Per-tile stream quality (high/low), fps cap, latency flags

Cameras carry multiple stream URLs (streams: high/medium/low); each
tile picks one via Quality (auto/high/low). Small tiles can pull the
low substream to cut Pi decode load. discover --enable-rtsp takes a
comma list (high,low), enables each channel, records all enabled ones.
TUI: q cycles a tile quality (shown in the tile); discover enables
high+low. Player: --framedrop + low-delay demuxer flags; player.max_fps.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

README.md

@@ -46,7 +46,18 @@ On the display device:
 Debian / Raspberry Pi OS: `sudo apt install sway mpv foot`
 Arch: `sudo pacman -S sway mpv foot`
 
-To build: Go 1.23+ (only on your dev machine; the Pi just needs the binary).
+To build: **Go 1.23+**. You can build on your dev machine and copy the binary,
+or build on the Pi itself.
+
+> ⚠️ Debian / Raspberry Pi OS ships **Go 1.19** via `apt`, which is too old
+> (`log/slog` needs 1.21+). Install a current Go into `~/.local/go` and put it
+> first on `PATH` — do **not** rely on the system `go`:
+> ```sh
+> curl -sSLO https://go.dev/dl/go1.23.4.linux-arm64.tar.gz     # match uname -m
+> rm -rf ~/.local/go && mkdir -p ~/.local && tar -C ~/.local -xzf go1.23.4.linux-arm64.tar.gz
+> echo 'export PATH=$HOME/.local/go/bin:$PATH' >> ~/.profile && export PATH=$HOME/.local/go/bin:$PATH
+> go version   # must show 1.23+, not 1.19
+> ```
 
 ## Build
 
@@ -55,6 +66,9 @@ make build     # native binary -> bin/rtsp-streamer
 make pi        # Raspberry Pi 4, 64-bit OS (arm64) -> bin/rtsp-streamer-arm64
 make pi32      # 32-bit Pi OS (armv7)              -> bin/rtsp-streamer-armv7
 make test
+make install   # build native + copy to /usr/local/bin (auto-sudo)
+make deploy    # install + restart the kiosk session
+rtsp-streamer version   # prints the baked-in git commit / build date
 ```
 
 ## Configure

cmd/rtsp-streamer/commands.go

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"os/signal"
 	"runtime"
 	"sort"
+	"strings"
 	"syscall"
 	"text/tabwriter"
 
@@ -56,7 +57,6 @@ func daemonCmd() *cobra.Command {
 
 // discoverCmd queries UniFi Protect and merges cameras into the config.
 func discoverCmd() *cobra.Command {
-	var lowRes bool
 	var enableRTSP string
 	c := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "discover",
@@ -86,39 +86,57 @@ func discoverCmd() *cobra.Command {
 				return err
 			}
 
-			if enableRTSP != "" {
+			// Qualities to ensure RTSP-enabled, e.g. --enable-rtsp=high,low
-				enabled, failed := cl.EnableMissing(ctx, cams, enableRTSP)
+			var wantEnable []string
-				for _, name := range enabled {
+			for _, q := range strings.Split(enableRTSP, ",") {
-					fmt.Printf("  + enabled RTSP (%s) on %s\n", enableRTSP, name)
+				if q = strings.TrimSpace(strings.ToLower(q)); q != "" {
-				}
+					wantEnable = append(wantEnable, q)
-				for name, ferr := range failed {
-					fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  ! could not enable RTSP on %s: %v\n", name, ferr)
 				}
 			}
 
 			added, updated, skipped := 0, 0, 0
-			for _, cam := range cams {
+			for i := range cams {
-				ch := cam.BestEnabledChannel()
+				cam := &cams[i]
-				if lowRes {
+				for _, q := range wantEnable {
-					ch = cam.LowestEnabledChannel()
+					target := cam.ChannelByPreference(q)
+					if target == nil {
+						continue
+					}
+					if !target.RTSPEnabled || target.RTSPAlias == "" {
+						alias, err := cl.EnableRTSP(ctx, cam.ID, target.ID)
+						if err != nil {
+							fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  ! %s: enable %q failed: %v\n", cam.Name, q, err)
+							continue
+						}
+						target.RTSPEnabled, target.RTSPAlias = true, alias
+						fmt.Printf("  + enabled %s on %s\n", q, cam.Name)
+					}
 				}
-				if ch == nil {
+				// Record every enabled channel as a selectable quality.
-					fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  ! %s: no RTSP-enabled channel (enable RTSP in Protect)\n", cam.Name)
+				streams := map[string]string{}
+				for _, ch := range cam.Channels {
+					if ch.RTSPEnabled && ch.RTSPAlias != "" {
+						streams[strings.ToLower(ch.Name)] = cl.StreamURL(ch.RTSPAlias)
+					}
+				}
+				if len(streams) == 0 {
+					fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  ! %s: no RTSP-enabled channel (try --enable-rtsp=high,low)\n", cam.Name)
 					skipped++
 					continue
 				}
-				url := cl.StreamURL(ch.RTSPAlias)
+				entry := findByID(cfg, cam.ID)
-				if existing := findByID(cfg, cam.ID); existing != nil {
+				if entry == nil {
-					existing.Name, existing.RTSP = cam.Name, url
+					entry = cfg.CameraByName(cam.Name)
-					updated++
-				} else if existing := cfg.CameraByName(cam.Name); existing != nil {
-					existing.ID, existing.RTSP = cam.ID, url
-					updated++
-				} else {
-					cfg.Cameras = append(cfg.Cameras, config.Camera{ID: cam.ID, Name: cam.Name, RTSP: url})
-					added++
 				}
-				fmt.Printf("  ✓ %-24s %dx%d\n", cam.Name, ch.Width, ch.Height)
+				if entry == nil {
+					cfg.Cameras = append(cfg.Cameras, config.Camera{})
+					entry = &cfg.Cameras[len(cfg.Cameras)-1]
+					added++
+				} else {
+					updated++
+				}
+				entry.ID, entry.Name, entry.Streams, entry.RTSP = cam.ID, cam.Name, streams, ""
+				fmt.Printf("  ✓ %-24s [%s]\n", cam.Name, strings.Join(availQual(streams), ","))
 			}
 			if err := config.Save(cfgPath, cfg); err != nil {
 				return err
@@ -128,11 +146,21 @@ func discoverCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			return nil
 		},
 	}
-	c.Flags().BoolVar(&lowRes, "low-res", false, "prefer the lowest-resolution substream (good for dense grids)")
+	c.Flags().StringVar(&enableRTSP, "enable-rtsp", "", "comma-separated channels to enable in Protect and record, e.g. high,low")
-	c.Flags().StringVar(&enableRTSP, "enable-rtsp", "", "enable RTSP in Protect on this channel for cameras that lack it: high|medium|low")
 	return c
 }
 
+// availQual lists the qualities present in a stream map, high to low.
+func availQual(streams map[string]string) []string {
+	var out []string
+	for _, q := range config.Qualities {
+		if streams[q] != "" {
+			out = append(out, q)
+		}
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
 func findByID(cfg *config.Config, id string) *config.Camera {
 	if id == "" {
 		return nil

config.example.yaml

@@ -16,23 +16,32 @@ display:
   height: 1080
 
 player:
-  hwdec: auto-safe             # v4l2m2m/drm on the Pi 4; "no" to force software
+  hwdec: v4l2m2m-copy          # Pi 4 hardware H.264 decoder. "auto-safe" often
+                               # won't engage it; "no" forces software.
   profile: low-latency
+  max_fps: 0                   # cap rendered fps (0 = uncapped); trims render load
   restart_backoff_seconds: 3
-  extra_args: []               # e.g. ["--vf=fps=15"] to cap decode load
+  extra_args: []
 
 # Camera catalog. Normally populated by `rtsp-streamer discover`; shown here
-# filled in by hand for illustration. Layouts reference cameras by `name`.
+# by hand for illustration. Each camera can carry multiple stream qualities
+# (high/medium/low) so a tile can choose which to pull. Layouts reference
+# cameras by `name`. (A single `rtsp:` URL instead of `streams:` also works.)
 cameras:
   - id: 60a1b2c3d4e5f6         # UniFi Protect camera id (blank for manual entries)
     name: Front Door
-    rtsp: rtsps://192.168.1.1:7441/aBcD1234?enableSrtp
+    streams:
+      high: rtsps://192.168.1.1:7441/aBcD1234?enableSrtp
+      low:  rtsps://192.168.1.1:7441/aBcD5678?enableSrtp
   - name: Driveway
-    rtsp: rtsps://192.168.1.1:7441/eFgH5678?enableSrtp
+    streams:
+      high: rtsps://192.168.1.1:7441/eFgH1234?enableSrtp
+      low:  rtsps://192.168.1.1:7441/eFgH5678?enableSrtp
   - name: Back Yard
-    rtsp: rtsps://192.168.1.1:7441/iJkL9012?enableSrtp
+    streams:
+      low:  rtsps://192.168.1.1:7441/iJkL9012?enableSrtp
   - name: Garage
-    rtsp: rtsps://192.168.1.1:7441/mNoP3456?enableSrtp
+    rtsp: rtsps://192.168.1.1:7441/mNoP3456?enableSrtp   # legacy single-URL form
 
 # Layouts place cameras on a base grid (COLSxROWS). Cameras are "tiles" that
 # may span multiple cells, so you can mix a big main view with small side
@@ -48,14 +57,15 @@ layouts:
       - {camera: Back Yard,  col: 0, row: 1}
       - {camera: Garage,     col: 1, row: 1}
 
-  # Security-wall style: one big 3x3 main view + a right column of three.
+  # Security-wall style: one big 3x3 main view (high quality) + a right column
+  # of three small tiles on the low substream to keep decode load down.
   - name: main-plus
     grid: 4x3
     tiles:
-      - {camera: Front Door,    col: 0, row: 0, colspan: 3, rowspan: 3}
+      - {camera: Front Door, col: 0, row: 0, colspan: 3, rowspan: 3, quality: high}
-      - {camera: Driveway,      col: 3, row: 0}
+      - {camera: Driveway,   col: 3, row: 0, quality: low}
-      - {camera: Back Yard,     col: 3, row: 1}
+      - {camera: Back Yard,  col: 3, row: 1, quality: low}
-      - {camera: Garage,        col: 3, row: 2}
+      - {camera: Garage,     col: 3, row: 2, quality: low}
 
   - name: front-focus
     grid: 1x1

internal/config/config.go

@@ -80,6 +80,9 @@ type Player struct {
 	Profile string `yaml:"profile"`
 	// ExtraArgs are appended verbatim to every mpv invocation.
 	ExtraArgs []string `yaml:"extra_args,omitempty"`
+	// MaxFPS caps the rendered frame rate (mpv --vf=fps). 0 = uncapped. Trims
+	// render/scale load; the bigger decode lever is using substreams.
+	MaxFPS int `yaml:"max_fps,omitempty"`
 	// RestartBackoffSeconds is how long to wait before relaunching a stream
 	// that exited or stalled.
 	RestartBackoffSeconds int `yaml:"restart_backoff_seconds,omitempty"`
@@ -92,12 +95,62 @@ type Camera struct {
 	ID string `yaml:"id,omitempty"`
 	// Name is the human label and the key layouts reference. Must be unique.
 	Name string `yaml:"name"`
-	// RTSP is the fully-resolved stream URL.
+	// RTSP is a single fully-resolved stream URL. Kept for backward
-	RTSP string `yaml:"rtsp"`
+	// compatibility and manual entries; Streams takes precedence when present.
+	RTSP string `yaml:"rtsp,omitempty"`
+	// Streams maps a quality ("high"|"medium"|"low") to its stream URL, so a
+	// tile can choose per-tile which to pull. Populated by discovery.
+	Streams map[string]string `yaml:"streams,omitempty"`
 	// Disabled hides the camera from selection without deleting it.
 	Disabled bool `yaml:"disabled,omitempty"`
 }
 
+// Qualities in preference order, high to low.
+var Qualities = []string{"high", "medium", "low"}
+
+// StreamURL returns the URL for the requested quality, falling back sensibly:
+// the exact quality, then any lower quality, then any stream at all, then the
+// legacy single RTSP field.
+func (c Camera) StreamURL(quality string) string {
+	if len(c.Streams) > 0 {
+		if quality != "" {
+			if u := c.Streams[quality]; u != "" {
+				return u
+			}
+		}
+		// Fall back down the preference list from the requested quality.
+		start := 0
+		for i, q := range Qualities {
+			if q == quality {
+				start = i
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		for _, q := range Qualities[start:] {
+			if u := c.Streams[q]; u != "" {
+				return u
+			}
+		}
+		for _, q := range Qualities {
+			if u := c.Streams[q]; u != "" {
+				return u
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return c.RTSP
+}
+
+// AvailableQualities lists the qualities this camera actually has, high to low.
+func (c Camera) AvailableQualities() []string {
+	var out []string
+	for _, q := range Qualities {
+		if c.Streams[q] != "" {
+			out = append(out, q)
+		}
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
 // MaxTiles caps how many simultaneous streams a layout may show. Decoding
 // more than this on a Pi 4 is impractical even with substreams.
 const MaxTiles = 16
@@ -125,6 +178,9 @@ type Tile struct {
 	Row     int    `yaml:"row"`
 	ColSpan int    `yaml:"colspan,omitempty"` // defaults to 1
 	RowSpan int    `yaml:"rowspan,omitempty"` // defaults to 1
+	// Quality selects which stream to pull for this tile: "high"|"medium"|
+	// "low". Empty means the camera's best available (see Camera.StreamURL).
+	Quality string `yaml:"quality,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // Span returns the tile's spans with zero values normalized to 1.

internal/config/tiles_test.go

@@ -45,6 +45,28 @@ func TestValidateTiles(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestCameraStreamURL(t *testing.T) {
+	cam := Camera{Name: "c", Streams: map[string]string{"high": "H", "low": "L"}}
+	if got := cam.StreamURL("low"); got != "L" {
+		t.Errorf(`StreamURL("low") = %q, want "L"`, got)
+	}
+	if got := cam.StreamURL("high"); got != "H" {
+		t.Errorf(`StreamURL("high") = %q, want "H"`, got)
+	}
+	// Requested quality missing → fall down the preference list, then any.
+	if got := cam.StreamURL("medium"); got != "L" {
+		t.Errorf(`StreamURL("medium") = %q, want fallback "L"`, got)
+	}
+	if got := cam.StreamURL(""); got != "H" {
+		t.Errorf(`StreamURL("") = %q, want best "H"`, got)
+	}
+	// Legacy single-URL camera.
+	legacy := Camera{Name: "old", RTSP: "R"}
+	if got := legacy.StreamURL("low"); got != "R" {
+		t.Errorf("legacy StreamURL = %q, want RTSP fallback R", got)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestValidateTilesCap(t *testing.T) {
 	var tiles []Tile
 	for i := 0; i < MaxTiles+1; i++ {

internal/daemon/daemon.go

@@ -122,13 +122,18 @@ func (d *Daemon) applyLayout(ctx context.Context, name string) error {
 			continue
 		}
 		cam := cfg.CameraByName(tile.Camera)
-		if cam == nil || cam.Disabled || cam.RTSP == "" {
+		if cam == nil || cam.Disabled {
 			d.log.Warn("skipping tile: camera unavailable", "slot", slot, "camera", tile.Camera)
 			continue
 		}
+		url := cam.StreamURL(tile.Quality)
+		if url == "" {
+			d.log.Warn("skipping tile: no stream url", "slot", slot, "camera", tile.Camera, "quality", tile.Quality)
+			continue
+		}
 		cs, rs := tile.Span()
 		rect := compositor.TileRect(w, h, cols, rows, tile.Col, tile.Row, cs, rs)
-		p := player.New(slot, cam.Name, cam.RTSP, cfg.Player, d.runDir, d.log)
+		p := player.New(slot, cam.Name, url, cfg.Player, d.runDir, d.log)
 		players = append(players, p)
 
 		d.wg.Add(1)

internal/player/player.go

@@ -81,11 +81,16 @@ func (p *Player) args() []string {
 		"--title=" + p.Title(),
 		"--input-ipc-server=" + p.ipcPath,
 		"--hwdec=" + p.cfg.HWDec,
-		// Live-stream hygiene: prefer TCP transport, keep buffers small.
+		// Live-stream hygiene: TCP transport, no caching, and drop frames when
+		// behind so latency self-corrects instead of accumulating a backlog.
 		"--rtsp-transport=tcp",
 		"--profile=low-latency",
 		"--cache=no",
-		"--demuxer-lavf-o=stimeout=5000000",
+		"--framedrop=decoder+vo",
+		"--demuxer-lavf-o=stimeout=5000000,fflags=+nobuffer,flags=+low_delay",
+	}
+	if p.cfg.MaxFPS > 0 {
+		args = append(args, fmt.Sprintf("--vf=fps=%d", p.cfg.MaxFPS))
 	}
 	if p.cfg.Profile != "" && p.cfg.Profile != "low-latency" {
 		args = append(args, "--profile="+p.cfg.Profile)

internal/tui/gridedit.go

@@ -96,6 +96,8 @@ func (m *model) updateLayoutEdit(msg tea.KeyMsg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 		m.screen, m.cursor = screenCameraPicker, 0
 	case "c":
 		m.clearAt()
+	case "q": // cycle this tile's stream quality (high/low/auto)
+		m.cycleQuality()
 	case "L": // grow wider (toward the right)
 		m.resizeTile(1, 0)
 	case "H": // shrink narrower (from the right)
@@ -149,6 +151,36 @@ func (m *model) clearAt() {
 	}
 }
 
+// cycleQuality steps the tile under the cursor through auto → its camera's
+// available stream qualities (high/low/...). Small tiles → pick low; big tiles
+// → high, to keep the Pi's decode load down.
+func (m *model) cycleQuality() {
+	idx := m.tileIndexAt(m.edCol, m.edRow)
+	if idx < 0 {
+		m.setStatus("no tile here — assign a camera first", true)
+		return
+	}
+	t := &m.curLayout().Tiles[idx]
+	opts := []string{""} // "" = auto (best available)
+	if cam := m.cfg.CameraByName(t.Camera); cam != nil {
+		opts = append(opts, cam.AvailableQualities()...)
+	}
+	cur := 0
+	for i, q := range opts {
+		if q == t.Quality {
+			cur = i
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	t.Quality = opts[(cur+1)%len(opts)]
+	m.dirty = true
+	label := t.Quality
+	if label == "" {
+		label = "auto"
+	}
+	m.setStatus("tile quality: "+label, false)
+}
+
 // resizeTile grows/shrinks the tile under the cursor by the given span deltas,
 // keeping it in-bounds and non-overlapping.
 func (m *model) resizeTile(dCol, dRow int) {

internal/tui/tui.go

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ package tui
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"strings"
 
 	tea "github.com/charmbracelet/bubbletea"
 	"github.com/charmbracelet/lipgloss"
@@ -95,8 +96,8 @@ type savedMsg struct {
 	reloaded bool
 }
 
-// discoverCmd fetches cameras. When enable is non-empty (e.g. "high"), it also
+// discoverCmd fetches cameras. `enable` is a comma-separated list of qualities
-// turns on RTSP in Protect for any camera that lacks an enabled channel.
+// (e.g. "high,low") to ensure RTSP-enabled in Protect and record per camera.
 func (m *model) discoverCmd(enable string) tea.Cmd {
 	cfg := m.cfg
 	return func() tea.Msg {
@@ -119,10 +120,25 @@ func (m *model) discoverCmd(enable string) tea.Cmd {
 		if err != nil {
 			return discoverMsg{err: err}
 		}
+		var want []string
+		for _, q := range strings.Split(enable, ",") {
+			if q = strings.TrimSpace(strings.ToLower(q)); q != "" {
+				want = append(want, q)
+			}
+		}
 		enabled := 0
-		if enable != "" {
+		for i := range cams {
-			names, _ := cl.EnableMissing(ctx, cams, enable)
+			cam := &cams[i]
-			enabled = len(names)
+			for _, q := range want {
+				target := cam.ChannelByPreference(q)
+				if target == nil || (target.RTSPEnabled && target.RTSPAlias != "") {
+					continue
+				}
+				if alias, err := cl.EnableRTSP(ctx, cam.ID, target.ID); err == nil {
+					target.RTSPEnabled, target.RTSPAlias = true, alias
+					enabled++
+				}
+			}
 		}
 		return discoverMsg{cams: cams, enabled: enabled}
 	}
@@ -161,28 +177,35 @@ func (m *model) handleDiscover(msg discoverMsg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 	}
 	cl, _ := protect.New(m.cfg.Controller.Host, m.cfg.Controller.RTSPPort, m.cfg.Controller.VerifyTLS)
 	added, updated, skipped := 0, 0, 0
-	for _, cam := range msg.cams {
+	for i := range msg.cams {
-		ch := cam.BestEnabledChannel()
+		cam := &msg.cams[i]
-		if ch == nil {
+		streams := map[string]string{}
+		for _, ch := range cam.Channels {
+			if ch.RTSPEnabled && ch.RTSPAlias != "" {
+				streams[strings.ToLower(ch.Name)] = cl.StreamURL(ch.RTSPAlias)
+			}
+		}
+		if len(streams) == 0 {
 			skipped++
 			continue
 		}
-		url := cl.StreamURL(ch.RTSPAlias)
+		entry := m.cameraByID(cam.ID)
-		if ex := m.cameraByID(cam.ID); ex != nil {
+		if entry == nil {
-			ex.Name, ex.RTSP = cam.Name, url
+			entry = m.cfg.CameraByName(cam.Name)
-			updated++
-		} else if ex := m.cfg.CameraByName(cam.Name); ex != nil {
-			ex.ID, ex.RTSP = cam.ID, url
-			updated++
-		} else {
-			m.cfg.Cameras = append(m.cfg.Cameras, config.Camera{ID: cam.ID, Name: cam.Name, RTSP: url})
-			added++
 		}
+		if entry == nil {
+			m.cfg.Cameras = append(m.cfg.Cameras, config.Camera{})
+			entry = &m.cfg.Cameras[len(m.cfg.Cameras)-1]
+			added++
+		} else {
+			updated++
+		}
+		entry.ID, entry.Name, entry.Streams, entry.RTSP = cam.ID, cam.Name, streams, ""
 	}
 	m.dirty = true
 	enabledNote := ""
 	if msg.enabled > 0 {
-		enabledNote = fmt.Sprintf(", enabled RTSP on %d", msg.enabled)
+		enabledNote = fmt.Sprintf(", enabled %d channels", msg.enabled)
 	}
 	m.setStatus(fmt.Sprintf("discovered %d (%d new, %d updated, %d without RTSP%s)", len(msg.cams), added, updated, skipped, enabledNote), false)
 	m.screen = screenCameras
@@ -229,7 +252,7 @@ var menuItems = []string{
 	menuLayouts:        "Layouts",
 	menuSetActive:      "Set active layout",
 	menuDiscover:       "Discover from UniFi Protect",
-	menuDiscoverEnable: "Discover + enable RTSP (high)",
+	menuDiscoverEnable: "Discover + enable RTSP (hi+lo)",
 	menuSave:           "Save",
 	menuQuit:           "Quit",
 }
@@ -252,8 +275,8 @@ func (m *model) updateMenu(msg tea.KeyMsg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 			m.setStatus("discovering…", false)
 			return m, m.discoverCmd("")
 		case menuDiscoverEnable:
-			m.setStatus("discovering and enabling RTSP…", false)
+			m.setStatus("discovering and enabling RTSP (high+low)…", false)
-			return m, m.discoverCmd("high")
+			return m, m.discoverCmd("high,low")
 		case menuSave:
 			return m, m.save()
 		case menuQuit:

internal/tui/view.go

@@ -107,13 +107,27 @@ func (m *model) viewLayoutEdit() string {
 	b.WriteString("\n\n")
 	b.WriteString(strings.Join([]string{
 		hkey("click", "assign cell") + "    " + hkey("drag a tile", "resize") + "  (mouse)",
-		hkey("←↑↓→/hjkl", "move") + "    " + hkey("enter", "assign") + "    " + hkey("c", "clear"),
+		hkey("←↑↓→/hjkl", "move") + "    " + hkey("enter", "assign") + "    " + hkey("c", "clear") + "    " + hkey("q", "quality"),
 		"resize tile  " + hkey("L/H", "wider/narrower") + "    " + hkey("J/K", "taller/shorter"),
 		"base grid  " + hkey("] [", "cols") + "    " + hkey("} {", "rows") + "    " + hkey("esc", "back"),
 	}, "\n"))
 	return b.String()
 }
 
+// qualityAbbrev shortens a quality name for the compact tile label.
+func qualityAbbrev(q string) string {
+	switch q {
+	case "high":
+		return "hi"
+	case "medium":
+		return "med"
+	case "low":
+		return "lo"
+	default:
+		return q
+	}
+}
+
 // renderGrid draws the base grid with tiles, camera labels, continuation marks
 // for spanned cells, and a highlighted cursor cell — a live picture of the wall.
 func (m *model) renderGrid(cols, rows int) string {
@@ -156,9 +170,17 @@ func (m *model) renderCell(l config.Layout, c, r, line int) string {
 			plain = padTo(truncate(label, cellW), cellW)
 		case isOrigin && line == 1:
 			cs, rs := t.Span()
+			info := ""
 			if cs > 1 || rs > 1 {
-				plain = padTo(fmt.Sprintf("%dx%d", cs, rs), cellW)
+				info = fmt.Sprintf("%dx%d", cs, rs)
 			}
+			if t.Quality != "" {
+				if info != "" {
+					info += " "
+				}
+				info += qualityAbbrev(t.Quality)
+			}
+			plain = padTo(info, cellW)
 			dim = true
 		default: // continuation cell of a spanned tile
 			plain = center("·", cellW)