diff --git a/cmd/mpv.go b/cmd/mpv.go
index 6797792..9612147 100644
--- a/cmd/mpv.go
+++ b/cmd/mpv.go
@@ -68,15 +68,35 @@ func (mpv *MPVPLayer) Stop() error {
 }
 
 func (mpv *MPVPLayer) VideoDuration() time.Duration {
-	mpv.RLock()
-	defer mpv.RUnlock()
+	mpv.Lock()
+	defer mpv.Unlock()
+
+	if mpv.c != nil {
+		data, _ := mpv.c.Get("duration")
+		if data != nil {
+			data_s := data.(float64)
+			if data_s != 0 {
+				mpv.videoDuration = time.Duration(data_s) * time.Second
+			}
+		}
+	}
 
 	return mpv.videoDuration
 }
 
 func (mpv *MPVPLayer) VideoPosition() time.Duration {
-	mpv.RLock()
-	defer mpv.RUnlock()
+	mpv.Lock()
+	defer mpv.Unlock()
+
+	if mpv.c != nil {
+		data, _ := mpv.c.Get("time-pos")
+		if data != nil {
+			data_s := data.(float64)
+			if data_s != 0 {
+				mpv.videoPosition = time.Duration(data_s) * time.Second
+			}
+		}
+	}
 
 	return mpv.videoPosition
 }
@@ -85,7 +105,18 @@ func (mpv *MPVPLayer) IsPlaying() bool {
 	mpv.Lock()
 	defer mpv.Unlock()
 
-	if mpv.c != nil && mpv.c.IsClosed() {
+	if mpv.c == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// closed
+	if mpv.c.IsClosed() {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// eof
+	data, _ := mpv.c.Get("eof-reached")
+	if data != nil && data.(bool) == true {
 		return false
 	}
 
@@ -102,25 +133,12 @@ func (mpv *MPVPLayer) ensurePlayer() error {
 
 	// TODO: cleanup this file
 	var err error
+	// mpv.f, err = os.Create(fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", os.TempDir(), "mpvminiflux")) # no such device or address, etc. errors
 	mpv.f, err = os.CreateTemp("", "mpvminiflux")
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// close and delete file
-	// defer func() {
-	// 	if mpv.f == nil {
-	// 		return
-	// 	}
-
-	// 	filename := mpv.f.Name()
-	// 	mpv.f.Close()
-	// 	os.Remove(filename)
-	// }()
-
-	// defer mpv.finishedVideo()
-
-	// ctx := context.TODO()
 	cmd := exec.Command(
 		"mpv",
 		"--keep-open=yes",
@@ -134,64 +152,20 @@ func (mpv *MPVPLayer) ensurePlayer() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
-	mpv.c = mpvipc.NewConnection(mpv.f.Name())
-	if err := mpv.c.Open(); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	// try 10 times to open connection
+	// return error otherwise
+	for i := 0; i < 10; i++ {
+		time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
 
-	// setup observe properties
-	events, _ := mpv.c.NewEventListener()
-	if _, err = mpv.c.Call("observe_property", 1, "duration"); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	if _, err = mpv.c.Call("observe_property", 2, "time-pos"); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	if _, err = mpv.c.Call("observe_property", 3, "eof-reached"); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// TODO: this will never close any old ones, so it will keep spawning new ones
-	go func() {
-		for event := range events {
-			if event.ID == 1 {
-				if event.Data != nil {
-					data := event.Data.(float64)
-
-					if data != 0 {
-						mpv.Lock()
-						mpv.videoDuration = time.Duration(data) * time.Second
-						mpv.Unlock()
-					}
-				}
-			} else if event.ID == 2 {
-				if event.Data != nil {
-					data := event.Data.(float64)
-
-					if data != 0 {
-						mpv.Lock()
-						mpv.videoPosition = time.Duration(data) * time.Second
-						mpv.Unlock()
-					}
-				}
-			} else if event.ID == 3 {
-				if event.Data != nil && event.Data.(bool) == true {
-					mpv.Lock()
-					mpv.isPlaying = false
-					mpv.Unlock()
-				}
-				// TODO: this might not fire once the media ends
-				// if event.Data != nil {
-				// 	if event.Data.(bool) == true {
-				// 		mpv.Lock()
-				// 		mpv.finishedVideo()
-				// 		mpv.Unlock()
-				// 	}
-				// }
-			}
+		mpv.c = mpvipc.NewConnection(mpv.f.Name())
+		err = mpv.c.Open()
+		if err == nil {
+			break
 		}
-	}()
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/cmd/player.go b/cmd/player.go
index 67117db..67a9809 100644
--- a/cmd/player.go
+++ b/cmd/player.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func (m *playerModel) Update(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 
 func (m *playerModel) View() string {
 	// return "NO DONT ASK"
-	return fmt.Sprintf("IsPlaying: %v, Pos: %v, Dur: %v, Per: %v", m.mpv.IsPlaying(), m.mpv.VideoPosition(), m.mpv.VideoDuration(), videoPercentageWatched(m.mpv.VideoPosition(), m.mpv.VideoDuration()))
+	// return fmt.Sprintf("IsPlaying: %v, Pos: %v, Dur: %v, Per: %v", m.mpv.IsPlaying(), m.mpv.VideoPosition(), m.mpv.VideoDuration(), videoPercentageWatched(m.mpv.VideoPosition(), m.mpv.VideoDuration()))
 
 	if m.mpv.IsPlaying() {
 		timePos := time.Time{}.Add(m.mpv.VideoPosition())