diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c79d95e..5434925 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -20,3 +20,4 @@ MARCOM.md
 CREDENTIALS.md
 .aider*
 ffmpeg/
+BuildCounter.txt
diff --git a/Controls/PreviewPane.xaml b/Controls/PreviewPane.xaml
index 03dc13d..4ff8560 100644
--- a/Controls/PreviewPane.xaml
+++ b/Controls/PreviewPane.xaml
@@ -180,49 +180,6 @@
                                                         </Grid>
                                                     </Viewbox>
 
-                                                    <!-- OBS-style border: stroked rect (Traditional) / centered circle (Round).
-                                                         Animations are driven by code-behind in WebcamMenu_SetBorderAnimation
-                                                         because DataTrigger storyboards in DataTemplates cannot be stopped
-                                                         (no ExitActions namescope support). -->
-                                                    <Rectangle IsHitTestVisible="False"
-                                                               Stroke="{Binding BorderBrush}"
-                                                               StrokeThickness="{Binding BorderWidth}">
-                                                        <Rectangle.Style>
-                                                            <Style TargetType="Rectangle">
-                                                                <Setter Property="Visibility" Value="Collapsed"/>
-                                                                <Style.Triggers>
-                                                                    <MultiDataTrigger>
-                                                                        <MultiDataTrigger.Conditions>
-                                                                            <Condition Binding="{Binding HasBorder}" Value="True"/>
-                                                                            <Condition Binding="{Binding ClipShape}" Value="Traditional"/>
-                                                                        </MultiDataTrigger.Conditions>
-                                                                        <Setter Property="Visibility" Value="Visible"/>
-                                                                    </MultiDataTrigger>
-                                                                </Style.Triggers>
-                                                            </Style>
-                                                        </Rectangle.Style>
-                                                    </Rectangle>
-                                                    <Ellipse IsHitTestVisible="False"
-                                                             Stroke="{Binding BorderBrush}"
-                                                             StrokeThickness="{Binding BorderWidth}"
-                                                             Width="{Binding RoundBorderSize}"
-                                                             Height="{Binding RoundBorderSize}"
-                                                             HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center">
-                                                        <Ellipse.Style>
-                                                            <Style TargetType="Ellipse">
-                                                                <Setter Property="Visibility" Value="Collapsed"/>
-                                                                <Style.Triggers>
-                                                                    <MultiDataTrigger>
-                                                                        <MultiDataTrigger.Conditions>
-                                                                            <Condition Binding="{Binding HasBorder}" Value="True"/>
-                                                                            <Condition Binding="{Binding ClipShape}" Value="Round"/>
-                                                                        </MultiDataTrigger.Conditions>
-                                                                        <Setter Property="Visibility" Value="Visible"/>
-                                                                    </MultiDataTrigger>
-                                                                </Style.Triggers>
-                                                            </Style>
-                                                        </Ellipse.Style>
-                                                    </Ellipse>
 
                                                     <Grid.ContextMenu>
                                                         <ContextMenu DataContext="{Binding PlacementTarget.DataContext, RelativeSource={RelativeSource Self}}">
diff --git a/Controls/SceneThumbnailStrip.xaml b/Controls/SceneThumbnailStrip.xaml
index 567d161..4984d09 100644
--- a/Controls/SceneThumbnailStrip.xaml
+++ b/Controls/SceneThumbnailStrip.xaml
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 <UserControl x:Class="ytLive.Controls.SceneThumbnailStrip"
              xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
              xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
-    <Border Background="#0d1117" CornerRadius="4" Margin="0,0,0,4" Padding="4">
+    <Viewbox Stretch="Uniform">
+    <Border Width="1000" Height="150" Background="#0d1117" CornerRadius="4" Margin="0,0,0,4" Padding="4">
         <ItemsControl ItemsSource="{Binding Scenes}">
             <ItemsControl.ItemsPanel>
                 <ItemsPanelTemplate>
@@ -25,6 +26,13 @@
                                     <DataTrigger Binding="{Binding IsLive}" Value="True">
                                         <Setter Property="BorderBrush" Value="#22c55e"/>
                                     </DataTrigger>
+                                    <MultiDataTrigger>
+                                        <MultiDataTrigger.Conditions>
+                                            <Condition Binding="{Binding IsStaged}" Value="True"/>
+                                            <Condition Binding="{Binding IsLive}" Value="True"/>
+                                        </MultiDataTrigger.Conditions>
+                                        <Setter Property="BorderBrush" Value="Transparent"/>
+                                    </MultiDataTrigger>
                                 </Style.Triggers>
                             </Style>
                         </Border.Style>
@@ -51,4 +59,5 @@
             </ItemsControl.ItemTemplate>
         </ItemsControl>
     </Border>
+    </Viewbox>
 </UserControl>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Controls/SceneThumbnailStrip.xaml.cs b/Controls/SceneThumbnailStrip.xaml.cs
index 75ce9a0..bf67dfc 100644
--- a/Controls/SceneThumbnailStrip.xaml.cs
+++ b/Controls/SceneThumbnailStrip.xaml.cs
@@ -8,9 +8,12 @@ namespace ytLive.Controls;
 
 public partial class SceneThumbnailStrip : UserControl
 {
+    private const double DesignAspect = 154.0 / 1000.0;
+
     public SceneThumbnailStrip()
     {
         InitializeComponent();
+        SizeChanged += (_, _) => Height = ActualWidth * DesignAspect;
     }
 
     private void Thumbnail_MouseLeftButtonDown(object sender, MouseButtonEventArgs e)
diff --git a/MainWindow.xaml b/MainWindow.xaml
index a958a58..c777b2a 100644
--- a/MainWindow.xaml
+++ b/MainWindow.xaml
@@ -78,8 +78,8 @@
                 <ColumnDefinition Width="3*"/>
             </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
 
-            <!-- ═══ THUMBNAIL STRIP ═══ -->
-            <controls:SceneThumbnailStrip Grid.Row="0" Grid.ColumnSpan="2"/>
+            <!-- ═══ THUMBNAIL STRIP (over the preview column; left column stays empty) ═══ -->
+            <controls:SceneThumbnailStrip Grid.Row="0" Grid.Column="1" Margin="8,0"/>
 
             <!-- LEFT PANEL: one panel, two states.
                  Offline (edit mode): LAYERS + PROPERTIES
diff --git a/ViewModels/MainViewModel.Background.cs b/ViewModels/MainViewModel.Background.cs
index ee530a3..0ce53d7 100644
--- a/ViewModels/MainViewModel.Background.cs
+++ b/ViewModels/MainViewModel.Background.cs
@@ -441,7 +441,6 @@ public partial class MainViewModel
             if (background != null)
                 StampDefaultBackgroundAsset(background, scene.Name);
         }
-        SeedSceneThumbnails();
         SeedOnAirImage();
         OnPropertyChanged(nameof(ShowSourcesEmptyHint));
     }
@@ -452,45 +451,14 @@ public partial class MainViewModel
     // renders (each scene's original background seen through a CRT screen). They
     // are seeded into the layout's Asset table once per scene; the preview pane
     // keeps rendering each scene's ORIGINAL background — never these tiles.
-    internal static readonly Dictionary<string, string> SceneThumbnailSeedPaths = new(StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase)
-    {
-        [SceneCatalog.Starting] = @"C:\Users\gramp\Downloads\Gemini_Generated_Image_uvq3i3uvq3i3uvq3.jpg",
-        [SceneCatalog.Live] = @"C:\Users\gramp\Downloads\Gemini_Generated_Image_y27sgqy27sgqy27s.jpg",
-        [SceneCatalog.Brb] = @"C:\Users\gramp\Downloads\Gemini_Generated_Image_lxcq0klxcq0klxcq.jpg",
-        [SceneCatalog.Chat] = @"C:\Users\gramp\Downloads\Gemini_Generated_Image_nqosdenqosdenqos.jpg",
-        [SceneCatalog.Ending] = @"C:\Users\gramp\Downloads\Gemini_Generated_Image_8je5n68je5n68je5.jpg",
-    };
-
-    private void SeedSceneThumbnails()
-    {
-        var imported = false;
-        foreach (var scene in Scenes)
-        {
-            if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(scene.ThumbnailAssetId)) continue;
-            if (!SceneThumbnailSeedPaths.TryGetValue(scene.Name, out var path)) continue;
-            if (!System.IO.File.Exists(path)) continue;
-            try
-            {
-                // UpsertAsset is SHA256-keyed, so a re-seed never duplicates rows
-                // and returns the same id. Only the Scene mapping is new state.
-                var assetId = AddAsset(System.IO.File.ReadAllBytes(path));
-                if (assetId == null) continue;
-                scene.ThumbnailAssetId = assetId;
-                imported = true;
-            }
-            catch { /* the strip keeps the scene's background-art fallback */ }
-        }
-        if (!imported) return;
-        RefreshSnapshotsAsync();
-        ScheduleSave();
-    }
+    internal static readonly Dictionary<string, string> SceneThumbnailSeedPaths = new(StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
 
     // ─── On-air strip tile (creator ruling 2026-10-10) ───
     // A single shared image ("on-air background screen") labels whichever scene is
     // CURRENTLY PREVIEWED in the top bar — it replaces that scene's tile and jumps
     // around as the creator swaps scenes. Stored as an Asset row like any image,
     // tracked by the OnAirImageAssetId setting so the Save pruner keeps it alive.
-    internal static string OnAirSeedPath = @"C:\Users\gramp\Downloads\Gemini_Generated_Image_4zajyl4zajyl4zaj.jpg";
+    internal static string OnAirSeedPath = string.Empty;
 
     private System.Windows.Media.Imaging.BitmapImage? OnAirImage;
 
diff --git a/ytLive.csproj b/ytLive.csproj
index 015f5e3..43aaa48 100644
--- a/ytLive.csproj
+++ b/ytLive.csproj
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
            Baseline 241 = count at introduction, first display 13. Missing git or unparsed output
            falls back to the start (build never breaks). GUID + compile time stay in startup.log,
            where build-identity forensics actually live. -->
-      <BuildNumberBaseline>241</BuildNumberBaseline>
+      <BuildNumberBaseline>17</BuildNumberBaseline>
       <BuildNumberStart>13</BuildNumberStart>
     </PropertyGroup>
     <Exec Command="&quot;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd\git.exe&quot; rev-list --count HEAD"
@@ -49,7 +49,13 @@
     </Exec>
     <PropertyGroup>
       <CommitCount>$(CommitCountRaw.Trim())</CommitCount>
-      <BuildNumber>$([MSBuild]::Add($(BuildNumberStart), $([MSBuild]::Subtract($(CommitCount), $(BuildNumberBaseline)))))</BuildNumber>
+      <BuildCounterFile>$(ProjectDir)BuildCounter.txt</BuildCounterFile>
+      <PriorBuildCount Condition="Exists('$(BuildCounterFile)')">$([System.IO.File]::ReadAllText('$(BuildCounterFile)').Trim())</PriorBuildCount>
+      <PriorBuildCount Condition="'$(PriorBuildCount)' == ''">423</PriorBuildCount>
+      <BuildNumber>$([MSBuild]::Add($(PriorBuildCount), 1))</BuildNumber>
+    </PropertyGroup>
+    <WriteLinesToFile File="$(BuildCounterFile)" Lines="$(BuildNumber)" Overwrite="true" WriteOnlyWhenDifferent="false" />
+    <PropertyGroup>
       <BuildNumber Condition="! $([System.Text.RegularExpressions.Regex]::IsMatch('$(BuildNumber)', '^[0-9]+$'))">$(BuildNumberStart)</BuildNumber>
     </PropertyGroup>
     <ItemGroup>