diff --git a/client/src/components/video-card.tsx b/client/src/components/video-card.tsx
index f42e984..36745e5 100644
--- a/client/src/components/video-card.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/video-card.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { Play } from "lucide-react";
 import { type Video } from "@shared/schema";
-import HLSPreviewThumbnail from "./hls-preview-thumbnail";
 import { useState, useRef, useEffect } from "react";
+import Hls from "hls.js";
 
 interface VideoCardProps {
   video: Video;
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ export default function VideoCard({ video, onClick, className = "" }: VideoCardP
   const [isHovered, setIsHovered] = useState(false);
   const [showPreview, setShowPreview] = useState(false);
   const hoverTimeoutRef = useRef<NodeJS.Timeout>();
+  const videoRef = useRef<HTMLVideoElement>(null);
+  const hlsRef = useRef<Hls | null>(null);
+  const [currentTime, setCurrentTime] = useState(0);
+  const [duration, setDuration] = useState(0);
   
   // Delay preview start to avoid loading on quick mouse passes
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -62,15 +66,59 @@ export default function VideoCard({ video, onClick, className = "" }: VideoCardP
         clearTimeout(hoverTimeoutRef.current);
       }
       setShowPreview(false);
+      // Clean up HLS when not hovering
+      if (hlsRef.current) {
+        hlsRef.current.destroy();
+        hlsRef.current = null;
+      }
     }
     
     return () => {
       if (hoverTimeoutRef.current) {
         clearTimeout(hoverTimeoutRef.current);
       }
+      if (hlsRef.current) {
+        hlsRef.current.destroy();
+      }
     };
   }, [isHovered]);
 
+  // Initialize HLS when preview shows
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (showPreview && videoRef.current && video.videoUrl.includes('.m3u8')) {
+      const videoElement = videoRef.current;
+      
+      if (Hls.isSupported()) {
+        const hls = new Hls({
+          startLevel: 0, // Start with lowest quality
+          capLevelToPlayerSize: true,
+          maxBufferLength: 5, // Minimal buffering
+        });
+        
+        hls.loadSource(video.videoUrl);
+        hls.attachMedia(videoElement);
+        hlsRef.current = hls;
+        
+        hls.on(Hls.Events.MANIFEST_PARSED, () => {
+          videoElement.play().catch(e => console.log('Preview autoplay failed:', e));
+        });
+        
+        hls.on(Hls.Events.MEDIA_ATTACHED, () => {
+          videoElement.addEventListener('loadedmetadata', () => {
+            setDuration(videoElement.duration);
+          });
+        });
+      } else if (videoElement.canPlayType('application/vnd.apple.mpegurl')) {
+        // Safari native HLS support
+        videoElement.src = video.videoUrl;
+        videoElement.addEventListener('loadedmetadata', () => {
+          setDuration(videoElement.duration);
+        });
+        videoElement.play().catch(e => console.log('Preview autoplay failed:', e));
+      }
+    }
+  }, [showPreview, video.videoUrl]);
+
   return (
     <div 
       data-testid={`card-video-${video.id}`}
@@ -115,35 +163,45 @@ export default function VideoCard({ video, onClick, className = "" }: VideoCardP
         
         {/* Video preview - only load when hovering */}
         {showPreview && (
-          <div className="absolute inset-0">
+          <div className="absolute inset-0 z-10">
             <video
+              ref={videoRef}
               className="w-full h-full object-cover"
               style={{ 
                 objectPosition: video.faceCenterPosition || 'center center',
                 objectFit: 'cover'
               }}
               autoPlay
-              muted
+              muted={false}
               loop
               playsInline
-              preload="metadata"
               controls={false}
               disablePictureInPicture
-              webkit-playsinline="true"
-              x5-playsinline="true"
               onLoadStart={() => console.log('Preview loading for:', video.title)}
               onError={(e) => console.log('Preview failed for:', video.title)}
               onCanPlay={() => console.log('Preview ready for:', video.title)}
-            >
-              {/* Try MP4 source first for faster loading on mobile */}
-              {video.videoUrlMp4 && (
-                <source src={video.videoUrlMp4} type="video/mp4" />
-              )}
-              {/* Fallback to HLS if MP4 fails */}
-              {video.videoUrl && (
-                <source src={video.videoUrl} type="application/x-mpegURL" />
-              )}
-            </video>
+              onTimeUpdate={(e) => setCurrentTime(e.currentTarget.currentTime)}
+              onLoadedMetadata={(e) => setDuration(e.currentTarget.duration)}
+              onMouseMove={(e) => {
+                if (!videoRef.current || duration === 0) return;
+                const rect = e.currentTarget.getBoundingClientRect();
+                const x = e.clientX - rect.left;
+                const percentage = x / rect.width;
+                const newTime = Math.max(0, Math.min(duration, percentage * duration));
+                videoRef.current.currentTime = newTime;
+                setCurrentTime(newTime);
+              }}
+            />
+            
+            {/* Video scrubbing progress bar - only show during preview */}
+            {duration > 0 && (
+              <div className="absolute bottom-1 left-2 right-2 h-1 bg-white/30 rounded-full overflow-hidden">
+                <div 
+                  className="h-full bg-red-500 transition-all duration-100"
+                  style={{ width: `${(currentTime / duration) * 100}%` }}
+                />
+              </div>
+            )}
           </div>
         )}
         
diff --git a/server/bunny.ts b/server/bunny.ts
index f973ca8..7161539 100644
--- a/server/bunny.ts
+++ b/server/bunny.ts
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ export class BunnyService {
       thumbnailUrl,
       customThumbnailUrl: null,
       videoUrl: hlsUrl, // Signed HLS URL
-      videoUrlMp4: `https://${this.hostname}/${bunnyVideo.guid}/play_720p.mp4`, // Direct MP4 URL for preview
+      videoUrlMp4: hlsUrl, // Use signed HLS URL for preview as well
       videoUrlIframe: iframeUrl, // iframe fallback
       duration: Math.floor(bunnyVideo.length || 0),
       views: bunnyVideo.views || 0,