diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c3be47b..bbb0b26 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -54,4 +54,5 @@ hackintosh-emulator-fix.sh
 src/screens/xavio.md
 /nuvio-providers
 /KSPlayer
-/exobase
\ No newline at end of file
+/exobase
+ffmpegreadme.md
diff --git a/android/app/build.gradle b/android/app/build.gradle
index 8b423f8..c3f84f8 100644
--- a/android/app/build.gradle
+++ b/android/app/build.gradle
@@ -184,4 +184,7 @@ dependencies {
     } else {
         implementation jscFlavor
     }
+
+    // Include only FFmpeg decoder AAR to avoid duplicates with Maven Media3
+    implementation files("libs/lib-decoder-ffmpeg-release.aar")
 }
diff --git a/android/app/proguard-rules.pro b/android/app/proguard-rules.pro
index 551eb41..79923cc 100644
--- a/android/app/proguard-rules.pro
+++ b/android/app/proguard-rules.pro
@@ -12,3 +12,7 @@
 -keep class com.facebook.react.turbomodule.** { *; }
 
 # Add any project specific keep options here:
+
+# Media3 / ExoPlayer keep (extensions and reflection)
+-keep class androidx.media3.** { *; }
+-dontwarn androidx.media3.**
diff --git a/android/gradle.properties b/android/gradle.properties
index 939f1d9..bc2e641 100644
--- a/android/gradle.properties
+++ b/android/gradle.properties
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ EX_DEV_CLIENT_NETWORK_INSPECTOR=true
 # Use legacy packaging to compress native libraries in the resulting APK.
 expo.useLegacyPackaging=false
 android.minSdkVersion=26
+RNVideo_media3Version=1.8.0
 
 # Whether the app is configured to use edge-to-edge via the app config or `react-native-edge-to-edge` plugin
 expo.edgeToEdgeEnabled=false
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/components/player/AndroidVideoPlayer.tsx b/src/components/player/AndroidVideoPlayer.tsx
index 7fa7bd2..7b4287f 100644
--- a/src/components/player/AndroidVideoPlayer.tsx
+++ b/src/components/player/AndroidVideoPlayer.tsx
@@ -84,16 +84,17 @@ const AndroidVideoPlayer: React.FC = () => {
     const v = rp.forceVlc !== undefined ? rp.forceVlc : rp.forceVLC;
     return typeof v === 'string' ? v.toLowerCase() === 'true' : Boolean(v);
   }, [route.params]);
-  // TEMP toggle disabled; rely on route param forceVlc
+  // TEMP: force React Native Video for testing (disable VLC)
+  const TEMP_FORCE_RNV = false;
   const TEMP_FORCE_VLC = false;
-  const useVLC = Platform.OS === 'android' && (TEMP_FORCE_VLC || forceVlc);
+  const useVLC = Platform.OS === 'android' && !TEMP_FORCE_RNV && (TEMP_FORCE_VLC || forceVlc);
 
   // Log player selection
   useEffect(() => {
     const playerType = useVLC ? 'VLC (expo-libvlc-player)' : 'React Native Video';
     const reason = useVLC
       ? (TEMP_FORCE_VLC ? 'TEMP_FORCE_VLC=true' : `forceVlc=${forceVlc} from route params`)
-      : 'default react-native-video';
+      : (TEMP_FORCE_RNV ? 'TEMP_FORCE_RNV=true' : 'default react-native-video');
     logger.log(`[AndroidVideoPlayer] Player selection: ${playerType} (${reason})`);
   }, [useVLC, forceVlc]);
 
@@ -3397,6 +3398,7 @@ const AndroidVideoPlayer: React.FC = () => {
             onSlidingComplete={handleSlidingComplete}
             buffered={buffered}
             formatTime={formatTime}
+          playerBackend={useVLC ? 'VLC' : 'ExoPlayer'}
           />
 
           {showPauseOverlay && (
diff --git a/src/components/player/controls/PlayerControls.tsx b/src/components/player/controls/PlayerControls.tsx
index 16d6d43..c963cc2 100644
--- a/src/components/player/controls/PlayerControls.tsx
+++ b/src/components/player/controls/PlayerControls.tsx
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ interface PlayerControlsProps {
   onSlidingComplete: (value: number) => void;
   buffered: number;
   formatTime: (seconds: number) => string;
+  playerBackend?: string;
 }
 
 export const PlayerControls: React.FC<PlayerControlsProps> = ({
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@ export const PlayerControls: React.FC<PlayerControlsProps> = ({
   onSlidingComplete,
   buffered,
   formatTime,
+  playerBackend,
 }) => {
   const { currentTheme } = useTheme();
   return (
@@ -128,6 +130,11 @@ export const PlayerControls: React.FC<PlayerControlsProps> = ({
                 {year && <Text style={styles.metadataText}>{year}</Text>}
                 {streamName && <Text style={styles.providerText}>via {streamName}</Text>}
               </View>
+              {playerBackend && (
+                <View style={styles.metadataRow}>
+                  <Text style={[styles.providerText, { fontSize: 11, opacity: 0.9 }]}>{playerBackend}</Text>
+                </View>
+              )}
             </View>
             <TouchableOpacity style={styles.closeButton} onPress={handleClose}>
               <Ionicons name="close" size={24} color="white" />
diff --git a/src/screens/StreamsScreen.tsx b/src/screens/StreamsScreen.tsx
index 4c34317..98c3eff 100644
--- a/src/screens/StreamsScreen.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/StreamsScreen.tsx
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ export const StreamsScreen = () => {
     // Skip processing if component is unmounting
     if (!isMounted.current) return;
     
-    const currentStreamsData = (type === 'series' || (type === 'other' && selectedEpisode)) ? episodeStreams : groupedStreams;
+    const currentStreamsData = metadata?.videos && metadata.videos.length > 1 && selectedEpisode ? episodeStreams : groupedStreams;
     if (__DEV__) console.log('[StreamsScreen] streams state changed', { providerKeys: Object.keys(currentStreamsData || {}), type });
     
     // Update available providers immediately when streams change
@@ -720,7 +720,7 @@ export const StreamsScreen = () => {
     }
     
     // Check if provider exists in current streams data
-    const currentStreamsData = (type === 'series' || (type === 'other' && selectedEpisode)) ? episodeStreams : groupedStreams;
+    const currentStreamsData = metadata?.videos && metadata.videos.length > 1 && selectedEpisode ? episodeStreams : groupedStreams;
     const hasStreamsForProvider = currentStreamsData[selectedProvider] && 
                                  currentStreamsData[selectedProvider].streams && 
                                  currentStreamsData[selectedProvider].streams.length > 0;
@@ -762,7 +762,7 @@ export const StreamsScreen = () => {
         }, 500);
         return () => clearTimeout(timer);
       } else {
-          if ((type === 'series' || type === 'other') && episodeId) {
+          if (metadata?.videos && metadata.videos.length > 1 && episodeId) {
             logger.log(`🎬 Loading episode streams for: ${episodeId}`);
             setLoadingProviders({
               'stremio': true
@@ -776,7 +776,7 @@ export const StreamsScreen = () => {
             setStreamsLoadStart(Date.now());
             if (__DEV__) console.log('[StreamsScreen] calling loadStreams (movie)', id);
             loadStreams();
-          } else if ((type === 'series' || type === 'other') && !episodeId) {
+          } else if (metadata?.videos && metadata.videos.length > 1 && !episodeId) {
             // Series with no episodes (e.g., TV/live channels) – fetch streams directly
             logger.log(`🎬 Loading series streams (no episodes) for: ${id}`);
             setLoadingProviders({
@@ -1007,26 +1007,8 @@ export const StreamsScreen = () => {
     const streamName = stream.name || stream.title || 'Unnamed Stream';
     const streamProvider = stream.addonId || stream.addonName || stream.name;
     
-    // Decide if we should force VLC on Android based on scraper format or URL/content-type
+    // Do NOT pre-force VLC. Let ExoPlayer try first; fallback occurs on decoder error in the player.
     let forceVlc = !!options?.forceVlc;
-    try {
-      const providerId = stream.addonId || (stream as any).addon || '';
-      // If provider declares MKV support in manifest, prefer VLC
-      if (Platform.OS === 'android' && providerId) {
-        const supportsMkv = await localScraperService.supportsFormat(providerId, 'mkv');
-        if (supportsMkv) forceVlc = true;
-      }
-      // URL/content-type heuristic
-      if (!forceVlc) {
-        const lowerUrl = (stream.url || '').toLowerCase();
-        const isMkvByPath = lowerUrl.includes('.mkv') || /[?&]ext=mkv\b/i.test(lowerUrl) || /format=mkv\b/i.test(lowerUrl) || /container=mkv\b/i.test(lowerUrl);
-        const contentType = (stream.headers && ((stream.headers as any)['Content-Type'] || (stream.headers as any)['content-type'])) || '';
-        const isMkvByHeader = typeof contentType === 'string' && /matroska|x-matroska/i.test(contentType);
-        if (Platform.OS === 'android' && (isMkvByPath || isMkvByHeader)) {
-          forceVlc = true;
-        }
-      }
-    } catch {}
 
 
     // Show a quick full-screen black overlay to mask rotation flicker
@@ -1309,7 +1291,7 @@ export const StreamsScreen = () => {
       !autoplayTriggered && 
       isAutoplayWaiting
     ) {
-      const streams = (type === 'series' || (type === 'other' && selectedEpisode)) ? episodeStreams : groupedStreams;
+      const streams = metadata?.videos && metadata.videos.length > 1 && selectedEpisode ? episodeStreams : groupedStreams;
       
       if (Object.keys(streams).length > 0) {
         const bestStream = getBestStream(streams);
@@ -1340,7 +1322,7 @@ export const StreamsScreen = () => {
 
   const filterItems = useMemo(() => {
     const installedAddons = stremioService.getInstalledAddons();
-    const streams = (type === 'series' || (type === 'other' && selectedEpisode)) ? episodeStreams : groupedStreams;
+    const streams = metadata?.videos && metadata.videos.length > 1 && selectedEpisode ? episodeStreams : groupedStreams;
     
     // Make sure we include all providers with streams, not just those in availableProviders
     const allProviders = new Set([
@@ -1418,7 +1400,7 @@ export const StreamsScreen = () => {
   }, [availableProviders, type, episodeStreams, groupedStreams, settings.streamDisplayMode]);
 
   const sections = useMemo(() => {
-    const streams = (type === 'series' || (type === 'other' && selectedEpisode)) ? episodeStreams : groupedStreams;
+    const streams = metadata?.videos && metadata.videos.length > 1 && selectedEpisode ? episodeStreams : groupedStreams;
     const installedAddons = stremioService.getInstalledAddons();
 
     // Filter streams by selected provider
@@ -1710,8 +1692,8 @@ export const StreamsScreen = () => {
     });
   }, [episodeImage, bannerImage, metadata]);
 
-  const isLoading = (type === 'series' || (type === 'other' && selectedEpisode)) ? loadingEpisodeStreams : loadingStreams;
-  const streams = (type === 'series' || (type === 'other' && selectedEpisode)) ? episodeStreams : groupedStreams;
+  const isLoading = metadata?.videos && metadata.videos.length > 1 && selectedEpisode ? loadingEpisodeStreams : loadingStreams;
+  const streams = metadata?.videos && metadata.videos.length > 1 && selectedEpisode ? episodeStreams : groupedStreams;
 
   // Determine extended loading phases
   const streamsEmpty = Object.keys(streams).length === 0;
@@ -1776,7 +1758,7 @@ export const StreamsScreen = () => {
           >
             <MaterialIcons name="arrow-back" size={24} color={colors.white} />
             <Text style={styles.backButtonText}>
-              {(type === 'series' || (type === 'other' && selectedEpisode)) ? 'Back to Episodes' : 'Back to Info'}
+              {metadata?.videos && metadata.videos.length > 1 && selectedEpisode ? 'Back to Episodes' : 'Back to Info'}
             </Text>
           </TouchableOpacity>
         </View>
@@ -1801,7 +1783,7 @@ export const StreamsScreen = () => {
         </View>
       )}
 
-      {(type === 'series' || (type === 'other' && selectedEpisode)) && (
+      {metadata?.videos && metadata.videos.length > 1 && selectedEpisode && (
         <View style={[styles.streamsHeroContainer]}>
           <View style={StyleSheet.absoluteFill}>
             <View