diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 057d7da..222126c 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -99,16 +99,16 @@ Audio output:
 - Maps `0:a:0?`
 - Disables video with `-vn`
 - Converts to MP3 with `libmp3lame`
-- Uses `session.options.audioBitrate`, default `64k`
-- Uses `session.options.audioChannels`, default `1`
-- Uses `session.options.audioSampleRate`, default `44100`
+- Uses `session.options.audioBitrate`, default `160k`
+- Uses `session.options.audioChannels`, default `2`
+- Uses `session.options.audioSampleRate`, default `48000`
 - Outputs to `pipe:1`
 
 Frame output:
 
 - Maps `0:v:0`
 - Disables audio with `-an`
-- Applies `fps=<fps>,scale=w='min(<width>,iw)':h=-2:flags=fast_bilinear:out_range=pc,format=yuvj420p`
+- Applies `fps=<fps>,scale=w='min(<width>,iw)':h=-2:flags=bicubic:out_range=pc,format=yuvj420p`
 - Encodes `mjpeg`
 - Uses `-pix_fmt yuvj420p`, `-color_range pc`, `-q:v <quality>`
 - Outputs `image2pipe` to either `pipe:1` or `pipe:3`
@@ -185,24 +185,24 @@ Runtime:
 - `RECENT_URL_LIMIT`: recent URL count, default `12`.
 - `FAVORITES_PATH`: favorites JSON path.
 - `FAVORITES_LIMIT`: favorites count, default `50`.
-- `DEFAULT_FPS`: default frame rate, fallback `8`, clamped `1..30`.
-- `DEFAULT_FRAME_WIDTH`: default maximum frame width, fallback `480`, clamped `160..1920`.
-- `JPEG_QUALITY`: default JPEG quality, fallback `12`, clamped `2..18`; lower is better for ffmpeg `-q:v`.
-- `DEFAULT_AUDIO_BITRATE`: default MP3 audio bitrate, fallback `64k`.
-- `DEFAULT_AUDIO_CHANNELS`: default MP3 audio channels, fallback `1`, clamped `1..2`.
-- `DEFAULT_AUDIO_SAMPLE_RATE`: default MP3 audio sample rate, fallback `44100`, clamped `22050..48000`.
-- `MAX_WS_BUFFER_BYTES`: server-side WebSocket JPEG frame backlog cap, default `524288`.
+- `DEFAULT_FPS`: default frame rate, fallback `24`, clamped `1..30`.
+- `DEFAULT_FRAME_WIDTH`: default maximum frame width, fallback `960`, clamped `160..1920`.
+- `JPEG_QUALITY`: default JPEG quality, fallback `7`, clamped `2..18`; lower is better for ffmpeg `-q:v`.
+- `DEFAULT_AUDIO_BITRATE`: default MP3 audio bitrate, fallback `160k`.
+- `DEFAULT_AUDIO_CHANNELS`: default MP3 audio channels, fallback `2`, clamped `1..2`.
+- `DEFAULT_AUDIO_SAMPLE_RATE`: default MP3 audio sample rate, fallback `48000`, clamped `22050..48000`.
+- `MAX_WS_BUFFER_BYTES`: server-side WebSocket JPEG frame backlog cap, default `2097152`.
 - `MAX_AUDIO_QUEUE_BYTES`: single-mode audio output queue cap, default `4194304`.
 - `MAX_RELAY_BRANCH_QUEUE_BYTES`: relay per-branch compressed-input queue cap, default `8388608`.
 
 Session playback options are accepted by `POST /api/session` even though the UI hides them:
 
-- `fps`: default `8`, clamped `1..30`.
-- `width`: default `480`, clamped `160..1920`.
+- `fps`: default `24`, clamped `1..30`.
+- `width`: default `960`, clamped `160..1920`.
 - `quality`: defaults to `JPEG_QUALITY`, clamped `2..18`; lower is better for ffmpeg `-q:v`.
-- `audioBitrate`: default `64k`, accepts two or three digits followed by `k`.
-- `audioChannels`: default `1`, clamped `1..2`.
-- `audioSampleRate`: default `44100`, clamped `22050..48000`.
+- `audioBitrate`: default `160k`, accepts two or three digits followed by `k`.
+- `audioChannels`: default `2`, clamped `1..2`.
+- `audioSampleRate`: default `48000`, clamped `22050..48000`.
 
 ## Docker Notes
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4ae1a71..6e74d57 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ docker logs -f frame-stream-player
 
 The app sets `FFMPEG_INPUT_SEEKABLE=0` by default so `ffmpeg` reads stream inputs sequentially and avoids extra HTTP range connections. If a specific VOD file requires seeking for metadata, set `FFMPEG_INPUT_SEEKABLE=-1` to restore ffmpeg's automatic behavior. For ffmpeg-owned HTTP inputs, reconnect handling is enabled by default with `FFMPEG_HTTP_RECONNECT=1`.
 
-JPEG frames are dropped when the browser WebSocket falls behind instead of letting stale frames queue indefinitely. Tune the server-side backlog cap with `MAX_WS_BUFFER_BYTES`; the default is `524288`.
+JPEG frames are dropped when the browser WebSocket falls behind instead of letting stale frames queue indefinitely. Tune the server-side backlog cap with `MAX_WS_BUFFER_BYTES`; the default is `2097152`.
 
 In single mode, audio output from `ffmpeg` is buffered before it is written to the browser so short HTTP backpressure pauses are less likely to stall frame generation. Tune the cap with `MAX_AUDIO_QUEUE_BYTES`; the default is `4194304`.
 
@@ -69,10 +69,10 @@ Relay mode uses bounded per-worker input queues so one branch can briefly lag wi
 
 The UI intentionally hides these settings, but the backend still supports them through `POST /api/session`.
 
-- Frame rate defaults to `8fps`. Set `DEFAULT_FPS` higher only when clients and links can keep up.
-- Max width defaults to `480px`. Set `DEFAULT_FRAME_WIDTH` higher for better detail at the cost of bandwidth and browser image decode work.
-- JPEG quality uses ffmpeg's `-q:v` scale, where lower is better. Set the default with `JPEG_QUALITY`; `12` is the low-bandwidth fallback, `2` is high quality, and `18` is rough but lighter.
-- Audio defaults to mono MP3 at `64k`. Tune with `DEFAULT_AUDIO_BITRATE`, `DEFAULT_AUDIO_CHANNELS`, and `DEFAULT_AUDIO_SAMPLE_RATE`.
+- Frame rate defaults to `24fps`. Lower it if the client cannot keep up.
+- Max width defaults to `960px`. Lower it first if bandwidth or image decode is the bottleneck.
+- JPEG quality uses ffmpeg's `-q:v` scale, where lower is better. Set the default with `JPEG_QUALITY`; `7` is the fallback, `2` is high quality, and `18` is rough but lighter.
+- Audio defaults to stereo MP3 at `160k`. Tune with `DEFAULT_AUDIO_BITRATE`, `DEFAULT_AUDIO_CHANNELS`, and `DEFAULT_AUDIO_SAMPLE_RATE`.
 
 ## Tradeoffs
 
diff --git a/docker-compose-example.yml b/docker-compose-example.yml
index ce0093d..f45b9e0 100644
--- a/docker-compose-example.yml
+++ b/docker-compose-example.yml
@@ -21,13 +21,13 @@ services:
       FFMPEG_HTTP_RECONNECT_ON_HTTP_ERROR: "5xx"
       METADATA_PROBE_ENABLED: "0"
       METADATA_PROBE_TIMEOUT_MS: "4000"
-      DEFAULT_FPS: "8"
-      DEFAULT_FRAME_WIDTH: "480"
-      JPEG_QUALITY: "12"
-      DEFAULT_AUDIO_BITRATE: "64k"
-      DEFAULT_AUDIO_CHANNELS: "1"
-      DEFAULT_AUDIO_SAMPLE_RATE: "44100"
-      MAX_WS_BUFFER_BYTES: "524288"
+      DEFAULT_FPS: "24"
+      DEFAULT_FRAME_WIDTH: "960"
+      JPEG_QUALITY: "7"
+      DEFAULT_AUDIO_BITRATE: "160k"
+      DEFAULT_AUDIO_CHANNELS: "2"
+      DEFAULT_AUDIO_SAMPLE_RATE: "48000"
+      MAX_WS_BUFFER_BYTES: "2097152"
       MAX_AUDIO_QUEUE_BYTES: "4194304"
       MAX_RELAY_BRANCH_QUEUE_BYTES: "8388608"
       RECENT_URLS_PATH: /app/data/recent-urls.json
diff --git a/public/app.js b/public/app.js
index 8a6e243..f2911b5 100644
--- a/public/app.js
+++ b/public/app.js
@@ -36,10 +36,10 @@ const elements = {
 
 const context = elements.canvas.getContext('2d', { alpha: false, desynchronized: true });
 const FRAME_LATE_GRACE_SECONDS = 0.25;
-const MAX_PENDING_FRAME_QUEUE_SECONDS = 1.5;
-const MAX_DECODED_FRAME_QUEUE_SECONDS = 1.5;
-const MIN_PENDING_FRAME_QUEUE = 6;
-const MIN_DECODED_FRAME_QUEUE = 8;
+const MAX_PENDING_FRAME_QUEUE_SECONDS = 2;
+const MAX_DECODED_FRAME_QUEUE_SECONDS = 3;
+const MIN_PENDING_FRAME_QUEUE = 12;
+const MIN_DECODED_FRAME_QUEUE = 24;
 const IMAGE_DECODE_TIMEOUT_MS = 3000;
 const FRAME_STALL_CHECK_MS = 1000;
 const FRAME_STARTUP_STALL_RESET_MS = 10000;
diff --git a/server/index.js b/server/index.js
index 348dfba..25c2579 100644
--- a/server/index.js
+++ b/server/index.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ const FAVORITES_PATH = process.env.FAVORITES_PATH ?? path.join(__dirname, '..',
 const FAVORITES_LIMIT = clampInteger(process.env.FAVORITES_LIMIT, 50, 1, 200);
 const SESSION_TTL_MS = 60 * 60 * 1000;
 const PLAYBACK_READY_TIMEOUT_MS = 15 * 1000;
-const MAX_WS_BUFFER_BYTES = clampInteger(process.env.MAX_WS_BUFFER_BYTES, 512 * 1024, 128 * 1024, 64 * 1024 * 1024);
+const MAX_WS_BUFFER_BYTES = clampInteger(process.env.MAX_WS_BUFFER_BYTES, 2 * 1024 * 1024, 128 * 1024, 64 * 1024 * 1024);
 const MAX_AUDIO_QUEUE_BYTES = clampInteger(process.env.MAX_AUDIO_QUEUE_BYTES, 4 * 1024 * 1024, 256 * 1024, 128 * 1024 * 1024);
 const MAX_RELAY_BRANCH_QUEUE_BYTES = clampInteger(process.env.MAX_RELAY_BRANCH_QUEUE_BYTES, 8 * 1024 * 1024, 512 * 1024, 256 * 1024 * 1024);
 const RELAY_BRANCH_PAUSE_BYTES = Math.floor(MAX_RELAY_BRANCH_QUEUE_BYTES / 2);
@@ -42,12 +42,12 @@ const JPEG_SOI = Buffer.from([0xff, 0xd8]);
 const JPEG_EOI = Buffer.from([0xff, 0xd9]);
 
 const defaults = {
-  fps: clampInteger(process.env.DEFAULT_FPS, 8, 1, 30),
-  width: clampInteger(process.env.DEFAULT_FRAME_WIDTH, 480, 160, 1920),
-  quality: clampInteger(process.env.JPEG_QUALITY, 12, 2, 18),
-  audioBitrate: parseAudioBitrate(process.env.DEFAULT_AUDIO_BITRATE, '64k'),
-  audioChannels: clampInteger(process.env.DEFAULT_AUDIO_CHANNELS, 1, 1, 2),
-  audioSampleRate: clampInteger(process.env.DEFAULT_AUDIO_SAMPLE_RATE, 44100, 22050, 48000),
+  fps: clampInteger(process.env.DEFAULT_FPS, 24, 1, 30),
+  width: clampInteger(process.env.DEFAULT_FRAME_WIDTH, 960, 160, 1920),
+  quality: clampInteger(process.env.JPEG_QUALITY, 7, 2, 18),
+  audioBitrate: parseAudioBitrate(process.env.DEFAULT_AUDIO_BITRATE, '160k'),
+  audioChannels: clampInteger(process.env.DEFAULT_AUDIO_CHANNELS, 2, 1, 2),
+  audioSampleRate: clampInteger(process.env.DEFAULT_AUDIO_SAMPLE_RATE, 48000, 22050, 48000),
 };
 
 const sessions = new Map();
@@ -1865,7 +1865,7 @@ function formatFfmpegSeconds(seconds) {
 
 function buildFrameOutputArgs(session, outputUrl) {
   const { fps, quality, width } = session.options;
-  const videoFilter = `fps=${fps},scale=w='min(${width},iw)':h=-2:flags=fast_bilinear:out_range=pc,format=yuvj420p`;
+  const videoFilter = `fps=${fps},scale=w='min(${width},iw)':h=-2:flags=bicubic:out_range=pc,format=yuvj420p`;
 
   return [
     '-an',