Remember the selected video source when resuming from Continue Watching

Describe your suggested feature

When playback is resumed from Continue Watching, CloudStream searches for all links again and may automatically select a different source than the one used previously.

This can result in a different video quality, audio codec, number of audio channels, subtitle compatibility, or general playback behavior.

I suggest remembering the previously selected source for each movie or episode and trying to select its equivalent again when playback is resumed.

CloudStream should not necessarily save and reuse the direct stream URL, because such URLs may expire. Instead, it could save metadata identifying the selected source, for example:

• provider name
• extractor/source name
• displayed link name
• video resolution
• link type
• audio metadata, if available

After links are generated again, CloudStream could try to match the newly generated links against the previously selected source.

Suggested behavior:

1. The user selects a source and starts playback.
2. CloudStream saves the identifying metadata of that source together with the watch progress.
3. The user exits playback.
4. The user resumes the movie or episode from Continue Watching.
5. CloudStream generates fresh links.
6. CloudStream first tries to select the closest match to the previously used source.
7. If no matching source is available, it falls back to the normal quality profile and source-priority rules.

An optional setting could be added:

Prefer previously used source when resuming

Why this would be useful

Some sources offer different audio formats, such as stereo, 5.1, E-AC-3, AC-3, or DTS. A user may deliberately select a particular source because it works correctly with their TV or AV receiver.

Currently, after resuming playback, the user must search through the source list again and manually identify the same source.

This feature would also help with:

• subtitle compatibility
• server reliability
• preferred bitrate
• avoiding sources that previously caused buffering
• keeping the same audio and video characteristics

Other details

This request is different from globally pinning or prioritizing a favorite source.

The preference should be stored separately for each movie or episode and used specifically when resuming playback from Continue Watching.

Acknowledgements

• I am sure this feature concerns the CloudStream application and not a specific extension.
• I have searched the existing issues.
• I understand that direct stream URLs may expire and therefore suggest matching newly generated links by metadata instead.

Other details

No response

Acknowledgements

• My suggestion is NOT about adding a new provider
• I have searched the existing issues and this is a new ticket, NOT a duplicate or related to another open issue.

Start with the Continue Watching resume flow and the source-selection path used after links are generated. Trace where watch progress and selected-source information are stored, then determine how refreshed links can be matched by the proposed metadata without reusing expired URLs. Done means resuming a movie or episode prefers the previously selected equivalent and falls back normally when no match exists.