 +2268,7 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
        let fence = self.frames[slot].fence;
        let query_pool = self.frames[slot].query_pool;
        let bs_buf = self.frames[slot].bs_buf;
        let ts_pool = self.frames[slot].ts_pool;
        // EFC cannot composite the cursor bitmap the metadata-cursor captures hand us — say so
        // once instead of silently losing the pointer (gamescope, the flagship, embeds it).
        if frame.cursor.is_some() && !self.warned_cursor {
@@ -1995,25 +2283,33 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
        let (src_img, src_view, acquire, compute_active) = match &frame.payload {
            FramePayload::Dmabuf(d) if !padded => {
                // Defense in depth for the OOB class the alignment gate closes at open: the
-                // imported buffer must cover the FULL coded extent, or the EFC reads past it
+                // imported buffer must cover the source extent the encode declares — the FULL
-                // (VM faults → VCN ring hang → GPU reset, the 2026-07-20 field report). A
+                // aligned coded extent normally (or the EFC reads past it: VM faults → VCN
-                // mismatched frame (mid-flight mode change, odd capture) errors out here and
+                // ring hang → GPU reset, the 2026-07-20 field report), the render size in
-                // takes the encoder-rebuild path instead of faulting the GPU.
+                // true-extent mode (where the declared source codedExtent shrinks with it and
-                if frame.width != self.width || frame.height != self.height {
+                // RADV's firmware padding covers the alignment rows). A mismatched frame
                // (mid-flight mode change, odd capture) errors out here and takes the
                // encoder-rebuild path instead of faulting the GPU.
                let (need_w, need_h) = if self.rgb.as_ref().is_some_and(|r| r.true_extent) {
                    (self.render_w, self.render_h)
                } else {
                    (self.width, self.height)
                };
                if frame.width != need_w || frame.height != need_h {
                    bail!(
-                        "vulkan-encode (rgb-direct): frame {}x{} does not cover the coded \
+                        "vulkan-encode (rgb-direct): frame {}x{} does not cover the declared \
-                         extent {}x{} — refusing an out-of-bounds encode source",
+                         source extent {}x{} — refusing an out-of-bounds encode source",
                        frame.width,
                        frame.height,
-                        self.width,
+                        need_w,
-                        self.height
+                        need_h
                    );
                }
                let (img, view, fresh) = self.import_cached(d, frame.width, frame.height)?;
                let acq = if fresh {
-                    SrcAcquire::RgbFresh
+                    SrcAcquire::DmabufFresh
                } else {
-                    SrcAcquire::RgbCached
+                    SrcAcquire::DmabufCached
                };
                (img, view, acq, false)
            }
@@ -2036,7 +2332,15 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
                let (img, _view, fresh) = self.import_cached(d, frame.width, frame.height)?;
                let pad_img = self.frames[slot].pad_img;
                let pad_view = self.frames[slot].pad_view;
-                self.record_pad_blit(&dev, compute_cmd, img, fresh, pad_img)?;
+                self.record_pad_blit(
                    &dev,
                    compute_cmd,
                    img,
                    fresh,
                    pad_img,
                    ts_pool,
                    &[(vk::ImageAspectFlags::COLOR, 1)],
                )?;
                // The staging image ends the blit in GENERAL with the csc_sem ordering the
                // hand-off — exactly the CscGeneral acquire contract.
                (pad_img, pad_view, SrcAcquire::CscGeneral, true)
@@ -2240,13 +2544,13 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
                .src_stage_mask(vk::PipelineStageFlags2::ALL_COMMANDS)
                .src_access_mask(vk::AccessFlags2::NONE)
                .old_layout(vk::ImageLayout::GENERAL),
-            SrcAcquire::RgbFresh => src_base
+            SrcAcquire::DmabufFresh => src_base
                .src_stage_mask(vk::PipelineStageFlags2::NONE)
                .src_access_mask(vk::AccessFlags2::NONE)
                .old_layout(vk::ImageLayout::UNDEFINED)
                .src_queue_family_index(vk::QUEUE_FAMILY_FOREIGN_EXT)
                .dst_queue_family_index(self.encode_family),
-            SrcAcquire::RgbCached => src_base
+            SrcAcquire::DmabufCached => src_base
                .src_stage_mask(vk::PipelineStageFlags2::NONE)
                .src_access_mask(vk::AccessFlags2::NONE)
                .old_layout(vk::ImageLayout::VIDEO_ENCODE_SRC_KHR),
@@ -2284,9 +2588,29 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
        poc: i32,
    ) -> Result<()> {
        use ash::vk::native as h;
-        let ext2d = vk::Extent2D {
+        // Setup/reference extent: the aligned size for app-aligned sessions (CSC, RGB — it
        // pairs with their aligned SPS), the render size for native NV12's true-size headers.
        let ext2d = if self.native_nv12 {
            vk::Extent2D {
                width: self.render_w,
                height: self.render_h,
            }
        } else {
            vk::Extent2D {
                width: self.width,
                height: self.height,
            }
        };
        // Source extent additionally drops to the render size in RGB true-extent mode: RADV
        // derives the VCN firmware padding from srcPictureResource.codedExtent (Mesa ≥ 24.2),
        // so the visible-size import is never read past its extent (see RgbDirect::true_extent).
        let src_extent = if self.rgb.as_ref().is_some_and(|r| r.true_extent) {
            vk::Extent2D {
                width: self.render_w,
                height: self.render_h,
            }
        } else {
            ext2d
        };
        let ref_poc = if is_idr { 0 } else { self.slot_poc[ref_slot] };
@@ -2458,7 +2782,7 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
        }
        dev.cmd_begin_query(cmd, query_pool, 0, vk::QueryControlFlags::empty());
        let src_res = vk::VideoPictureResourceInfoKHR::default()
-            .coded_extent(ext2d)
+            .coded_extent(src_extent)
            .image_view_binding(src_view);
        let mut enc = vk::VideoEncodeInfoKHR::default()
            .dst_buffer(bs_buf)
@@ -2502,9 +2826,29 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
    ) -> Result<()> {
        use super::vk_av1_encode as av1;
        use ash::vk::native as h;
-        let ext2d = vk::Extent2D {
+        // Setup/reference extent: the aligned size for app-aligned sessions (CSC, RGB — it
        // pairs with their aligned SPS), the render size for native NV12's true-size headers.
        let ext2d = if self.native_nv12 {
            vk::Extent2D {
                width: self.render_w,
                height: self.render_h,
            }
        } else {
            vk::Extent2D {
                width: self.width,
                height: self.height,
            }
        };
        // Source extent additionally drops to the render size in RGB true-extent mode: RADV
        // derives the VCN firmware padding from srcPictureResource.codedExtent (Mesa ≥ 24.2),
        // so the visible-size import is never read past its extent (see RgbDirect::true_extent).
        let src_extent = if self.rgb.as_ref().is_some_and(|r| r.true_extent) {
            vk::Extent2D {
                width: self.render_w,
                height: self.render_h,
            }
        } else {
            ext2d
        };
        // ---- required AV1 frame sub-structs (single tile; no CDEF/LR/segmentation/global-motion) ----
@@ -2726,7 +3070,7 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
        }
        dev.cmd_begin_query(cmd, query_pool, 0, vk::QueryControlFlags::empty());
        let src_res = vk::VideoPictureResourceInfoKHR::default()
-            .coded_extent(ext2d)
+            .coded_extent(src_extent)
            .image_view_binding(src_view);
        let mut enc = vk::VideoEncodeInfoKHR::default()
            .dst_buffer(bs_buf)
@@ -2784,10 +3128,13 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
            );
        }
        let (off, len) = (off64 as usize, len64 as usize);
-        // PUNKTFUNK_PERF CSC split (best-effort): the fence signaled, so the compute batch that
+        // PUNKTFUNK_PERF pre-encode split (best-effort): the fence signaled, so the compute/transfer
-        // wrote these timestamps completed long ago — WAIT is a formality. Sampled to one log
+        // timestamps are available. This is a device duration, not permission to label the
-        // line per ~2 s; `wait_us` in the pump's stage perf minus this ≈ the ASIC encode.
+        // remaining host fence wait as pure VCN time; queueing and synchronization remain in it.
-        if self.ts_period_ns > 0.0 && f.ts_pool != vk::QueryPool::null() {
+        if self.ts_period_ns > 0.0
            && f.ts_pool != vk::QueryPool::null()
            && self.perf_at.elapsed() >= std::time::Duration::from_secs(2)
        {
            let mut ts = [0u64; 2];
            if dev
                .get_query_pool_results(
@@ -2797,16 +3144,26 @@ impl VulkanVideoEncoder {
                    vk::QueryResultFlags::TYPE_64 | vk::QueryResultFlags::WAIT,
                )
                .is_ok()
                && self.perf_at.elapsed() >= std::time::Duration::from_secs(2)
            {
                self.perf_at = std::time::Instant::now();
-                let csc_us = (ts[1].saturating_sub(ts[0]) as f64 * self.ts_period_ns) / 1000.0;
+                let pre_encode_us =
                    (ts[1].saturating_sub(ts[0]) as f64 * self.ts_period_ns) / 1000.0;
                if self.rgb.as_ref().is_some_and(|r| r.padded) {
                    tracing::info!(
-                    csc_us = format!("{csc_us:.0}"),
+                        rgb_copy_us = format!("{pre_encode_us:.0}"),
                        au_bytes = len,
-                    "vulkan-encode split (sampled): csc=GPU compute batch (import barriers + \
+                        "vulkan-encode split (sampled): padded RGB copy device time before EFC; \
-                     CSC + plane copies); ASIC encode ≈ stage-perf wait_us − csc"
+                         remaining fence wait still includes queue synchronization + RGB→YUV EFC \
                         + video encode"
                    );
                } else {
                    tracing::info!(
                        csc_us = format!("{pre_encode_us:.0}"),
                        au_bytes = len,
                        "vulkan-encode split (sampled): RGB→NV12 compute batch device time; \
                         remaining fence wait still includes queue synchronization + video encode"
                    );
                }
            }
        }
        let f = &self.frames[slot];
@@ -3412,26 +3769,30 @@ unsafe fn make_frame(
    sampler: vk::Sampler,
    with_ts: bool,
    csc: bool,
-    rgb_pad: bool,
+    pad_fmt: Option<vk::Format>,
    f: &mut Frame,
 ) -> Result<()> {
    // "no cursor uploaded yet" sentinel — a real serial may be 0 (see `prep_cursor`).
    f.cursor_serial = u64::MAX;
-    // Padded-copy RGB staging (unaligned-mode RGB-direct): aligned BGRA encode-src filled by a
+    // Padded-copy staging (unaligned-mode RGB-direct or native NV12): an aligned encode-src in
-    // transfer blit each frame — concurrent compute (copy) + encode (source read).
+    // the session's picture format, filled by a transfer blit each frame — concurrent compute
-    if rgb_pad {
+    // (copy) + encode (source read). TRANSFER_SRC because the width-padding pass self-copies the
    // staging image's own last visible column (see `record_pad_blit`).
    if let Some(fmt) = pad_fmt {
        (f.pad_img, f.pad_mem) = make_video_image(
            device,
            mem_props,
-            vk::Format::B8G8R8A8_UNORM,
+            fmt,
            w,
            h,
            1,
-            vk::ImageUsageFlags::VIDEO_ENCODE_SRC_KHR | vk::ImageUsageFlags::TRANSFER_DST,
+            vk::ImageUsageFlags::VIDEO_ENCODE_SRC_KHR
                | vk::ImageUsageFlags::TRANSFER_DST
                | vk::ImageUsageFlags::TRANSFER_SRC,
            profile_list,
            fams,
        )?;
-        f.pad_view = make_view(device, f.pad_img, vk::Format::B8G8R8A8_UNORM, 0)?;
+        f.pad_view = make_view(device, f.pad_img, fmt, 0)?;
    }
    // RGB-direct sessions never touch the CSC pipeline: no NV12 encode-src, no Y/UV scratch, no
    // cursor overlay, no descriptor set — the encode source is the imported RGB itself (or the
@@ -478,10 +478,14 @@ fn build_params(cfg: &EncodeConfig) -> ParamSet {
        b
    });
-    // HDR signalling (10-bit sessions are the HDR path on Windows — same coupling as NVENC):
+    // Colour signalling, written UNCONDITIONALLY (mirrors nvenc_core.rs): the input is already
-    // BT.2020/PQ colour description + the source's mastering/CLL grade at every IDR.
+    // CSC'd to a specific matrix — BT.709 limited for SDR (the capture-side VideoConverter),
    // BT.2020 PQ for HDR (HdrP010Converter) — so the stream must say so. An SDR stream without a
    // colour description leaves the choice to the decoder's "unspecified" default, and
    // Moonlight/third-party/Android-vendor decoders default to 601 at sub-HD → mis-rendered
    // colours. (10-bit sessions are the HDR path on Windows — same coupling as NVENC.)
    let hdr = cfg.ten_bit && cfg.codec != Codec::H264;
-    let vsi = hdr.then(|| {
+    let vsi = {
        // SAFETY: all-zero is valid; header stamped below.
        let mut b: Box<vpl::mfxExtVideoSignalInfo> = Box::new(unsafe { std::mem::zeroed() });
        b.Header.BufferId = vpl::MFX_EXTBUFF_VIDEO_SIGNAL_INFO as u32;
@@ -489,11 +493,17 @@ fn build_params(cfg: &EncodeConfig) -> ParamSet {
        b.VideoFormat = 5; // unspecified
        b.VideoFullRange = 0;
        b.ColourDescriptionPresent = 1;
        if hdr {
            b.ColourPrimaries = 9; // BT.2020
            b.TransferCharacteristics = 16; // SMPTE ST 2084 (PQ)
            b.MatrixCoefficients = 9; // BT.2020 non-constant
-        b
+        } else {
-    });
+            b.ColourPrimaries = 1; // BT.709
            b.TransferCharacteristics = 1; // BT.709
            b.MatrixCoefficients = 1; // BT.709
        }
        Some(b)
    };
    let mastering = cfg.hdr_meta.filter(|_| hdr).map(|m| {
        // SAFETY: all-zero is valid; header stamped below.
        let mut b: Box<vpl::mfxExtMasteringDisplayColourVolume> =
@@ -1994,4 +2004,246 @@ mod tests {
            "the bitrate retarget emitted a keyframe (StartNewSequence leak)"
        );
    }
    /// FULL-CHAIN colour check at the field capture size: a known P010 colour-bar source at
    /// 1920x1080 — whose height is NOT 16-aligned, so the ingest `CopySubresourceRegion` copies
    /// into a 1920x1088 runtime pool surface whose chroma plane sits at a DIFFERENT row offset
    /// than the source's (the seam no 640x480 test exercises) — encoded to Main10 HEVC and
    /// dumped to `%TEMP%\pf_qsv_1080_bars.h265` for off-box decode verification against the
    /// same codes. On-box this asserts stream shape; the pixel verdict needs a decoder.
    #[test]
    fn qsv_live_p010_1080_colorbars_dump() {
        use windows::Win32::Graphics::Direct3D::D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_UNKNOWN;
        use windows::Win32::Graphics::Direct3D11::{
            D3D11CreateDevice, D3D11_BIND_RENDER_TARGET, D3D11_BIND_SHADER_RESOURCE,
            D3D11_SDK_VERSION, D3D11_SUBRESOURCE_DATA, D3D11_USAGE_DEFAULT,
        };
        use windows::Win32::Graphics::Dxgi::Common::{DXGI_FORMAT_P010, DXGI_SAMPLE_DESC};
        use windows::Win32::Graphics::Dxgi::{CreateDXGIFactory1, IDXGIAdapter1, IDXGIFactory4};
        // (Y, Cb, Cr) 10-bit limited codes for the 8 sRGB bars white/yellow/cyan/green/magenta/
        // red/blue/black at 80-nit SDR white under PQ/BT.2020 — the same math as pf-capture's
        // `p010_reference` (and the bars_pq2020 client fixture). Stored MSB-aligned (`<<6`).
        const BARS: [(u16, u16, u16); 8] = [
            (490, 512, 512),
            (478, 423, 518),
            (464, 525, 473),
            (450, 432, 476),
            (350, 584, 585),
            (325, 448, 598),
            (226, 650, 535),
            (64, 512, 512),
        ];
        const W: u32 = 1920;
        const H: u32 = 1080;
        init_tracing();
        let Ok((_l, impls)) = intel_loader() else {
            eprintln!("skipping: no VPL loader");
            return;
        };
        let Some(imp) = impls.iter().find(|i| i.luid_valid) else {
            eprintln!("skipping: no Intel VPL implementation on this box");
            return;
        };
        if !probe_can_encode_10bit(Codec::H265) {
            eprintln!("skipping: this GPU declines 10-bit HEVC");
            return;
        }
        // P010 initial data: plane 0 = H rows of W u16 luma; plane 1 = H/2 rows of W u16
        // (interleaved Cb,Cr pairs), same pitch. Bars are vertical: bar index = x / (W/8).
        let bar_w = (W / 8) as usize;
        let mut init = vec![0u16; (W as usize) * (H as usize + H as usize / 2)];
        for y in 0..H as usize {
            for x in 0..W as usize {
                init[y * W as usize + x] = BARS[(x / bar_w).min(7)].0 << 6;
            }
        }
        let chroma_base = (W as usize) * (H as usize);
        for cy in 0..(H as usize / 2) {
            for cx in 0..(W as usize / 2) {
                let (_, cb, cr) = BARS[((cx * 2) / bar_w).min(7)];
                init[chroma_base + cy * W as usize + cx * 2] = cb << 6;
                init[chroma_base + cy * W as usize + cx * 2 + 1] = cr << 6;
            }
        }
        // SAFETY: self-contained harness on one thread/device (same contract as `drive_live`);
        // the initial-data pointer outlives the synchronous CreateTexture2D that reads it.
        let (device, tex) = unsafe {
            let luid = windows::Win32::Foundation::LUID {
                LowPart: u32::from_le_bytes(imp.luid[..4].try_into().unwrap()),
                HighPart: i32::from_le_bytes(imp.luid[4..].try_into().unwrap()),
            };
            let factory: IDXGIFactory4 = CreateDXGIFactory1().expect("dxgi factory");
            let adapter: IDXGIAdapter1 = factory.EnumAdapterByLuid(luid).expect("intel adapter");
            let mut device = None;
            D3D11CreateDevice(
                &adapter,
                D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_UNKNOWN,
                windows::Win32::Foundation::HMODULE::default(),
                Default::default(),
                None,
                D3D11_SDK_VERSION,
                Some(&mut device),
                None,
                None,
            )
            .expect("d3d11 device on intel adapter");
            let device: ID3D11Device = device.expect("device");
            let desc = D3D11_TEXTURE2D_DESC {
                Width: W,
                Height: H,
                MipLevels: 1,
                ArraySize: 1,
                Format: DXGI_FORMAT_P010,
                SampleDesc: DXGI_SAMPLE_DESC {
                    Count: 1,
                    Quality: 0,
                },
                Usage: D3D11_USAGE_DEFAULT,
                BindFlags: (D3D11_BIND_RENDER_TARGET.0 | D3D11_BIND_SHADER_RESOURCE.0) as u32,
                CPUAccessFlags: 0,
                MiscFlags: 0,
            };
            let data = D3D11_SUBRESOURCE_DATA {
                pSysMem: init.as_ptr() as *const std::ffi::c_void,
                SysMemPitch: W * 2,
                SysMemSlicePitch: 0,
            };
            let mut t: Option<ID3D11Texture2D> = None;
            device
                .CreateTexture2D(&desc, Some(&data), Some(&mut t))
                .expect("bar texture");
            (device.clone(), t.expect("texture"))
        };
        let mut enc = QsvEncoder::open(
            Codec::H265,
            PixelFormat::P010,
            W,
            H,
            30,
            10_000_000,
            10,
            ChromaFormat::Yuv420,
        )
        .expect("open");
        enc.set_hdr_meta(Some(test_hdr_meta()));
        let mut stream = Vec::new();
        let mut aus = 0usize;
        let mut keyframes = 0usize;
        for i in 0..12u32 {
            let frame = CapturedFrame {
                width: W,
                height: H,
                pts_ns: i as u64 * 33_333_333,
                format: PixelFormat::P010,
                payload: FramePayload::D3d11(pf_frame::dxgi::D3d11Frame {
                    texture: tex.clone(),
                    device: device.clone(),
                    pyro: None,
                }),
                cursor: None,
            };
            enc.submit_indexed(&frame, i).expect("submit");
            if let Some(au) = enc.poll().expect("poll") {
                aus += 1;
                keyframes += au.keyframe as usize;
                stream.extend_from_slice(&au.data);
            }
        }
        enc.flush().expect("flush");
        while let Some(au) = enc.poll().expect("drain") {
            aus += 1;
            keyframes += au.keyframe as usize;
            stream.extend_from_slice(&au.data);
        }
        assert!(aus >= 10, "expected ≥10 AUs, got {aus}");
        assert!(keyframes >= 1, "expected an IDR in the dump");
        let path = std::env::temp_dir().join("pf_qsv_1080_bars.h265");
        std::fs::write(&path, &stream).expect("write dump");
        println!(
            "wrote {} AUs ({} bytes, {keyframes} keyframes) to {}",
            aus,
            stream.len(),
            path.display()
        );
    }
    /// The PRODUCTION host chain minus the IDD ring: the REAL `HdrP010Converter` renders the 8
    /// sRGB bars into a ring-profile P010 texture (`BIND_RENDER_TARGET` only — RTV-written, not
    /// CPU-uploaded) on the VPL implementation's own adapter, and THAT texture goes through the
    /// unaligned-height ingest copy into a Main10 encode. Dumped to
    /// `%TEMP%\pf_qsv_conv_1080_bars.h265`; expected decode codes = the bars_pq2020 fixture set
    /// (see `hdr_p010_convert_bars_on_luid`).
    #[test]
    fn qsv_live_hdr_converter_e2e_1080_dump() {
        const W: u32 = 1920;
        const H: u32 = 1080;
        init_tracing();
        let Ok((_l, impls)) = intel_loader() else {
            eprintln!("skipping: no VPL loader");
            return;
        };
        let Some(imp) = impls.iter().find(|i| i.luid_valid) else {
            eprintln!("skipping: no Intel VPL implementation on this box");
            return;
        };
        if !probe_can_encode_10bit(Codec::H265) {
            eprintln!("skipping: this GPU declines 10-bit HEVC");
            return;
        }
        let (device, tex) = pf_capture::dxgi::hdr_p010_convert_bars_on_luid(imp.luid, W, H)
            .expect("converter bars");
        let mut enc = QsvEncoder::open(
            Codec::H265,
            PixelFormat::P010,
            W,
            H,
            30,
            10_000_000,
            10,
            ChromaFormat::Yuv420,
        )
        .expect("open");
        enc.set_hdr_meta(Some(test_hdr_meta()));
        let mut stream = Vec::new();
        let mut aus = 0usize;
        for i in 0..12u32 {
            let frame = CapturedFrame {
                width: W,
                height: H,
                pts_ns: i as u64 * 33_333_333,
                format: PixelFormat::P010,
                payload: FramePayload::D3d11(pf_frame::dxgi::D3d11Frame {
                    texture: tex.clone(),
                    device: device.clone(),
                    pyro: None,
                }),
                cursor: None,
            };
            enc.submit_indexed(&frame, i).expect("submit");
            if let Some(au) = enc.poll().expect("poll") {
                aus += 1;
                stream.extend_from_slice(&au.data);
            }
        }
        enc.flush().expect("flush");
        while let Some(au) = enc.poll().expect("drain") {
            aus += 1;
            stream.extend_from_slice(&au.data);
        }
        assert!(aus >= 10, "expected ≥10 AUs, got {aus}");
        let path = std::env::temp_dir().join("pf_qsv_conv_1080_bars.h265");
        std::fs::write(&path, &stream).expect("write dump");
        println!(
            "wrote {aus} AUs ({} bytes) to {}",
            stream.len(),
            path.display()
        );
    }
 }
@@ -330,6 +330,7 @@ fn open_video_backend(
            {
                match vulkan_video::VulkanVideoEncoder::open(
                    codec,
                    format,
                    width,
                    height,
                    fps,
@@ -344,12 +345,32 @@ fn open_video_backend(
                        );
                        return Ok((Box::new(e) as Box<dyn Encoder>, "vulkan"));
                    }
                    // Native NV12 (PUNKTFUNK_PIPEWIRE_NV12 capture) has no VAAPI fallback:
                    // libav's dmabuf lane would import the two-plane buffer as packed RGB
                    // (silent garbage) and its CPU lane bails per frame — die crisply instead.
                    Err(e) if format == PixelFormat::Nv12 => {
                        return Err(e.context(
                            "Vulkan Video open failed on a native-NV12 capture \
                             — no VAAPI fallback exists; set PUNKTFUNK_PIPEWIRE_NV12=0 to \
                             restore the packed-RGB negotiation",
                        ));
                    }
                    Err(e) => tracing::warn!(
                        error = %format!("{e:#}"),
                        "Vulkan Video encode open failed — falling back to libav VAAPI"
                    ),
                }
            }
            // Same rule when the Vulkan backend was never eligible (H264 session,
            // PUNKTFUNK_VULKAN_ENCODE=0, or a build without the feature).
            if format == PixelFormat::Nv12 {
                anyhow::bail!(
                    "native NV12 capture requires the Vulkan Video encoder (HEVC/AV1 \
                     session, --features vulkan-encode, PUNKTFUNK_VULKAN_ENCODE not 0) — this \
                     session resolved to libav VAAPI; set PUNKTFUNK_PIPEWIRE_NV12=0 to restore \
                     the packed-RGB negotiation"
                );
            }
            vaapi::VaapiEncoder::open(
                codec,
                format,
@@ -390,6 +411,7 @@ fn open_video_backend(
                    }
                    vulkan_video::VulkanVideoEncoder::open(
                        codec,
                        format,
                        width,
                        height,
                        fps,
@@ -819,6 +841,33 @@ fn vulkan_encode_enabled() -> bool {
        .unwrap_or(true)
 }
 /// Whether THIS session's encoder can ingest a producer-native NV12 capture: only the raw
 /// Vulkan Video backend does (libav VAAPI would misread the two-plane buffer as packed RGB —
 /// [`open_video`] refuses the combination), so the session's codec must be one it encodes and
 /// the backend must be eligible to open. The host facade threads the verdict into the capture
 /// negotiation (`OutputFormat::nv12_native` → `ZeroCopyPolicy::native_nv12_session`), which
 /// then PREFERS gamescope's producer-side NV12 pod (default-on; `PUNKTFUNK_PIPEWIRE_NV12=0`
 /// escapes at the capture gate).
 #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
 pub fn linux_native_nv12_ok(codec: Codec) -> bool {
    #[cfg(feature = "vulkan-encode")]
    {
        matches!(codec, Codec::H265 | Codec::Av1)
            && vulkan_encode_enabled()
            // NVENC/PyroWave prefs never open the Vulkan Video backend; every other pref
            // (auto/vaapi/amd/intel/vulkan) tries it first on AMD/Intel — see [`open_video`].
            && !matches!(
                pf_host_config::config().encoder_pref.as_str(),
                "nvenc" | "nvidia" | "cuda" | "pyrowave"
            )
    }
    #[cfg(not(feature = "vulkan-encode"))]
    {
        let _ = codec;
        false
    }
 }
 /// Cheap, side-effect-free NVIDIA-presence probe for the `auto` backend selector: the NVIDIA
 /// kernel driver exposes these device nodes, AMD/Intel boxes have neither. Deliberately does NOT
 /// create a CUDA context (that would allocate GPU state on every host that merely *might* be
@@ -105,13 +105,15 @@ pub fn drm_fourcc(format: PixelFormat) -> Option<u32> {
        Bgra => drm_fourcc_code(b"AR24"), // DRM_FORMAT_ARGB8888
        Rgbx => drm_fourcc_code(b"XB24"), // DRM_FORMAT_XBGR8888
        Rgba => drm_fourcc_code(b"AB24"), // DRM_FORMAT_ABGR8888
        // Linux native NV12 capture (gamescope PipeWire): one LINEAR dmabuf with contiguous Y then
        // interleaved UV, exposed under DRM_FORMAT_NV12.
        Nv12 => drm_fourcc_code(b"NV12"),
        // The GNOME 50+ HDR screencast formats (packed 2:10:10:10, PQ/BT.2020).
        X2Rgb10 => drm_fourcc_code(b"XR30"), // DRM_FORMAT_XRGB2101010
        X2Bgr10 => drm_fourcc_code(b"XB30"), // DRM_FORMAT_XBGR2101010
        // 24-bit packed RGB/BGR have no straightforward dmabuf import here; use the CPU path.
-        // Rgb10a2/Nv12/P010 are the Windows HDR / video-processor formats — never produced on
+        // Rgb10a2/P010 are Windows formats; Yuv444 is OUR convert output, never a capture source.
-        // Linux; Yuv444 is OUR convert's OUTPUT, never a capture source format.
+        Rgb | Bgr | Rgb10a2 | P010 | Yuv444 => return None,
        Rgb | Bgr | Rgb10a2 | Nv12 | P010 | Yuv444 => return None,
    })
 }
@@ -144,6 +146,12 @@ pub struct OutputFormat {
    /// (never BGRA-passthrough / P010). `false` on every non-PyroWave session and on Linux (the
    /// wavelet encoder ingests dmabufs / CPU RGB there, not a D3D11 texture).
    pub pyrowave: bool,
    /// THIS session's encoder can ingest a producer-native NV12 capture (Linux raw Vulkan Video
    /// backend on an H265/AV1 session — see `pf_encode::linux_native_nv12_ok`). The Linux capture
    /// negotiation only offers gamescope the NV12 pod when this is set: libav VAAPI (the H264
    /// codec's backend, and the fallback family) would misread the two-plane buffer as packed
    /// RGB. Always `false` on Windows (the IDD-push capturer owns its own formats).
    pub nv12_native: bool,
 }
 impl OutputFormat {
@@ -161,6 +169,11 @@ impl OutputFormat {
            chroma_444: false,
            // GameStream never negotiates PyroWave (native punktfunk/1 only).
            pyrowave: false,
            // Conservative: the GameStream + spike paths don't resolve the codec here, and a
            // Moonlight client may negotiate H264 (whose VAAPI backend can't ingest NV12) — so
            // they never prefer the producer-native NV12 pod. The punktfunk/1 plane opts in via
            // `SessionPlan::output_format()`, which knows the codec.
            nv12_native: false,
        }
    }
 }
@@ -201,18 +214,26 @@ pub struct CapturedFrame {
    pub cursor: Option<CursorOverlay>,
 }
-/// A captured frame still living in a single-plane packed-RGB dmabuf (the VAAPI zero-copy path).
+/// A captured frame still living in a DMA-BUF. Packed RGB uses one plane. Native Linux NV12
 /// (gamescope PipeWire) travels in ONE fd: Y starts at `offset`, and the interleaved UV plane
 /// lives at `plane1`'s offset/stride when the producer reported them — else at the contiguous
 /// fallback `offset + stride * frame_height` with the shared `stride`.
 ///
 /// Owns a *dup* of the PipeWire buffer's fd, so the frame can travel to the encode thread and be
-/// imported into a VA surface there without the compositor's buffer being closed underneath it.
+/// imported there without the compositor's buffer being closed underneath it. Content stability
-/// (Content stability across the brief import window relies on the compositor's buffer pool depth,
+/// across the brief import window relies on the compositor's buffer pool depth, like any zero-copy
-/// same as any zero-copy capture — the VAAPI importer copies into its own NV12 surface promptly.)
+/// capture.
 #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
 pub struct DmabufFrame {
    pub fd: std::os::fd::OwnedFd,
-    /// DRM FourCC of the packed-RGB plane (e.g. `XR24` for BGRx).
+    /// DRM FourCC (`XR24` for BGRx, `NV12` for native 4:2:0).
    pub fourcc: u32,
    /// DRM format modifier the compositor allocated (0 = LINEAR).
    pub modifier: u64,
    /// Second-plane `(offset, stride)` within the SAME fd, when the producer reported one (the
    /// PipeWire buffer's plane-1 chunk — NV12's interleaved UV). `None` falls back to the
    /// contiguous-plane contract above. Always `None` for single-plane packed RGB.
    pub plane1: Option<(u32, u32)>,
    pub offset: u32,
    pub stride: u32,
 }
@@ -225,8 +246,8 @@ pub enum FramePayload {
    /// The dmabuf has already been imported + copied into this owned device buffer.
    #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
    Cuda(pf_zerocopy::DeviceBuffer),
-    /// A raw packed-RGB dmabuf — the AMD/Intel (VAAPI) zero-copy path. The encoder imports it into
+    /// A raw DMA-BUF: packed RGB for the existing GPU CSC paths, or native NV12 from a producer
-    /// a VA surface and does RGB→NV12 on the GPU video engine (no host CSC, no upload).
+    /// such as gamescope. The encoder imports it without a host copy.
    #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
    Dmabuf(DmabufFrame),
    /// A GPU-resident D3D11 texture (Windows zero-copy path for NVENC). Owns the copied frame.
@@ -63,6 +63,13 @@ pub struct HostConfig {
    /// deliver full chroma, and the GPU/driver passed the encode probe — otherwise 4:2:0.
    /// `PUNKTFUNK_444=0`/`false`/`off`/`no` disables. Independent of `ten_bit` (chroma vs depth).
    pub four_four_four: bool,
    /// `PUNKTFUNK_CHACHA20` — host policy gate for the negotiated ChaCha20-Poly1305 session
    /// cipher (design/chacha20-session-cipher.md). **Default ON** (pure rollout safety — perf-only,
    /// both AEADs are full-strength): the host merely *allows* it — a session only seals with
    /// ChaCha when the client advertised `VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20` (set by soft-AES armv7 clients,
    /// e.g. webOS TVs, whose GCM decrypt caps at ~100 Mbps); everyone else stays AES-128-GCM.
    /// `PUNKTFUNK_CHACHA20=0`/`false`/`off`/`no` disables.
    pub chacha20: bool,
    /// `PUNKTFUNK_PERF` — per-stage timing instrumentation.
    pub perf: bool,
    /// `PUNKTFUNK_VIDEO_SOURCE` — GameStream video source select (`virtual` / `portal` / unset → synthetic).
@@ -147,6 +154,16 @@ impl HostConfig {
                    )
                })
                .unwrap_or(true),
            // Default ON, explicit-off grammar (the client's VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20 bit is the real
            // per-session switch; see the field doc).
            chacha20: val("PUNKTFUNK_CHACHA20")
                .map(|s| {
                    !matches!(
                        s.trim().to_ascii_lowercase().as_str(),
                        "0" | "false" | "off" | "no"
                    )
                })
                .unwrap_or(true),
            perf: flag("PUNKTFUNK_PERF"),
            video_source: val("PUNKTFUNK_VIDEO_SOURCE"),
            compositor: val("PUNKTFUNK_COMPOSITOR"),
@@ -333,6 +333,11 @@ fn run_inner(mut opts: SessionOpts, mut mode: ModeCtl) -> Result<Option<Outcome>
    // bottom-right corner (the reported bug). The menu/library is keyboard+gamepad-driven
    // and consumes no mouse, so nothing wanted these synthetic events anyway.
    sdl3::hint::set("SDL_TOUCH_MOUSE_EVENTS", "0");
    // The Wayland `app_id` (and X11 WM_CLASS) — compositors match it against
    // io.unom.Punktfunk.desktop for the window/taskbar icon. Without it SDL uses a generic
    // identity and the session window gets the default-Wayland icon (the Linux analog of
    // the AppUserModelID adoption above).
    sdl3::hint::set("SDL_APP_ID", "io.unom.Punktfunk");
    let sdl = sdl3::init().context("SDL init")?;
    let video = sdl.video().context("SDL video")?;
    let events = sdl.event().context("SDL events")?;
@@ -30,9 +30,17 @@ impl Presenter {
        // switch modes before anything touches this frame. Only where the surface
        // offers HDR10 — otherwise PQ stays on the SDR swapchain and the CSC shader
        // tonemaps (mode 1).
        //
        // CPU frames NEVER take the HDR10 surface: software decode uploads swscale RGBA with
        // no CSC/tonemap pass, so on a mode-0 swapchain that sRGB-encoded content would be
        // composed as PQ — the field-reported psychedelic cyan/magenta picture (reproduced
        // 2026-07-21: Fedora-class client, no hw HEVC decode, GNOME/Mesa offering HDR10 even
        // on an SDR desktop). On the SDR swapchain the same frames are merely untonemapped
        // (washed out) — wrong in the known, benign way until the CPU lane grows a real
        // PQ→sRGB pass.
        let frame_pq = match &input {
            FrameInput::Redraw => None,
-            FrameInput::Cpu(f) => Some(f.color.is_pq()),
+            FrameInput::Cpu(_) => Some(false),
            #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
            FrameInput::Dmabuf(d) => Some(d.color.is_pq()),
            FrameInput::VkFrame(v) => Some(v.color.is_pq()),
@@ -617,6 +617,15 @@ pub(super) fn pick_formats(
    surface: vk::SurfaceKHR,
    colorspace_ext: bool,
 ) -> Result<(vk::SurfaceFormatKHR, Option<vk::SurfaceFormatKHR>)> {
    // `PUNKTFUNK_HDR10=0` (explicit-off grammar) refuses the HDR10/ST.2084 swapchain outright,
    // pinning PQ streams to the shader tonemap on an SDR surface. Two reasons this exists:
    // desktop compositors newly offer HDR10 even on SDR desktops (GNOME 48 / Plasma 6 with
    // Mesa ≥ 25.1 — a lane that otherwise engages silently), and it is the A/B lever that
    // splits "HDR10 passthrough composes wrong" from "the decoded planes are wrong" in the
    // field without rebuilding anything.
    let colorspace_ext = colorspace_ext
        && !std::env::var("PUNKTFUNK_HDR10")
            .is_ok_and(|v| matches!(v.as_str(), "0" | "false" | "off" | "no"));
    let formats = unsafe { surface_i.get_physical_device_surface_formats(pdev, surface) }?;
    let mut sdr = None;
    for want in [vk::Format::B8G8R8A8_UNORM, vk::Format::R8G8B8A8_UNORM] {
@@ -254,6 +254,34 @@ pub fn detect() -> Result<Compositor> {
    }
 }
 /// Attach-only probes: while any scope is held, backend `create` paths must not stop, relaunch,
 /// or take over box sessions — they may only attach to an already-live output, and fail fast
 /// otherwise. The capture-loss rebuild holds one for its first seconds: right after a capture
 /// loss the active-session detection can be STALE (a Game→Desktop switch observed live: the
 /// probe's gamescope re-acquire restarted `gamescope-session.target` and yanked the user out of
 /// the KDE session they had just switched to). A counter, so overlapping scopes compose.
 static REBUILD_PROBES: std::sync::atomic::AtomicU32 = std::sync::atomic::AtomicU32::new(0);
 /// RAII scope marking pipeline builds as attach-only probes (see [`rebuild_probe_active`]).
 pub struct RebuildProbeScope(());
 pub fn rebuild_probe_scope() -> RebuildProbeScope {
    REBUILD_PROBES.fetch_add(1, std::sync::atomic::Ordering::SeqCst);
    RebuildProbeScope(())
 }
 impl Drop for RebuildProbeScope {
    fn drop(&mut self) {
        REBUILD_PROBES.fetch_sub(1, std::sync::atomic::Ordering::SeqCst);
    }
 }
 /// Is any [`rebuild_probe_scope`] active? Destructive session operations (stop/relaunch/
 /// takeover-restart) must be skipped while true.
 pub fn rebuild_probe_active() -> bool {
    REBUILD_PROBES.load(std::sync::atomic::Ordering::SeqCst) > 0
 }
 /// Open the virtual-display driver for `compositor`.
 pub fn open(compositor: Compositor) -> Result<Box<dyn VirtualDisplay>> {
    #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
@@ -325,6 +325,29 @@ fn create_managed_session(client: &str, mode: Mode) -> Result<VirtualOutput> {
    if steamos_session_present() {
        return create_managed_session_steamos(mode);
    }
    // Attach-only rebuild probe: reuse a live same-mode session, but NEVER stop/relaunch box
    // sessions — right after a capture loss the caller's session detection can be stale, and a
    // destructive rebuild here would fight the session the user just switched to.
    if crate::rebuild_probe_active() {
        let guard = MANAGED_SESSION.lock().unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner());
        let same_mode = guard.as_ref().is_some_and(|s| {
            s.width == mode.width && s.height == mode.height && s.refresh_hz == mode.refresh_hz
        });
        if same_mode {
            if let Some(node_id) = find_gamescope_node() {
                point_injector_at_eis();
                tracing::info!(
                    node_id,
                    "gamescope session: attach-only probe reusing live node"
                );
                return Ok(managed_output(node_id, mode));
            }
        }
        return Err(anyhow!(
            "gamescope session has no attachable live node — attach-only rebuild probe refuses \
             to stop/relaunch box sessions (re-detection follows the live session)"
        ));
    }
    // Steam is single-instance: if the box autologged into gaming mode on a physical display (the
    // Bazzite default — `gamescope-session-plus@ogui-steam` on the TV), that session holds Steam and
    // renders to the TV's native mode, which we'd capture instead of the client's. Free Steam by
@@ -607,12 +630,17 @@ fn write_steamos_dropin(shim_dir: &std::path::Path, mode: Mode) -> Result<()> {
    if let Some(parent) = path.parent() {
        std::fs::create_dir_all(parent).with_context(|| format!("mkdir {}", parent.display()))?;
    }
    // UnsetEnvironment: the same headless-must-not-attach armor `launch_session` gives its
    // transient unit — the manager env can carry a stale desktop DISPLAY/WAYLAND_DISPLAY (from a
    // portal settle), and gamescope would abort trying to attach to it instead of becoming the
    // display server. Unit-scoped belt-and-suspenders on top of the observe_session_instance scrub.
    let body = format!(
        "[Service]\n\
         Environment=PATH={shim}:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/local/bin\n\
         Environment=PF_W={w}\n\
         Environment=PF_H={h}\n\
-         Environment=PF_HZ={hz}\n",
+         Environment=PF_HZ={hz}\n\
         UnsetEnvironment=DISPLAY WAYLAND_DISPLAY\n",
        shim = shim_dir.display(),
        w = mode.width,
        h = mode.height,
@@ -650,6 +678,16 @@ fn create_managed_session_steamos(mode: Mode) -> Result<VirtualOutput> {
        }
        *guard = None; // tracked session lost its node — fall through to a clean restart
    }
    // Attach-only rebuild probe: the reuse path above may attach, but a restart of the session
    // target is out of bounds — observed live on a Deck: a stale post-capture-loss detection made
    // this restart steal the seat back from the KDE session the user had just switched to.
    if crate::rebuild_probe_active() {
        return Err(anyhow!(
            "gamescope has no live node and this is an attach-only rebuild probe — refusing to \
             restart {STEAMOS_SESSION_TARGET} (the box may be mid-switch to another session; \
             re-detection follows it)"
        ));
    }
    let shim_dir = write_headless_shim()?;
    write_steamos_dropin(&shim_dir, mode)?;
    systemctl_user(&["daemon-reload"]);
@@ -57,6 +57,13 @@ pub fn observe_session_instance(active: &ActiveSession) {
                if let Some(old) = compositor_for_kind(prev.0) {
                    registry::invalidate_backend(old.id());
                }
                // The dead desktop's socket vars may still sit in the systemd --user manager env
                // ([`settle_desktop_portal`]'s import-environment) — scrub them NOW, or the next
                // `gamescope-session.target` start inherits a stale WAYLAND_DISPLAY and gamescope
                // runs NESTED against the dead desktop socket instead of becoming the display
                // server ("Failed to connect to wayland socket: wayland-0" — kept a Deck's Game
                // Mode from starting at all, observed live 2026-07-21).
                scrub_desktop_manager_env();
            }
            let epoch = bump_session_epoch();
            tracing::info!(
@@ -70,6 +77,23 @@ pub fn observe_session_instance(active: &ActiveSession) {
    *last = Some(cur);
 }
 /// Counterpart to [`settle_desktop_portal`]'s `import-environment`: drop the desktop session's
 /// socket vars from the systemd `--user` manager env once that desktop instance is GONE. They
 /// persist in the manager otherwise, and every later user unit inherits them — including
 /// `gamescope-session.target`, whose gamescope then aborts trying to attach to the dead desktop
 /// socket. Best-effort; the D-Bus activation env has no unset op, but gamescope-session is
 /// systemd-started, so the manager scrub is the one that matters. (A desktop restart re-imports
 /// via the next [`settle_desktop_portal`], so scrubbing on a bounce is harmless.)
 #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
 fn scrub_desktop_manager_env() {
    let _ = std::process::Command::new("systemctl")
        .args(["--user", "unset-environment", "WAYLAND_DISPLAY", "DISPLAY"])
        .status();
 }
 #[cfg(not(target_os = "linux"))]
 fn scrub_desktop_manager_env() {}
 /// Is `kind` a **desktop** compositor (KWin / Mutter / wlroots) — one whose kept PipeWire outputs die
 /// with the compositor instance, so the session epoch tracks it? `Gaming` (gamescope) and `None` are
 /// not (gamescope spawns are independent nested sessions — see [`observe_session_instance`]).
@@ -33,6 +33,11 @@ reed-solomon-simd = "3.1"      # GF(2^16) Leopard-RS, SIMD, O(n log n) — the w
 # NOT interoperable.) See vendor/fec-rs/LICENSE (BSD-2-Clause).
 fec-rs = { path = "vendor/fec-rs" }
 aes-gcm = "0.10"               # AES-128-GCM session crypto, matches GameStream
 # ChaCha20-Poly1305 session crypto, negotiated by clients without hardware AES (the soft-AES
 # armv7 targets — webOS TVs — where GCM caps decrypt at ~100 Mbps; ARX runs 4-7x faster there).
 # Same RustCrypto `aead 0.5` generation as aes-gcm: identical trait/nonce/tag shapes, pure Rust,
 # cross-compiles like aes-gcm (no cmake). See design/chacha20-session-cipher.md.
 chacha20poly1305 = "0.10"
 zerocopy = { version = "0.8", features = ["derive"] }
 bytes = "1"
 socket2 = { version = "0.6", features = [
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 //! Tier-1 microbenchmarks for the punktfunk/1 hot path — GPU-free, so they run in normal CI.
 //!
 //! Two layers:
-//!  - `crypto/*`  — the isolated AES-128-GCM primitives on one ~MTU shard.
+//!  - `crypto/*`  — the isolated AEAD primitives (AES-128-GCM + the negotiated
 //!    ChaCha20-Poly1305) on one ~MTU shard.
 //!  - `pipeline/*`— a whole frame through the real per-frame path end to end over the in-process
 //!    loopback transport: FEC encode → AES-GCM seal → packetize → (loopback) → reassemble →
 //!    FEC decode → open. This is what a throughput/latency regression in the core would show up in.
@@ -11,11 +12,11 @@
 use criterion::{black_box, criterion_group, criterion_main, BenchmarkId, Criterion, Throughput};
 use punktfunk_core::config::{Config, FecConfig, FecScheme, ProtocolPhase, Role};
-use punktfunk_core::crypto::SessionCrypto;
+use punktfunk_core::crypto::{SessionCrypto, SessionKey};
 use punktfunk_core::session::Session;
 use punktfunk_core::transport::loopback_pair;
-const TAG_LEN: usize = 16; // AES-GCM authentication tag
+const TAG_LEN: usize = 16; // AEAD authentication tag (GCM and Poly1305 share the size)
 const SHARD: usize = punktfunk_core::config::mtu1500_shard_payload(); // one MTU-safe data shard
 fn cfg(role: Role, scheme: FecScheme) -> Config {
@@ -38,21 +39,29 @@ fn cfg(role: Role, scheme: FecScheme) -> Config {
        shard_payload: SHARD,
        max_frame_bytes: 8 * 1024 * 1024,
        encrypt: true, // bench the real path — crypto is always on for punktfunk/1
-        key: [7u8; 16],
+        key: SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([7u8; 16]),
        salt: [1, 2, 3, 4],
        loopback_drop_period: 0, // throughput run: no induced loss (loss-harness covers recovery)
    }
 }
 fn bench_crypto(c: &mut Criterion) {
-    let host = SessionCrypto::new(&[7u8; 16], [1, 2, 3, 4], Role::Host);
+    let mut g = c.benchmark_group("crypto");
-    let client = SessionCrypto::new(&[7u8; 16], [1, 2, 3, 4], Role::Client);
+    g.throughput(Throughput::Bytes(SHARD as u64));
    // Both negotiated session AEADs. On the x86 / Apple Silicon this runs on, both must be
    // line-rate-trivial — the chacha20 series is the host-side sealing-cost check for the
    // negotiated soft-AES-armv7 path (design/chacha20-session-cipher.md §7). The AES series
    // keeps its unsuffixed names so the CI regression compare retains its history.
    for (suffix, key) in [
        ("", SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([7u8; 16])),
        ("_chacha20", SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305([7u8; 32])),
    ] {
        let host = SessionCrypto::new(&key, [1, 2, 3, 4], Role::Host);
        let client = SessionCrypto::new(&key, [1, 2, 3, 4], Role::Client);
        let payload = vec![0xABu8; SHARD];
        let sealed = host.seal(0, &payload).unwrap();
-    let mut g = c.benchmark_group("crypto");
+        g.bench_function(format!("seal{suffix}"), |b| {
    g.throughput(Throughput::Bytes(SHARD as u64));
    g.bench_function("seal", |b| {
            let mut seq = 0u64;
            b.iter(|| {
                let ct = host.seal(seq, black_box(&payload)).unwrap();
@@ -60,7 +69,7 @@ fn bench_crypto(c: &mut Criterion) {
                black_box(ct)
            })
        });
-    g.bench_function("seal_in_place", |b| {
+        g.bench_function(format!("seal_in_place{suffix}"), |b| {
            let mut seq = 0u64;
            let mut buf = vec![0xABu8; SHARD + TAG_LEN];
            b.iter(|| {
@@ -68,10 +77,10 @@ fn bench_crypto(c: &mut Criterion) {
                seq += 1;
            })
        });
-    g.bench_function("open", |b| {
+        g.bench_function(format!("open{suffix}"), |b| {
            b.iter(|| black_box(client.open(0, black_box(&sealed)).unwrap()))
        });
-    g.bench_function("open_in_place", |b| {
+        g.bench_function(format!("open_in_place{suffix}"), |b| {
            // In-place open consumes the buffer, so each iteration restores the ciphertext first —
            // one memcpy, mirroring what the recv ring does when the next datagram lands in the slot.
            let mut buf = sealed.clone();
@@ -80,6 +89,7 @@ fn bench_crypto(c: &mut Criterion) {
                black_box(client.open_in_place(0, &mut buf).unwrap());
            })
        });
    }
    g.finish();
 }
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 //! - Panics never cross the boundary: every entry point is wrapped in `catch_unwind`.
 use crate::config::{Config, FecConfig, FecScheme, ProtocolPhase, Role};
 use crate::crypto::SessionKey;
 use crate::error::PunktfunkStatus;
 use crate::input::InputEvent;
 use crate::reanchor::{GateVerdict, ReanchorGate};
@@ -94,7 +95,10 @@ impl PunktfunkConfig {
            shard_payload: self.shard_payload as usize,
            max_frame_bytes,
            encrypt: self.encrypt != 0,
-            key: self.key,
+            // The C ABI keeps its fixed 16-byte key and always selects AES-128-GCM — no
            // ABI_VERSION bump. Raw-`Config` C embedders can't negotiate ChaCha; the Swift/
            // Kotlin clients are aarch64 with AES CE and never want it.
            key: SessionKey::Aes128Gcm(self.key),
            salt: self.salt,
            loopback_drop_period: self.loopback_drop_period,
        };
@@ -393,6 +393,7 @@ impl NativeClient {
                    launch,
                    pin,
                    identity,
                    connect_timeout: timeout,
                    frames: frame_chan_w,
                    audio_tx,
                    rumble_tx,
@@ -32,21 +32,65 @@ pub(super) async fn connect_and_handshake(args: &WorkerArgs) -> Result<Handshake
        identity.as_ref().map(|(c, k)| (c.as_str(), k.as_str())),
    );
    let ep = ep.map_err(|e| PunktfunkError::Io(std::io::Error::other(e.to_string())))?;
-    let conn = ep
+    // Dial with retry across the connect budget, not a single attempt: one quinn dial gives
    // up after the transport's idle window (~8 s of silence), which is shorter than a
    // suspend-to-RAM resume — the Steam Deck flow fires Wake-on-LAN and connects
    // immediately, so the host is still waking while the first Initials go out, and a
    // single-shot dial died just before the host came up. Short attempts keep the Initial
    // cadence dense (quinn's per-attempt retransmits back off toward multi-second gaps), so
    // the connect lands within ~a second of the host's network returning. Only SILENCE is
    // retried: a host that answers and rejects us (pin mismatch, ALPN/version, typed close)
    // must surface immediately, and the embedder's shutdown flag (budget expiry in
    // `connect`, or a user cancel) stops the loop between attempts.
    const DIAL_ATTEMPT: std::time::Duration = std::time::Duration::from_secs(3);
    // Redial headroom: leave room for the control handshake (Hello/Welcome/clock sync)
    // after a late dial success, so it still completes inside the embedder's budget.
    const CONTROL_HEADROOM: std::time::Duration = std::time::Duration::from_secs(2);
    let start = tokio::time::Instant::now();
    let deadline = start + args.connect_timeout;
    let redial_until = start + args.connect_timeout.saturating_sub(CONTROL_HEADROOM);
    let conn = loop {
        let connecting = ep
            .connect(remote, "punktfunk")
-        .map_err(|_| PunktfunkError::InvalidArg("connect"))?
+            .map_err(|_| PunktfunkError::InvalidArg("connect"))?;
-        .await
+        // Cap the attempt to the remaining budget so a success never lands after the
-        .map_err(|e| {
+        // embedder's `ready_rx` wait has already given up and flagged a teardown.
        let now = tokio::time::Instant::now();
        let attempt = DIAL_ATTEMPT.min(deadline.saturating_duration_since(now));
        let gave_up = || {
            tokio::time::Instant::now() >= redial_until
                || shutdown.load(std::sync::atomic::Ordering::SeqCst)
        };
        match tokio::time::timeout(attempt, connecting).await {
            Ok(Ok(conn)) => break conn,
            Ok(Err(e)) => {
                // A pin mismatch surfaces as a TLS failure; report it as a crypto error so
                // the embedder can distinguish "wrong host identity" from plain IO trouble.
-            let fp_mismatch =
+                let fp_mismatch = pin.is_some()
-                pin.is_some() && observed.lock().unwrap().map(|fp| Some(fp) != pin) == Some(true);
+                    && observed.lock().unwrap().map(|fp| Some(fp) != pin) == Some(true);
                if fp_mismatch {
-                PunktfunkError::Crypto
+                    return Err(PunktfunkError::Crypto);
            } else {
                PunktfunkError::Io(std::io::Error::other(e.to_string()))
                }
-        })?;
+                // The transport's own idle expiry — the host never answered — is the one
                // retryable outcome; everything else is a real answer or a local failure.
                let host_silent = matches!(e, quinn::ConnectionError::TimedOut);
                if !host_silent {
                    return Err(PunktfunkError::Io(std::io::Error::other(e.to_string())));
                }
                if gave_up() {
                    return Err(PunktfunkError::Timeout);
                }
            }
            // Attempt window elapsed with the host still silent; dropping `connecting`
            // abandoned that dial — go again unless the budget is spent.
            Err(_) => {
                if gave_up() {
                    return Err(PunktfunkError::Timeout);
                }
            }
        }
        tracing::debug!(%remote, "host silent — re-dialing (wake/resume tolerant connect)");
    };
    let fingerprint = observed.lock().unwrap().unwrap_or([0u8; 32]);
    // The rest of the handshake runs in an inner future so a failure can consult
    // `conn.close_reason()`: a host that turned us away with a typed application close
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ pub(crate) struct WorkerArgs {
    pub(crate) launch: Option<String>,
    pub(crate) pin: Option<[u8; 32]>,
    pub(crate) identity: Option<(String, String)>,
    /// The embedder's connect budget (the same value `connect` bounds `ready_rx` with): the
    /// dial loop re-dials a silent host within it, so a host still resuming from Wake-on-LAN
    /// is caught the moment its network comes back instead of failing on the first attempt.
    pub(crate) connect_timeout: std::time::Duration,
    pub(crate) frames: Arc<FrameChannel>,
    pub(crate) audio_tx: SyncSender<AudioPacket>,
    pub(crate) rumble_tx: SyncSender<RumbleUpdate>,
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 //! Session configuration and protocol/FEC parameters.
 use crate::crypto::SessionKey;
 use crate::error::{PunktfunkError, Result};
 use crate::packet::{CRYPTO_OVERHEAD, HEADER_LEN, MAX_DATAGRAM_BYTES};
 use zeroize::Zeroize;
@@ -355,9 +356,11 @@ pub struct Config {
    /// hostile/corrupt headers; see [`Session`](crate::session::Session)).
    pub max_frame_bytes: usize,
    pub encrypt: bool,
-    /// AES-128 session key established during pairing. MUST be unique per session when
+    /// The negotiated session AEAD + its key, established during pairing/handshake —
    /// AES-128-GCM for every peer by default, ChaCha20-Poly1305 when the client negotiated it
    /// (soft-AES armv7 targets; see [`SessionKey`]). MUST be unique per session when
    /// `encrypt` is set (see the nonce-uniqueness contract in [`crate::crypto`]).
-    pub key: [u8; 16],
+    pub key: SessionKey,
    /// Per-session nonce salt, established alongside `key` during pairing. MUST be
    /// unique per (key, session).
    pub salt: [u8; 4],
@@ -382,7 +385,8 @@ impl std::fmt::Debug for Config {
            .field("shard_payload", &self.shard_payload)
            .field("max_frame_bytes", &self.max_frame_bytes)
            .field("encrypt", &self.encrypt)
-            .field("key", &"<redacted>")
+            // SessionKey's own Debug redacts the material but keeps the cipher choice visible.
            .field("key", &self.key)
            .field("salt", &"<redacted>")
            .field("loopback_drop_period", &self.loopback_drop_period)
            .finish()
@@ -426,7 +430,7 @@ impl Config {
                "max_frame_bytes too large for this shard/block configuration (block count overflows u16)",
            ));
        }
-        if self.encrypt && self.key == [0u8; 16] {
+        if self.encrypt && self.key.is_zero() {
            return Err(PunktfunkError::InvalidArg(
                "encrypt requires a non-zero session key (see crypto nonce-uniqueness contract)",
            ));
@@ -449,7 +453,7 @@ impl Config {
            shard_payload: 1024,
            max_frame_bytes: 64 * 1024 * 1024,
            encrypt: false,
-            key: [0u8; 16],
+            key: SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([0u8; 16]),
            salt: [0u8; 4],
            loopback_drop_period: 0,
        }
@@ -465,7 +469,12 @@ mod tests {
        let mut c = Config::p1_defaults(Role::Host);
        c.encrypt = true; // key is still all-zero
        assert!(c.validate().is_err());
-        c.key = [1u8; 16];
+        c.key = SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([1u8; 16]);
        assert!(c.validate().is_ok());
        // The rejection follows whichever cipher variant is active.
        c.key = SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305([0u8; 32]);
        assert!(c.validate().is_err());
        c.key = SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305([1u8; 32]);
        assert!(c.validate().is_ok());
    }
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-//! AES-128-GCM session sealing, matching GameStream's video crypto in P1.
+//! Session sealing with the negotiated AEAD — AES-128-GCM (matching GameStream's video
 //! crypto in P1) by default, ChaCha20-Poly1305 (RFC 8439) for clients without hardware AES.
 //!
-//! ## Nonce uniqueness (the GCM safety requirement)
+//! ## Nonce uniqueness (the AEAD safety requirement)
 //!
 //! The 96-bit nonce is `salt (4 bytes) || sequence (8 bytes, big-endian)`. Reusing a
-//! `(key, nonce)` pair under AES-GCM is catastrophic, so two precautions apply:
+//! `(key, nonce)` pair is catastrophic under either AEAD, so two precautions apply:
 //!
 //! 1. **Per-direction salts.** Host and client share one `key` and `salt`, and each
 //!    counts its sequence from 0. To stop the host's video stream and the client's input
@@ -17,17 +18,96 @@
 //! The sequence number is also passed as AEAD associated data, so tampering with the
 //! on-wire sequence is detected (the tag check fails) rather than silently shifting the
 //! nonce. Note: this layer does not provide anti-replay — see `Session`.
 //!
 //! ## Why two ciphers
 //!
 //! Both AEADs are full-strength; the choice (negotiated via `Welcome::cipher`) is purely a
 //! performance one. On targets without hardware AES — the soft-AES armv7 clients (webOS TVs) —
 //! GCM's fixsliced AES + software GHASH costs ~50–100 cycles/byte and caps decrypt at
 //! ~100 Mbps, while ChaCha20-Poly1305's ARX construction runs ~10–17 cycles/byte in portable
 //! software (design/chacha20-session-cipher.md). Same 96-bit nonce, 16-byte tag, and AAD
 //! shape, so the entire nonce discipline above carries over verbatim.
 use crate::config::Role;
 use crate::error::{PunktfunkError, Result};
 use aes_gcm::aead::{Aead, AeadInPlace, KeyInit, Payload};
 use aes_gcm::{Aes128Gcm, Key, Nonce};
 use chacha20poly1305::ChaCha20Poly1305;
 use zeroize::Zeroize;
-/// 16-byte AEAD authentication tag appended by GCM.
+/// 16-byte AEAD authentication tag appended by either session cipher.
 pub const TAG_LEN: usize = 16;
 // The wire (CRYPTO_OVERHEAD) and every in-place split assume both negotiated AEADs append
 // exactly TAG_LEN bytes — a different-tag cipher can never slip in behind this constant.
 const _: () = assert!(std::mem::size_of::<aes_gcm::Tag>() == TAG_LEN);
 const _: () = assert!(std::mem::size_of::<chacha20poly1305::Tag>() == TAG_LEN);
 /// The negotiated session AEAD together with its key material — merged so the invalid state
 /// (a ChaCha cipher with an AES-sized key, or vice versa) is unrepresentable. AES-128-GCM is
 /// the default every peer speaks; ChaCha20-Poly1305 is granted to clients that advertised
 /// [`VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20`](crate::quic::VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20) (the soft-AES armv7 targets —
 /// see the module docs). 256 bits for ChaCha is what RFC 8439 requires.
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub enum SessionKey {
    Aes128Gcm([u8; 16]),
    ChaCha20Poly1305([u8; 32]),
 }
 impl SessionKey {
    /// Canonical lowercase cipher name for session-start logs.
    pub fn cipher_name(&self) -> &'static str {
        match self {
            SessionKey::Aes128Gcm(_) => "aes-128-gcm",
            SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305(_) => "chacha20-poly1305",
        }
    }
    /// True when the key material is all zeros — the pairing-layer footgun `Config::validate`
    /// rejects when encryption is on (see the nonce-uniqueness contract in the module docs).
    pub fn is_zero(&self) -> bool {
        match self {
            SessionKey::Aes128Gcm(k) => k == &[0u8; 16],
            SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305(k) => k == &[0u8; 32],
        }
    }
 }
 /// Key material never appears in logs, whichever variant is active — only the cipher choice
 /// (`Config`'s hand-written `Debug` relies on this).
 impl std::fmt::Debug for SessionKey {
    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
        match self {
            SessionKey::Aes128Gcm(_) => f.write_str("Aes128Gcm(<redacted>)"),
            SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305(_) => f.write_str("ChaCha20Poly1305(<redacted>)"),
        }
    }
 }
 /// Same zeroize-on-drop discipline the raw key array had (`Config`'s `Drop`).
 impl Zeroize for SessionKey {
    fn zeroize(&mut self) {
        match self {
            SessionKey::Aes128Gcm(k) => k.zeroize(),
            SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305(k) => k.zeroize(),
        }
    }
 }
 /// The two negotiated AEADs behind one seal/open surface. Both are the same RustCrypto
 /// `aead 0.5` generation (identical trait shapes, nonce/tag types), so each call below is a
 /// two-arm match right next to the cipher work itself.
 // AES's precomputed round keys (~0.7 KB) dwarf ChaCha's 32-byte state, but there is exactly
 // one long-lived `SessionCrypto` per session — boxing the variant would trade that one-off
 // slack for a pointer chase on every per-datagram seal/open.
 #[allow(clippy::large_enum_variant)]
 enum Cipher {
    Aes128Gcm(Aes128Gcm),
    ChaCha20Poly1305(ChaCha20Poly1305),
 }
 pub struct SessionCrypto {
-    cipher: Aes128Gcm,
+    cipher: Cipher,
    /// Salt for nonces we seal with (our direction).
    send_salt: [u8; 4],
    /// Salt for nonces we open with (the peer's direction).
@@ -35,11 +115,18 @@ pub struct SessionCrypto {
 }
 impl SessionCrypto {
-    pub fn new(key: &[u8; 16], salt: [u8; 4], role: Role) -> Self {
+    pub fn new(key: &SessionKey, salt: [u8; 4], role: Role) -> Self {
-        let key = Key::<Aes128Gcm>::from_slice(key);
+        let cipher = match key {
            SessionKey::Aes128Gcm(k) => {
                Cipher::Aes128Gcm(Aes128Gcm::new(Key::<Aes128Gcm>::from_slice(k)))
            }
            SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305(k) => Cipher::ChaCha20Poly1305(ChaCha20Poly1305::new(
                Key::<ChaCha20Poly1305>::from_slice(k),
            )),
        };
        let own = direction(role);
        SessionCrypto {
-            cipher: Aes128Gcm::new(key),
+            cipher,
            send_salt: dir_salt(salt, own),
            recv_salt: dir_salt(salt, own ^ 1),
        }
@@ -49,14 +136,15 @@ impl SessionCrypto {
    /// authenticated as associated data.
    pub fn seal(&self, seq: u64, plaintext: &[u8]) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
        let nonce = nonce(self.send_salt, seq);
-        self.cipher
+        let aad = seq.to_be_bytes();
-            .encrypt(
+        let payload = Payload {
                Nonce::from_slice(&nonce),
                Payload {
            msg: plaintext,
-                    aad: &seq.to_be_bytes(),
+            aad: &aad,
-                },
+        };
-            )
+        match &self.cipher {
            Cipher::Aes128Gcm(c) => c.encrypt(Nonce::from_slice(&nonce), payload),
            Cipher::ChaCha20Poly1305(c) => c.encrypt(Nonce::from_slice(&nonce), payload),
        }
        .map_err(|_| PunktfunkError::Crypto)
    }
@@ -69,9 +157,15 @@ impl SessionCrypto {
        let nonce = nonce(self.send_salt, seq);
        let split = buf.len() - TAG_LEN;
        let (plaintext, tag_slot) = buf.split_at_mut(split);
-        let tag = self
+        let aad = seq.to_be_bytes();
-            .cipher
+        let tag = match &self.cipher {
-            .encrypt_in_place_detached(Nonce::from_slice(&nonce), &seq.to_be_bytes(), plaintext)
+            Cipher::Aes128Gcm(c) => {
                c.encrypt_in_place_detached(Nonce::from_slice(&nonce), &aad, plaintext)
            }
            Cipher::ChaCha20Poly1305(c) => {
                c.encrypt_in_place_detached(Nonce::from_slice(&nonce), &aad, plaintext)
            }
        }
        .map_err(|_| PunktfunkError::Crypto)?;
        tag_slot.copy_from_slice(&tag);
        Ok(())
@@ -80,20 +174,21 @@ impl SessionCrypto {
    /// Open `ciphertext || tag` for sequence `seq` (also bound as associated data).
    pub fn open(&self, seq: u64, ciphertext: &[u8]) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
        let nonce = nonce(self.recv_salt, seq);
-        self.cipher
+        let aad = seq.to_be_bytes();
-            .decrypt(
+        let payload = Payload {
                Nonce::from_slice(&nonce),
                Payload {
            msg: ciphertext,
-                    aad: &seq.to_be_bytes(),
+            aad: &aad,
-                },
+        };
-            )
+        match &self.cipher {
            Cipher::Aes128Gcm(c) => c.decrypt(Nonce::from_slice(&nonce), payload),
            Cipher::ChaCha20Poly1305(c) => c.decrypt(Nonce::from_slice(&nonce), payload),
        }
        .map_err(|_| PunktfunkError::Crypto)
    }
    /// Open in place, no per-packet allocation: `buf` holds `[ciphertext .. ][tag]` on entry and
    /// the plaintext in its first `buf.len() - TAG_LEN` bytes on success (returned as the length)
-    /// — byte-identical to `open`, just written in place. GCM verifies the tag *before*
+    /// — byte-identical to `open`, just written in place. Both AEADs verify the tag *before*
    /// decrypting, so on failure `buf` still holds the ciphertext (the caller drops the packet
    /// either way). The hot-path receiver (`Session::poll_frame`) uses this to avoid the `Vec`
    /// that `open`'s convenience API allocates for every datagram at line rate — the receive
@@ -105,13 +200,21 @@ impl SessionCrypto {
        let nonce = nonce(self.recv_salt, seq);
        let split = buf.len() - TAG_LEN;
        let (ciphertext, tag) = buf.split_at_mut(split);
-        self.cipher
+        let aad = seq.to_be_bytes();
-            .decrypt_in_place_detached(
+        match &self.cipher {
            Cipher::Aes128Gcm(c) => c.decrypt_in_place_detached(
                Nonce::from_slice(&nonce),
-                &seq.to_be_bytes(),
+                &aad,
                ciphertext,
                aes_gcm::Tag::from_slice(tag),
-            )
+            ),
            Cipher::ChaCha20Poly1305(c) => c.decrypt_in_place_detached(
                Nonce::from_slice(&nonce),
                &aad,
                ciphertext,
                chacha20poly1305::Tag::from_slice(tag),
            ),
        }
        .map_err(|_| PunktfunkError::Crypto)?;
        Ok(split)
    }
@@ -145,6 +248,13 @@ pub fn random_key() -> [u8; 16] {
    k
 }
 /// Generate a fresh random ChaCha20-Poly1305 session key (RFC 8439's 256-bit size).
 pub fn random_key32() -> [u8; 32] {
    let mut k = [0u8; 32];
    rand::RngCore::fill_bytes(&mut rand::rng(), &mut k);
    k
 }
 /// Generate a fresh random per-session nonce salt.
 pub fn random_salt() -> [u8; 4] {
    let mut s = [0u8; 4];
@@ -156,9 +266,17 @@ pub fn random_salt() -> [u8; 4] {
 mod tests {
    use super::*;
    /// One fresh key per negotiated cipher — every sealing test below must hold for both.
    fn both_keys() -> [SessionKey; 2] {
        [
            SessionKey::Aes128Gcm(random_key()),
            SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305(random_key32()),
        ]
    }
    #[test]
    fn seal_open_roundtrip_cross_direction() {
-        let key = random_key();
+        for key in both_keys() {
            let salt = random_salt();
            let host = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Host);
            let client = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Client);
@@ -175,10 +293,11 @@ mod tests {
            // open its own outbound packet → distinct nonce spaces per direction.
            assert!(host.open(42, &sealed).is_err());
        }
    }
    #[test]
    fn directions_use_distinct_nonce_spaces() {
-        let key = random_key();
+        for key in both_keys() {
            let salt = [0u8; 4]; // even an all-zero base salt must separate the directions
            let host = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Host);
            let client = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Client);
@@ -188,10 +307,11 @@ mod tests {
                client.seal(0, b"abc").unwrap()
            );
        }
    }
    #[test]
    fn open_in_place_matches_open_and_rejects_tampering() {
-        let key = random_key();
+        for key in both_keys() {
            let salt = random_salt();
            let host = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Host);
            let client = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Client);
@@ -221,10 +341,11 @@ mod tests {
            let mut runt = vec![0u8; TAG_LEN - 1];
            assert!(client.open_in_place(0, &mut runt).is_err());
        }
    }
    #[test]
    fn seal_in_place_matches_seal_and_opens() {
-        let key = random_key();
+        for key in both_keys() {
            let salt = random_salt();
            let host = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Host);
            let client = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Client);
@@ -245,4 +366,43 @@ mod tests {
                assert_eq!(client.open(7, &buf).unwrap(), msg);
            }
        }
    }
    #[test]
    fn ciphers_are_not_interchangeable() {
        // A packet sealed under one AEAD must not open under the other — negotiation skew has
        // to fail loudly (a tag mismatch), never decode garbage. The ChaCha key repeats the AES
        // key bytes so even overlapping key material can't accidentally interoperate.
        let salt = random_salt();
        let aes = SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([7u8; 16]);
        let chacha = SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305([7u8; 32]);
        let sealed = SessionCrypto::new(&aes, salt, Role::Host)
            .seal(1, b"cross-cipher")
            .unwrap();
        assert!(SessionCrypto::new(&chacha, salt, Role::Client)
            .open(1, &sealed)
            .is_err());
        let sealed = SessionCrypto::new(&chacha, salt, Role::Host)
            .seal(1, b"cross-cipher")
            .unwrap();
        assert!(SessionCrypto::new(&aes, salt, Role::Client)
            .open(1, &sealed)
            .is_err());
    }
    #[test]
    fn session_key_zero_check_and_debug_redaction() {
        assert!(SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([0u8; 16]).is_zero());
        assert!(SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305([0u8; 32]).is_zero());
        assert!(!SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([1u8; 16]).is_zero());
        assert!(!SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305([1u8; 32]).is_zero());
        // Key bytes must never reach a log, whichever variant — only the cipher choice.
        for key in both_keys() {
            let dbg = format!("{key:?}");
            assert!(dbg.contains("<redacted>"), "{dbg}");
        }
        let mut k = SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305([9u8; 32]);
        k.zeroize();
        assert!(k.is_zero());
    }
 }
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 use super::reassemble::LOSS_WINDOW_NS;
 use super::*;
 use crate::config::{Config, FecScheme};
 use crate::crypto::SessionKey;
 use crate::fec::coder_for;
 use crate::stats::StatsCounters;
 use zerocopy::{FromBytes, IntoBytes};
@@ -182,7 +183,7 @@ fn explicit_frame_index_is_stamped_and_internal_counter_untouched() {
        shard_payload: 16,
        max_frame_bytes: 4096,
        encrypt: false,
-        key: [0u8; 16],
+        key: SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([0u8; 16]),
        salt: [0u8; 4],
        loopback_drop_period: 0,
    };
@@ -292,7 +293,7 @@ fn e2e_config(scheme: FecScheme, fec_percent: u8) -> Config {
        shard_payload: 16,
        max_frame_bytes: 4096,
        encrypt: false,
-        key: [0u8; 16],
+        key: SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([0u8; 16]),
        salt: [0u8; 4],
        loopback_drop_period: 0,
    }
@@ -44,6 +44,17 @@ pub const VIDEO_CAP_PROBE_SEQ: u8 = 0x10;
 /// bit; every other client gets today's whole-AU path (chunks concatenated before sealing), so
 /// the fallback is zero-risk.
 pub const VIDEO_CAP_STREAMED_AU: u8 = 0x20;
 /// [`Hello::video_caps`] bit: the client can open **ChaCha20-Poly1305**-sealed session datagrams
 /// AND requests them — set by clients without hardware AES (the soft-AES armv7 targets, e.g.
 /// webOS TVs), where GCM's software AES + GHASH caps decrypt at ~100 Mbps while ChaCha's ARX
 /// construction runs 4–7× faster in portable code (design/chacha20-session-cipher.md).
 /// Support-plus-request in one bit mirrors [`VIDEO_CAP_444`]'s "capable AND turned on"
 /// precedent. The host grants it only when its `PUNKTFUNK_CHACHA20` kill-switch (default on)
 /// allows, answering with [`Welcome::cipher`] `= 1` + the 32-byte [`Welcome::key_chacha`];
 /// toward every other client the Welcome stays byte-identical AES-128-GCM. Purely a
 /// performance choice — both AEADs are full-strength, and Hello/Welcome ride the pinned-TLS
 /// control channel, so there is no downgrade surface.
 pub const VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20: u8 = 0x40;
 /// [`Welcome::host_caps`] bit: the host applies [`InputKind::GamepadState`]
 /// (crate::input::InputKind::GamepadState) snapshot events — full per-pad state with a reorder
@@ -225,6 +236,8 @@ mod tests {
            audio_channels: 2,
            codec: CODEC_HEVC,
            host_caps: HOST_CAP_GAMEPAD_STATE | HOST_CAP_CLIPBOARD,
            cipher: 0,
            key_chacha: None,
        };
        let got = Welcome::decode(&w.encode()).unwrap();
        assert_eq!(got.host_caps & HOST_CAP_CLIPBOARD, HOST_CAP_CLIPBOARD);
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use super::*;
 use crate::config::{
    CompositorPref, Config, FecConfig, FecScheme, GamepadPref, Mode, ProtocolPhase, Role,
 };
 use crate::crypto::SessionKey;
 use crate::error::{PunktfunkError, Result};
 /// `client → host`: open the session, requesting a display mode (the host creates its
@@ -107,6 +108,13 @@ pub const HELLO_NAME_MAX: usize = 64;
 /// (`steam:<appid>` / `custom:<12 hex>`); the cap just bounds an attacker-controlled field.
 pub const HELLO_LAUNCH_MAX: usize = 128;
 /// [`Welcome::cipher`] id: AES-128-GCM — the default session AEAD every peer speaks (and the
 /// only one pre-cipher builds know).
 pub const CIPHER_AES_128_GCM: u8 = 0;
 /// [`Welcome::cipher`] id: ChaCha20-Poly1305 (RFC 8439) — negotiated via
 /// [`VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20`] for clients without hardware AES.
 pub const CIPHER_CHACHA20_POLY1305: u8 = 1;
 /// `host → client`: the complete session offer.
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct Welcome {
@@ -173,6 +181,22 @@ pub struct Welcome {
    /// per-transition events otherwise). Appended after `codec` as a single trailing byte; an
    /// older host that omits it decodes to `0` (no capabilities — legacy events only).
    pub host_caps: u8,
    /// The session AEAD the data plane seals with — [`CIPHER_AES_128_GCM`] (`0`, the default
    /// every peer speaks) or [`CIPHER_CHACHA20_POLY1305`] (`1`). The host sets `1` ONLY toward
    /// a client that advertised [`VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20`] (the soft-AES armv7 targets). Appended
    /// after `host_caps` at offset 68 and — unlike the earlier trailing fields — emitted only
    /// when non-zero, so an AES session's Welcome stays **byte-identical** to the pre-cipher
    /// wire form; an older host omits it (→ `0`, AES). Decode is fail-closed: an unknown id is
    /// an `Err`, never a silent AES fallback — the host only picks a cipher this client
    /// advertised, so an unknown id reaching us is a bug, and falling back would yield an
    /// undecryptable session with a confusing failure signature.
    pub cipher: u8,
    /// The 256-bit ChaCha20-Poly1305 session key (RFC 8439 requires the full 32 bytes; wire
    /// cost is once per handshake) — present iff `cipher == 1`, at offsets 69..101. The legacy
    /// 16-byte `key` keeps its offset and stays independently random, so nothing downstream
    /// ever observes an all-zero key. Decode rejects `cipher == 1` with fewer than 32 key
    /// bytes following.
    pub key_chacha: Option<[u8; 32]>,
 }
 /// `client → host`: data plane is bound, begin streaming.
@@ -366,6 +390,21 @@ impl Welcome {
        b.push(self.codec);
        // Host input caps at offset 67 — older clients stop before this → 0 (legacy input only).
        b.push(self.host_caps);
        // Session cipher at offset 68 + the 32-byte ChaCha key at 69..101 — emitted ONLY when a
        // non-default cipher was negotiated, so an AES session's Welcome stays byte-identical
        // to the pre-cipher wire form. The host only sets cipher toward a client that
        // advertised VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20, so an old client never sees these bytes at all.
        debug_assert_eq!(
            self.cipher == CIPHER_CHACHA20_POLY1305,
            self.key_chacha.is_some(),
            "key_chacha present iff cipher == 1"
        );
        if self.cipher != CIPHER_AES_128_GCM {
            b.push(self.cipher);
            if let Some(k) = &self.key_chacha {
                b.extend_from_slice(k);
            }
        }
        b
    }
@@ -374,8 +413,10 @@ impl Welcome {
        // scheme[22] pct[23] max_data[24..26] shard[26..28] encrypt[28] key[29..45]
        // salt[45..49] frames[49..53] compositor[53] gamepad[54] bitrate_kbps[55..59]
        // bit_depth[59] color.primaries[60] color.transfer[61] color.matrix[62] color.range[63]
-        // chroma_format[64] audio_channels[65] codec[66] (everything from compositor on is an
+        // chroma_format[64] audio_channels[65] codec[66] host_caps[67] cipher[68]
-        // optional trailing byte; an older host stops earlier).
+        // key_chacha[69..101] (everything from compositor on is an optional trailing byte; an
        // older host stops earlier; cipher/key_chacha are present only when ChaCha was
        // negotiated).
        if b.len() < 53 || &b[0..4] != MAGIC {
            return Err(PunktfunkError::InvalidArg("bad Welcome"));
        }
@@ -385,6 +426,24 @@ impl Welcome {
        key.copy_from_slice(&b[29..45]);
        let mut salt = [0u8; 4];
        salt.copy_from_slice(&b[45..49]);
        // Session cipher at 68 — absent on an older host → AES-128-GCM. Fail-closed on
        // anything else: `cipher == 1` with fewer than 32 key bytes must be an error (a silent
        // AES fallback would yield an undecryptable session with a confusing failure
        // signature), and an unknown id (≥ 2) reaching us is a bug — a host only picks a
        // cipher this client advertised — never a legitimate negotiation.
        let cipher = b.get(68).copied().unwrap_or(CIPHER_AES_128_GCM);
        let key_chacha = match cipher {
            CIPHER_AES_128_GCM => None,
            CIPHER_CHACHA20_POLY1305 => {
                let bytes = b
                    .get(69..101)
                    .ok_or(PunktfunkError::InvalidArg("bad Welcome"))?;
                let mut k = [0u8; 32];
                k.copy_from_slice(bytes);
                Some(k)
            }
            _ => return Err(PunktfunkError::InvalidArg("bad Welcome")),
        };
        Ok(Welcome {
            abi_version: u32at(4),
            udp_port: u16at(8),
@@ -452,6 +511,8 @@ impl Welcome {
            // Optional trailing host-caps byte — absent on an older host → 0 (no gamepad-state
            // snapshots; the client keeps sending legacy per-transition events).
            host_caps: b.get(67).copied().unwrap_or(0),
            cipher,
            key_chacha,
        })
    }
@@ -462,7 +523,12 @@ impl Welcome {
        c.fec = self.fec;
        c.shard_payload = self.shard_payload as usize;
        c.encrypt = self.encrypt;
-        c.key = self.key;
+        // The negotiated AEAD: the ChaCha key when cipher == 1 (guaranteed present by decode —
        // the `(1, None)` shape is unreachable off the wire), the legacy AES key otherwise.
        c.key = match (self.cipher, self.key_chacha) {
            (CIPHER_CHACHA20_POLY1305, Some(k)) => SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305(k),
            _ => SessionKey::Aes128Gcm(self.key),
        };
        c.salt = self.salt;
        // Client-side reassembler ceiling: p1_defaults' 64 MiB hostile-header memory bound is
        // ~10x larger than any real access unit. Derive it from the negotiated rate instead:
@@ -531,6 +597,8 @@ mod tests {
            audio_channels: 2,
            codec: CODEC_H264, // exercise a non-default codec through the roundtrip
            host_caps: HOST_CAP_GAMEPAD_STATE,
            cipher: 0,
            key_chacha: None,
        };
        assert_eq!(Welcome::decode(&w.encode()).unwrap(), w);
@@ -564,6 +632,81 @@ mod tests {
        assert!(derived > (8 << 20) && derived < (64 << 20));
    }
    #[test]
    fn welcome_cipher_negotiation_wire_and_back_compat() {
        use crate::crypto::SessionKey;
        let base = Welcome {
            abi_version: 2,
            udp_port: 7000,
            mode: Mode {
                width: 1920,
                height: 1080,
                refresh_hz: 60,
            },
            fec: FecConfig {
                scheme: FecScheme::Gf16,
                fec_percent: 20,
                max_data_per_block: 4096,
            },
            shard_payload: 1200,
            encrypt: true,
            key: [7u8; 16],
            salt: [9, 8, 7, 6],
            frames: 0,
            compositor: CompositorPref::Auto,
            gamepad: GamepadPref::Auto,
            bitrate_kbps: 50_000,
            bit_depth: 8,
            color: ColorInfo::SDR_BT709,
            chroma_format: CHROMA_IDC_420,
            audio_channels: 2,
            codec: CODEC_HEVC,
            host_caps: 0,
            cipher: CIPHER_AES_128_GCM,
            key_chacha: None,
        };
        // An AES session's Welcome is byte-identical to the pre-cipher wire form (68 bytes) —
        // the old-client × new-host interop guarantee.
        let enc = base.encode();
        assert_eq!(enc.len(), 68);
        assert_eq!(Welcome::decode(&enc).unwrap(), base);
        // ChaCha roundtrip: cipher byte at 68, the 32-byte key at 69..101.
        let k32: [u8; 32] = core::array::from_fn(|i| i as u8 + 1);
        let cha = Welcome {
            cipher: CIPHER_CHACHA20_POLY1305,
            key_chacha: Some(k32),
            ..base
        };
        let cenc = cha.encode();
        assert_eq!(cenc.len(), 68 + 1 + 32);
        assert_eq!(Welcome::decode(&cenc).unwrap(), cha);
        // A truncated old-host Welcome (no cipher byte) decodes to the AES default.
        let old_host = Welcome::decode(&cenc[..68]).unwrap();
        assert_eq!(old_host.cipher, CIPHER_AES_128_GCM);
        assert_eq!(old_host.key_chacha, None);
        // cipher == 1 with a missing / short key → Err, fail-closed (a silent AES fallback
        // would yield an undecryptable session with a confusing failure signature).
        assert!(Welcome::decode(&cenc[..69]).is_err());
        assert!(Welcome::decode(&cenc[..100]).is_err());
        // An unknown cipher id (≥ 2) → Err: the host only picks a cipher we advertised, so an
        // unknown id reaching us is a bug, never a legitimate negotiation.
        let mut bad = cenc.clone();
        bad[68] = 2;
        assert!(Welcome::decode(&bad).is_err());
        // session_config maps both variants onto the data-plane key, and both validate.
        let aes_cfg = base.session_config(Role::Client);
        assert_eq!(aes_cfg.key, SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([7u8; 16]));
        aes_cfg.validate().expect("AES config validates");
        let cha_cfg = cha.session_config(Role::Client);
        assert_eq!(cha_cfg.key, SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305(k32));
        cha_cfg.validate().expect("ChaCha config validates");
    }
    #[test]
    fn codec_negotiation_and_back_compat() {
        // resolve_codec precedence (HEVC > AV1 > H.264), no preference (0).
@@ -656,6 +799,8 @@ mod tests {
                audio_channels: 2,
                codec: CODEC_PYROWAVE,
                host_caps: 0,
                cipher: 0,
                key_chacha: None,
            }
            .encode(),
        )
@@ -726,6 +871,8 @@ mod tests {
                audio_channels: 2,
                codec: CODEC_H264,
                host_caps: 0,
                cipher: 0,
                key_chacha: None,
            }
            .encode(),
        )
@@ -831,6 +978,8 @@ mod tests {
            audio_channels: 6, // 5.1 — exercises the non-default trailing byte
            codec: CODEC_HEVC,
            host_caps: HOST_CAP_GAMEPAD_STATE,
            cipher: 0,
            key_chacha: None,
        };
        let wenc = w.encode();
        assert_eq!(wenc.len(), 68); // 60 base + 4 colour + chroma + audio-channels + codec + host-caps
@@ -781,6 +781,7 @@ impl Session {
 mod wire_equivalence_tests {
    use super::*;
    use crate::config::{FecConfig, FecScheme, ProtocolPhase};
    use crate::crypto::SessionKey;
    use crate::transport::loopback_pair;
    fn host_cfg(scheme: FecScheme, fec_percent: u8, encrypt: bool) -> Config {
@@ -798,7 +799,7 @@ mod wire_equivalence_tests {
            shard_payload: 64,
            max_frame_bytes: 8 * 1024 * 1024,
            encrypt,
-            key: [7u8; 16],
+            key: SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([7u8; 16]),
            salt: [3, 1, 4, 1],
            loopback_drop_period: 0,
        }
@@ -930,7 +931,7 @@ mod wire_equivalence_tests {
            shard_payload: 1024,
            max_frame_bytes: 8 * 1024 * 1024,
            encrypt: false,
-            key: [0u8; 16],
+            key: SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([0u8; 16]),
            salt: [0u8; 4],
            loopback_drop_period: 0,
        };
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 use proptest::prelude::*;
 use punktfunk_core::config::{Config, FecConfig, FecScheme, ProtocolPhase, Role};
 use punktfunk_core::crypto::SessionKey;
 use punktfunk_core::fec::coder_for;
 use punktfunk_core::input::{InputEvent, InputKind};
 use punktfunk_core::session::Session;
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ fn config(role: Role, scheme: FecScheme, encrypt: bool, drop_period: u32) -> Con
        shard_payload: 1024,
        max_frame_bytes: 8 * 1024 * 1024,
        encrypt,
-        key: [7u8; 16],
+        key: SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([7u8; 16]),
        salt: [1, 2, 3, 4],
        loopback_drop_period: drop_period,
    }
@@ -101,6 +102,30 @@ fn encrypted_stream_recovers_under_loss() {
    assert_eq!(stats.frames_completed, frames.len() as u64);
 }
 /// The negotiated ChaCha20-Poly1305 session cipher through the same lossy full-stream path:
 /// loss/replay behavior is cipher-independent (the replay window keys off the authenticated
 /// seq), so recovery must be byte-identical to the AES run above.
 #[test]
 fn chacha20_encrypted_stream_recovers_under_loss() {
    let frames = sample_frames();
    let mk = |role| {
        let mut c = config(role, FecScheme::Gf16, true, 8);
        c.key = SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305([7u8; 32]);
        c
    };
    let (host_tp, client_tp) = loopback_pair(8, 0);
    let mut host = Session::new(mk(Role::Host), Box::new(host_tp)).unwrap();
    let mut client = Session::new(mk(Role::Client), Box::new(client_tp)).unwrap();
    for (i, frame) in frames.iter().enumerate() {
        host.submit_frame(frame, i as u64 * 1_000_000, 0).unwrap();
        let got = client
            .poll_frame()
            .expect("frame should recover despite loss");
        assert_eq!(&got.data, frame, "frame {i} mismatched after recovery");
    }
    assert!(client.stats().fec_recovered_shards > 0);
 }
 #[test]
 fn lossless_stream_is_exact() {
    let frames = sample_frames();
@@ -26,7 +26,10 @@ pub use pf_capture::{dxgi, synthetic_nv12};
 /// capture→encode cycle). Resolved here (the host facade) and threaded in, so the edge stays one-way
 /// (plan §2.4 / §W6).
 #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
-fn zero_copy_policy(pyrowave_session: bool) -> pf_capture::ZeroCopyPolicy {
+fn zero_copy_policy(
    pyrowave_session: bool,
    native_nv12_session: bool,
 ) -> pf_capture::ZeroCopyPolicy {
    let backend_is_vaapi = crate::encode::linux_zero_copy_is_vaapi();
    // The raw-dmabuf passthrough serves a PyroWave session on ANY vendor (the wavelet encoder's
    // own Vulkan device imports the dmabuf) — per-session from the negotiated codec, plus the
@@ -56,6 +59,7 @@ fn zero_copy_policy(pyrowave_session: bool) -> pf_capture::ZeroCopyPolicy {
        backend_is_gpu: crate::encode::resolved_backend_is_gpu(),
        pyrowave_session,
        pyrowave_modifiers,
        native_nv12_session,
    }
 }
@@ -70,7 +74,9 @@ pub fn open_portal_monitor(want_hdr: bool) -> Result<Box<dyn Capturer>> {
    let anchored = crate::inject::default_backend() == crate::inject::Backend::Libei;
    // Monitor mirrors never carry the native PyroWave plane (GameStream protocol) — per-session
    // passthrough is virtual-output-only; the global encoder-pref lever still applies inside.
-    pf_capture::open_portal_monitor(anchored, want_hdr, zero_copy_policy(false))
+    // Native NV12 stays off too: the mirror path doesn't resolve the codec here, and the desktop
    // compositors it mirrors (GNOME/KWin) don't produce NV12 anyway.
    pf_capture::open_portal_monitor(anchored, want_hdr, zero_copy_policy(false, false))
 }
 #[cfg(not(target_os = "linux"))]
@@ -101,7 +107,7 @@ pub fn capture_virtual_output(
        vout.keepalive,
        want.gpu,
        want.chroma_444,
-        zero_copy_policy(want.pyrowave),
+        zero_copy_policy(want.pyrowave, want.nv12_native),
    )
 }
@@ -86,6 +86,12 @@ pub fn start(
            crate::events::emit(crate::events::EventKind::ClientConnected {
                client: event_client.clone(),
            });
            // GPU clock pin (Linux, opt-in `PUNKTFUNK_PIN_CLOCKS`): hold the box-wide vendor clock
            // floor while this compat-plane stream runs, refcounted with every other live session
            // across both planes. Released when the closure exits (stream stopped) — so idle clocks
            // aren't pinned between Moonlight sessions. No-op off Linux / when the flag is unset.
            #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
            let _clock_pin = crate::gpuclocks::session_pin();
            let result = run(
                cfg,
                app.as_ref(),
@@ -2,11 +2,15 @@
 //! plan Tier 1B): the driver's adaptive P-state ramps clocks down between bursty encode frames,
 //! so every frame re-pays a spin-up. This is NOT theoretical — measured on the 780M (VCN 4),
 //! a 1440p HEVC encode takes ~4.4 ms/frame with the clocks hot (120 fps pacing) but ~8 ms/frame
-//! at a 60 fps duty cycle: the sag doubles per-frame encode latency.
+//! at a 60 fps duty cycle: the sag doubles per-frame encode latency. So the pin is worth holding
 //! only while a client is actively streaming: it is armed on the first live client and released
 //! when the last one disconnects (refcounted across both streaming planes — see [`session_pin`]),
 //! leaving the driver's idle power management alone the rest of the time.
 //!
 //! **AMD** (`PUNKTFUNK_PIN_CLOCKS=1`, root-gated by sysfs ownership): write `high` into each
-//! amdgpu card's `power_dpm_force_performance_level` for the host lifetime, restoring the prior
+//! amdgpu card's `power_dpm_force_performance_level` while a client is streaming, restoring the
-//! value on exit. Non-root gets EACCES → logged once with the privilege recipe. Deliberately
+//! prior value when the last client disconnects. Non-root gets EACCES → logged once with the
 //! privilege recipe. Deliberately
 //! opt-in: it defeats power management box-wide and is wrong on battery (Steam Deck!).
 //!
 //! **NVIDIA** — two independent halves, both no-ops off NVIDIA:
@@ -28,14 +32,16 @@
 //!    while leaving boost headroom — NVIDIA's own latency guidance is "raise the floor, don't pin
 //!    the max" (locking above base just gets throttled; a max pin only burns idle watts). Non-root
 //!    callers get `NVML_ERROR_NO_PERMISSION` — logged once with the privilege recipe, then the
-//!    host runs unpinned. The pin is undone on drop (host exit); after a crash it persists until
+//!    host runs unpinned. The pin is undone on drop (when the last client disconnects); after a
-//!    driver reload/reboot, which the reset-before-pin on the next start self-heals. Deliberately
+//!    crash it persists until driver reload/reboot, which the reset-before-pin on the next arm
 //!    self-heals. Deliberately
 //!    NOT default-on: it defeats idle downclocking for the whole box and is wrong on
 //!    battery-powered hosts.
 // Every `unsafe` block in this file carries a `// SAFETY:` proof; enforce it (unsafe-proof program).
 #![deny(clippy::undocumented_unsafe_blocks)]
 use std::os::raw::{c_char, c_int, c_uint, c_void};
 use std::sync::{Mutex, OnceLock};
 /// `nvmlDevice_t` — an opaque driver handle.
 type NvmlDevice = *mut c_void;
@@ -133,8 +139,9 @@ struct AmdPin {
    restore: String,
 }
-/// Host-lifetime guard: holds the armed clock pins (NVML floor and/or amdgpu perf level) and
+/// Holds the armed clock pins (NVML floor and/or amdgpu perf level) and undoes them on drop. Owned
-/// undoes them on drop.
+/// by the [`session_pin`] refcount: constructed when the first live client arms the pin, dropped
 /// (clocks restored) when the last one disconnects.
 pub struct ClockGuard {
    nvml: Option<NvmlPin>,
    amd: Vec<AmdPin>,
@@ -142,9 +149,10 @@ pub struct ClockGuard {
 // SAFETY: `ClockGuard` holds opaque NVML device handles + resolved fn pointers from the loaded
 // driver library (plus plain sysfs paths/strings). NVML is documented thread-safe, the handles are
-// plain driver tokens with no thread affinity, and the guard is only ever *moved* (held in `main`,
+// plain driver tokens with no thread affinity, and the guard is only ever *moved* (into the
-// dropped once at exit) and used through `&mut`/ownership — never shared. Transfer across threads
+// `pin_refcount` mutex when armed, taken back out and dropped when the last client disconnects) and
-// is therefore sound.
+// used through exclusive ownership behind that mutex — never shared. Transfer across threads is
 // therefore sound.
 unsafe impl Send for ClockGuard {}
 impl Drop for ClockGuard {
@@ -182,22 +190,89 @@ impl Drop for ClockGuard {
 }
 /// Startup hook for the host subcommands (`serve` / `punktfunk1-host`): install the NVIDIA P2-cap
-/// application profile and, when `PUNKTFUNK_PIN_CLOCKS` is set, arm the vendor clock pin (NVML
+/// application profile — the process-scoped, no-root half of the NVIDIA lever, which the driver
-/// core-clock floor / amdgpu `high` performance level). Returns the guard keeping the pins for
+/// only acts on once the host holds a live CUDA/NVENC context (i.e. during a session).
-/// the host lifetime. `None` when nothing was armed.
+///
-pub fn on_host_start() -> Option<ClockGuard> {
+/// The vendor clock *pin* is deliberately NOT armed here anymore: held for the whole host lifetime
 /// it kept the box's clocks hot even with no client connected. It is now refcounted per live client
 /// via [`session_pin`] (armed on both streaming planes), so idle clocks are left to the driver's
 /// power management until someone actually streams.
 pub fn on_host_start() {
    if nvidia_present() {
        ensure_cuda_perf_profile();
    }
 }
 /// The box-wide clock-pin refcount, shared across BOTH streaming planes (native + GameStream): the
 /// vendor pin is a single global GPU setting, so N concurrent sessions share ONE pin — armed when
 /// the first client goes live, released when the last one leaves.
 struct PinRefcount {
    /// Number of live [`SessionClockPin`] handles.
    live: usize,
    /// The armed pins, present iff `live > 0` and something was actually pinnable.
    guard: Option<ClockGuard>,
 }
 fn pin_refcount() -> &'static Mutex<PinRefcount> {
    static STATE: OnceLock<Mutex<PinRefcount>> = OnceLock::new();
    STATE.get_or_init(|| {
        Mutex::new(PinRefcount {
            live: 0,
            guard: None,
        })
    })
 }
 /// RAII handle that keeps the box-wide clock pin armed while it is alive. Obtain one per live client
 /// session on either plane via [`session_pin`]; when the last outstanding handle drops, the pin is
 /// released and the driver's idle downclocking resumes. A no-op handle when `PUNKTFUNK_PIN_CLOCKS`
 /// is unset (the opt-in gate) — the refcount only ticks for sessions that asked for pinning.
 pub struct SessionClockPin {
    /// Whether this handle actually incremented the refcount (false = opt-in gate off → no-op).
    counted: bool,
 }
 /// Arm the box-wide clock pin for one live client session, refcounted across every plane. Returns
 /// an RAII handle; the pin is released when the last handle drops. A no-op (returns immediately,
 /// touches no GPU state) unless `PUNKTFUNK_PIN_CLOCKS` is set.
 pub fn session_pin() -> SessionClockPin {
    if !flag_truthy("PUNKTFUNK_PIN_CLOCKS") {
-        return None;
+        return SessionClockPin { counted: false };
    }
    let mut state = pin_refcount().lock().unwrap();
    state.live += 1;
    if state.live == 1 {
        // 0 → 1: the first live client — arm the vendor pin (reset-before-pin inside `pin_nvidia`
        // heals a stale pin from a crashed previous run).
        let nvml = if nvidia_present() { pin_nvidia() } else { None };
        let amd = pin_amdgpu();
-    if nvml.is_none() && amd.is_empty() {
+        state.guard = if nvml.is_none() && amd.is_empty() {
-        return None;
+            None // nothing pinnable (no perms / no supported GPU) — the session streams unpinned
-    }
+        } else {
            Some(ClockGuard { nvml, amd })
        };
    }
    SessionClockPin { counted: true }
 }
 impl Drop for SessionClockPin {
    fn drop(&mut self) {
        if !self.counted {
            return;
        }
        // Take the guard out under the lock but drop it *outside* — releasing the pin does NVML +
        // sysfs I/O we don't want to hold the refcount lock across.
        let release = {
            let mut state = pin_refcount().lock().unwrap();
            state.live = state.live.saturating_sub(1);
            if state.live == 0 {
                state.guard.take()
            } else {
                None
            }
        };
        drop(release);
    }
 }
 /// Force every amdgpu card's DPM performance level to `high` for the session — the encode-latency
@@ -238,7 +313,7 @@ fn pin_amdgpu() -> Vec<AmdPin> {
                    card = %name,
                    was = %prev,
                    "amdgpu performance level pinned to high (encode clock sag removed) — \
-                     restored on host exit"
+                     restored when the last client disconnects"
                );
                pins.push(AmdPin {
                    path,
@@ -327,7 +402,8 @@ fn pin_nvidia() -> Option<NvmlPin> {
        }
        tracing::info!(
            devices = pinned.len(),
-            "NVIDIA core-clock floor armed (min=TDP/base, max=boost) — released on host exit"
+            "NVIDIA core-clock floor armed (min=TDP/base, max=boost) — released when the last \
             client disconnects"
        );
        Some(NvmlPin { nvml, pinned })
    }
@@ -246,14 +246,17 @@ fn real_main() -> Result<()> {
        crate::capture::dxgi::install_gpu_pref_hook();
    }
-    // NVIDIA clock hygiene (Linux, host subcommands only): install the P2-cap driver profile and,
+    // NVIDIA clock hygiene (Linux, host subcommands only): install the P2-cap driver profile. The
-    // under PUNKTFUNK_PIN_CLOCKS, hold the NVML core-clock floor for the host lifetime (reset on
+    // vendor clock *pin* (PUNKTFUNK_PIN_CLOCKS) is no longer held for the host lifetime — it is
-    // exit via the guard's Drop). No-op off NVIDIA / on the tool subcommands.
+    // armed per live client via `gpuclocks::session_pin()` on both streaming planes, so idle clocks
    // are left alone while nobody is connected. No-op off NVIDIA / on the tool subcommands.
    #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
-    let _nv_clocks = match args.first().map(String::as_str) {
+    if matches!(
-        Some("serve") | Some("punktfunk1-host") => gpuclocks::on_host_start(),
+        args.first().map(String::as_str),
-        _ => None,
+        Some("serve") | Some("punktfunk1-host")
-    };
+    ) {
        gpuclocks::on_host_start();
    }
    match args.first().map(String::as_str) {
        // The host: the native punktfunk/1 plane + management API by default (secure), and — with
@@ -322,7 +325,33 @@ fn real_main() -> Result<()> {
        // `PUNKTFUNK_HDR_SHADER_P010` colour math without green-screening a live HDR stream. Prints
        // PASS/FAIL + max Y/Cb/Cr error.
        #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
-        Some("hdr-p010-selftest") => crate::capture::dxgi::hdr_p010_selftest(),
+        Some("hdr-p010-selftest") => {
            // Optional args: a `WxH` size (default 64x64 — pass the real capture size: heights
            // like 1080 are NOT 16-aligned and exercise a different driver path) and a GPU
            // vendor (`intel`|`nvidia`|`amd` — dual-GPU boxes otherwise test the default
            // adapter, which may not be the one that encodes).
            let mut size = (64u32, 64u32);
            let mut vendor = None;
            for a in args.iter().skip(2) {
                match a.as_str() {
                    "intel" => vendor = Some(0x8086),
                    "nvidia" => vendor = Some(0x10de),
                    "amd" => vendor = Some(0x1002),
                    s => {
                        let parsed = s
                            .split_once('x')
                            .and_then(|(w, h)| Some((w.parse().ok()?, h.parse().ok()?)));
                        match parsed {
                            Some(wh) => size = wh,
                            None => anyhow::bail!(
                                "hdr-p010-selftest: unrecognized arg {s:?} (want WxH or intel|nvidia|amd)"
                            ),
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
            crate::capture::dxgi::hdr_p010_selftest_at(size.0, size.1, vendor)
        }
        // Linux HDR readiness probe (GNOME 50+ portal path): prints whether a monitor is currently
        // in BT.2100 (HDR) colour mode, whether the NVENC/VAAPI backend probes Main10 for
        // HEVC/AV1, and the GameStream HDR capability the two combine into — the "why isn't my
@@ -439,7 +439,11 @@ pub(crate) async fn serve(
            )
            .await
            {
-                Ok(()) => tracing::info!(%peer, "session complete"),
+                Ok(Served::Session) => tracing::info!(%peer, "session complete"),
                Ok(Served::ProbeClose) => tracing::debug!(
                    %peer,
                    "closed before the control handshake (reachability probe)"
                ),
                Err(e) => {
                    tracing::warn!(%peer, error = %format!("{e:#}"), "session ended with error")
                }
@@ -629,6 +633,15 @@ type AudioCapSlot = Arc<std::sync::Mutex<Option<Box<dyn crate::audio::AudioCaptu
 /// connection (the host stops waiting at once).
 const PENDING_APPROVAL_WAIT: std::time::Duration = std::time::Duration::from_secs(180);
 /// How a served connection ended. A peer that completes the QUIC handshake and closes cleanly
 /// (code 0) without ever opening the control stream is a reachability probe (the clients'
 /// hosts-page "online" pips / `--reachable`) or an abandoned connect — routine, and logged
 /// quietly: as a WARN it buried the real failures in a wake-on-LAN triage log.
 enum Served {
    Session,
    ProbeClose,
 }
 /// One client session: handshake → input/audio planes → data plane until done/disconnect.
 /// Everything torn down on return (RAII: virtual output, encoder, threads via channel close).
 /// A connection whose first message is a PairRequest runs the pairing ceremony instead.
@@ -651,14 +664,23 @@ async fn serve_session(
    // parked knock can't hold a streaming slot. `sem` is the pool it re-acquires from.
    mut permit: tokio::sync::OwnedSemaphorePermit,
    sem: Arc<tokio::sync::Semaphore>,
-) -> Result<()> {
+) -> Result<Served> {
    let peer = conn.remote_address();
    // First message decides what this connection is: a pairing ceremony or a session.
-    let (mut send, mut recv) = tokio::time::timeout(HANDSHAKE_TIMEOUT, conn.accept_bi())
+    let (mut send, mut recv) = match tokio::time::timeout(HANDSHAKE_TIMEOUT, conn.accept_bi())
        .await
        .map_err(|_| anyhow!("control stream timeout"))?
-        .context("accept control stream")?;
+    {
        // A clean close before any control stream: a reachability probe / abandoned connect,
        // not a failed session (see [`Served::ProbeClose`]).
        Err(quinn::ConnectionError::ApplicationClosed(ref ac))
            if ac.error_code == quinn::VarInt::from_u32(0) =>
        {
            return Ok(Served::ProbeClose);
        }
        r => r.context("accept control stream")?,
    };
    let first = tokio::time::timeout(HANDSHAKE_TIMEOUT, io::read_msg(&mut recv))
        .await
        .map_err(|_| anyhow!("first message timeout"))??;
@@ -709,7 +731,9 @@ async fn serve_session(
            }
            *last = Some(std::time::Instant::now());
        }
-        return pair_ceremony(&conn, send, recv, req, host_fp, np, &pin).await;
+        return pair_ceremony(&conn, send, recv, req, host_fp, np, &pin)
            .await
            .map(|()| Served::Session);
    }
    // Pairing gate for a session Hello (a PairRequest was handled above). Lifted OUT of the
@@ -1175,6 +1199,13 @@ async fn serve_session(
        launch: hello.launch.clone(),
        plane: crate::events::Plane::Native,
    });
    // GPU clock pin (Linux, opt-in `PUNKTFUNK_PIN_CLOCKS`): hold the box-wide vendor clock floor for
    // as long as THIS session streams, refcounted with every other live session across both planes.
    // RAII like the marker above — armed on the first live client, released when the last one
    // disconnects, so idle clocks aren't pinned while nobody is connected. No-op off Linux / when
    // the flag is unset.
    #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
    let _clock_pin = crate::gpuclocks::session_pin();
    // The session's launch, threaded into the data plane. Windows carries the store-qualified id
    // (spawned into the interactive user session once capture is live); other hosts resolve the id
    // to its shell command HERE against the host's own library — a client can only ever pick an
@@ -1392,7 +1423,7 @@ async fn serve_session(
    // host-managed gamescope path on a box that autologs into gaming mode (Bazzite default), put the
    // TV's gaming session back so it's the default when no one is streaming.
    crate::vdisplay::restore_managed_session();
-    result
+    result.map(|()| Served::Session)
 }
 /// Backoff between reopen attempts after a host-lifetime service's backend (a capturer) fails
@@ -354,6 +354,28 @@ pub(super) async fn negotiate(
    // just follow.
    let mut salt = [0u8; 4];
    rand::thread_rng().fill_bytes(&mut salt);
    // Session AEAD: ChaCha20-Poly1305 when the client asked for it (VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20 — the
    // soft-AES armv7 targets, whose GCM decrypt caps at ~100 Mbps) and the operator
    // kill-switch allows (PUNKTFUNK_CHACHA20, default on — pure rollout safety; perf-only,
    // both AEADs are full-strength). The fresh-per-session discipline above applies to this
    // key identically; the legacy 16-byte `key` stays independently random so nothing
    // downstream ever observes an all-zero key.
    let client_wants_chacha = hello.video_caps & punktfunk_core::quic::VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20 != 0;
    let chacha = client_wants_chacha && pf_host_config::config().chacha20;
    let key_chacha = chacha.then(|| {
        let mut k = [0u8; 32];
        rand::thread_rng().fill_bytes(&mut k);
        k
    });
    tracing::info!(
        cipher = if chacha {
            "chacha20-poly1305"
        } else {
            "aes-128-gcm"
        },
        client_wants_chacha,
        "session cipher"
    );
    let welcome = Welcome {
        abi_version: punktfunk_core::WIRE_VERSION,
        udp_port,
@@ -423,6 +445,16 @@ pub(super) async fn negotiate(
            } else {
                0
            },
        // The negotiated session AEAD (resolved above) + its 32-byte key toward a ChaCha
        // client; toward everyone else cipher 0 keeps the Welcome byte-identical to the
        // pre-cipher wire form. The host's own data plane picks the cipher up via
        // `welcome.session_config` — no other host change.
        cipher: if chacha {
            punktfunk_core::quic::CIPHER_CHACHA20_POLY1305
        } else {
            punktfunk_core::quic::CIPHER_AES_128_GCM
        },
        key_chacha,
    };
    io::write_msg(send, &welcome.encode()).await?;
    bringup.mark("welcome");
@@ -1111,6 +1111,7 @@ pub(super) fn virtual_stream(ctx: SessionContext, prepared: Option<PreparedDispl
                plan,
                &quit,
                &stop,
                8,
                Some(bringup.as_ref()),
            )?;
            // Setup done — the IDD-push setup lock releases as the guard leaves this arm's scope,
@@ -1426,6 +1427,7 @@ pub(super) fn virtual_stream(ctx: SessionContext, prepared: Option<PreparedDispl
                            plan,
                            &quit,
                            &stop,
                            8,
                            None,
                        )?;
                        Ok((new_vd, pipe))
@@ -1522,6 +1524,10 @@ pub(super) fn virtual_stream(ctx: SessionContext, prepared: Option<PreparedDispl
                    bit_depth,
                    plan,
                    &quit,
                    // No first-frame shortening here: this direct call has no retry wrapper to
                    // absorb an early bail, and the resize source is a live compositor (the
                    // takeover race doesn't apply) — keep the patient default.
                    None,
                    Some(resize_trace.as_ref()),
                ) {
                    Ok(next_pipe) => {
@@ -1878,7 +1884,15 @@ pub(super) fn virtual_stream(ctx: SessionContext, prepared: Option<PreparedDispl
                // connected, frozen on the last frame, and the stream resumes when the new output
                // appears — no reconnect.
                const REBUILD_BUDGET: std::time::Duration = std::time::Duration::from_secs(40);
-                let rebuild_deadline = std::time::Instant::now() + REBUILD_BUDGET;
+                // Attach-only holdoff: for the first seconds after a capture loss the session
                // detection can be STALE (the new session isn't up yet), and a rebuild acting on
                // a stale "Gaming" answer restarts gamescope-session.target — which on SteamOS
                // steals the seat back from the session the user just switched to (observed
                // live). While the holdoff lasts, builds run under a vdisplay rebuild-probe
                // scope: attach to live outputs only, never stop/relaunch/take over sessions.
                const PROBE_HOLDOFF: std::time::Duration = std::time::Duration::from_secs(4);
                let loss_at = std::time::Instant::now();
                let rebuild_deadline = loss_at + REBUILD_BUDGET;
                let (new_cap, new_enc, new_frame, new_interval, new_node_id, new_display_gen) = loop {
                    // Follow the active session unless an explicit PUNKTFUNK_COMPOSITOR pin forbids
                    // retargeting (then we stick to the pinned backend and just rebuild it).
@@ -1912,6 +1926,8 @@ pub(super) fn virtual_stream(ctx: SessionContext, prepared: Option<PreparedDispl
                            }
                        }
                    }
                    let _probe = (loss_at.elapsed() < PROBE_HOLDOFF)
                        .then(crate::vdisplay::rebuild_probe_scope);
                    match build_pipeline_with_retry(
                        &mut vd,
                        cur_mode,
@@ -1920,6 +1936,16 @@ pub(super) fn virtual_stream(ctx: SessionContext, prepared: Option<PreparedDispl
                        plan,
                        &quit,
                        &stop,
                        // 1, not 8: this loop re-detects the active session per iteration — short
                        // inner cycles are what let it FOLLOW a session switch instead of burning
                        // retries against a compositor that no longer exists. One attempt per
                        // cycle also keeps every probe on the SHORT first-frame window (attempt 1
                        // = 2.5 s): a patient 10 s attempt here just waits on a stale backend
                        // (observed live: it made a Game→Desktop switch 20 s instead of ~9 —
                        // the winning KWin rebuild took 0.7 s once detection caught up). The
                        // slow-new-session case is the OUTER loop's job (40 s budget, fresh
                        // 2.5 s probes until the new compositor delivers).
                        1,
                        None,
                    ) {
                        Ok(p) => break p,
@@ -1932,6 +1958,9 @@ pub(super) fn virtual_stream(ctx: SessionContext, prepared: Option<PreparedDispl
                            }
                            tracing::warn!(error = %format!("{e2:#}"),
                                "capture lost — new session not up yet, retrying");
                            // Probe failures are instant (attach-only bail) — pace the loop so
                            // re-detection runs at ~2 Hz instead of spinning.
                            std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_millis(500));
                        }
                    }
                };
@@ -2655,6 +2684,7 @@ pub(super) fn prepare_display(
        plan,
        quit,
        stop,
        8,
        Some(trace),
    )?;
    Ok(PreparedDisplay { vd, pipeline })
@@ -2679,15 +2709,22 @@ fn build_pipeline_with_retry(
    plan: crate::session_plan::SessionPlan,
    quit: &Arc<AtomicBool>,
    stop: &Arc<AtomicBool>,
    // Retry budget: 8 everywhere EXCEPT the capture-loss rebuild (2). That path wraps this call
    // in its own outer loop that RE-DETECTS the active session between calls — during a
    // Gaming↔Desktop switch the old compositor is simply gone, so burning 8 attempts (~13 s)
    // against its dead socket only delays following the box to the session that replaced it
    // (observed live: a Desktop→Gaming switch spent 13 of its 27 s retrying gone-KWin).
    max_attempts: u32,
    // Transition trace (P0.1): `Some` for the traced builds (bring-up, resize); each stage stamps
    // once (first crossing) so the retry loop can pass it through unconditionally.
    trace: Option<&crate::bringup::Trace>,
 ) -> Result<Pipeline> {
-    // ~10s first-frame wait per attempt. 8 gives a ~90s budget for the SLOW case: a host-managed
+    // ~10s first-frame wait per attempt (attempt 1: see FIRST_ATTEMPT_FRAME_BUDGET below). 8
-    // gamescope session cold-starting Steam Big Picture (the SteamOS/Bazzite takeover) can take
+    // gives a ~80s budget for the SLOW case: a host-managed gamescope session cold-starting Steam
-    // 30-60s to produce its first frame, and a first-connect timeout would tear down the warm
+    // Big Picture (the SteamOS/Bazzite takeover) can take 30-60s to produce its first frame, and
-    // session (forcing another cold start on reconnect). A genuinely permanent failure still fails
+    // a first-connect timeout would tear down the warm session (forcing another cold start on
-    // fast via `is_permanent_build_error`; only transient "no frame yet" retries consume the budget.
+    // reconnect). A genuinely permanent failure still fails fast via `is_permanent_build_error`;
    // only transient "no frame yet" retries consume the budget.
    // IDD-push only: HOLD one monitor lease across all build attempts. A failed attempt's capturer
    // drop releases ITS lease, but this held lease keeps the shared monitor Active (refs >= 1), so the
    // next attempt's `vd.create` JOINS it (refcount++) instead of finding it Lingering and tripping the
@@ -2705,9 +2742,16 @@ fn build_pipeline_with_retry(
    } else {
        None
    };
-    const MAX_ATTEMPTS: u32 = 8;
+    // Attempt 1 waits only briefly for the first frame: a PipeWire stream connected while
    // gamescope re-initializes its headless takeover negotiates a format and reaches `Streaming`
    // but never receives a buffer — a FRESH connect then delivers within ~0.5 s (observed on
    // SteamOS: every gamescope bring-up burned the full 10 s on attempt 1, then attempt 2 got
    // frames instantly → 17 s bring-ups). Healthy compositors deliver the first frame well inside
    // this window (KWin ~0.3 s), and the genuinely-slow cold start above still gets the patient
    // 10 s window on every later attempt.
    const FIRST_ATTEMPT_FRAME_BUDGET: std::time::Duration = std::time::Duration::from_millis(2500);
    let mut backoff = std::time::Duration::from_millis(500);
-    for attempt in 1..=MAX_ATTEMPTS {
+    for attempt in 1..=max_attempts {
        // The client is gone (connection closed → `stop`): every further attempt only churns the
        // box for a session no one is watching — on a Bazzite takeover that means SIGKILLing and
        // relaunching the box's Steam session once per attempt for minutes (the .181 storm
@@ -2719,7 +2763,17 @@ fn build_pipeline_with_retry(
                attempt - 1
            );
        }
-        match build_pipeline(vd, mode, bitrate_kbps, bit_depth, plan, quit, trace) {
+        let first_frame_budget = (attempt == 1).then_some(FIRST_ATTEMPT_FRAME_BUDGET);
        match build_pipeline(
            vd,
            mode,
            bitrate_kbps,
            bit_depth,
            plan,
            quit,
            first_frame_budget,
            trace,
        ) {
            Ok(pipe) => {
                if attempt > 1 {
                    tracing::info!(attempt, "pipeline up after retry");
@@ -2729,7 +2783,7 @@ fn build_pipeline_with_retry(
            Err(e) => {
                let chain = format!("{e:#}");
                let permanent = is_permanent_build_error(&chain);
-                if permanent || attempt == MAX_ATTEMPTS {
+                if permanent || attempt == max_attempts {
                    let why = if permanent {
                        "permanent"
                    } else {
@@ -2741,7 +2795,7 @@ fn build_pipeline_with_retry(
                }
                tracing::warn!(
                    attempt,
-                    max = MAX_ATTEMPTS,
+                    max = max_attempts,
                    backoff_ms = backoff.as_millis() as u64,
                    error = %chain,
                    "pipeline build failed — retrying"
@@ -2802,6 +2856,10 @@ fn build_pipeline(
    bit_depth: u8,
    plan: crate::session_plan::SessionPlan,
    quit: &Arc<AtomicBool>,
    // First-frame wait override (`None` = the backend's default 10 s): the retry loop shortens
    // its FIRST attempt so a stream stuck in the gamescope takeover race fails over to the
    // reconnect that fixes it (see FIRST_ATTEMPT_FRAME_BUDGET in `build_pipeline_with_retry`).
    first_frame_budget: Option<std::time::Duration>,
    // Transition trace (P0.1): stamps the build's stages (display acquire, capture attach, first
    // frame, encoder open) into the bring-up/resize timeline. `None` on untraced rebuilds.
    trace: Option<&crate::bringup::Trace>,
@@ -2857,7 +2915,11 @@ fn build_pipeline(
        t.mark("capture_attached");
    }
    capturer.set_active(true);
-    let frame = match capturer.next_frame().context("first frame") {
+    let first = match first_frame_budget {
        Some(budget) => capturer.next_frame_within(budget),
        None => capturer.next_frame(),
    };
    let frame = match first.context("first frame") {
        Ok(f) => f,
        Err(e) => {
            // A reused kept display was dead — invalidate it so the next attempt creates fresh (A2).
@@ -179,6 +179,13 @@ impl SessionPlan {
            // Vulkan device; on Linux the capture facade flips the zero-copy policy to the
            // raw-dmabuf passthrough (see above).
            pyrowave: self.codec == crate::encode::Codec::PyroWave,
            // Producer-native NV12 (gamescope) is consumable only by the Linux Vulkan Video
            // backend — resolved HERE from the plan's codec so the capturer never reaches back
            // into encode (the same one-way edge as `gpu` above).
            #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
            nv12_native: crate::encode::linux_native_nv12_ok(self.codec),
            #[cfg(not(target_os = "linux"))]
            nv12_native: false,
        }
    }
 }
@@ -168,12 +168,29 @@ The canonical "decide, don't just observe" pattern — approve pairing from your
 ## Recipe: full controller passthrough (VirtualHere)
 To get a controller's *native* features on the host — DualSense gyro, touchpad, adaptive
-triggers, USB rumble — instead of the emulated pad, share the physical device from the couch with
+triggers, USB rumble — instead of the emulated pad, hand the physical device from the couch to the
-[VirtualHere](https://www.virtualhere.com/) (USB-over-IP) and bind it to the host only while a
+host over [VirtualHere](https://www.virtualhere.com/) (USB-over-IP), bound only while a client is
-client is connected. The couch runs the VirtualHere **server** (sharing the pad); the host runs
+connected so the couch keeps its own controller the rest of the time.
 the VirtualHere **client** and this automation drives its `-t` IPC.
-Zero-code, bracketed on the stream with two hooks:
+**The two sides.** VirtualHere is a server/client pair, and you run both:
 - **Server — on the couch** (where the pad is physically plugged in). Run the VirtualHere USB
  Server there; it shares the pad on the LAN. Leave it running.
 - **Client — on the host** (where the game and this automation run). Install the VirtualHere
  Client (as a service, or the tray app). It auto-discovers the couch's shared pad on the same
  LAN; across subnets, add it once with `<VH_CLIENT> -t "MANUAL HUB ADD,<couch-ip>:7575"`. The
  client binary is `vhclientx86_64` on Linux, `vhui64.exe` on Windows, `vhclientosx` on macOS,
  `vhclientarm64` on ARM Linux.
 The client's `-t` flag is a one-shot IPC to the already-running client: `-t LIST` prints every
 visible device with its address (`server.port`, e.g. `couch-deck.11`); `-t "USE,<addr>"` mounts it
 onto the host; `-t "STOP USING,<addr>"` hands it back. The automation just brackets
 `USE` / `STOP USING` around a session.
 ### Zero-code: two hooks
 Bracket it on the stream with two [hooks](#hooks-hooksjson) — mount when video starts, release
 when it stops. This is all most setups need:
 ```json
 {
@@ -184,8 +201,42 @@ Zero-code, bracketed on the stream with two hooks:
 }
 ```
-`couch-deck.11` is the device's VirtualHere address (`vhclientx86_64 -t LIST`); same-LAN setups
+`couch-deck.11` is the device's VirtualHere address from `vhclientx86_64 -t LIST`.
-auto-discover it, otherwise `MANUAL HUB ADD,<couch-ip>:7575` once. For a version that resolves the
+
-device by name, filters to one couch, and releases the pad on a clean shutdown, see the
+### Scripted: resolve by name, release on shutdown
 The hooks above hard-code the address, and can strand the pad on the host if it's stopped
 mid-stream (the `stream.stopped` hook never fires). The
 [`virtualhere-dualsense.ts`](https://git.unom.io/unom/punktfunk/src/branch/main/sdk/examples/virtualhere-dualsense.ts)
-SDK example.
+SDK example is the robust version: it resolves the device by **name substring** (survives the
 address changing), can filter to **one couch** in a multi-client setup, and **releases the pad on
 a clean shutdown** (`systemctl stop`, ^C) so the couch always gets its controller back.
 It's a standalone [`@punktfunk/host` script](https://git.unom.io/unom/punktfunk/src/branch/main/sdk#running-a-single-script-as-a-service)
 — run it in its own directory. The one edit is its import: the in-repo copy imports from
 `../src/index.js`; outside the repo it's the published package:
 ```sh
 mkdir ~/punktfunk-scripts && cd ~/punktfunk-scripts
 bun init -y
 bun add @punktfunk/host          # point the @punktfunk scope at the registry first — see the SDK README
 # save the example as virtualhere-dualsense.ts, and change its first import to the package:
 #   - import { connect } from "../src/index.js";
 #   + import { connect } from "@punktfunk/host";
 VH_DEVICE=DualSense bun virtualhere-dualsense.ts
 ```
 `VH_DEVICE` is required — a VirtualHere address (`couch-deck.11`) or a device-name substring
 (`DualSense`). Optional: `VH_CLIENT` overrides the client binary (default `vhclientx86_64`);
 `VH_ONLY_CLIENT` binds only for one punktfunk client label. Running on the host box the SDK needs
 no token or URL — it reads the host's loopback credentials itself (see
 [Connection resolution](https://git.unom.io/unom/punktfunk/src/branch/main/sdk#connection-resolution)).
 Keep it running as a
 [systemd user unit](https://git.unom.io/unom/punktfunk/src/branch/main/sdk#running-a-single-script-as-a-service)
 (its default `SIGTERM` triggers the script's own release step — so `systemctl stop` hands the pad
 back), or drop it under the [scripting runner](/docs/plugins) with your other units.
 > The example brackets on `client.connected` / `client.disconnected` — the pad returns to the
 > couch the moment they disconnect. Switch to `stream.started` / `stream.stopped` if you'd rather
 > pass it through only while video is actually flowing; both are noted in the file's header.
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ See your desktop page ([KDE](/docs/kde), [GNOME](/docs/gnome)) for when to set t
 | `PUNKTFUNK_FEC_PCT` | `N` (percent) | Forward-error-correction redundancy for lossy links (the default is sensible for a normal LAN). Higher = more loss-resilient, more bandwidth. |
 | `PUNKTFUNK_10BIT` | `1` · `0` *(default on)* | HEVC Main10 / HDR. **On by default** — the host permits 10-bit; a session goes 10-bit only when the client advertises it (behind the client's HDR setting). Set `0` to force 8-bit. Windows host, plus the Linux **GNOME 50+ GameStream desktop mirror** (`PUNKTFUNK_VIDEO_SOURCE=portal`, mirrored monitor in HDR mode — check with `punktfunk-host hdr-probe`). Linux **virtual displays** (native protocol, GameStream default) stay 8-bit: Mutter's virtual-monitor screencast is SDR-only upstream. |
 | `PUNKTFUNK_444` | `1` · `0` *(default on)* | Full-chroma HEVC 4:4:4 (Range Extensions) — sharper text/desktop, no chroma loss. **On by default** on the host; the client's own 4:4:4 setting (default off) is the real switch. Set `0` to force 4:2:0. **punktfunk/1 native only** (Moonlight stays 4:2:0), HEVC-only, honored only when the client advertises 4:4:4 **and** the GPU supports it (probed; NVENC is the validated path — VAAPI/AMF/QSV decline). Independent of 10-bit. |
 | `PUNKTFUNK_CHACHA20` | `1` · `0` *(default on)* | ChaCha20-Poly1305 session encryption for clients without hardware AES (old ARM TVs, e.g. webOS), lifting their ~100 Mbps software-AES decrypt ceiling. **On by default** on the host; a session uses it only when the client requests it — everyone else stays on AES-GCM. Purely a performance choice (both ciphers are full-strength); set `0` to force AES-GCM for all sessions. |
 | `PUNKTFUNK_PYROWAVE_MAX_MBPS` | `N` (Mbps) | Cap the [PyroWave](/docs/pyrowave) Automatic bitrate pin, for a host on a link that the open-loop pin can outrun (e.g. 4:4:4 + HDR at 5120×1440@240 pins ~5.3 Gbps, over a 5GbE link). Unset = no cap. Only affects Automatic (bitrate `0`) PyroWave sessions; an explicit client bitrate bypasses it. |
 | `PUNKTFUNK_DSCP` | `1` | Opt-in DSCP / `SO_PRIORITY` QoS tagging on the media sockets. No-op on the wire on Windows without a qWAVE policy. |
 | `PUNKTFUNK_OH264_THREADS` / `PUNKTFUNK_OH264_GOP` | `N` | Software (openh264) encoder tuning: encode threads (default 2 — latency over throughput) and GOP length (default 0 = encoder-auto). Only relevant with `PUNKTFUNK_ENCODER=software`. |
@@ -58,8 +58,10 @@ It is idempotent — safe to re-run. In one pass it:
 1. creates the `pf2` Debian-trixie distrobox and installs the build toolchain,
 2. builds `punktfunk-host` (and the web console),
 3. writes config to `~/.config/punktfunk/` (a generated web-console login password),
-4. raises the UDP socket buffers to 32 MB and adds you to the `input` group (needs `sudo`; skipped
+4. raises the UDP socket buffers to 32 MB, installs the gamepad udev rule + the `vhci-hcd` autoload
-   with a warning if unavailable),
+   and adds you to the `input` group (virtual gamepads / **native Steam Deck controller passthrough**),
   and seeds the KDE RemoteDesktop grant for Desktop-mode input — this step **prompts for your `sudo`
   password** (a stock Steam Deck requires one; without it gamepad passthrough and the UDP tuning are skipped),
 5. installs + starts the `punktfunk-host` and `punktfunk-web` **systemd user services** (with linger,
   so they run without a login session).
@@ -82,6 +84,14 @@ When it finishes it prints the web-console URL and how to pair.
 > If you only ever use native clients, install with `--no-gamestream` for a host with no GameStream
 > surface at all.
 > **First install — reboot once before streaming.** KWin only authorizes Desktop-mode screen capture
 > on a fresh session, and the new `input` group (native Steam Deck controller passthrough) only takes
 > effect on a new login — so after the **first** install, **reboot the Deck** (a re-run that changes
 > nothing doesn't need it). Streaming **Game Mode** with a generic Xbox pad works right away; **Desktop
 > capture and the native Steam Deck controller need the reboot.** If a client connects and every
 > session ends with `KWin does not expose zkde_screencast_unstable_v1` or the pad shows up as an Xbox
 > 360 controller, you haven't rebooted yet.
 ## 3. Pair a device
 By default the host **requires PIN pairing** (secure). Two ways to pair:
@@ -128,6 +138,12 @@ bash ~/punktfunk/scripts/steamdeck/update.sh
  thrash the managed session. Pick one mode per session.
 - **Keep the device awake.** On handhelds, Game Mode auto-suspends on idle, which drops the host off
  the network mid stream — disable auto-suspend (Settings → Power) for a headless host.
 - **Native Steam Deck controller passthrough** presents the client's pad as a real Steam Deck
  controller (paddles, trackpads, gyro) via a virtual USB device — that needs the `input` group and the
  `vhci-hcd` module live, so it only works **after the first-install reboot** above; until then the pad
  degrades to a generic Xbox 360 controller (still fully playable). If you're streaming *to* another
  Steam Deck, also set Steam Input to **Off** for Punktfunk on that Deck — see
  [Stream to a Steam Deck](/docs/steam-deck).
 - **It survives OS updates**, but a major SteamOS bump can move library versions; if the host fails to
  start after an update, just re-run `update.sh` to rebuild against the new base.
 - Deeper reference (services, container, manual steps): [`scripts/steamdeck/README.md`](https://git.unom.io/unom/punktfunk/src/branch/main/scripts/steamdeck/README.md).
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@
 #define INBOUND_REQ_FLAG 2147483648
 #endif
-// 16-byte AEAD authentication tag appended by GCM.
+// 16-byte AEAD authentication tag appended by either session cipher.
 #define TAG_LEN 16
 // Wire tag distinguishing an input datagram from a video packet.
@@ -465,6 +465,20 @@
 #define VIDEO_CAP_STREAMED_AU 32
 #endif
 #if defined(PUNKTFUNK_FEATURE_QUIC)
 // [`Hello::video_caps`] bit: the client can open **ChaCha20-Poly1305**-sealed session datagrams
 // AND requests them — set by clients without hardware AES (the soft-AES armv7 targets, e.g.
 // webOS TVs), where GCM's software AES + GHASH caps decrypt at ~100 Mbps while ChaCha's ARX
 // construction runs 4–7× faster in portable code (design/chacha20-session-cipher.md).
 // Support-plus-request in one bit mirrors [`VIDEO_CAP_444`]'s "capable AND turned on"
 // precedent. The host grants it only when its `PUNKTFUNK_CHACHA20` kill-switch (default on)
 // allows, answering with [`Welcome::cipher`] `= 1` + the 32-byte [`Welcome::key_chacha`];
 // toward every other client the Welcome stays byte-identical AES-128-GCM. Purely a
 // performance choice — both AEADs are full-strength, and Hello/Welcome ride the pinned-TLS
 // control channel, so there is no downgrade surface.
 #define VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20 64
 #endif
 #if defined(PUNKTFUNK_FEATURE_QUIC)
 // [`Welcome::host_caps`] bit: the host applies [`InputKind::GamepadState`]
 // (crate::input::InputKind::GamepadState) snapshot events — full per-pad state with a reorder
@@ -855,6 +869,18 @@
 #define HELLO_LAUNCH_MAX 128
 #endif
 #if defined(PUNKTFUNK_FEATURE_QUIC)
 // [`Welcome::cipher`] id: AES-128-GCM — the default session AEAD every peer speaks (and the
 // only one pre-cipher builds know).
 #define CIPHER_AES_128_GCM 0
 #endif
 #if defined(PUNKTFUNK_FEATURE_QUIC)
 // [`Welcome::cipher`] id: ChaCha20-Poly1305 (RFC 8439) — negotiated via
 // [`VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20`] for clients without hardware AES.
 #define CIPHER_CHACHA20_POLY1305 1
 #endif
 #if defined(PUNKTFUNK_FEATURE_QUIC)
 // Type byte of [`PairRequest`].
 #define MSG_PAIR_REQUEST 16
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ BIN="$TARGET_DIR/release/punktfunk-host"
 CONFIG="$HOME/.config/punktfunk"
 UNITS="$HOME/.config/systemd/user"
 XRD="${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR:-/run/user/$(id -u)}"
 # Set when this run does something that only a fresh login picks up (input-group add, first-time
 # KWin .desktop grant). Drives the loud "reboot before streaming" note in the summary.
 NEED_RELOGIN=0
 # --- 0. preflight ----------------------------------------------------------
 log "Preflight"
@@ -66,6 +69,33 @@ fi
 DISTROBOX="$(command -v distrobox)"   # baked into the web unit (may be /usr/bin or ~/.local/bin)
 ok "distrobox: $DISTROBOX"
 # --- acquire sudo up front (before the ~15-min build) ----------------------
 # Steps 4-5 (UDP buffers, gamepad udev rule, vhci-hcd, input group, linger) need root. Prompt NOW,
 # not after the build — so you authorize once and walk away, and a non-interactive run fails LOUDLY
 # here instead of silently skipping the tuning at the very end. A stock SteamOS 'deck' has no
 # password, so sudo can't work until you set one.
 SUDO_OK=0
 if sudo -n true 2>/dev/null; then
    SUDO_OK=1
 elif [ -t 0 ]; then
    warn "sudo is needed once (UDP buffers, gamepad udev rule, vhci-hcd, input group, linger):"
    if sudo -v; then
        SUDO_OK=1
        # keep the sudo timestamp warm across the long build so steps 4-5 don't re-prompt / expire
        ( while sudo -n -v 2>/dev/null; do sleep 50; done ) &
        _pf_sudo_keepalive=$!
        trap '[ -n "${_pf_sudo_keepalive:-}" ] && kill "$_pf_sudo_keepalive" 2>/dev/null || true' EXIT
    fi
 fi
 if [ "$SUDO_OK" != 1 ]; then
    if [ -t 0 ]; then
        warn "No sudo — a stock SteamOS 'deck' account has no password. Set one and re-run:  passwd"
    else
        warn "No TTY for the sudo prompt (non-interactive run) — system tuning + linger will be SKIPPED."
        warn "Run in Konsole or an interactive 'ssh -t' session (or pre-authorize sudo) to enable them."
    fi
 fi
 # --- 1. build container + toolchain ---------------------------------------
 log "Build container '$BOX' ($BOX_IMAGE)"
 if distrobox list 2>/dev/null | awk -F'|' '{gsub(/ /,"",$2); print $2}' | grep -qx "$BOX"; then
@@ -84,7 +114,7 @@ set -e
 export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
 sudo apt-get update -qq
 sudo apt-get install -y -qq --no-install-recommends \
-    build-essential pkg-config clang curl git ca-certificates \
+    build-essential pkg-config clang cmake curl git ca-certificates \
    libavcodec-dev libavformat-dev libavutil-dev libavfilter-dev libswscale-dev libavdevice-dev \
    libpipewire-0.3-dev libspa-0.2-dev \
    libgbm-dev libegl-dev libgl-dev libdrm-dev libva-dev \
@@ -101,10 +131,13 @@ ok "build deps ready"
 # --- 2. build host (+ web) -------------------------------------------------
 log "Building punktfunk-host (release) — first build is slow (~10-15 min)"
 # vulkan-encode matches the packaged builds (deb/arch): the raw Vulkan Video HEVC/AV1 backend
 # (real RFI loss recovery). Pure-Rust ash — no extra system dep. A featureless hand build would
 # silently fall back to libav VAAPI.
 distrobox enter "$BOX" -- bash -lc "
 set -e
 export PATH=\$HOME/.cargo/bin:\$PATH CARGO_TARGET_DIR='$TARGET_DIR'
-cd '$SRC' && cargo build -r -p punktfunk-host
+cd '$SRC' && cargo build -r -p punktfunk-host --features punktfunk-host/vulkan-encode
 "
 [ -x "$BIN" ] || die "build did not produce $BIN"
 ok "host binary: $BIN"
@@ -126,8 +159,12 @@ mkdir -p "$CONFIG"
 if [ ! -f "$CONFIG/host.env" ]; then
    cat > "$CONFIG/host.env" <<'EOF'
 # punktfunk Steam Deck host config (sourced by the punktfunk-host user service).
-# Auto encoder: VAAPI on the Deck's AMD GPU, NVENC on NVIDIA.
+# Auto encoder: Vulkan Video (or VAAPI fallback) on the Deck's AMD GPU, NVENC on NVIDIA.
 PUNKTFUNK_ENCODER=auto
 # Van Gogh (LCD/OLED Deck) RADV still gates VK_KHR_video_encode_* behind this perftest flag;
 # without it the Vulkan backend can't open and sessions fall back to libav VAAPI. Harmless on
 # GPUs where encode is exposed by default.
 RADV_PERFTEST=video_encode
 # The host auto-detects the live session (Game Mode gamescope / Desktop KDE) per connect.
 # Override the compositor only if detection misbehaves: PUNKTFUNK_COMPOSITOR=gamescope
 EOF
@@ -136,6 +173,34 @@ else
    ok "host.env exists (left as-is)"
 fi
 # KWin authorization for Desktop-Mode streaming (and mid-stream Game↔Desktop switches): KWin
 # resolves a connecting client's /proc/<pid>/exe against a .desktop `Exec=` and only then grants
 # the restricted Wayland globals it lists (see packaging/linux/io.unom.Punktfunk.Host.desktop).
 # Exec must therefore be THIS install's binary path, not the packaged /usr/bin one. KWin reads
 # grants at session start — after first install, restart the Desktop session (Game Mode and back).
 DESKTOP_DST="$HOME/.local/share/applications/io.unom.Punktfunk.Host.desktop"
 # First-time install of the grant: KWin only reads it at session start, so a fresh login is required
 # before Desktop-mode capture works. A re-run that just rewrites it needs no relogin.
 [ -f "$DESKTOP_DST" ] || NEED_RELOGIN=1
 mkdir -p "$HOME/.local/share/applications"
 sed "s|^Exec=.*|Exec=$BIN|" "$SRC/packaging/linux/io.unom.Punktfunk.Host.desktop" > "$DESKTOP_DST"
 ok "KWin desktop-capture authorization (io.unom.Punktfunk.Host.desktop → $BIN)"
 # KDE Desktop-mode INPUT: a normal Plasma login lacks the RemoteDesktop portal grant the host's libei
 # input path needs, so it would pop an "Allow remote control?" dialog a headless host can't answer.
 # Seed it once (per-user, no root) — mirrors packaging/bazzite/kde-desktop-setup.sh. Game Mode
 # (gamescope) needs none of this; the .desktop above already grants org_kde_kwin_fake_input.
 GRANT_SRC="$SRC/scripts/headless/kde-authorized"
 GRANT_DST="$HOME/.local/share/flatpak/db/kde-authorized"
 if [ -s "$GRANT_DST" ]; then
    ok "KDE RemoteDesktop grant already present"
 elif [ -s "$GRANT_SRC" ]; then
    mkdir -p "$(dirname "$GRANT_DST")"
    install -m644 "$GRANT_SRC" "$GRANT_DST"
    systemctl --user restart xdg-permission-store 2>/dev/null || true
    ok "seeded KDE RemoteDesktop grant (Desktop-mode input)"
 fi
 if [ "$WITH_WEB" = 1 ] && [ ! -f "$CONFIG/web.env" ]; then
    # Random login password + session secret for the web console, generated once.
    # `|| true` swallows the SIGPIPE `tr` takes when `head` closes the pipe (pipefail would abort).
@@ -151,9 +216,11 @@ else
    [ "$WITH_WEB" = 1 ] && ok "web.env exists (login password unchanged)"
 fi
-# --- 4. system tuning (needs sudo; skipped gracefully if unavailable) ------
+# --- 4. system tuning (needs sudo: UDP buffers + gamepad udev rule + vhci-hcd + input group) --------
-log "System tuning (UDP buffers + input group) — needs sudo"
+log "System tuning (UDP buffers + gamepad rules + vhci-hcd + input group)"
-if sudo -n true 2>/dev/null; then
+# sudo was acquired up front in preflight (SUDO_OK) so this never stalls behind the long build; a
 # skip here (no password / no TTY) was already reported loudly there.
 if [ "$SUDO_OK" = 1 ]; then
    printf 'net.core.wmem_max=33554432\nnet.core.rmem_max=33554432\n' \
        | sudo tee /etc/sysctl.d/99-punktfunk-net.conf >/dev/null
    sudo sysctl -q -p /etc/sysctl.d/99-punktfunk-net.conf >/dev/null
@@ -161,13 +228,34 @@ if sudo -n true 2>/dev/null; then
    if [ -f "$SRC/scripts/60-punktfunk.rules" ]; then
        sudo install -m644 "$SRC/scripts/60-punktfunk.rules" /etc/udev/rules.d/60-punktfunk.rules
        sudo udevadm control --reload-rules && sudo udevadm trigger || true
-        ok "installed udev rule (virtual gamepads)"
+        ok "installed udev rule (virtual gamepads + native Steam Deck controller)"
    fi
    # vhci-hcd: the usbip transport that makes the virtual Steam Deck pad a *real* USB device so Steam
    # Input adopts it (else it degrades to plain UHID, which Steam ignores — "no controller appears").
    # Persist the autoload AND load it now so passthrough works without waiting for a reboot.
    if [ -f "$SRC/scripts/punktfunk-modules.conf" ]; then
        sudo install -m644 "$SRC/scripts/punktfunk-modules.conf" /etc/modules-load.d/punktfunk.conf
        sudo modprobe vhci-hcd 2>/dev/null || warn "could not load vhci-hcd now (loads on next boot) — needed for the native Steam Deck pad"
        ok "vhci-hcd autoload installed (native Steam Deck controller transport)"
    fi
    if id -nG "$USER" | grep -qw input; then
        ok "already in the 'input' group"
    else
        sudo usermod -aG input "$USER"
        NEED_RELOGIN=1
        warn "added $USER to the 'input' group (applies on next login)"
    fi
    id -nG "$USER" | grep -qw input || { sudo usermod -aG input "$USER"; warn "added $USER to 'input' group — log out/in (or reboot) for gamepad support"; }
 else
-    warn "passwordless sudo unavailable — skipping UDP-buffer + udev tuning."
+    warn "no usable sudo — SKIPPED system tuning. Gamepad passthrough + clean streaming need root (udev"
-    warn "Without it, high-bitrate streaming drops packets. Apply manually later:"
+    warn "rule, 'input' group, vhci-hcd, UDP buffers) — there is no user-space way to do these."
-    warn "  echo -e 'net.core.wmem_max=33554432\\nnet.core.rmem_max=33554432' | sudo tee /etc/sysctl.d/99-punktfunk-net.conf && sudo sysctl --system"
+    warn "A stock SteamOS 'deck' account has NO password, so sudo can't work until you set one:"
    warn "  passwd            # set a sudo password once, then re-run this script"
    warn "Or apply it by hand (then reboot):"
    warn "  sudo install -m644 $SRC/scripts/60-punktfunk.rules /etc/udev/rules.d/ &&"
    warn "  sudo install -m644 $SRC/scripts/punktfunk-modules.conf /etc/modules-load.d/punktfunk.conf &&"
    warn "  sudo usermod -aG input $USER &&"
    warn "  printf 'net.core.wmem_max=33554432\\nnet.core.rmem_max=33554432\\n' | sudo tee /etc/sysctl.d/99-punktfunk-net.conf &&"
    warn "  sudo sysctl --system && sudo udevadm control --reload-rules && sudo udevadm trigger"
 fi
 # --- 5. systemd user services ---------------------------------------------
@@ -248,3 +336,10 @@ else
    echo "  • Pairing required (secure default). From a client, pick this host and enter the PIN the host shows."
 fi
 echo "  • Update later:  bash $SRC/scripts/steamdeck/update.sh"
 if [ "$NEED_RELOGIN" = 1 ]; then
    echo
    warn "ONE MORE STEP before streaming — reboot the Deck (or fully log out and back in)."
    echo "     KWin only authorizes Desktop-mode screen capture on a fresh session, and the new 'input'"
    echo "     group (native Steam Deck controller passthrough) only applies to a new login. Streaming"
    echo "     Game Mode with a generic Xbox pad works now; Desktop capture + the native Deck pad need the reboot."
 fi
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ if [ "${1:-}" = "--pull" ]; then
 fi
 log "Rebuilding host (release)"
-distrobox enter "$BOX" -- bash -lc "set -e; export PATH=\$HOME/.cargo/bin:\$PATH CARGO_TARGET_DIR='$TARGET_DIR'; cd '$SRC' && cargo build -r -p punktfunk-host"
+# vulkan-encode matches the packaged builds (deb/arch) — see install.sh.
 distrobox enter "$BOX" -- bash -lc "set -e; export PATH=\$HOME/.cargo/bin:\$PATH CARGO_TARGET_DIR='$TARGET_DIR'; cd '$SRC' && cargo build -r -p punktfunk-host --features punktfunk-host/vulkan-encode"
 ok "host rebuilt"
 if [ "$WEB" = 1 ]; then
    log "Rebuilding web console"
@@ -29,6 +30,69 @@ if [ "$WEB" = 1 ]; then
    ok "web rebuilt"
 fi
 # Retrofit config that install.sh now writes but older installs predate (both idempotent):
 # RADV_PERFTEST — Van Gogh RADV still gates VK_KHR_video_encode_* behind it; without it the
 # Vulkan backend can't open and sessions silently fall back to libav VAAPI. The KWin .desktop —
 # KWin only grants the restricted capture/input globals to the exe a .desktop authorizes.
 HOST_ENV="$HOME/.config/punktfunk/host.env"
 if [ -f "$HOST_ENV" ] && ! grep -q '^RADV_PERFTEST=' "$HOST_ENV"; then
    printf '\n# Van Gogh RADV gates VK_KHR_video_encode_* behind this (Vulkan Video encode).\nRADV_PERFTEST=video_encode\n' >> "$HOST_ENV"
    ok "host.env: added RADV_PERFTEST=video_encode"
 fi
 mkdir -p "$HOME/.local/share/applications"
 sed "s|^Exec=.*|Exec=$TARGET_DIR/release/punktfunk-host|" "$SRC/packaging/linux/io.unom.Punktfunk.Host.desktop" \
    > "$HOME/.local/share/applications/io.unom.Punktfunk.Host.desktop"
 ok "KWin desktop-capture authorization refreshed"
 # Retrofit the system bits install.sh now sets up but older installs predate (idempotent). vhci-hcd =
 # usbip transport for the native Steam Deck pad; 60-punktfunk.rules = /dev/uhid + vhci access; input
 # group = uhid write; the kde-authorized grant (per-user, no root) = Desktop-mode input. A stock Deck
 # needs a sudo PASSWORD, so PROMPT for it rather than silently skipping (skipping = gamepads stay dead).
 SUDO_OK=0
 if sudo -n true 2>/dev/null; then
    SUDO_OK=1
 elif [ -t 0 ]; then
    warn "sudo needs your password to (re)apply the gamepad udev rule, vhci-hcd, input group, and UDP buffers:"
    sudo -v && SUDO_OK=1 || true
 fi
 if [ "$SUDO_OK" = 1 ]; then
    if [ -f "$SRC/scripts/60-punktfunk.rules" ]; then
        sudo install -m644 "$SRC/scripts/60-punktfunk.rules" /etc/udev/rules.d/60-punktfunk.rules
        sudo udevadm control --reload-rules >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
        sudo udevadm trigger >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
        ok "gamepad udev rule ensured"
    fi
    if [ -f "$SRC/scripts/punktfunk-modules.conf" ]; then
        sudo install -m644 "$SRC/scripts/punktfunk-modules.conf" /etc/modules-load.d/punktfunk.conf
        sudo modprobe vhci-hcd 2>/dev/null || true
        ok "vhci-hcd autoload ensured (native Steam Deck controller)"
    fi
    # UDP buffers: older installs (or sudo-skipped ones) still run the stock 416 KB cap.
    if [ ! -f /etc/sysctl.d/99-punktfunk-net.conf ]; then
        printf 'net.core.wmem_max=33554432\nnet.core.rmem_max=33554432\n' | sudo tee /etc/sysctl.d/99-punktfunk-net.conf >/dev/null
        sudo sysctl -q -p /etc/sysctl.d/99-punktfunk-net.conf >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
        ok "UDP socket buffers raised to 32 MB (persisted)"
    fi
    if id -nG "$USER" | grep -qw input; then :; else
        sudo usermod -aG input "$USER"
        warn "added $USER to the 'input' group — REBOOT (or log out/in) for it to apply"
    fi
 else
    warn "no usable sudo — SKIPPED gamepad/udev/vhci/UDP tuning (all root-only; no user-space alternative)."
    warn "A stock SteamOS 'deck' account has NO password — set one with 'passwd', then re-run. Gamepads stay"
    warn "Xbox-360 until this runs and you reboot."
 fi
 echo
 warn "If the controller still shows as an Xbox 360 pad, REBOOT the Deck once — the 'input' group and the"
 warn "vhci-hcd module only become live for the host service on a fresh login."
 GRANT_SRC="$SRC/scripts/headless/kde-authorized"
 GRANT_DST="$HOME/.local/share/flatpak/db/kde-authorized"
 if [ ! -s "$GRANT_DST" ] && [ -s "$GRANT_SRC" ]; then
    mkdir -p "$(dirname "$GRANT_DST")"
    install -m644 "$GRANT_SRC" "$GRANT_DST"
    ok "seeded KDE RemoteDesktop grant (Desktop-mode input)"
 fi
 log "Restarting services"
 systemctl --user restart punktfunk-host.service
 ok "punktfunk-host restarted"
@@ -89,7 +89,10 @@ A complexity ladder in [`examples/`](./examples) — start at the top:
 4. [`couch-preset.effect.ts`](./examples/couch-preset.effect.ts) — **advanced, Effect-native**: only if you're composing Effect programs.
 Examples 1–3 are the plain Promise facade and cover most automation; you only need example 4's
-Effect surface for composed, interruptible programs. Run any with `bun examples/<file>.ts`.
+Effect surface for composed, interruptible programs. Run any **in the repo** with
 `bun examples/<file>.ts`. To **deploy** one on a host, install the package into its own directory
 (`bun add @punktfunk/host`) and change its `../src/…` import to `@punktfunk/host` — see
 [Running a single script as a service](#running-a-single-script-as-a-service).
 Plus a real-world recipe:
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@
 //   VH_DEVICE=couch-deck.11 bun examples/virtualhere-dualsense.ts   # address from `-t LIST`
 //   VH_DEVICE=DualSense     bun examples/virtualhere-dualsense.ts   # …or match by name substring
 //
 // To run this *outside* the repo (the normal case), drop it in its own dir, `bun add
 // @punktfunk/host`, and change the import below from `../src/index.js` to `@punktfunk/host`; then
 // keep it alive as a systemd user unit (its SIGTERM release hands the pad back on `systemctl
 // stop`). Full walkthrough: docs → Events & hooks → "full controller passthrough (VirtualHere)".
 //
 // Env: VH_DEVICE      required — a VirtualHere address (`server.port`) or a device-name substring.
 //      VH_CLIENT      client binary. Default `vhclientx86_64` (Linux); Windows `vhui64.exe`,
 //                     macOS `vhclientosx`, ARM Linux `vhclientarm64`.
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 //! harness adds `tc netem` jitter/reorder on the UDP path.
 use punktfunk_core::config::{Config, FecConfig, FecScheme, ProtocolPhase, Role};
 use punktfunk_core::crypto::SessionKey;
 use punktfunk_core::error::PunktfunkError;
 use punktfunk_core::session::Session;
 use punktfunk_core::transport::loopback_pair;
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ fn config(role: Role, scheme: FecScheme, drop_period: u32) -> Config {
        shard_payload: 1024,
        max_frame_bytes: 8 * 1024 * 1024,
        encrypt: false,
-        key: [0u8; 16],
+        key: SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([0u8; 16]),
        salt: [0u8; 4],
        loopback_drop_period: drop_period,
    }