video: longer adaptive slskd wait + stop the automations page blink

two issues:
1. slskd search gave up at 22s (then stopped the search), but slskd gathers peers
   over its full ~60s window — so most movie searches were killed before results
   arrived. now waits up to 55s but returns early once results SETTLE (12+ hits, or
   no new hits for ~12s) so fast searches don't burn the whole window. matches the
   music side's longer wait.
2. the automations page re-rendered the WHOLE system section every 8s poll
   (replaceChild) → blink + wiped the socket's live progress. now it skips the
   rebuild unless something structural changed (added/removed/toggled/ran); live
   progress comes via socket, the countdown ticks locally.

core/video/download_monitor.py

@@ -261,11 +261,17 @@ def _fail_or_retry(db, dl, error_msg) -> None:
     _archive_history(db, dl, {"status": "failed", "error": err, "completed_at": completed})
 
 
-def _search_for_retry(query, max_seconds=22):
-    """A bounded blocking slskd search for the retry worker (shorter than the UI's).
+def _search_for_retry(query, max_seconds=55):
+    """A bounded blocking slskd search for the retry worker + the auto-grab automation.
+
+    slskd gathers peer responses over its full search window (~60s by default), so a short
+    wait misses almost everything. We poll up to ``max_seconds`` but return EARLY once
+    results have arrived and settled — break on either plenty of hits (12+) or no new hits
+    for ~12s after getting some, so fast searches don't burn the whole window.
+
     Always STOPS the slskd search when done — otherwise it keeps running its full timeout
-    (~60s) and, since the bounded auto-grab fires searches back-to-back, they pile up on
-    slskd. Stopping each one keeps concurrent slskd searches ≈ the worker pool size."""
+    and, since the auto-grab fires searches back-to-back, they pile up. Stopping each one
+    keeps concurrent slskd searches ≈ the worker pool size."""
     from core.video.slskd_search import poll_search, start_search, stop_search
     res = start_search(query)
     sid = res.get("id")
@@ -273,11 +279,20 @@ def _search_for_retry(query, max_seconds=22):
         return {"hits": [], "total_files": 0}
     deadline = time.monotonic() + max_seconds
     last = {"hits": [], "total_files": 0}
+    prev, settle = 0, 0          # track hit growth; settle = consecutive no-growth polls (~1.5s each)
     try:
         while time.monotonic() < deadline:
             last = poll_search(sid)
-            if len(last.get("hits") or []) >= 12:
-                break
+            n = len(last.get("hits") or [])
+            if n >= 12:
+                break                          # plenty — stop waiting
+            if n > prev:
+                settle = 0                     # still arriving — keep waiting
+            elif n > 0:
+                settle += 1
+                if settle >= 8:                # ~12s with no new hits → results have settled
+                    break
+            prev = n
             time.sleep(1.5)
         return last
     finally:

tests/test_video_automations_builder.py

@@ -103,6 +103,13 @@ def test_video_page_exposes_reload_hook():
 
 # --- the System list is shown in a logical pipeline order -----------------
 
+def test_video_automations_poll_does_not_rebuild_when_unchanged():
+    # regression: the 8s poll used to replaceChild the whole section every time → blink +
+    # wiped live progress. It must skip the rebuild when nothing structural changed.
+    assert 'if (sig === _lastSig) return;' in _VAUTO
+    assert 'var sig = JSON.stringify(' in _VAUTO
+
+
 def test_video_system_automations_are_sorted_by_pipeline_order():
     # The API returns newest-created-first (jumbled); the page re-sorts by an
     # explicit order so it reads scans → processors → library → maintenance.

webui/static/video/video-automations.js

@@ -91,10 +91,21 @@
             '<span class="auto-stat"><strong>' + sys.length + '</strong> System</span>';
     }
 
+    var _lastSig = null;
     function load() {
         return getJSON('/api/automations').then(function (d) {
             var all = Array.isArray(d) ? d : (d && d.automations) || [];
             var sys = sortSystem(all.filter(isVideoAutomation));
+            // Re-rendering the whole System section every 8s poll destroys + recreates every
+            // card — that's the blink, and it wipes the live progress the socket patches in.
+            // Only rebuild when something STRUCTURAL changed (added/removed/toggled/ran);
+            // live progress arrives via socket, the "Next: in Xm" countdown ticks locally.
+            var sig = JSON.stringify(sys.map(function (a) {
+                return [a.id, a.enabled, a.name, a.trigger_type, a.action_type,
+                        a.last_run, a.next_run, a.run_count, a.last_result];
+            }));
+            if (sig === _lastSig) return;
+            _lastSig = sig;
             renderStats(sys);
             renderSystem(sys);
             renderHubOnce();