diff --git a/src/components/home/HeroCarousel.tsx b/src/components/home/HeroCarousel.tsx
index 45aeb01..e3a5dbe 100644
--- a/src/components/home/HeroCarousel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/home/HeroCarousel.tsx
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ const HeroCarousel: React.FC<HeroCarouselProps> = ({ items, loading = false }) =
   if (!hasData) return null;
 
   return (
-    <Animated.View entering={FadeIn.duration(350).easing(Easing.out(Easing.cubic))}>
+    <Animated.View entering={FadeIn.duration(150).easing(Easing.out(Easing.cubic))}>
       <Animated.View style={[styles.container as ViewStyle]}>
         {/* Removed preload images for performance - let FastImage cache handle it naturally */}
           {settings.enableHomeHeroBackground && data[activeIndex] && (
diff --git a/src/components/metadata/HeroSection.tsx b/src/components/metadata/HeroSection.tsx
index bcd7084..defb394 100644
--- a/src/components/metadata/HeroSection.tsx
+++ b/src/components/metadata/HeroSection.tsx
@@ -1157,12 +1157,28 @@ const HeroSection: React.FC<HeroSectionProps> = memo(({
   // Auto-start trailer when ready on initial entry if enabled
   useEffect(() => {
     if (trailerReady && settings?.showTrailers && isFocused && !globalTrailerPlaying && !startedOnReadyRef.current) {
-      startedOnReadyRef.current = true;
-      logger.info('HeroSection', 'Trailer ready - auto-starting playback');
-      setTrailerPlaying(true);
-      isPlayingSV.value = 1;
+      // Check scroll position - only auto-start if user hasn't scrolled past the hero section
+      try {
+        const y = (scrollY as any).value || 0;
+        const pauseThreshold = heroHeight.value * 0.7;
+        
+        if (y < pauseThreshold) {
+          startedOnReadyRef.current = true;
+          logger.info('HeroSection', 'Trailer ready - auto-starting playback');
+          setTrailerPlaying(true);
+          isPlayingSV.value = 1;
+        } else {
+          logger.info('HeroSection', 'Trailer ready but user scrolled past - not auto-starting');
+          // Mark as started to prevent retry
+          startedOnReadyRef.current = true;
+        }
+      } catch (_e) {
+        // Fallback if scroll position unavailable - don't auto-start to be safe
+        logger.info('HeroSection', 'Trailer ready but scroll position unavailable - not auto-starting');
+        startedOnReadyRef.current = true;
+      }
     }
-  }, [trailerReady, settings?.showTrailers, isFocused, globalTrailerPlaying, setTrailerPlaying]);
+  }, [trailerReady, settings?.showTrailers, isFocused, globalTrailerPlaying, setTrailerPlaying, scrollY, heroHeight]);
 
   // Handle fullscreen toggle
   const handleFullscreenToggle = useCallback(async () => {
diff --git a/src/components/player/AndroidVideoPlayer.tsx b/src/components/player/AndroidVideoPlayer.tsx
index 6a190a2..6b2dbdf 100644
--- a/src/components/player/AndroidVideoPlayer.tsx
+++ b/src/components/player/AndroidVideoPlayer.tsx
@@ -3323,6 +3323,7 @@ const AndroidVideoPlayer: React.FC = () => {
                     ref={vlcPlayerRef}
                     source={processedStreamUrl}
                     volume={volume}
+                    playbackSpeed={playbackSpeed}
                     zoomScale={zoomScale}
                     resizeMode={resizeMode}
                     onLoad={(data) => {
diff --git a/src/components/player/VlcVideoPlayer.tsx b/src/components/player/VlcVideoPlayer.tsx
index 2202bfd..75a7dba 100644
--- a/src/components/player/VlcVideoPlayer.tsx
+++ b/src/components/player/VlcVideoPlayer.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ try {
 interface VlcVideoPlayerProps {
   source: string;
   volume: number;
+  playbackSpeed: number;
   zoomScale: number;
   resizeMode: 'contain' | 'cover' | 'none';
   onLoad: (data: any) => void;
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ export interface VlcPlayerRef {
 const VlcVideoPlayer = forwardRef<VlcPlayerRef, VlcVideoPlayerProps>(({
   source,
   volume,
+  playbackSpeed,
   zoomScale,
   resizeMode,
   onLoad,
@@ -342,7 +344,7 @@ const VlcVideoPlayer = forwardRef<VlcPlayerRef, VlcVideoPlayerProps>(({
         volume={Math.round(Math.max(0, Math.min(1, volume)) * 100)}
         mute={false}
         repeat={false}
-        rate={1}
+        rate={playbackSpeed}
         autoplay={false}
         onFirstPlay={handleFirstPlay}
         onPositionChanged={handlePositionChanged}
diff --git a/src/screens/HomeScreen.tsx b/src/screens/HomeScreen.tsx
index c868cd7..748c8cf 100644
--- a/src/screens/HomeScreen.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/HomeScreen.tsx
@@ -631,20 +631,18 @@ const HomeScreen = () => {
     const heroStyleToUse = isTablet ? 'legacy' : settings.heroStyle;
     return heroStyleToUse === 'carousel' ? (
       <HeroCarousel
-        key={`carousel-${featuredContentSource}`}
         items={allFeaturedContent || (featuredContent ? [featuredContent] : [])}
         loading={featuredLoading}
       />
     ) : (
       <FeaturedContent
-        key={`featured-${showHeroSection}-${featuredContentSource}`}
         featuredContent={featuredContent}
         isSaved={isSaved}
         handleSaveToLibrary={handleSaveToLibrary}
         loading={featuredLoading}
       />
     );
-  }, [isTablet, settings.heroStyle, showHeroSection, featuredContentSource, featuredLoading]);
+  }, [isTablet, settings.heroStyle, showHeroSection, featuredContentSource, allFeaturedContent, featuredContent, isSaved, handleSaveToLibrary, featuredLoading]);
 
   const memoizedThisWeekSection = useMemo(() => <ThisWeekSection />, []);
   const memoizedContinueWatchingSection = useMemo(() => <ContinueWatchingSection ref={continueWatchingRef} />, []);