Podcast Player Speed Memory

WHAT IT DOES

Podcast Player Speed Memory automatically detects HTML5 audio and video players on any webpage and remembers your preferred playback speed for each domain you visit. Whether you are listening to podcasts, watching lectures, or streaming music, the tool restores your chosen speed every time you return to a site. It provides a sleek overlay panel with a slider, preset buttons, and a dropdown for quick speed adjustments. The tool also supports keyboard shortcuts (Q to slow down, E to speed up, W to reset) and displays a small speed badge on the page for at-a-glance reference.

WHERE IT RUNS

This extension works on any website that uses HTML5 audio or video elements — including podcast web players, embedded audio players, video streaming sites, learning platforms, and custom media players. It functions on news sites with embedded clips, educational platforms with lecture videos, music streaming services, and any other page with media playback. The tool works across all domains automatically without requiring site-specific configuration.

HOW TO USE

Install the extension and navigate to any page with an audio or video player. The overlay panel appears with the current playback speed displayed. Use the slider to adjust speed from 0.5x to 3.0x in 0.1 increments. Click preset buttons (0.5x, 0.75x, 1.0x, 1.25x, 1.5x, 1.75x, 2.0x, 2.5x, 3.0x) for quick changes, or use the dropdown for precise selection. Your speed is automatically saved per domain — when you return to the same site, the player restores to your preferred speed. Use Q to decrease speed by 0.1x, E to increase by 0.1x, and W to reset to 1.0x. Enable or disable the speed badge and keyboard shortcuts from the settings section. Click "Restore Speeds" to reapply saved speeds to all players on the page.

TECHNICAL SECTION — MEDIA PLAYER DETECTION AND SPEED PERSISTENCE

The extension uses a multi-strategy approach to reliably detect HTML5 media players. It queries the DOM for all audio and video elements, including those added dynamically after page load. A MutationObserver monitors the document for new players being inserted, automatically applying the saved speed to each one as it appears. The tool stores speed preferences using GM_setValue, keyed by domain name (extracted from window.location.hostname). Each player also receives a ratechange event listener — if the user changes speed through the native player controls (e.g., right-click menu), the extension detects the change and persists it to storage, ensuring the remembered speed stays in sync with actual player behavior. The speed badge is positioned using fixed CSS and updates in real-time whenever speed changes.

THE PANEL — DRAG / PER-SITE POSITION / SNAP / COLLAPSE / RESIZE / ESCAPE

The overlay panel is fully interactive and designed for seamless multitasking. Drag it anywhere on the screen using the handle at the top of the panel; the position is saved per site so it stays where you left it across sessions. The panel includes a snap-to-edge feature that gently anchors the overlay to the nearest screen edge when released. Click the collapse button to minimize the panel to a compact pill showing only the current speed; expand it again with a single click. Resize the panel vertically by dragging the bottom-right corner to view more controls. Press the Escape key at any time to instantly close the overlay; it reappears on the next page navigation or refresh.

PLEASE NOTE

This extension requires the free BotGentz companion extension to function, as it provides the underlying content script injection and cross-origin communication framework. No personal data, browsing history, media content, or speed preferences are stored, transmitted, or shared. All speed data is stored locally in your browser using GM_setValue and is never sent to any external server. The extension does not access or store login credentials, financial data, or personally identifiable information. Some websites use custom media players that may not expose the HTML5 playbackRate property; the extension will not function on those proprietary players. The tool works with standard HTML5 audio and video elements and respects the browser's native limits on playback speed (typically 0.5x to 4.0x).