diff --git a/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-07-31-structured-videojs-vhs-diagnostics.md b/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-07-31-structured-videojs-vhs-diagnostics.md
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+# Structured Video.js/VHS Diagnostics 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:** Add a safe, exact-value Video.js/VHS evidence contract for the
+default web player without depending on private VHS internals.
+
+**Architecture:** Read the public Video.js `MediaError` inside the existing
+`Player#error` listener, detect active VHS through the documented
+`player.tech().vhs` runtime property, and sanitize the error into a small
+allowlisted evidence value. Classify only confirmed public values, keep
+generic non-VHS Video.js errors on the native path, and render only the
+sanitized evidence.
+
+**Tech Stack:** Angular 21, TypeScript 5.9, Video.js 8.23.9, VHS 3.17.5, Jest
+through Nx, Markdown architecture and release-note documentation.
+
+---
+
+### Task 0: Establish The Evidence And Baseline
+
+**Files:**
+- Verify: `package.json`
+- Verify: `pnpm-lock.yaml`
+- Verify:
+  `node_modules/.pnpm/video.js@8.23.9/node_modules/video.js/dist/types/media-error.d.ts`
+- Verify:
+  `node_modules/.pnpm/@videojs+http-streaming@3.17.5_video.js@8.23.9/node_modules/@videojs/http-streaming/README.md`
+- Verify:
+  `node_modules/.pnpm/@videojs+http-streaming@3.17.5_video.js@8.23.9/node_modules/@videojs/http-streaming/src/videojs-http-streaming.js`
+
+- [x] **Step 1: Install locked dependencies**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
+```
+
+Expected: exit 0 without changing `pnpm-lock.yaml`.
+
+- [x] **Step 2: Verify Nx workspace discovery**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+pnpm nx show projects
+```
+
+Expected: exit 0 and output containing `ui-playback`, `web`, and `web-e2e`.
+
+- [x] **Step 3: Run the affected-project baseline**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+pnpm nx test ui-playback
+```
+
+Expected: 85 suites and 765 tests pass before implementation.
+
+- [x] **Step 4: Audit exact installed and upstream versions**
+
+Confirm:
+
+```text
+video.js = 8.23.9
+@videojs/http-streaming = 3.17.5
+Video.js v8.23.9 tag = 81b3cb429fae8dd00659ac5d3b0b1d2d20a283cb
+VHS v3.17.5 tag = a9f9d7ac0264b373f14da1bb2f2e7fe8f2775c4f
+```
+
+Read the public Video.js `MediaError` and player error API, the VHS README
+runtime properties/events, and the tagged upstream error/recovery tests.
+Reject private request/loaders and undocumented retry/exclusion events from
+the production design.
+
+### Task 1: Drive The VHS Evidence Boundary From Failing Tests
+
+**Files:**
+- Create:
+  `libs/ui/playback/src/lib/playback-diagnostics/vhs-playback-evidence.util.spec.ts`
+- Create:
+  `libs/ui/playback/src/lib/playback-diagnostics/vhs-playback-evidence.util.ts`
+- Modify:
+  `libs/ui/playback/src/lib/playback-diagnostics/playback-diagnostics.model.ts`
+- Modify:
+  `libs/ui/playback/src/lib/playback-diagnostics/playback-diagnostics.util.ts`
+- Modify:
+  `libs/ui/playback/src/lib/playback-diagnostics/playback-diagnostics.util.spec.ts`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Write the failing allowlist and sanitizer tests**
+
+In `vhs-playback-evidence.util.spec.ts`, import the actual installed Video.js
+runtime and the wished-for boundary:
+
+```typescript
+import videoJs from 'video.js';
+import {
+    VhsPlaybackEngineType,
+    createVhsPlaybackEvidence,
+} from './vhs-playback-evidence.util';
+
+it('matches the installed public videojs.Error identifiers', () => {
+    expect(Object.values(VhsPlaybackEngineType).sort()).toEqual(
+        Object.values(videoJs.Error).sort()
+    );
+});
+```
+
+Add installed-runtime-shaped inputs for:
+
+```typescript
+const unsafeError = {
+    code: 4,
+    status: 503,
+    message:
+        'HLS playlist request error at URL: ' +
+        'https://provider.example/live.m3u8?token=secret',
+    metadata: {
+        errorType: videoJs.Error.NetworkBadStatus,
+        requestType: 'hls-playlist',
+        uri: 'https://provider.example/live.m3u8?token=secret',
+        headers: { Authorization: 'Bearer secret' },
+        responseText: 'provider body secret',
+    },
+};
+```
+
+Expect only:
+
+```typescript
+{
+    engineType: 'networkbadstatus',
+    mediaErrorCode: 4,
+    disposition: 'terminal',
+    stage: 'unknown',
+    httpStatus: 503,
+}
+```
+
+Serialize the evidence and prove it contains none of the URL, token, header,
+body, message, request type, or arbitrary metadata sentinels.
+
+Cover:
+
+- every public `videojs.Error` value;
+- unknown and malformed error types;
+- standard code boundaries 0/5 and invalid values;
+- HTTP boundaries 399/400/599/600 and non-integers;
+- exact HLS playlist, DASH manifest, and segment-operation stage mappings.
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Write failing classifier tests**
+
+In `playback-diagnostics.util.spec.ts`, add wished-for
+`classifyVhsPlaybackIssue` cases:
+
+```typescript
+expect(classifyVhsPlaybackIssue(networkError, metadata)).toEqual(
+    expect.objectContaining({
+        code: PlaybackDiagnosticCode.NetworkError,
+        source: PlaybackDiagnosticSource.Vhs,
+        httpStatus: 503,
+        externalFallbackRecommended: false,
+    })
+);
+```
+
+Add regressions proving:
+
+- exact network types classify as `network-error` without message matching;
+- exact `streamingfailedtodecryptsegment` classifies as
+  `drm-or-encryption`;
+- standard code 5 classifies as `drm-or-encryption`;
+- generic VHS code 3 stays `unknown-playback-error`;
+- unknown provider values and misleading messages stay unknown;
+- the diagnostic contains no `nativeErrorMessage`;
+- the top-level status and structured evidence are retained.
+
+Keep the existing generic native code-3 expectation unchanged.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Run the focused tests to verify RED**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+NODE_OPTIONS=--experimental-vm-modules \
+node node_modules/jest/bin/jest.js \
+  --config jest.web-esm.workspace.ts \
+  --runTestsByPath \
+  libs/ui/playback/src/lib/playback-diagnostics/vhs-playback-evidence.util.spec.ts \
+  libs/ui/playback/src/lib/playback-diagnostics/playback-diagnostics.util.spec.ts \
+  --runInBand
+```
+
+Expected: FAIL because the VHS evidence model, extractor, source, and
+classifier do not exist.
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Add the minimal evidence model**
+
+In `playback-diagnostics.model.ts`, add const objects and extracted types:
+
+```typescript
+export const VhsPlaybackDisposition = {
+    Terminal: 'terminal',
+} as const;
+
+export const VhsPlaybackStage = {
+    Manifest: 'manifest',
+    Playlist: 'playlist',
+    Segment: 'segment',
+    Unknown: 'unknown',
+} as const;
+
+export const VhsPlaybackMediaErrorCode = {
+    Custom: 0,
+    Aborted: 1,
+    Network: 2,
+    Decode: 3,
+    SourceNotSupported: 4,
+    Encrypted: 5,
+    Unknown: 'unknown',
+} as const;
+```
+
+Define `VhsPlaybackEngineType`, including an `unknown` fallback, and
+`VhsPlaybackEvidence` with engine type, validated media error code, terminal
+disposition, stage, and optional status. Add:
+
+```typescript
+readonly vhs?: VhsPlaybackEvidence;
+```
+
+to `PlaybackDiagnostic`, and add `Vhs: 'vhs'` to
+`PlaybackDiagnosticSource`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 5: Implement the allowlisted extractor**
+
+In `vhs-playback-evidence.util.ts`:
+
+- define one const object containing the exact installed public
+  `videojs.Error` strings;
+- validate `metadata.errorType` through a readonly set;
+- validate only standard error codes 0 through 5;
+- validate only integer HTTP status 400 through 599;
+- map only exact public parser/segment identifiers to stages;
+- return a fresh object containing only the evidence fields;
+- never read the message or any metadata key other than `errorType`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 6: Implement exact classification**
+
+In `playback-diagnostics.util.ts`, add:
+
+```typescript
+export function classifyVhsPlaybackIssue(
+    error: NativePlaybackErrorInput,
+    metadata: PlaybackSourceMetadata
+): PlaybackDiagnostic
+```
+
+Create evidence once, then classify by validated HTTP status, exact network
+types, standard network code, exact decrypt type, standard encrypted code, or
+known unsupported container. Keep all remaining evidence unknown. Store the
+evidence on the diagnostic, copy its status into the existing `httpStatus`,
+copy its validated code into `nativeErrorCode`, and do not copy the error
+message or arbitrary metadata.
+
+- [ ] **Step 7: Run focused tests to verify GREEN**
+
+Run the command from step 3.
+
+Expected: PASS for allowlisting, privacy, exact classification, code-3
+unknown behavior, and unchanged native tests.
+
+### Task 2: Route Only Active VHS Errors Through The Boundary
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify:
+  `libs/ui/playback/src/lib/vjs-player/vjs-player.types.ts`
+- Modify:
+  `libs/ui/playback/src/lib/vjs-player/vjs-player.types.spec.ts`
+- Modify:
+  `libs/ui/playback/src/lib/vjs-player/vjs-player.component.ts`
+- Modify:
+  `libs/ui/playback/src/lib/vjs-player/vjs-player.component.spec.ts`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Write failing active-VHS detection tests**
+
+In `vjs-player.types.spec.ts`, add expectations for a wished-for
+`hasActiveVhsSourceHandler` helper:
+
+```typescript
+expect(hasActiveVhsSourceHandler(playerWithVhs)).toBe(true);
+expect(hasActiveVhsSourceHandler(playerWithoutVhs)).toBe(false);
+expect(hasActiveVhsSourceHandler(throwingPlayer)).toBe(false);
+```
+
+The helper may inspect only the documented `player.tech().vhs` property.
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Write failing component routing regressions**
+
+Extend the player harness with an optional `vhs` object on the current tech.
+Add tests proving:
+
+- active VHS + real network error shape emits a structured VHS network
+  diagnostic;
+- the unsafe VHS message and metadata are absent;
+- active VHS + generic code 3 emits unknown;
+- no VHS + native code 3 retains `media-decode-error`;
+- a populated `player.error()` still wins over `video.error`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Run the focused component tests to verify RED**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+NODE_OPTIONS=--experimental-vm-modules \
+node node_modules/jest/bin/jest.js \
+  --config jest.web-esm.workspace.ts \
+  --runTestsByPath \
+  libs/ui/playback/src/lib/vjs-player/vjs-player.types.spec.ts \
+  libs/ui/playback/src/lib/vjs-player/vjs-player.component.spec.ts \
+  --runInBand
+```
+
+Expected: FAIL because active VHS detection and routing do not exist.
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Implement the public runtime check and routing**
+
+Add a guarded helper in `vjs-player.types.ts` that returns true only when
+`player.tech()?.vhs` is a non-null object. In
+`VjsPlayerComponent.handleVideoJsError`, call
+`classifyVhsPlaybackIssue` only when that helper is true and
+`player.error()` returned an error. Otherwise keep
+`classifyNativePlaybackIssue(playerError ?? video.error, metadata)`.
+
+Do not add xhr hooks, VHS loader access, retry listeners, or private fields.
+
+- [ ] **Step 5: Run the focused component tests to verify GREEN**
+
+Run the command from step 3.
+
+Expected: PASS.
+
+### Task 3: Render Only Structured VHS Details
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify:
+  `libs/ui/playback/src/lib/web-player-view/web-player-view-diagnostics.utils.ts`
+- Modify:
+  `libs/ui/playback/src/lib/web-player-view/web-player-view.component.spec.ts`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Write the failing safe rendering regression**
+
+Create a VHS diagnostic carrying sanitized evidence plus provider-secret
+sentinels in fields that must not be rendered. Expect:
+
+```typescript
+{
+    labelKey: 'PLAYBACK_DIAGNOSTICS.DETAIL_ERROR_DETAILS',
+    value:
+        'stage=unknown · type=networkbadstatus · code=4 · ' +
+        'disposition=terminal · HTTP 503',
+}
+```
+
+Prove the rendered details do not contain the provider URL, token, headers,
+message, response body, or arbitrary metadata.
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Run the focused view test to verify RED**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+NODE_OPTIONS=--experimental-vm-modules \
+node node_modules/jest/bin/jest.js \
+  --config jest.web-esm.workspace.ts \
+  --runTestsByPath \
+  libs/ui/playback/src/lib/web-player-view/web-player-view.component.spec.ts \
+  --runInBand
+```
+
+Expected: FAIL because the formatter has no VHS evidence branch.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Implement deterministic VHS formatting**
+
+In `formatDiagnosticErrorDetails`, add a VHS branch before generic native
+formatting. Build the summary only from evidence stage, engine type, media
+error code, disposition, and optional status. Add `vhs` to the diagnostic
+source formatter as `Video.js / VHS`.
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Run the focused view test to verify GREEN**
+
+Run the command from step 2.
+
+Expected: PASS and the existing HLS summary remains unchanged.
+
+### Task 4: Document, Release-Note, And Validate
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `docs/architecture/embedded-inline-playback.md`
+- Create: `.changes/playback-structured-videojs-diagnostics.md`
+- Verify: `AGENTS.md`
+- Verify: `CLAUDE.md`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Update the canonical diagnostic contract**
+
+Document:
+
+- Video.js 8.23.9 / VHS 3.17.5 public evidence boundary;
+- exact allowlist and conservative classification;
+- safe stage mapping;
+- terminal `Player#error` semantics and recoverable VHS suppression;
+- rejected private request/loader fields and unsafe payloads;
+- active-VHS code 3 remaining unknown.
+
+No `AGENTS.md` or `CLAUDE.md` change is expected because neither currently
+describes this diagnostic boundary. Re-check both after the runtime diff.
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Add the release note**
+
+Create:
+
+```markdown
+---
+type: fix
+area: playback
+---
+
+The default web player now reports safer, more accurate streaming errors:
+confirmed network and encrypted-segment failures keep structured details,
+while ambiguous Video.js errors remain unknown instead of suggesting the
+wrong cause.
+```
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Run targeted and affected validation**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+pnpm nx test ui-playback
+pnpm nx lint ui-playback
+pnpm nx typecheck web
+pnpm run i18n:validate
+pnpm run release:notes:validate
+```
+
+If `web:typecheck` is not the actual target name, inspect
+`pnpm nx show project web` and run the repository's declared typecheck target.
+
+Expected: all commands exit 0.
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Complete the test-impact pass**
+
+Use:
+
+```bash
+pnpm nx show projects --withTarget test
+pnpm nx show projects --withTarget e2e
+```
+
+Record that `ui-playback` unit/component tests, lint, web typecheck, i18n, and
+release-note validation cover the changed boundary. E2E is skipped unless the
+implementation changes workflow, routing, playback lifecycle, or player
+recovery behavior.
+
+### Task 5: Independent Review, Final Verification, And Ready PR
+
+**Files:**
+- Review: complete diff from `origin/master...HEAD`
+
+- [ ] **Step 1: Run an independent local Codex review**
+
+Provide the reviewer with the user constraints, exact installed versions, and
+the full diff. Ask only for actionable P0/P1/P2 correctness, privacy, public
+API stability, event-ordering, regression, test, and scope findings.
+
+- [ ] **Step 2: Fix every valid P0/P1/P2 finding with TDD**
+
+For each finding, add or adjust a failing regression test first, verify RED,
+apply the minimal fix, and verify GREEN. Reject incorrect findings with
+specific source/test evidence.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3: Repeat the independent review**
+
+Run the same full-diff review again. Expected: no actionable P0/P1/P2
+findings.
+
+- [ ] **Step 4: Run fresh full validation**
+
+Repeat every command from Task 4 step 3 after the final review fix. Inspect
+the complete output and confirm zero failures.
+
+- [ ] **Step 5: Inspect final scope and documentation**
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+git status --short
+git diff --check origin/master...HEAD
+git diff --stat origin/master...HEAD
+git diff origin/master...HEAD
+```
+
+Confirm:
+
+- no hls.js contract changes unless a real regression required one;
+- no Shaka/mpegts redesign;
+- no private VHS production access;
+- no unsafe error payload retention/rendering;
+- docs and one release note are present;
+- no unrelated files changed.
+
+- [ ] **Step 6: Commit, push, and create the ready PR**
+
+Use a conventional `fix(playback): ...` commit for runtime behavior. Push
+`agent/structured-vhs-diagnostics` and create a non-draft PR with the evidence
+summary, privacy boundary, tests, validation, E2E rationale, and review result.
diff --git a/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-31-structured-videojs-vhs-diagnostics-design.md b/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-31-structured-videojs-vhs-diagnostics-design.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..eedca5d03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-31-structured-videojs-vhs-diagnostics-design.md
@@ -0,0 +1,298 @@
+# Structured Video.js/VHS Diagnostics
+
+## Context
+
+PR #1314 made generic native playback diagnostics preserve Video.js HTTP
+status and `metadata.errorType`, and stopped treating an ambiguous
+`MediaError` code 4 as codec evidence. PR #1316 added a separate structured
+hls.js boundary for the HTML5 and ArtPlayer engines. Video.js remains the
+default web player, but its HLS/DASH implementation is VHS rather than hls.js,
+so the hls.js evidence contract does not apply to it.
+
+The locked workspace installs:
+
+- Video.js `8.23.9`;
+- bundled `@videojs/http-streaming` (VHS) `3.17.5`;
+- an unrelated Video.js `7.21.7` / VHS `2.16.3` pair nested under the legacy
+  aspect-ratio plugin.
+
+The application imports the root Video.js `8.23.9` build. Its package declares
+VHS `^3.17.5`, and pnpm resolves that dependency to `3.17.5`.
+
+The audit compared the installed sources with the exact upstream tags:
+
+- Video.js `v8.23.9`, commit
+  `81b3cb429fae8dd00659ac5d3b0b1d2d20a283cb`;
+- VHS `v3.17.5`, commit
+  `a9f9d7ac0264b373f14da1bb2f2e7fe8f2775c4f`.
+
+The installed VHS `error-codes.js`, `videojs-http-streaming.js`, and
+`playlist-controller.js` match the tagged sources.
+
+## Goals
+
+- Add a minimal allowlisted evidence boundary for terminal Video.js/VHS
+  errors.
+- Retain only public Video.js `MediaError` fields and exact public
+  `videojs.Error` identifiers.
+- Classify only exact confirmed values; unknown values remain unknown.
+- Keep recoverable VHS playlist/segment handling from becoming a terminal
+  IPTVnator diagnostic.
+- Avoid retaining or rendering VHS/provider URLs, headers, xhr objects,
+  response bodies, messages, credentials, or arbitrary metadata.
+- Correct the misleading case where VHS promotes a generic internal object or
+  string to code 3 even though no media-decode cause was established.
+- Keep generic native Video.js playback behavior unchanged when VHS is not the
+  active source handler.
+
+## Non-goals
+
+- Changing the hls.js evidence contract from PR #1316.
+- A Shaka or mpegts.js diagnostic redesign.
+- Inferring CORS, mixed content, CSP, private-network access, codec, DRM, or a
+  request stage from messages or indirect signals.
+- Reading VHS playlist loaders, segment loaders, request objects, or other
+  private implementation state.
+- Listening to undocumented VHS retry/exclusion events in production.
+- Diagnostic history, persistence, correlation, stream probes, automatic
+  failover, or a cross-player recommendation matrix.
+
+## Approaches Considered
+
+### Public Video.js error boundary (selected)
+
+Read `player.error()` inside the public `Player#error` listener. When the
+documented `player.tech().vhs` runtime property is present, sanitize the error
+into a small `VhsPlaybackEvidence` object. Validate `metadata.errorType`
+against the exact values exported by `videojs.Error`, validate the standard
+`MediaError` code and HTTP status, and derive a stage only where the public
+engine identifier itself names that stage.
+
+This approach adds structured evidence without depending on VHS loaders or
+request objects. It also lets generic non-VHS Video.js errors continue through
+the existing native classifier.
+
+### Observe VHS xhr hooks
+
+VHS documents `vhs.xhr.onRequest` and `onResponse`, but request hooks would
+require correlating mutable request objects with a later terminal error. They
+also expose URLs, headers, response objects, and provider payloads at exactly
+the boundary that must stay sanitized. Request completion is not terminal
+playback disposition: VHS may retry, exclude a rendition, or recover. This
+approach is rejected.
+
+### Read VHS loaders and retry events
+
+The installed implementation carries precise `requestType`, xhr, playlist,
+segment, and key context internally. Those objects and their event ordering
+are not part of the documented stable error API. Depending on
+`playlistController_`, loader error objects, `retryplaylist`, or
+`excludeplaylist` would violate the scope constraint and make updates to VHS
+risky. This approach is rejected.
+
+### Stop after the audit
+
+Stopping would be correct if the public API exposed nothing beyond PR #1314.
+The audit found a safe increment: `videojs.Error` is a public exact-value
+allowlist, `player.error()` is populated before `Player#error`, and active VHS
+can be detected through a documented runtime property. That is enough to
+structure evidence, suppress unsafe message/metadata retention, and avoid a
+false generic code-3 decode diagnosis.
+
+## Stable Public Evidence
+
+Video.js `8.23.9` documents and types these public fields:
+
+- `player.error()` returns the current Video.js `MediaError`;
+- `MediaError.code` carries standard codes 0 through 5;
+- `MediaError.status` is an optional plugin-supplied status;
+- `MediaError.metadata.errorType` is expected to align with
+  `videojs.Error`;
+- `Player#error` is emitted after `player.error_` has been replaced with the
+  new `MediaError`;
+- `player.tech().vhs` is a documented VHS runtime property while VHS is in
+  use.
+
+Video.js `8.23.9` publicly exports these exact `videojs.Error` values:
+
+- `networkbadstatus`;
+- `networkrequestfailed`;
+- `networkrequestaborted`;
+- `networkrequesttimeout`;
+- `networkbodyparserfailed`;
+- `streaminghlsplaylistparsererror`;
+- `streamingdashmanifestparsererror`;
+- `streamingcontentsteeringparsererror`;
+- `streamingvttparsererror`;
+- `streamingfailedtoselectnextsegment`;
+- `streamingfailedtodecryptsegment`;
+- `streamingfailedtotransmuxsegment`;
+- `streamingfailedtoappendsegment`;
+- `streamingcodecschangeerror`.
+
+The allowlist is intentionally version-locked. A regression test compares it
+with the installed `videojs.Error` export so a dependency update requires a
+new audit instead of silently accepting new engine values.
+
+## Rejected Evidence
+
+VHS `3.17.5` internally adds fields such as `requestType`, `uri`, `headers`,
+`error`, xhr objects, response text, playlist objects, and segment context.
+Those values can contain credentials or provider data and are not required by
+the public Video.js `ErrorMetadata` contract. The boundary must not read or
+copy them.
+
+The following are also rejected:
+
+- error `message`, because VHS messages embed request URLs;
+- `responseText`, response data, and response bodies;
+- request/response headers;
+- arbitrary metadata keys or provider objects;
+- `requestType`, because its propagation through `player.error()` is an
+  implementation detail rather than a documented stable contract;
+- status zero as CORS or browser-access evidence;
+- message fragments as codec, DRM, network, access, or stage evidence.
+
+The existing `PlaybackDiagnostic.sourceUrl` remains available to the
+pre-existing Retry, Copy URL, and explicit external-player workflows. No URL
+from the Video.js/VHS error object is copied into evidence or technical
+details.
+
+## Evidence Contract
+
+`VhsPlaybackEvidence` contains:
+
+- `engineType`: one exact installed `videojs.Error` value, otherwise
+  `unknown`;
+- `mediaErrorCode`: a validated standard `MediaError` code 0 through 5,
+  otherwise `unknown`;
+- `disposition`: `terminal`;
+- `stage`: `manifest`, `playlist`, `segment`, or `unknown`;
+- optional `httpStatus`: an integer from 400 through 599 copied only from the
+  public top-level `MediaError.status`.
+
+There is no recoverable evidence object. IPTVnator creates this boundary only
+from the public `Player#error` event after Video.js has stored the final error.
+Recoverable VHS handling remains inside VHS and produces no terminal
+diagnostic.
+
+## Stage Mapping
+
+Stage is derived only from exact public engine identifiers:
+
+- `streaminghlsplaylistparsererror` → `playlist`;
+- `streamingdashmanifestparsererror` → `manifest`;
+- `streamingfailedtoselectnextsegment` → `segment`;
+- `streamingfailedtodecryptsegment` → `segment`;
+- `streamingfailedtotransmuxsegment` → `segment`;
+- `streamingfailedtoappendsegment` → `segment`;
+- all network identifiers, content-steering/VTT parser errors, codec-change
+  errors, and unrecognized values → `unknown`.
+
+Network errors remain stage-unknown even if internal metadata happens to carry
+`requestType: hls-playlist`, `hls-segment`, or `hls-key`. The public error
+contract does not guarantee those values.
+
+## Classification
+
+`classifyVhsPlaybackIssue` uses this precedence:
+
+1. A validated HTTP 4xx/5xx status produces `network-error`.
+2. Exact public network error types produce `network-error`.
+3. Standard `MediaError` code 2 produces `network-error`.
+4. Exact `streamingfailedtodecryptsegment` produces
+   `drm-or-encryption`.
+5. Standard `MediaError` code 5 produces `drm-or-encryption`.
+6. A known browser-incompatible source container may still produce
+   `unsupported-container`.
+7. Everything else produces `unknown-playback-error`.
+
+Generic VHS code 3 does not produce `media-decode-error`. VHS assigns code 3
+to object errors without a code and to string errors before calling
+`player.error()`, including the terminal “no available playlists” path.
+Therefore code 3 is not sufficient decode evidence on the VHS path.
+
+The boundary does not classify:
+
+- codec incompatibility from codec-change, transmux, append, or message text;
+- DRM from key-request/load failure;
+- browser access from status zero or generic request failure;
+- media decode from code 3 alone.
+
+Generic Video.js playback without active VHS continues to use the existing
+native classifier, so a native code 3 remains a media-decode diagnostic.
+
+## Runtime And Event Ordering
+
+VHS `3.17.5` handles playlist and segment failures before the public terminal
+error:
+
+- a failed rendition can be excluded and another selected;
+- a single finite-exclusion rendition is retried;
+- previously excluded renditions can be re-included;
+- segment timeouts can trigger ABR recovery;
+- aborted segment requests are ignored as non-errors;
+- only an unrecoverable playlist-controller error reaches
+  `player.error(...)`.
+
+Video.js `8.23.9` constructs and stores the `MediaError`, then synchronously
+fires `Player#error`. The component therefore reads the final public error
+inside its existing listener and marks it terminal. IPTVnator does not
+subscribe to internal VHS recovery events.
+
+## Component Flow
+
+`VjsPlayerComponent` keeps one `Player#error` listener:
+
+1. Read `player.error()` before falling back to the native video error.
+2. Detect active VHS through the documented `player.tech().vhs` runtime
+   property.
+3. With active VHS and a Video.js error, call
+   `classifyVhsPlaybackIssue`.
+4. Otherwise keep the existing `classifyNativePlaybackIssue` path.
+5. Emit exactly one terminal diagnostic.
+
+The component does not inspect `playlistController_`, loaders, xhr hooks,
+request types, retry events, or error messages.
+
+## User Interface
+
+Add one deterministic Video.js/VHS technical-detail summary:
+
+`stage=unknown · type=networkbadstatus · code=4 · disposition=terminal · HTTP 503`
+
+The summary is built only from `VhsPlaybackEvidence`. It never includes the
+Video.js message or arbitrary metadata. Existing diagnostic headings,
+descriptions, HTTP badge, Retry, Copy URL, and explicit MPV/VLC actions remain
+unchanged; no new translation keys or layout changes are needed.
+
+## Testing
+
+Use test-driven development:
+
+- Compare the allowlist with the actual installed `videojs.Error` export.
+- Exercise real Video.js public event ordering by setting an error on a real
+  Video.js player and reading `player.error()` from its `error` listener.
+- Use installed-runtime-shaped VHS errors for 5xx, request failure, timeout,
+  playlist parsing, segment decrypt, generic code 3, and unknown provider
+  metadata.
+- Prove URLs, headers, response data, messages, credentials, request types,
+  and arbitrary metadata do not survive the boundary or rendered details.
+- Prove only exact public network/decrypt values affect classification.
+- Prove a generic active-VHS code 3 stays unknown while non-VHS native code 3
+  remains a media-decode diagnostic.
+- Prove the component routes active VHS errors through the structured boundary
+  and leaves generic Video.js errors on the native path.
+- Prove technical details render only the sanitized VHS evidence.
+
+Run the complete `ui-playback` unit target, its lint target, the web typecheck,
+i18n validation, release-note validation, and the repository test-impact pass.
+No E2E is required because the playback workflow, controls, routing, and
+integration lifecycle are unchanged; the change is confined to the existing
+terminal error boundary and technical details.
+
+## Documentation And Release Note
+
+Update `docs/architecture/embedded-inline-playback.md`, the canonical browser
+playback diagnostic contract. Add a `fix(playback)` release note because users
+receive more accurate default-player diagnoses and safer technical details.