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+# Casting Session Reporting & Remote Control — Implementation Plan
+
+> **For agentic workers:** REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpowers:subagent-driven-development (recommended) or superpowers:executing-plans to implement this plan task-by-task. Steps use checkbox (`- [ ]`) syntax for tracking.
+
+**Goal:** Implement app-wide Jellyfin remote control (Playstate / GeneralCommand) routed through a `PlaybackController` registry, fix the cast `PlayMethod` report, make the episode buttons conditional, and fix the `loadEpisode` race.
+
+**Architecture:** A `PlaybackController` interface is the canonical control surface; each player (cast, native video, music) registers an implementation into a Jotai atom while it is active. A pure mapper turns WebSocket remote-control messages into typed actions; a `useRemoteControl` hook dispatches them to the active controller. Small cast fixes ride alongside.
+
+**Tech Stack:** TypeScript (strict), React Native / Expo, Jotai, `@jellyfin/sdk`, `react-native-google-cast`, `sonner-native`. Pure logic is unit-tested with `bun test`.
+
+**Spec:** `docs/superpowers/specs/2026-05-22-chromecast-session-remote-control-design.md`
+
+**Environment note:** Windows checkout, `core.autocrlf=true` — project-wide `bun run check` reports ~124 pre-existing CRLF errors unrelated to this work. The gate is `bun run typecheck` (fully green) plus Biome on the files each task edits.
+
+**Commit note:** Do NOT add a `Co-Authored-By` trailer to any commit message in this project.
+
+---
+
+## File Structure
+
+| File | Responsibility | Task |
+|---|---|---|
+| `utils/playback/playbackController.ts` | `PlaybackController` interface, atom, `useRegisterPlaybackController` | 1 |
+| `utils/playback/remoteCommands.ts` | Pure WS-message → `RemoteAction` mapper | 2 |
+| `utils/playback/remoteCommands.test.ts` | Unit tests for the mapper | 2 |
+| `hooks/useRemoteControl.ts` | Dispatch remote actions to the active controller | 3 |
+| `providers/WebSocketProvider.tsx` | Consume `useRemoteControl`; expand `SupportedCommands` | 4 |
+| `app/(auth)/casting-player.tsx` | Register the cast controller; fix `loadEpisode` race | 5, 10 |
+| `app/(auth)/player/direct-player.tsx` | Register the native-video controller | 6 |
+| `providers/MusicPlayerProvider.tsx` | Register the music controller | 7 |
+| `utils/casting/castLoad.ts`, `utils/casting/mediaInfo.ts` | Embed `playMethod` in customData | 8 |
+| `hooks/useCasting.ts` | Report the real `PlayMethod` | 8 |
+| `components/casting/player/CastPlayerEpisodeControls.tsx` | Conditional Previous / Next buttons | 9 |
+
+---
+
+## Task 1: `PlaybackController` contract & registry
+
+**Files:**
+- Create: `utils/playback/playbackController.ts`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Write the module**
+
+Create `utils/playback/playbackController.ts`:
+
+```ts
+/**
+ * The canonical playback-control surface. Every player (cast, native video,
+ * music) implements this interface and registers itself as the active
+ * controller while it is playing, so remote-control commands can be routed to
+ * whatever is currently playing.
+ */
+
+import { atom, useSetAtom } from "jotai";
+import { useEffect } from "react";
+
+export interface PlaybackController {
+  playPause(): void;
+  pause(): void;
+  unpause(): void;
+  stop(): void;
+  /** Absolute seek position in milliseconds. */
+  seek(positionMs: number): void;
+  next(): void;
+  previous(): void;
+  /** Volume 0-1. */
+  setVolume(level: number): void;
+  toggleMute(): void;
+}
+
+/** The currently-active playback controller, or null when nothing is playing. */
+export const activePlaybackControllerAtom = atom<PlaybackController | null>(
+  null,
+);
+
+/**
+ * Register `controller` as the active playback controller while `active` is
+ * true. Clears the atom on unmount or when `active` becomes false — but only if
+ * the atom still holds this exact controller (so a newer registration wins).
+ */
+export const useRegisterPlaybackController = (
+  controller: PlaybackController | null,
+  active: boolean,
+): void => {
+  const setController = useSetAtom(activePlaybackControllerAtom);
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!active || !controller) return;
+    setController(controller);
+    return () => {
+      setController((current) => (current === controller ? null : current));
+    };
+  }, [active, controller, setController]);
+};
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Verify types**
+
+Run: `bun run typecheck`
+Expected: PASS — no errors.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add utils/playback/playbackController.ts
+git commit -m "feat(playback): add PlaybackController contract and registry"
+```
+
+---
+
+## Task 2: Pure remote-command mapper
+
+**Files:**
+- Create: `utils/playback/remoteCommands.ts`
+- Test: `utils/playback/remoteCommands.test.ts`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Write the failing test**
+
+Create `utils/playback/remoteCommands.test.ts`:
+
+```ts
+import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test";
+import { mapRemoteCommand } from "./remoteCommands";
+
+describe("mapRemoteCommand — Playstate", () => {
+  test("maps Pause", () => {
+    expect(mapRemoteCommand({ MessageType: "Playstate", Data: { Command: "Pause" } }))
+      .toEqual({ kind: "pause" });
+  });
+
+  test("maps Stop, PlayPause, Unpause, NextTrack, PreviousTrack", () => {
+    const m = (c: string) =>
+      mapRemoteCommand({ MessageType: "Playstate", Data: { Command: c } });
+    expect(m("Stop")).toEqual({ kind: "stop" });
+    expect(m("PlayPause")).toEqual({ kind: "playPause" });
+    expect(m("Unpause")).toEqual({ kind: "unpause" });
+    expect(m("NextTrack")).toEqual({ kind: "next" });
+    expect(m("PreviousTrack")).toEqual({ kind: "previous" });
+  });
+
+  test("maps Seek, converting ticks to milliseconds", () => {
+    expect(
+      mapRemoteCommand({
+        MessageType: "Playstate",
+        Data: { Command: "Seek", SeekPositionTicks: 600_000_000 },
+      }),
+    ).toEqual({ kind: "seek", positionMs: 60_000 });
+  });
+
+  test("returns null for Seek with no position", () => {
+    expect(
+      mapRemoteCommand({ MessageType: "Playstate", Data: { Command: "Seek" } }),
+    ).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  test("returns null for an unknown command", () => {
+    expect(
+      mapRemoteCommand({ MessageType: "Playstate", Data: { Command: "Wat" } }),
+    ).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
+describe("mapRemoteCommand — GeneralCommand", () => {
+  test("maps SetVolume, converting 0-100 to 0-1", () => {
+    expect(
+      mapRemoteCommand({
+        MessageType: "GeneralCommand",
+        Data: { Name: "SetVolume", Arguments: { Volume: "40" } },
+      }),
+    ).toEqual({ kind: "setVolume", level: 0.4 });
+  });
+
+  test("clamps SetVolume to 0-1", () => {
+    const r = mapRemoteCommand({
+      MessageType: "GeneralCommand",
+      Data: { Name: "SetVolume", Arguments: { Volume: "250" } },
+    });
+    expect(r).toEqual({ kind: "setVolume", level: 1 });
+  });
+
+  test("maps ToggleMute / Mute / Unmute to toggleMute", () => {
+    const m = (n: string) =>
+      mapRemoteCommand({ MessageType: "GeneralCommand", Data: { Name: n } });
+    expect(m("ToggleMute")).toEqual({ kind: "toggleMute" });
+    expect(m("Mute")).toEqual({ kind: "toggleMute" });
+    expect(m("Unmute")).toEqual({ kind: "toggleMute" });
+  });
+
+  test("maps DisplayMessage from Arguments.Text", () => {
+    expect(
+      mapRemoteCommand({
+        MessageType: "GeneralCommand",
+        Data: { Name: "DisplayMessage", Arguments: { Text: "Hello" } },
+      }),
+    ).toEqual({ kind: "displayMessage", text: "Hello" });
+  });
+});
+
+describe("mapRemoteCommand — other", () => {
+  test("returns null for unrelated message types", () => {
+    expect(mapRemoteCommand({ MessageType: "KeepAlive", Data: {} })).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Run the test to verify it fails**
+
+Run: `bun test utils/playback/remoteCommands.test.ts`
+Expected: FAIL — `Cannot find module './remoteCommands'`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Write the implementation**
+
+Create `utils/playback/remoteCommands.ts`:
+
+```ts
+/**
+ * Pure mapping from a Jellyfin remote-control WebSocket message to a typed
+ * action. Dependency-free so it is unit-testable under `bun test`.
+ */
+
+/** A WebSocket message envelope (subset). */
+export interface RemoteWsMessage {
+  MessageType: string;
+  Data?: unknown;
+}
+
+export type RemoteAction =
+  | { kind: "playPause" }
+  | { kind: "pause" }
+  | { kind: "unpause" }
+  | { kind: "stop" }
+  | { kind: "seek"; positionMs: number }
+  | { kind: "next" }
+  | { kind: "previous" }
+  | { kind: "setVolume"; level: number }
+  | { kind: "toggleMute" }
+  | { kind: "displayMessage"; text: string };
+
+const clamp01 = (n: number): number => Math.min(1, Math.max(0, n));
+
+const mapPlaystate = (data: Record<string, unknown>): RemoteAction | null => {
+  switch (data.Command) {
+    case "PlayPause":
+      return { kind: "playPause" };
+    case "Pause":
+      return { kind: "pause" };
+    case "Unpause":
+      return { kind: "unpause" };
+    case "Stop":
+      return { kind: "stop" };
+    case "NextTrack":
+      return { kind: "next" };
+    case "PreviousTrack":
+      return { kind: "previous" };
+    case "Seek": {
+      const ticks = data.SeekPositionTicks;
+      if (typeof ticks !== "number") return null;
+      return { kind: "seek", positionMs: Math.floor(ticks / 10000) };
+    }
+    default:
+      return null;
+  }
+};
+
+const mapGeneralCommand = (
+  data: Record<string, unknown>,
+): RemoteAction | null => {
+  const args = (data.Arguments ?? {}) as Record<string, unknown>;
+  switch (data.Name) {
+    case "SetVolume": {
+      const volume = Number(args.Volume);
+      if (!Number.isFinite(volume)) return null;
+      return { kind: "setVolume", level: clamp01(volume / 100) };
+    }
+    case "Mute":
+    case "Unmute":
+    case "ToggleMute":
+      return { kind: "toggleMute" };
+    case "DisplayMessage": {
+      const text = args.Text ?? args.Header;
+      if (!text) return null;
+      return { kind: "displayMessage", text: String(text) };
+    }
+    default:
+      return null;
+  }
+};
+
+/** Map a remote-control WS message to a typed action, or null if unhandled. */
+export const mapRemoteCommand = (
+  message: RemoteWsMessage,
+): RemoteAction | null => {
+  const data = (message.Data ?? {}) as Record<string, unknown>;
+  if (message.MessageType === "Playstate") return mapPlaystate(data);
+  if (message.MessageType === "GeneralCommand") return mapGeneralCommand(data);
+  return null;
+};
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Run the test to verify it passes**
+
+Run: `bun test utils/playback/remoteCommands.test.ts`
+Expected: PASS — all suites pass.
+
+- [ ] **Step 5: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add utils/playback/remoteCommands.ts utils/playback/remoteCommands.test.ts
+git commit -m "feat(playback): add pure remote-command mapper"
+```
+
+---
+
+## Task 3: `useRemoteControl` hook
+
+**Files:**
+- Create: `hooks/useRemoteControl.ts`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Write the hook**
+
+Create `hooks/useRemoteControl.ts`:
+
+```ts
+/**
+ * Dispatches Jellyfin remote-control WebSocket messages to the active
+ * PlaybackController. DisplayMessage is shown as an in-app toast and needs no
+ * controller.
+ */
+
+import { useAtomValue } from "jotai";
+import { useEffect } from "react";
+import { toast } from "sonner-native";
+import { activePlaybackControllerAtom } from "@/utils/playback/playbackController";
+import {
+  mapRemoteCommand,
+  type RemoteWsMessage,
+} from "@/utils/playback/remoteCommands";
+
+/** Handle one remote-control message (call it whenever a new WS message arrives). */
+export const useRemoteControl = (lastMessage: RemoteWsMessage | null): void => {
+  const controller = useAtomValue(activePlaybackControllerAtom);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!lastMessage) return;
+    const action = mapRemoteCommand(lastMessage);
+    if (!action) return;
+
+    if (action.kind === "displayMessage") {
+      toast(action.text);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (!controller) return;
+
+    switch (action.kind) {
+      case "playPause":
+        controller.playPause();
+        break;
+      case "pause":
+        controller.pause();
+        break;
+      case "unpause":
+        controller.unpause();
+        break;
+      case "stop":
+        controller.stop();
+        break;
+      case "seek":
+        controller.seek(action.positionMs);
+        break;
+      case "next":
+        controller.next();
+        break;
+      case "previous":
+        controller.previous();
+        break;
+      case "setVolume":
+        controller.setVolume(action.level);
+        break;
+      case "toggleMute":
+        controller.toggleMute();
+        break;
+    }
+  }, [lastMessage, controller]);
+};
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Verify types**
+
+Run: `bun run typecheck`
+Expected: PASS — no errors.
+
+> If `sonner-native`'s `toast` export name differs, check an existing usage with
+> `grep -rn "sonner-native" --include="*.tsx" components app | head -3` and match it.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add hooks/useRemoteControl.ts
+git commit -m "feat(playback): add useRemoteControl dispatch hook"
+```
+
+---
+
+## Task 4: Wire remote control into `WebSocketProvider`
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `providers/WebSocketProvider.tsx`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Consume the hook**
+
+In `providers/WebSocketProvider.tsx`, add the import:
+
+```ts
+import { useRemoteControl } from "@/hooks/useRemoteControl";
+```
+
+Inside the `WebSocketProvider` component body (after `lastMessage` is declared), add:
+
+```ts
+  // Route Jellyfin remote-control messages to the active player.
+  useRemoteControl(lastMessage);
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Expand advertised capabilities**
+
+In the `postFullCapabilities` call, replace:
+
+```ts
+            SupportedCommands: ["Play"],
+```
+
+with:
+
+```ts
+            SupportedCommands: [
+              "Play",
+              "DisplayMessage",
+              "SetVolume",
+              "ToggleMute",
+              "Mute",
+              "Unmute",
+            ],
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Verify types**
+
+Run: `bun run typecheck`
+Expected: PASS — no errors.
+
+> `SupportedCommands` is typed as `GeneralCommandType[]` by the Jellyfin SDK. The
+> six strings above are all valid `GeneralCommandType` values, so the array
+> literal type-checks. If the SDK rejects a literal, that value is not a valid
+> `GeneralCommandType` — remove it and report it.
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add providers/WebSocketProvider.tsx
+git commit -m "feat(playback): handle remote-control messages over WebSocket"
+```
+
+---
+
+## Task 5: Register the cast `PlaybackController`
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `app/(auth)/casting-player.tsx`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Build and register the controller**
+
+Read `app/(auth)/casting-player.tsx`. It uses `useCasting` (which exposes
+`togglePlayPause`, `pause`, `play`, `seek`, `skipForward`, `skipBackward`, `stop`,
+`setVolume`, `progress`, `volume`) and `useCastEpisodes` (`loadEpisode`, `episodes`,
+`nextEpisode`), and has `currentItem`.
+
+Add a memoised `PlaybackController` built from those, and register it while a cast
+session is active. Concretely:
+
+```tsx
+import { useMemo } from "react";
+import {
+  type PlaybackController,
+  useRegisterPlaybackController,
+} from "@/utils/playback/playbackController";
+```
+
+Build the controller (place this near the other `useMemo`s, after `castingControls`
+and the episode/selection hooks are available):
+
+```tsx
+  const castController = useMemo<PlaybackController>(
+    () => ({
+      playPause: () => {
+        castingControls.togglePlayPause();
+      },
+      pause: () => {
+        castingControls.pause();
+      },
+      unpause: () => {
+        castingControls.play();
+      },
+      stop: () => {
+        castingControls.stop();
+      },
+      seek: (positionMs) => {
+        castingControls.seek(positionMs);
+      },
+      next: () => {
+        if (nextEpisode) loadEpisode(nextEpisode);
+      },
+      previous: () => {
+        const idx = episodes.findIndex((e) => e.Id === currentItem?.Id);
+        if (idx > 0) loadEpisode(episodes[idx - 1]);
+      },
+      setVolume: (level) => {
+        castingControls.setVolume(level);
+      },
+      toggleMute: () => {
+        castingControls.setVolume(castingControls.volume > 0 ? 0 : 1);
+      },
+    }),
+    [castingControls, episodes, nextEpisode, loadEpisode, currentItem?.Id],
+  );
+
+  useRegisterPlaybackController(castController, castState === CastState.CONNECTED);
+```
+
+> Verify the exact names against `useCasting`'s return and `useCastEpisodes`'s
+> return — the methods listed above are what those hooks expose. `castState` /
+> `CastState` are already imported in this file. If `castingControls` does not
+> expose `volume`, derive the mute-toggle from whatever volume value it does
+> expose, or from `currentSelection` — keep the intent (mute ↔ unmute).
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Verify**
+
+Run: `bun run typecheck`
+Expected: PASS — no errors.
+
+Run: `bunx biome check "app/(auth)/casting-player.tsx"`
+Expected: PASS.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add "app/(auth)/casting-player.tsx"
+git commit -m "feat(casting): register cast PlaybackController for remote control"
+```
+
+---
+
+## Task 6: Register the native-video `PlaybackController`
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `app/(auth)/player/direct-player.tsx`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Build and register the controller**
+
+Read `app/(auth)/player/direct-player.tsx` and locate its playback controls — the
+play, pause, seek, and (if present) next/previous-episode handlers it already uses
+for its on-screen controls (it has a video player ref and `usePlaybackManager` for
+`previousItem` / `nextItem`).
+
+Add a memoised `PlaybackController` wrapping those existing handlers, and register
+it with `useRegisterPlaybackController(controller, true)` — `true` because the
+controller should be active for the whole lifetime of the player screen (the hook
+clears it automatically on unmount).
+
+```tsx
+import {
+  type PlaybackController,
+  useRegisterPlaybackController,
+} from "@/utils/playback/playbackController";
+```
+
+Build the controller from the screen's existing control functions (do not invent
+new playback logic — reuse what the on-screen buttons call). For `setVolume` /
+`toggleMute`, if the native player exposes no volume control, implement them as
+no-ops (the dashboard volume slider then simply has no effect on local video — that
+is acceptable and honest). `seek` takes milliseconds — convert to whatever unit the
+player's seek expects.
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Verify**
+
+Run: `bun run typecheck`
+Expected: PASS — no errors.
+
+Run: `bunx biome check "app/(auth)/player/direct-player.tsx"`
+Expected: PASS.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add "app/(auth)/player/direct-player.tsx"
+git commit -m "feat(player): register native-video PlaybackController"
+```
+
+---
+
+## Task 7: Register the music `PlaybackController`
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `providers/MusicPlayerProvider.tsx`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Build and register the controller**
+
+Read `providers/MusicPlayerProvider.tsx` and locate its playback controls (play /
+pause / stop / seek / skip-next / skip-previous / volume — whatever it exposes for
+the music UI).
+
+Add a memoised `PlaybackController` wrapping those, and register it with
+`useRegisterPlaybackController(controller, isMusicActive)` where `isMusicActive` is
+the provider's existing "is a track loaded / playing" condition. Reuse the
+provider's existing control functions — do not add new playback logic.
+
+```tsx
+import {
+  type PlaybackController,
+  useRegisterPlaybackController,
+} from "@/utils/playback/playbackController";
+```
+
+If the music player exposes no volume API, make `setVolume` / `toggleMute` no-ops.
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Verify**
+
+Run: `bun run typecheck`
+Expected: PASS — no errors.
+
+Run: `bunx biome check providers/MusicPlayerProvider.tsx`
+Expected: PASS.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add providers/MusicPlayerProvider.tsx
+git commit -m "feat(music): register music PlaybackController"
+```
+
+---
+
+## Task 8: Report the real cast `PlayMethod`
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `utils/casting/castLoad.ts`, `utils/casting/mediaInfo.ts`, `hooks/useCasting.ts`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Carry `playMethod` in customData**
+
+In `utils/casting/mediaInfo.ts`, add an optional parameter to `buildCastMediaInfo`,
+alongside `playSessionId` and `selection`:
+
+```ts
+  /** "Transcode" when the stream is a server transcode, else "DirectPlay". */
+  playMethod?: "Transcode" | "DirectPlay";
+```
+
+Destructure `playMethod` in the function signature, and add it to the
+`slimCustomData` object (extend its inline type with `playMethod?: "Transcode" |
+"DirectPlay"`, the same way `selection` was added).
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Determine and pass `playMethod` in `castLoad.ts`**
+
+In `utils/casting/castLoad.ts`, inside `attemptLoad`, after `getStreamUrl` returns
+`data`, determine the play method from whether the resolved media source is a
+transcode:
+
+```ts
+  const playMethod: "Transcode" | "DirectPlay" = data.mediaSource?.TranscodingUrl
+    ? "Transcode"
+    : "DirectPlay";
+```
+
+Pass `playMethod` into the `buildCastMediaInfo({ ... })` call.
+
+> `getStreamUrl` returns `{ url, sessionId, mediaSource }`; `mediaSource` is a
+> `MediaSourceInfo` whose `TranscodingUrl` is set when the server chose to
+> transcode. Confirm the returned shape in `utils/jellyfin/media/getStreamUrl.ts`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Report it in `useCasting.ts`**
+
+In `hooks/useCasting.ts`, the progress reporting currently sets
+`PlayMethod: activeProtocol === "chromecast" ? "DirectStream" : "DirectPlay"` in
+both `reportPlaybackStart` and `reportPlaybackProgress`. Read the real play method
+from customData near the existing `playSessionId` derivation:
+
+```ts
+  const playMethod =
+    (mediaStatus?.mediaInfo?.customData as
+      | { playMethod?: "Transcode" | "DirectPlay" }
+      | undefined)?.playMethod ?? "Transcode";
+```
+
+Replace both hardcoded `PlayMethod:` expressions with `PlayMethod: playMethod`. Add
+`playMethod` to the progress-reporting `useEffect` dependency array.
+
+> Default to `"Transcode"` — a cast stream is a transcode far more often than not,
+> so it is the safer fallback when customData has not yet arrived.
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Verify**
+
+Run: `bun run typecheck`
+Expected: PASS — no errors.
+
+Run: `bun test utils/casting/`
+Expected: PASS — all suites pass.
+
+- [ ] **Step 5: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add utils/casting/castLoad.ts utils/casting/mediaInfo.ts hooks/useCasting.ts
+git commit -m "fix(casting): report the real PlayMethod to Jellyfin"
+```
+
+---
+
+## Task 9: Conditional episode buttons
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `components/casting/player/CastPlayerEpisodeControls.tsx`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Make Previous / Next conditional**
+
+Read `components/casting/player/CastPlayerEpisodeControls.tsx`. It receives
+`episodes`, `nextEpisode`, and `currentItemId`. The Previous button currently
+renders always (disabled when `episodes.findIndex(...) <= 0`); the Next button
+renders always (disabled when `!nextEpisode`).
+
+Change both so they are **not rendered at all** when there is no adjacent episode:
+- Previous: render only when `episodes.findIndex((e) => e.Id === currentItemId) > 0`.
+- Next: render only when `nextEpisode` is truthy.
+
+Keep the Episodes-list and Stop buttons unconditional. Preserve the row layout —
+if the row uses fixed spacing, ensure removing a button does not break alignment
+(the remaining buttons should stay evenly placed; adjust the container's
+`justifyContent` / gap only if needed, behaviour of the remaining buttons unchanged).
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Verify**
+
+Run: `bun run typecheck`
+Expected: PASS — no errors.
+
+Run: `bunx biome check components/casting/player/CastPlayerEpisodeControls.tsx`
+Expected: PASS.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add components/casting/player/CastPlayerEpisodeControls.tsx
+git commit -m "feat(casting): hide episode buttons when no adjacent episode"
+```
+
+---
+
+## Task 10: Fix the `loadEpisode` / `currentItem` race
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `app/(auth)/casting-player.tsx`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Guard against the stale `currentItem`**
+
+Read `app/(auth)/casting-player.tsx`. `loadEpisode` (from `useCastEpisodes`) loads a
+new episode on the cast; `currentItem` is derived from the cast `customData` and
+updates only once the cast reports the new episode — leaving a window where
+`currentItem` still describes the previous episode.
+
+Fix: track the id of the episode being loaded, and treat `currentItem` as "pending"
+until the cast's `customData` item id matches it. Concretely:
+
+- Add a ref `pendingEpisodeIdRef` (a `useRef<string | null>(null)`).
+- When `loadEpisode` is invoked, set `pendingEpisodeIdRef.current` to the target
+  episode id. (Wrap the `loadEpisode` call sites, or wrap the function the cast
+  player passes to `CastPlayerEpisodeControls` / the episode list, so the ref is set
+  whenever an episode load starts.)
+- Clear the ref once `currentItem?.Id === pendingEpisodeIdRef.current` (the cast has
+  caught up).
+- While `pendingEpisodeIdRef.current` is set and does not match `currentItem?.Id`,
+  the player is mid-transition — guard the derivations that would act on the stale
+  item (the episode-controls indices and the selection menu) so they do not flash
+  the previous episode's data. The simplest correct guard: while pending, suppress
+  rendering the episode-dependent secondary UI, or show the loading state, until
+  `currentItem` matches.
+
+Keep this minimal and behaviour-preserving for the non-racing path — when no load
+is pending, nothing changes.
+
+> This is a real but small bug. If, on reading the file, the cleanest fix is to
+> have `useCastEpisodes` expose a `loadingEpisodeId` rather than a ref in the
+> screen, do that instead — keep the fix where it reads most naturally. Report
+> which approach you took.
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Verify**
+
+Run: `bun run typecheck`
+Expected: PASS — no errors.
+
+Run: `bun test utils/casting/`
+Expected: PASS.
+
+Run: `bunx biome check "app/(auth)/casting-player.tsx"`
+Expected: PASS.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Commit**
+
+```bash
+git add "app/(auth)/casting-player.tsx"
+git commit -m "fix(casting): guard against stale currentItem during episode load"
+```
+
+---
+
+## Final verification
+
+- [ ] **Checks**
+
+Run: `bun test utils/` → PASS (`remoteCommands` plus the existing `casting` suites).
+Run: `bun run typecheck` → PASS.
+
+- [ ] **Manual verification**
+
+From the Jellyfin web dashboard's "Devices" / active-session view, with the app
+casting:
+- The session shows `Transcode` (not direct-play) for a transcoded stream.
+- The remote panel's pause / play / stop / seek / next / previous control the cast.
+- The volume control changes the cast volume; mute toggles it.
+- "Send message" shows a toast in the app.
+- Repeat with the native video player open (not casting): transport + message work;
+  volume is a no-op if the native player has no volume API.
+- In the cast player, Previous is absent on the first episode, Next absent on the
+  last.
+- Changing episode shows no flash of the previous episode's title/tracks.
+
+---
+
+## Notes for the implementer
+
+- Line numbers drift — match on quoted code.
+- `bun test` is Bun's native runner; `remoteCommands.ts` is pure (no imports) so its
+  test runs cleanly. Do not write a test that imports `useRemoteControl.ts` or
+  `playbackController.ts` — they pull React / jotai.
+- Tasks 5-7 are integration: reuse each player's existing control functions, do not
+  reimplement playback logic. A `setVolume` / `toggleMute` no-op is acceptable where
+  a player has no volume API.
+- Do NOT add a `Co-Authored-By` trailer to commit messages.
+- Out of scope: track-switching remote commands, the custom receiver.