diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 967cc82..fdce0cb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ Edit `config.yaml` (autosave goes to `config.autosave.yaml`).
 - `surveillance.analysis_fft_size` — analysis FFT size used by the surveillance layer
 - `surveillance.frame_rate` — surveillance cadence target
 - `surveillance.strategy` — currently `single-resolution`, reserved for future multi-resolution modes
+- `surveillance.display_bins` — preferred presentation density for clients/UI
+- `surveillance.display_fps` — preferred presentation cadence for clients/UI
 - `refinement.enabled` — enables explicit candidate refinement stage
 - `refinement.max_concurrent` — refinement budget hint
 - `refinement.min_candidate_snr_db` — floor for future scheduling decisions
diff --git a/cmd/sdrd/surveillance_test.go b/cmd/sdrd/surveillance_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..14094c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/sdrd/surveillance_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"sdr-wideband-suite/internal/config"
+)
+
+func TestSurveillanceDisplayDefaults(t *testing.T) {
+	cfg := config.Default()
+	if cfg.Surveillance.DisplayBins != cfg.FFTSize {
+		t.Fatalf("expected display bins to default to fft size, got %d vs %d", cfg.Surveillance.DisplayBins, cfg.FFTSize)
+	}
+	if cfg.Surveillance.DisplayFPS != cfg.FrameRate {
+		t.Fatalf("expected display fps to default to frame rate, got %d vs %d", cfg.Surveillance.DisplayFPS, cfg.FrameRate)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/config.yaml b/config.yaml
index 7a881e6..b7d94aa 100644
--- a/config.yaml
+++ b/config.yaml
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ surveillance:
   analysis_fft_size: 2048
   frame_rate: 15
   strategy: single-resolution
+  display_bins: 2048
+  display_fps: 15
 refinement:
   enabled: true
   max_concurrent: 8
diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index e321a5e..9af7a1b 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -89,6 +89,8 @@ type SurveillanceConfig struct {
 	AnalysisFFTSize int    `yaml:"analysis_fft_size" json:"analysis_fft_size"`
 	FrameRate       int    `yaml:"frame_rate" json:"frame_rate"`
 	Strategy        string `yaml:"strategy" json:"strategy"`
+	DisplayBins     int    `yaml:"display_bins" json:"display_bins"`
+	DisplayFPS      int    `yaml:"display_fps" json:"display_fps"`
 }
 
 type RefinementConfig struct {
@@ -164,6 +166,8 @@ func Default() Config {
 			AnalysisFFTSize: 2048,
 			FrameRate:       15,
 			Strategy:        "single-resolution",
+			DisplayBins:     2048,
+			DisplayFPS:      15,
 		},
 		Refinement: RefinementConfig{
 			Enabled:           true,
@@ -330,6 +334,12 @@ func applyDefaults(cfg Config) Config {
 	if cfg.Surveillance.Strategy == "" {
 		cfg.Surveillance.Strategy = "single-resolution"
 	}
+	if cfg.Surveillance.DisplayBins <= 0 {
+		cfg.Surveillance.DisplayBins = cfg.FFTSize
+	}
+	if cfg.Surveillance.DisplayFPS <= 0 {
+		cfg.Surveillance.DisplayFPS = cfg.FrameRate
+	}
 	if !cfg.Refinement.Enabled {
 		// keep explicit false if user disabled it; enable by default only when unset-like zero config
 		if cfg.Refinement.MaxConcurrent == 0 && cfg.Refinement.MinCandidateSNRDb == 0 {
diff --git a/internal/pipeline/policy.go b/internal/pipeline/policy.go
index 127a9c0..e1c2f6a 100644
--- a/internal/pipeline/policy.go
+++ b/internal/pipeline/policy.go
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ type Policy struct {
 	AutoDecodeClasses   []string `json:"auto_decode_classes,omitempty"`
 	SurveillanceFFTSize int      `json:"surveillance_fft_size"`
 	SurveillanceFPS     int      `json:"surveillance_fps"`
+	DisplayBins         int      `json:"display_bins"`
+	DisplayFPS          int      `json:"display_fps"`
 	RefinementEnabled   bool     `json:"refinement_enabled"`
 	MaxRefinementJobs   int      `json:"max_refinement_jobs"`
 	MinCandidateSNRDb   float64  `json:"min_candidate_snr_db"`
@@ -31,6 +33,8 @@ func PolicyFromConfig(cfg config.Config) Policy {
 		AutoDecodeClasses:   append([]string(nil), cfg.Pipeline.Goals.AutoDecodeClasses...),
 		SurveillanceFFTSize: cfg.Surveillance.AnalysisFFTSize,
 		SurveillanceFPS:     cfg.Surveillance.FrameRate,
+		DisplayBins:         cfg.Surveillance.DisplayBins,
+		DisplayFPS:          cfg.Surveillance.DisplayFPS,
 		RefinementEnabled:   cfg.Refinement.Enabled,
 		MaxRefinementJobs:   cfg.Resources.MaxRefinementJobs,
 		MinCandidateSNRDb:   cfg.Refinement.MinCandidateSNRDb,
diff --git a/internal/pipeline/policy_test.go b/internal/pipeline/policy_test.go
index ad7d21f..629525b 100644
--- a/internal/pipeline/policy_test.go
+++ b/internal/pipeline/policy_test.go
@@ -36,12 +36,14 @@ func TestPolicyFromConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	cfg.Pipeline.Goals.SignalPriorities = []string{"broadcast-fm", "rds"}
 	cfg.Surveillance.AnalysisFFTSize = 8192
 	cfg.Surveillance.FrameRate = 9
+	cfg.Surveillance.DisplayBins = 1200
+	cfg.Surveillance.DisplayFPS = 6
 	cfg.Refinement.Enabled = true
 	cfg.Resources.MaxRefinementJobs = 5
 	cfg.Refinement.MinCandidateSNRDb = 2.5
 	cfg.Resources.PreferGPU = true
 	p := PolicyFromConfig(cfg)
-	if p.Mode != "archive" || p.Intent != "archive-and-triage" || p.SurveillanceFFTSize != 8192 || p.SurveillanceFPS != 9 {
+	if p.Mode != "archive" || p.Intent != "archive-and-triage" || p.SurveillanceFFTSize != 8192 || p.SurveillanceFPS != 9 || p.DisplayBins != 1200 || p.DisplayFPS != 6 {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected policy: %+v", p)
 	}
 	if p.MonitorSpanHz != 20e6 || len(p.SignalPriorities) != 2 {
diff --git a/internal/runtime/runtime.go b/internal/runtime/runtime.go
index 8af9d9e..8115652 100644
--- a/internal/runtime/runtime.go
+++ b/internal/runtime/runtime.go
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ type SurveillanceUpdate struct {
 	AnalysisFFTSize *int    `json:"analysis_fft_size"`
 	FrameRate       *int    `json:"frame_rate"`
 	Strategy        *string `json:"strategy"`
+	DisplayBins     *int    `json:"display_bins"`
+	DisplayFPS      *int    `json:"display_fps"`
 }
 
 type RefinementUpdate struct {
@@ -187,6 +189,20 @@ func (m *Manager) ApplyConfig(update ConfigUpdate) (config.Config, error) {
 		if update.Surveillance.Strategy != nil {
 			next.Surveillance.Strategy = *update.Surveillance.Strategy
 		}
+		if update.Surveillance.DisplayBins != nil {
+			v := *update.Surveillance.DisplayBins
+			if v <= 0 {
+				return m.cfg, errors.New("surveillance.display_bins must be > 0")
+			}
+			next.Surveillance.DisplayBins = v
+		}
+		if update.Surveillance.DisplayFPS != nil {
+			v := *update.Surveillance.DisplayFPS
+			if v <= 0 {
+				return m.cfg, errors.New("surveillance.display_fps must be > 0")
+			}
+			next.Surveillance.DisplayFPS = v
+		}
 	}
 	if update.Refinement != nil {
 		if update.Refinement.Enabled != nil {
diff --git a/internal/runtime/runtime_test.go b/internal/runtime/runtime_test.go
index 4660d22..365b98f 100644
--- a/internal/runtime/runtime_test.go
+++ b/internal/runtime/runtime_test.go
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ func TestApplyConfigUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 	mode := "wideband-balanced"
 	profile := "wideband-balanced"
 	survFPS := 12
+	displayBins := 1024
+	displayFPS := 8
 	maxRefJobs := 24
 	updated, err := mgr.ApplyConfig(ConfigUpdate{
 		CenterHz:   &center,
@@ -32,7 +34,7 @@ func TestApplyConfigUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 		FFTSize:    &fftSize,
 		TunerBwKHz: &bw,
 		Pipeline:   &PipelineUpdate{Mode: &mode, Profile: &profile},
-		Surveillance: &SurveillanceUpdate{FrameRate: &survFPS},
+		Surveillance: &SurveillanceUpdate{FrameRate: &survFPS, DisplayBins: &displayBins, DisplayFPS: &displayFPS},
 		Resources: &ResourcesUpdate{MaxRefinementJobs: &maxRefJobs},
 		Detector: &DetectorUpdate{
 			ThresholdDb:    &threshold,
@@ -92,6 +94,9 @@ func TestApplyConfigUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 	if updated.Resources.MaxRefinementJobs != maxRefJobs {
 		t.Fatalf("max refinement jobs: %v", updated.Resources.MaxRefinementJobs)
 	}
+	if updated.Surveillance.DisplayBins != displayBins || updated.Surveillance.DisplayFPS != displayFPS {
+		t.Fatalf("display settings not applied: bins=%d fps=%d", updated.Surveillance.DisplayBins, updated.Surveillance.DisplayFPS)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestApplyConfigRejectsInvalid(t *testing.T) {