Playback and subtitles

Cove uses native mpv playback on desktop and Android. Source discovery and playback are separate: Cove gathers compatible candidates, applies the configured policy, and then gives one explicit source to the native player.

Select a source

Turn Pick a source automatically off to open the picker whenever multiple candidates exist. Automatic selection supports Balanced, Quality first, and Most seeded modes. The picker can show quality, size, provider, seeders, and other available attributes.

Direct HTTP and torrent candidates can appear together. Torrent playback selects a playable video file and shows buffering or download progress while the native media boundary serves it to mpv.

Cove can probe candidates before showing them and prefetch likely sources or the next episode. These options improve startup reliability at the cost of extra network work; see the settings reference.

Recover from a failed source

A source failure can trigger one automatic reconnect at that playback position. If playback advances far enough after recovery, a later interruption receives a fresh recovery attempt. Repeated failure at the same offset stops and presents explicit actions such as Retry, Sources, Pick another, or Try next. Cove does not silently change provider, quality, audio, or subtitle tracks after playback starts.

Unexpected end-of-file and network loss are failures, not proof that the title completed. When a direct stream repeatedly fails, choose another candidate manually. When a torrent stalls, compare seed availability and try a smaller or better-seeded release.

Video decoding and performance

Hardware decoding is preferred when the device reports a compatible decoder. Disable Hardware decoding when a driver produces corruption, wrong colors, or repeatable failure. Software decoding uses more CPU, power, and battery.

On televisions and lower-end phones, start with a lower resolution or bitrate when playback cannot remain smooth. Low-performance mode reduces interface motion but does not make software video decoding cheaper.

The playback statistics overlay exposes useful native telemetry on desktop. Press I and record the decoder and dropped-frame information when reporting a performance problem.

Player controls

The visible controls provide play/pause, seeking, volume, source or episode selection, audio and subtitle tracks, playback speed, fullscreen, and other platform-supported actions.

Press ? during desktop playback for the complete shortcut sheet. Common controls include:

Keys or action	Result
Space or K	Play or pause
Left/Right or J/L	Seek by the configured skip step
Shift+Left/Right	Seek by one second
0–9	Jump to that tenth of the file
[ / ] / Backspace	Slower, faster, or normal speed
Up/Down and M	Volume and mute
C / A	Cycle subtitle or audio tracks
F / Esc	Enter or leave fullscreen; Esc then closes playback
I / S	Statistics overlay or screenshot
Click / wheel	Play-pause or volume
Double-click an edge	Seek backward or forward
Double-click the center	Toggle fullscreen

Android touch controls use the on-screen chrome and surface gestures. Android TV uses focusable controls and Back closes the innermost picker before leaving playback; see TV and remote controls.

Audio and subtitles

Use the track menus to choose embedded or addon audio and subtitle tracks. Tracks are grouped by language where metadata allows it; opaque provider identifiers receive readable generated labels.

Desktop can load a local subtitle file from the subtitle menu. You can also drag a supported subtitle file over the playing video and drop it when the Drop a subtitle file to use it target appears. Local file loading is not offered on platforms without a compatible file chooser or desktop drop target.

The subtitle menu can adjust delay in small steps for a subtitle made for a different release cut. Try another subtitle source before applying a large offset. Default language, size, position, and background live under Profile → Subtitles.

Chapters and segment skipping

The seek bar shows chapters when the media exposes them. Cove recognizes conservative aliases for intros, recaps, credits, and next-episode previews. A compatible external timestamp can supply the same segment types; embedded media chapters take precedence for matching types.

When automatic skipping is enabled for a known type, Cove jumps to the end of that segment. Otherwise a manual skip action appears while the playhead is inside it. Ordinary chapters remain available for previous/next navigation.

Progress, completion, and up next

Cove stores position per profile when Remember position is enabled. The next Watch action becomes a Continue target when the saved state identifies a resumable title or episode and position.

Series can show an up-next countdown near completion. Autoplay begins the following episode unless you stop the countdown; otherwise the overlay can be closed without starting another title.

For persistent failures, include the exact title, season and episode, selected source and provider, device model or GPU, decode mode, and logs in a bug report.