Live: the browser check passes again (no-JS text for /chat and /search, pending styles only with scripting, Media's 429 is no picture yet, SFU error handler fixed) (#116)

ddiff --git a/public/css/features/channel.css b/public/css/features/channel.css
iindex 95b8cbb3..e7211f54 100644
---- a/public/css/features/channel.css
++++ b/public/css/features/channel.css
@@@ -1129,12 +1129,15 @@
  .channel-below-fold { padding-top: 6px; }
  /* Before the channel's data (app-channel.js _channelReady): the page keeps a full viewport (below) so the footer stays
     under the fold, the tabs stay out of the layout until what lands above them is in, and the header shows outlines
--   rather than its placeholder words ("Channel", "0 followers"). */
--#page-channel:not(.ch-ready) .channel-below-fold { display: none; }
--#page-channel:not(.ch-data) :is(#ch-display-name-offline, #ch-username-offline, #ch-follower-count-offline, #ch-category-badge-offline) {
--    width: fit-content; color: transparent; background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--text-muted) 14%, transparent); border-color: transparent; border-radius: 6px;
++   rather than its placeholder words ("Channel", "0 followers"). Only with scripting: without it the data never
++   comes, and the page shows what the server sent, all of it. */
++@media (scripting: enabled) {
++    #page-channel:not(.ch-ready) .channel-below-fold { display: none; }
++    #page-channel:not(.ch-data) :is(#ch-display-name-offline, #ch-username-offline, #ch-follower-count-offline, #ch-category-badge-offline) {
++        width: fit-content; color: transparent; background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--text-muted) 14%, transparent); border-color: transparent; border-radius: 6px;
++    }
++    #page-channel:not(.ch-data) #ch-avatar-offline { color: transparent; }
  }
--#page-channel:not(.ch-data) #ch-avatar-offline { color: transparent; }
  .ch-analytics-period-btns { display:flex; gap:4px; margin-left:auto; }
  .analytics-stat-cards {
      display:grid; grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fill,minmax(140px,1fr));
@@@ -1549,8 +1552,8 @@ body.controls-docked .messenger-toggle { z-index: 1100; }
  /* The channel page ends where its content ends: a full-viewport minimum left a screen of empty space above the footer
     whenever the open tab was short. */
  #page-channel.page { min-height: 0; }
--/* …except before its data, while it is the placeholder markup (see _channelReady). */
--#page-channel.page:not(.ch-ready) { min-height: 100vh; }
++/* …except before its data, while it is the placeholder markup (see _channelReady; with scripting, as above). */
++@media (scripting: enabled) { #page-channel.page:not(.ch-ready) { min-height: 100vh; } }
  
  /* The offline area: one gutter for everything in its main column (the discover board sat flush with the edge). */
  .ch-offline-area .stream-main > #ch-discover { padding: 0 14px; box-sizing: border-box; }
ddiff --git a/public/css/features/chatpage.css b/public/css/features/chatpage.css
iindex 8e7ee735..2367d049 100644
---- a/public/css/features/chatpage.css
++++ b/public/css/features/chatpage.css
@@@ -341,3 +341,6 @@
  .vc-connected-panel.is-open { animation: vcPanelIn 220ms cubic-bezier(.2, .9, .3, 1); }
  @keyframes vcPanelIn { from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(6px); } }
  @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) { .vc-channel-item.is-entering, .vc-channel-item.is-leaving, .vc-connected-panel.is-open { animation: none; } }
++
++/* Without JavaScript (the server inlines this fragment for a direct visit): what needs it, and where to go instead. */
++.chat-noscript { max-width: 720px; margin: 24px auto; padding: 0 16px; line-height: 1.6; }
ddiff --git a/public/css/features/media.css b/public/css/features/media.css
iindex ba7b710a..4a412ab3 100644
---- a/public/css/features/media.css
++++ b/public/css/features/media.css
@@@ -109,14 +109,17 @@
  }
  .vod-player-info { margin-bottom: 24px; }
  /* Before a VOD's or clip's data (app-media.js _mediaReady): outlines for the placeholder words, and the parts that
--   arrive on their own (AI timeline, activity strip, clips, comments) stay out of the layout until they are all in. */
--:is(#page-vod-player, #page-clip-player):not(.mp-data) :is(#vp-title, #vp-streamer, #vp-duration, #vp-views, #clp-title, #clp-streamer, #clp-duration, #clp-views) {
--    color: transparent; background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--text-muted) 14%, transparent); border-radius: 6px;
--}
--:is(#page-vod-player, #page-clip-player):not(.mp-data) :is(#vp-title, #clp-title) { width: fit-content; }
--:is(#page-vod-player, #page-clip-player):not(.mp-data) :is(#vp-avatar, #clp-avatar, .vod-player-meta i) { visibility: hidden; }
--#page-vod-player:not(.mp-ready) :is(#vp-ai-timeline, #vp-context, .vod-player-layout > .section-header, #vp-clips-grid, #vp-comments) { display: none; }
--#page-clip-player:not(.mp-ready) #clp-comments { display: none; }
++   arrive on their own (AI timeline, activity strip, clips, comments) stay out of the layout until they are all in.
++   Only with scripting: without it the data never comes, and the page shows what the server sent, all of it. */
++@media (scripting: enabled) {
++    :is(#page-vod-player, #page-clip-player):not(.mp-data) :is(#vp-title, #vp-streamer, #vp-duration, #vp-views, #clp-title, #clp-streamer, #clp-duration, #clp-views) {
++        color: transparent; background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--text-muted) 14%, transparent); border-radius: 6px;
++    }
++    :is(#page-vod-player, #page-clip-player):not(.mp-data) :is(#vp-title, #clp-title) { width: fit-content; }
++    :is(#page-vod-player, #page-clip-player):not(.mp-data) :is(#vp-avatar, #clp-avatar, .vod-player-meta i) { visibility: hidden; }
++    #page-vod-player:not(.mp-ready) :is(#vp-ai-timeline, #vp-context, .vod-player-layout > .section-header, #vp-clips-grid, #vp-comments) { display: none; }
++    #page-clip-player:not(.mp-ready) #clp-comments { display: none; }
++}
  .vod-player-info {
      background: rgba(22,22,26,0.74);
      border: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.05);
ddiff --git a/public/css/features/search.css b/public/css/features/search.css
iindex 05bb40e3..c549eadc 100644
---- a/public/css/features/search.css
++++ b/public/css/features/search.css
@@@ -36,3 +36,6 @@
  .ls-facet button[aria-pressed="true"] { border-color: var(--accent); color: var(--text-primary); background: var(--bg-tertiary); }
  .ls-facet button .ls-count { color: var(--text-muted); margin-left: 4px; }
  
++
++/* Without JavaScript (the server inlines this fragment for a direct visit): what needs it, and where to go instead. */
++.ls-noscript { margin: 16px 0 0; line-height: 1.6; }
ddiff --git a/public/fragments/chat.html b/public/fragments/chat.html
iindex e975fc7b..950c6988 100644
---- a/public/fragments/chat.html
++++ b/public/fragments/chat.html
@@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
  <!-- #page-chat markup, loaded on first visit to the route (public/features.json). The server inlines it for direct visits. -->
++        <noscript><div class="chat-noscript">
++            <h2>OpenVibe.Live chat</h2>
++            <p>The chat room and its voice channels need JavaScript, which is turned off in this browser: messages arrive live
++            over a WebSocket. Turn it on to read and join the conversation, or browse what is on without it:
++            <a href="/">live channels</a>, <a href="/vods">recordings</a>, <a href="/clips">clips</a> and <a href="/moments">moments</a>.</p>
++        </div></noscript>
          <div class="chat-voice-layout">
              <!-- ── Left: Voice Channels ── -->
              <div class="vc-sidebar">
ddiff --git a/public/fragments/search.html b/public/fragments/search.html
iindex d76267fd..afbb0b56 100644
---- a/public/fragments/search.html
++++ b/public/fragments/search.html
@@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@
              <button type="button" class="ls-type" data-ls-type="clip" aria-pressed="false">Clips</button>
          </div>
      </form>
++    <noscript><p class="ls-noscript">Search results on OpenVibe.Live load with JavaScript, which is turned off in this browser.
++        Turn it on to search channels, recordings and clips as you type, or browse without it:
++        <a href="/content">everything on OpenVibe.Live</a>, <a href="/vods">recordings</a>, <a href="/clips">clips</a> and <a href="/moments">moments</a>.</p></noscript>
      <div class="ls-facets" hidden>
          <div class="ls-facet" data-ls-facet="category" role="group" aria-label="Category"></div>
          <div class="ls-facet" data-ls-facet="channel" role="group" aria-label="Channel"></div>
ddiff --git a/public/js/stream-player.js b/public/js/stream-player.js
iindex 1d10659e..9679123f 100644
---- a/public/js/stream-player.js
++++ b/public/js/stream-player.js
@@@ -1474,6 +1474,9 @@ async function handleSfuViewerReady(msg, ws, video, updateStatus, scheduleRewatc
          return;
      }
  
++    // Declared out here: the catch below closes it (a const inside the try was out of the catch's scope, so a
++    // failed setup threw a ReferenceError there and never re-watched or showed an error).
++    let recvTransport = null;
      try {
          // Step 1: Load mediasoup-client
          updateStatus('Starting playback', {
@@@ -1506,7 +1509,7 @@ async function handleSfuViewerReady(msg, ws, video, updateStatus, scheduleRewatc
          }
          console.log('[Player] Using SFU ICE servers:', iceServers.map((s) => (Array.isArray(s.urls) ? s.urls.join(',') : s.urls)).join(' | '));
  
--        const recvTransport = device.createRecvTransport({
++        recvTransport = device.createRecvTransport({
              id: transportParams.id,
              iceParameters: transportParams.iceParameters,
              iceCandidates: transportParams.iceCandidates,
@@@ -1879,14 +1882,21 @@ async function handleSfuViewerReady(msg, ws, video, updateStatus, scheduleRewatc
          console.log(`[Player] SFU viewer consuming ${consumedCount} track(s)`);
  
      } catch (err) {
++        // A browser mediasoup-client has no WebRTC handler for fails the same way on every try: say so now
++        // instead of re-watching 25 times first.
++        if (err && err.name === 'UnsupportedError') {
++            console.warn('[Player] SFU viewing is not supported in this browser:', err.message);
++            showStreamError('This browser cannot play this live stream. Try a current Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari.');
++            return;
++        }
          console.error('[Player] SFU viewer setup failed:', err);
          // Close the transport explicitly so the server sees it as dead on the next
          // watch — otherwise the server's re-watch guard keeps the old transport alive
          // and never sends a fresh sfu-viewer-ready (root cause of the Firefox retry loop).
--        if (player._sfuRecvTransport === recvTransport) {
++        if (recvTransport && player._sfuRecvTransport === recvTransport) {
              player._sfuRecvTransport = null;
          }
--        try { recvTransport.close(); } catch (_) {}
++        try { if (recvTransport) recvTransport.close(); } catch (_) {}
          _totalIceFailures++;
          if (_totalIceFailures < MAX_ICE_FAILURES) {
              scheduleRewatch(2000);
ddiff --git a/server/media-proxy/thumbnails.js b/server/media-proxy/thumbnails.js
iindex 821c8140..9990b548 100644
---- a/server/media-proxy/thumbnails.js
++++ b/server/media-proxy/thumbnails.js
@@@ -53,7 +53,11 @@ router.post('/live/:streamId', requireAuth, upload.single('thumbnail'), async (r
  // 404, and that stays true. Every visitor's page asks again for a missing thumbnail, so the answer is kept for
  // an hour and given as 200 with no thumbnail: the page shows its placeholder, with no failed request in the
  // console and no new Media job (VODs 5718 and 5721 logged a 500 on every home-page visit, 2026-10-12).
++// Media answers 429 when its job queue is full (a backfill can hold the tenant's 50 slots for hours): no picture
++// YET, and nothing failed here. That answer is kept for 5 minutes and given as 200 with no thumbnail too; the
++// 429 used to reach every visitor's console (the browser check of release 977747d7, 2026-10-12).
  const NO_PICTURE_MS = 60 * 60 * 1000;
++const MEDIA_BUSY_MS = 5 * 60 * 1000;
  const noPicture = new Map();   // `${kind}:${id}` → until (ms), oldest first
  function noPictureKnown(key) {
      const until = noPicture.get(key);
@@@ -62,9 +66,9 @@ function noPictureKnown(key) {
      noPicture.delete(key);
      return false;
  }
--function rememberNoPicture(key) {
++function rememberNoPicture(key, ms = NO_PICTURE_MS) {
      if (noPicture.size >= 5000) noPicture.delete(noPicture.keys().next().value);
--    noPicture.set(key, Date.now() + NO_PICTURE_MS);
++    noPicture.set(key, Date.now() + ms);
  }
  
  async function generateFor(kind, id, req, res) {
@@@ -80,8 +84,8 @@ async function generateFor(kind, id, req, res) {
          if (noPictureKnown(key)) return res.json({ thumbnail_url: null });
          let out;
          try { out = await media.generateThumbnail(kind, id); } catch (err) {
--            if (!(err && err.name === 'MediaApiError' && err.status === 404)) throw err;
--            rememberNoPicture(key);
++            if (!(err && err.name === 'MediaApiError' && (err.status === 404 || err.status === 429))) throw err;
++            rememberNoPicture(key, err.status === 429 ? MEDIA_BUSY_MS : NO_PICTURE_MS);
              return res.json({ thumbnail_url: null });
          }
          const url = media.publicUrl(out?.url || meta.thumbnail_url);
ddiff --git a/test/first-paint-stability.test.js b/test/first-paint-stability.test.js
iindex 0703067d..a988ce05 100644
---- a/test/first-paint-stability.test.js
++++ b/test/first-paint-stability.test.js
@@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  // own section active (server/web/assets.js activePage) and the router takes it as the current page; the channel, VOD
  // and clip pages hold back the parts that arrive on their own until they are all in; the player keeps a 16:9 box; the
  // home hero reserves its countdown line, its "shipped" line and its stats board; and the widgets built before their
--// stylesheets stay out of the page.
++// stylesheets stay out of the page. Without JavaScript none of that waiting applies.
  const assert = require('assert');
  const fs = require('fs');
  const path = require('path');
@@@ -71,4 +71,26 @@ const inline = /<style id="ovsk-css">([\s\S]*?)<\/style>/.exec(index)[1];
  assert.ok(inline.includes('.cosmetics-modal-overlay:not(.active),.messenger-panel:not(.open){display:none}') && /\.messenger-toggle\{position:fixed;/.test(inline), 'closed widgets stay out of the page until their stylesheets land');
  ok('the home hero reserves its late lines and the early widgets stay out of the flow');
  
++// ── Without JavaScript ──
++// The data never comes, so the pending-state rules apply only with scripting; and a route whose section is only filled
++// by script says so, with links (the browser check needs 200 characters of text: /chat and /search had 89 and 107
++// once a direct visit showed their own section instead of the home page, 2026-10-12).
++const scriptingBlock = (css, rule) => {
++    const at = css.indexOf(rule);
++    const open = css.lastIndexOf('@media (scripting: enabled) {', at);
++    return at > 0 && open !== -1 && css.slice(open, at).split('}').length - 1 < css.slice(open, at).split('{').length - 1;
++};
++for (const rule of ['#page-channel:not(.ch-ready) .channel-below-fold { display: none; }', '#page-channel:not(.ch-data) #ch-avatar-offline', '#page-channel.page:not(.ch-ready) { min-height: 100vh; }']) {
++    assert.ok(scriptingBlock(chCss, rule), `channel.css: "${rule}" only with scripting`);
++}
++for (const rule of ['#page-vod-player:not(.mp-ready)', '#page-clip-player:not(.mp-ready) #clp-comments', ':is(#page-vod-player, #page-clip-player):not(.mp-data) :is(#vp-avatar']) {
++    assert.ok(scriptingBlock(mCss, rule), `media.css: "${rule}" only with scripting`);
++}
++const noscriptText = (html) => ((/<noscript>([\s\S]*?)<\/noscript>/.exec(html) || [])[1] || '').replace(/<[^>]+>/g, ' ').replace(/\s+/g, ' ').trim();
++for (const frag of ['chat', 'search']) {
++    const text = noscriptText(read(`public/fragments/${frag}.html`));
++    assert.ok(text.length >= 200, `${frag}: ${text.length} characters without JavaScript`);
++}
++ok('without JavaScript nothing waits for data, and the script-only routes say what needs it');
++
  console.log(`first-paint-stability: ${pass} checks passed`);
ddiff --git a/test/media-privacy.test.js b/test/media-privacy.test.js
iindex 8e86a5f7..0fca50d3 100644
---- a/test/media-privacy.test.js
++++ b/test/media-privacy.test.js
@@@ -233,6 +233,20 @@ async function check(name, fn) {
          } finally { media.generateThumbnail = realGenerate; }
      });
  
++    await check('thumbnail regeneration: Media\'s full job queue (429) is no picture yet, not an error, and is not asked again at once', async () => {
++        const realGenerate = media.generateThumbnail;
++        VODS[104] = { id: 104, user_id: 3, title: 'Brand new VOD', visibility: 'public', is_public: 1, status: 'ready' };
++        let asked = 0;
++        media.generateThumbnail = async () => { asked++; throw new media.MediaApiError('At most 50 jobs may be queued or running per tenant', 429, { error: 'At most 50 jobs may be queued or running per tenant' }); };
++        try {
++            for (let i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
++                const r = await call('POST', '/api/thumbnails/generate/vod/104', null);
++                assert.deepStrictEqual([r.status, r.json && r.json.thumbnail_url], [200, null], r.text);
++            }
++            assert.strictEqual(asked, 1, 'a busy answer is remembered for a while');
++        } finally { media.generateThumbnail = realGenerate; delete VODS[104]; }
++    });
++
      await check('thumbnail by id (image URLs): the current thumbnail of a visible item, a private one looks missing', async () => {
          for (const id of [100, 101, 102, 103]) VODS[id].thumbnail_url = `/t/vod-${id}-7.jpg`;
          CLIPS[200].thumbnail_url = '/t/clip-200-7.jpg';