diff --git a/apps/web/src/lib/media-bytes.ts b/apps/web/src/lib/media-bytes.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6135512
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/web/src/lib/media-bytes.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,218 @@
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
+import { selectedSpaceId, withSpaceHeaders } from "./rpc";
+
+/*
+ * Media byte routes (thumbnails, proxies, render files, bundles, upload chunks).
+ * They need the session cookie and the space header, which an `<img src>` or
+ * `<video src>` cannot send, so bytes are fetched here and handed to elements
+ * as object URLs. Thumbnails stay cached after release; large files do not.
+ */
+
+export type MediaAssetFile = "thumb" | "proxy";
+
+export function mediaAssetPath(assetId: string, file: MediaAssetFile): string {
+  return `/api/media/assets/${encodeURIComponent(assetId)}/${file}`;
+}
+
+export function mediaRenderFilePath(
+  renderId: string,
+  fileName: string,
+  options: { download?: boolean } = {},
+): string {
+  const base = `/api/media/renders/${encodeURIComponent(renderId)}/files/${encodeURIComponent(fileName)}`;
+  return options.download ? `${base}?download=1` : base;
+}
+
+export function mediaBundlePath(publicationId: string): string {
+  return `/api/media/bundles/${encodeURIComponent(publicationId)}`;
+}
+
+export function mediaUploadChunkPath(uploadId: string, index: number): string {
+  return `/api/media/uploads/${encodeURIComponent(uploadId)}/chunks/${index}`;
+}
+
+export class MediaFetchError extends Error {
+  constructor(readonly status: number) {
+    super(`Media request failed (${status})`);
+    this.name = "MediaFetchError";
+  }
+}
+
+/** Fetch a media byte route with the session cookie and the selected space. */
+export async function fetchMedia(path: string, init: RequestInit = {}): Promise<Response> {
+  const response = await fetch(path, {
+    ...init,
+    credentials: "include",
+    headers: withSpaceHeaders(init.headers),
+  });
+  if (!response.ok) throw new MediaFetchError(response.status);
+  return response;
+}
+
+/** Save a media file through the browser's download flow. */
+export async function downloadMedia(path: string, fileName: string): Promise<void> {
+  const blob = await (await fetchMedia(path)).blob();
+  const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
+  try {
+    const anchor = document.createElement("a");
+    anchor.href = url;
+    anchor.download = fileName;
+    anchor.click();
+  } finally {
+    setTimeout(() => URL.revokeObjectURL(url), 30_000);
+  }
+}
+
+type Entry = {
+  promise: Promise<string>;
+  url: string | null;
+  refs: number;
+  /** Keep the object URL after the last release (small files such as thumbnails). */
+  keep: boolean;
+  controller: AbortController;
+};
+
+/** Idle thumbnails kept around for scrolling back; each one is a few KB. */
+export const MEDIA_IDLE_CACHE_LIMIT = 400;
+
+export interface MediaObjectUrlCache {
+  acquire(
+    path: string,
+    options?: { keep?: boolean },
+  ): { promise: Promise<string>; release: () => void };
+  /** Number of entries, including idle ones (for tests). */
+  size(): number;
+  clear(): void;
+}
+
+export function createMediaObjectUrlCache(deps: {
+  load: (path: string, signal: AbortSignal) => Promise<Blob>;
+  createUrl: (blob: Blob) => string;
+  revokeUrl: (url: string) => void;
+  spaceId: () => string | null;
+  idleLimit?: number;
+}): MediaObjectUrlCache {
+  const entries = new Map<string, Entry>();
+  const idleLimit = deps.idleLimit ?? MEDIA_IDLE_CACHE_LIMIT;
+
+  const drop = (key: string, entry: Entry) => {
+    entries.delete(key);
+    entry.controller.abort();
+    if (entry.url) deps.revokeUrl(entry.url);
+  };
+
+  const trim = () => {
+    let idle = 0;
+    for (const entry of entries.values()) if (entry.refs === 0) idle += 1;
+    for (const [key, entry] of entries) {
+      if (idle <= idleLimit) break;
+      if (entry.refs > 0) continue;
+      drop(key, entry);
+      idle -= 1;
+    }
+  };
+
+  return {
+    acquire(path, options = {}) {
+      const key = `${deps.spaceId() ?? ""}|${path}`;
+      let entry = entries.get(key);
+      if (entry) {
+        // Re-insert so the map order stays least recently used first.
+        entries.delete(key);
+        entries.set(key, entry);
+      } else {
+        const controller = new AbortController();
+        const created: Entry = {
+          url: null,
+          refs: 0,
+          keep: options.keep ?? false,
+          controller,
+          promise: Promise.resolve(""),
+        };
+        created.promise = deps.load(path, controller.signal).then(
+          (blob) => {
+            const url = deps.createUrl(blob);
+            if (entries.get(key) !== created) {
+              deps.revokeUrl(url);
+              throw new DOMException("Released", "AbortError");
+            }
+            created.url = url;
+            return url;
+          },
+          (error: unknown) => {
+            if (entries.get(key) === created) entries.delete(key);
+            throw error;
+          },
+        );
+        // Callers that went away never observe the rejection.
+        created.promise.catch(() => undefined);
+        entries.set(key, created);
+        entry = created;
+      }
+      const held = entry;
+      held.refs += 1;
+      let released = false;
+      return {
+        promise: held.promise,
+        release: () => {
+          if (released) return;
+          released = true;
+          held.refs -= 1;
+          if (held.refs > 0 || entries.get(key) !== held) return;
+          if (held.keep && held.url) trim();
+          else drop(key, held);
+        },
+      };
+    },
+    size: () => entries.size,
+    clear: () => {
+      for (const [key, entry] of entries) drop(key, entry);
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+const sharedCache = createMediaObjectUrlCache({
+  load: async (path, signal) => (await fetchMedia(path, { signal })).blob(),
+  createUrl: (blob) => URL.createObjectURL(blob),
+  revokeUrl: (url) => URL.revokeObjectURL(url),
+  spaceId: selectedSpaceId,
+});
+
+export type MediaObjectUrlState =
+  | { status: "idle" | "loading"; url: null }
+  | { status: "ready"; url: string }
+  | { status: "missing"; url: null };
+
+/**
+ * Object URL for a media byte route, or null while loading, when `path` is null,
+ * or when the file does not exist (yet). `keep` caches the bytes after unmount.
+ */
+export function useMediaObjectUrl(
+  path: string | null,
+  options: { keep?: boolean } = {},
+): MediaObjectUrlState {
+  const keep = options.keep ?? false;
+  const [state, setState] = useState<MediaObjectUrlState>({ status: "idle", url: null });
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!path) {
+      setState({ status: "idle", url: null });
+      return;
+    }
+    let active = true;
+    setState({ status: "loading", url: null });
+    const handle = sharedCache.acquire(path, { keep });
+    handle.promise.then(
+      (url) => {
+        if (active) setState({ status: "ready", url });
+      },
+      () => {
+        if (active) setState({ status: "missing", url: null });
+      },
+    );
+    return () => {
+      active = false;
+      handle.release();
+    };
+  }, [path, keep]);
+  return state;
+}
diff --git a/apps/web/src/lib/media-poll.ts b/apps/web/src/lib/media-poll.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..551f393
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/web/src/lib/media-poll.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+import { useEffect, useRef } from "react";
+
+/** Media has no realtime subscription: clients poll while work runs, then stop. */
+export const MEDIA_POLL_MS = 2000;
+
+/**
+ * Call `tick` every `intervalMs` while `active`. Ticks never overlap: the next
+ * one is scheduled after the previous settles. Hidden tabs skip ticks.
+ */
+export function usePolling(
+  tick: () => unknown,
+  active: boolean,
+  intervalMs: number = MEDIA_POLL_MS,
+): void {
+  const latest = useRef(tick);
+  latest.current = tick;
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!active) return;
+    let stopped = false;
+    let timer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined;
+    const schedule = () => {
+      if (stopped) return;
+      timer = setTimeout(run, intervalMs);
+    };
+    const run = async () => {
+      if (stopped) return;
+      if (typeof document !== "undefined" && document.hidden) {
+        schedule();
+        return;
+      }
+      try {
+        await latest.current();
+      } catch {
+        // The caller renders its own error state; polling continues.
+      }
+      schedule();
+    };
+    schedule();
+    return () => {
+      stopped = true;
+      if (timer) clearTimeout(timer);
+    };
+  }, [active, intervalMs]);
+}
+
+/** Render states that still change on the server. */
+export const MEDIA_RENDER_ACTIVE_STATES = ["queued", "rendering", "gating"] as const;
+
+export function isRenderActive(status: string): boolean {
+  return (MEDIA_RENDER_ACTIVE_STATES as readonly string[]).includes(status);
+}
diff --git a/apps/web/src/lib/media-studio.ts b/apps/web/src/lib/media-studio.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b4777a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/web/src/lib/media-studio.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+import type { MediaCapabilities } from "@rakazo/contracts";
+import { createContext, useContext, useEffect, useState } from "react";
+import { rpc } from "./rpc";
+
+/** What every Media Studio view may read about the deployment. */
+export interface MediaStudioEnv {
+  capabilities: MediaCapabilities | null;
+  /** Folder sources live on the host, so only the deployment owner links them. */
+  canLinkFolder: boolean;
+}
+
+export const MediaStudioContext = createContext<MediaStudioEnv>({
+  capabilities: null,
+  canLinkFolder: false,
+});
+
+export function useMediaStudio(): MediaStudioEnv {
+  return useContext(MediaStudioContext);
+}
+
+/** Load media capabilities once; null until known, and on failure. */
+export function useMediaCapabilities(enabled = true): MediaCapabilities | null {
+  const [capabilities, setCapabilities] = useState<MediaCapabilities | null>(null);
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!enabled) return;
+    let active = true;
+    rpc.media
+      .capabilities({})
+      .then((value) => {
+        if (active) setCapabilities(value);
+      })
+      .catch(() => undefined);
+    return () => {
+      active = false;
+    };
+  }, [enabled]);
+  return capabilities;
+}
+
+/** Media Studio entry points stay hidden unless the deployment configured it. */
+export function useMediaStudioAvailable(enabled = true): boolean {
+  return useMediaCapabilities(enabled)?.configured === true;
+}
+
+export function rpcErrorMessage(error: unknown, fallback: string): string {
+  if (error && typeof error === "object" && "message" in error) {
+    const message = String((error as { message: unknown }).message);
+    if (message && !/^(Internal|Bad Request|Precondition)/i.test(message)) return message;
+  }
+  return fallback;
+}