diff --git a/assets/js/main.js b/assets/js/main.js
index ff06f46..3e203f2 100644
--- a/assets/js/main.js
+++ b/assets/js/main.js
@@ -224,23 +224,25 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
                         const videoPlayer = document.getElementById('adsVideoPlayer');
                         if (videoPlayer) videoPlayer.volume = 0.1;
                         
+                        const text = locale === 'ar' ? (latest.dataset.announcementAr || '') : (latest.dataset.announcementEn || '');
+                        let audioObj = null;
+                        if (text) {
+                            const tl = locale === 'ar' ? 'ar' : 'en';
+                            const gTtsUrl = 'https://translate.google.com/translate_tts?ie=UTF-8&client=tw-ob&tl=' + tl + '&q=' + encodeURIComponent(text);
+                            audioObj = new Audio(gTtsUrl);
+                            audioObj.preload = 'auto'; // Force browser to start downloading
+                        }
+                        
                         playChime();
                         
                         setTimeout(() => {
-                            const text = locale === 'ar' ? (latest.dataset.announcementAr || '') : (latest.dataset.announcementEn || '');
-                            if (text) {
-                                // Use Google Translate TTS (outside high-quality voice API)
-                                const tl = locale === 'ar' ? 'ar' : 'en';
-                                const gTtsUrl = 'https://translate.google.com/translate_tts?ie=UTF-8&client=tw-ob&tl=' + tl + '&q=' + encodeURIComponent(text);
-                                
-                                const audio = new Audio(gTtsUrl);
-                                audio.onended = () => { if (videoPlayer) videoPlayer.volume = 1.0; };
+                            if (audioObj) {
+                                audioObj.onended = () => { if (videoPlayer) videoPlayer.volume = 1.0; };
                                 
                                 let fallbackPlayed = false;
                                 const handleFallback = (err) => { 
                                     if (fallbackPlayed) return;
                                     fallbackPlayed = true;
-                                    // Fallback to built-in if external TTS fails
                                     console.warn("External TTS failed, falling back to built-in speech", err);
                                     if ('speechSynthesis' in window) {
                                         const utterance = new SpeechSynthesisUtterance(text);
@@ -263,17 +265,16 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
                                         if (videoPlayer) videoPlayer.volume = 1.0;
                                     }
                                 };
-                                audio.onerror = handleFallback;
+                                audioObj.onerror = handleFallback;
                                 
-                                // Attempt to play external audio
-                                const playPromise = audio.play();
+                                const playPromise = audioObj.play();
                                 if (playPromise !== undefined) {
                                     playPromise.catch(handleFallback);
                                 }
                             } else {
                                 if (videoPlayer) videoPlayer.volume = 1.0;
                             }
-                        }, 1200); // play voice after chime finishes
+                        }, 500); // reduced timeout from 1200ms to 500ms for faster playback
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/display.php b/display.php
index 0ca23d1..81bc452 100644
--- a/display.php
+++ b/display.php
@@ -39,18 +39,18 @@ qh_page_start(
     padding-bottom: 0 !important;
   }
   @keyframes highlightPulse {
-    0% { transform: scale(1); box-shadow: var(--shadow); border: 2px solid transparent; }
-    50% { transform: scale(1.05); box-shadow: 0 0 30px rgba(15, 139, 141, 0.6); border: 2px solid var(--accent-strong); }
-    100% { transform: scale(1); box-shadow: var(--shadow); border: 2px solid transparent; }
+    0% { transform: scale(1); box-shadow: var(--shadow); border: 2px solid transparent; background-color: #ffffff !important; }
+    50% { transform: scale(1.05); box-shadow: 0 0 30px rgba(15, 139, 141, 0.6); border: 2px solid var(--accent-strong); background-color: var(--accent-soft) !important; }
+    100% { transform: scale(1); box-shadow: var(--shadow); border: 2px solid transparent; background-color: #ffffff !important; }
   }
   .blinking-ticket {
     animation: highlightPulse 1.5s ease-in-out infinite;
     z-index: 10;
     position: relative;
-    background-color: #fff !important;
+    /* removed */ 
   }
 </style>
-<div class="container-fluid px-0 px-lg-0 py-0 m-0" data-auto-refresh="5" style="min-height: 100vh; display: flex; flex-direction: column; ">
+<div class="container-fluid px-0 px-lg-0 py-0 m-0" data-auto-refresh="3" style="min-height: 100vh; display: flex; flex-direction: column; ">
   <!-- Top Header for Display Board -->
   <header class="d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center bg-white py-2 px-3 shadow-sm border-0">
     <div class="d-flex align-items-center gap-3">