FOH Music Player User Guide

FOH Music Player User Guide

Welcome to the User Guide for the Biltmore Church FOH Music Player
This user guide was designed for App Version 26.9 // 1.12 and OS Version 40.1 Features and descriptions may vary for older versions.

You can get to this doc anytime at:  https://go.biltmoreproduction.com/fohmusic-docs 



Important Policy Considerations

We want to keep Biltmore Church above reproach in every area of our operations. This includes how we handle the music played on our campuses. Personal streaming accounts like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music, etc are strictly licensed for individual, private use only. Using these platforms in a public or professional space violates federal copyright law and the terms of service we agree to when we sign up. As our reach and public profile continue to grow, it is vital that we lead with integrity and avoid the legal risks that come with unauthorized public performances.
To protect the church and respect the artists who create this work, these personal services are not to be used within the property lines of any Biltmore Church campus. We provide specific, legally cleared playback systems for every space to ensure we are doing things the right way. All staff, volunteers, and any outside guests should stick to church-approved audio sources for any music heard on site. If you have any questions regarding these standards or need assistance with approved playback options, please reach out to your Executive Pastor or a member of the Central Production Staff.
Don't guess! If you are unsure if the content you are playing is licensed correctly reach out to Central Production Staff for help.




Quick Start: Play a Track

    On the Home screen, select a category.
    Select the track you want to play.
    If the track is already downloaded, playback starts immediately.
    If the track is not downloaded, the FOH Music app downloads it first and starts playback automatically when it is ready.
A check mark beside a track means that track is stored on the unit. The Player screen also shows "Ready for offline playback" when the selected track is stored locally.
To choose another track from the same category, use the Other Tracks list on the right side of the Player screen or click the home button.
Selecting Back or Home from the Player screen stops playback. It also cancels a download that was started by selecting an individual track.


Playback Controls

The Player screen contains these controls:
Play/PauseSelect the large center button to pause or resume the current track.
Back 15 SecondsSelect the left circular-arrow button marked 15.
Forward 15 SecondsSelect the right circular-arrow button marked 15.
Playback PositionDrag the position bar to move directly to another point in the track. The elapsed time appears on the left and total duration on the right.
Other TracksSelect another title from the list on the right to begin that track.
BackStops playback and returns to the current category's track list.
HomeStops playback and returns to the category selection screen.


Home Screen and Status Messages

The Home screen shows the current time and date, available categories, and the Clear & Refresh button.
Possible status messages include:
Track Updates AvailableA changed playlist is ready. Playback continues using the current list until Clear & Refresh is confirmed.
License Verification OfflineThe unit cannot currently reach the license server but is operating in its allowed offline period. Reconnect the unit before the displayed number of days expires.
Unable to Refresh PlaylistsFOH Music could not retrieve the current playlist. Check the network in Service Mode and try again.
Downloading All TracksShows the current track, percentage, and downloaded data. Select Cancel to stop the batch download.
Some Tracks Could Not Be DownloadedSelect Retry after checking the network connection.


FOH Music Toolbox

The Toolbox provides quick access to common actions.
To open it:
    Return to the Home screen.
    Select the church logo on the left side of the screen.
The Toolbox contains:
Restart FOH MusicCloses and relaunches only the player window. The unit remains powered on. Playback stops.
RebootRestarts the entire FOH Music unit.
Download All TracksStores every available track for offline playback.
Enter Service ModeOpens network, sound, display, storage, license, diagnostic, and power controls.
Select the X in the upper-right corner to close the Toolbox without taking an action.


Battery Status (If So Equipped)

    From the Home screen, select the church logo to open the Toolbox.
    Battery percentage appears at the top of the Toolbox.
    A charging symbol and the words "Battery charging" appear while the unit is charging.
The battery panel is shown only when the unit has a built-in battery that the operating system can detect. It does not report batteries in accessories such as wireless mice or keyboards. If no battery panel appears, the unit either has no built-in battery or does not expose battery information.


Download All Tracks

Downloading all tracks prepares the complete current catalog for offline use. An internet connection is required until the download finishes.
From the main application:
    Go to the Home screen.
    Select the church logo to open the Toolbox.
    Select Download All Tracks.
    Review the confirmation and select Download.

Starting Download All Tracks stops current playback. Progress appears on the Home screen. You may continue to watch the percentage and data totals, select Cancel to stop, or select Retry if one or more downloads fail.
Tracks already stored on the unit do not need to be downloaded again. A check mark beside a track and "Ready for offline playback" on the Player screen indicate that the track is available locally.


Clear & Refresh

Clear & Refresh is used to activate the latest playlist and obtain clean copies of its tracks.
Clear & Refresh stops playback, cancels active downloads, and removes all tracks currently downloaded to the unit.Tracks must be downloaded again before they are available offline.
From the Home screen:
    Select Clear & Refresh.
    Review the confirmation message.
    Select Clear & Refresh again to continue, or Cancel to leave everything unchanged.
The same action is available under Service Mode > Tracks and Storage.
Use Clear & Refresh when:
  • The Home screen says Track Updates Available.
  • A playlist or track has been replaced at the source.
  • Downloaded track files need to be cleared and downloaded again.
After refreshing, use Download All Tracks if the complete playlist needs to remain available without a network connection.


Restart the App, Reboot the Unit, or Shut Down

These actions are different:
Restart FOH Music (Toolbox)Stops playback and closes and relaunches the player window only. Use this if the window or controls are not behaving normally. The unit remains on.
Restart App (Service Mode > Diagnostics)Restarts the local FOH Music application service and reconnects the player. Use this if information is not updating or the app reports that its files do not match the running service.
Reboot (Toolbox or Service Mode > Power)Restarts the entire FOH Music unit. Save or finish any work first. Review the confirmation and select Reboot.
Shut Down (Service Mode > Power)Safely powers off the entire unit. Review the confirmation and select Shut Down. Use this command instead of disconnecting power whenever possible.


Enter and Exit Service Mode

Contact Central Production Staff before doing anything inside service mode.Normal operation of the player does not require entering service mode.
To enter Service Mode:
    Return to the Home screen.
    Select the church logo to open the Toolbox.
    Select Enter Service Mode.
    Enter the authorized four-digit service code on the keypad.
The code is submitted automatically after the fourth digit. Use the backspace key to remove one digit or Clear to erase the entire entry.
To leave Service Mode:
  • Before signing in, select Return to FOH Music.
  • After signing in, select Exit Service Mode in the upper-right corner.
For security, Service Mode signs out and returns to FOH Music after five minutes without operator activity.


Service Mode: Network

The summary at the top shows whether the unit is connected. The Network card shows the connection type, interface, connection name, hostname, IP address, gateway, DNS servers, link speed, hardware address, and MTU when available.
To connect to Wi-Fi:
    Select Scan for Wi-Fi Networks.
    Select the desired network from the results. The current network has a check mark.
    Enter the Wi-Fi password if required.
    Select Connect.
The Wi-Fi password is visible while it is typed. Ethernet and previously saved Wi-Fi connections continue to connect automatically when available.


Service Mode: Sound

To choose the sound output:
    Open the Sound Output list.
    Select the desired speaker, audio interface, HDMI device, or other output.
    Select Use Selected Output.
    Select Play Test Sound and confirm that the sound comes from the correct destination.
Use the Maximum Volume slider to set the output level from 0% to 100%. The selected output and volume setting are saved and restored when FOH Music starts again.
If the Sound card says the audio service is still starting, wait a few seconds and try again. If a previously selected output was disconnected, choose an available output before attempting playback.


Service Mode: Display

Display Brightness:
  • Move the slider between 10% and 100%.
  • This control is available only when the built-in display exposes an adjustable backlight.
  • If the control is unavailable, Service Mode displays the reason below it.
Interface Scale:
  • Select 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%, 125%, or 150%.
  • Lower values fit more information on screen.
  • Higher values make application controls and text larger.
  • The setting applies to both the player and Service Mode and is remembered.


Service Mode: Tracks, Storage, License, and Diagnostics

Tracks and Storage:
  • Downloaded Tracks shows how much space local tracks use.
  • Free Space shows the storage still available on the unit.
  • Download Status and Download Error show current download information.
  • Download All Tracks stores the complete catalog for offline playback.
  • Clear & Refresh removes downloaded tracks and activates the latest list.
License:
  • Status shows Licensed, Offline Grace, or Locked.
  • Last Validation shows when online validation last succeeded.
  • Select Check License Now to request an immediate check.
If the main application is waiting on a license check, it may also show a Check Again button. Confirm the date/time and network connection before trying again.
Diagnostics:
  • Displays the software version, build, platform, time zone, and diagnostic status.
  • Select Export Logs to USB to create a diagnostic text file for support.
  • Insert and allow a writable USB drive to appear before selecting Export Logs to USB. The exported filename begins with "FOH-Music-Diagnostics-" followed by the date and time.
  • Select Restart App to restart the local FOH Music application service. The app will reconnect and return to the main screen after the restart.


Service Mode: Exit to the Desktop

To close the full-screen player and use the desktop:
    Enter Service Mode.
    Find GNOME Desktop.
    Select Exit to GNOME Desktop.
    Review the confirmation and select Exit to Desktop.
This stops playback, cancels active downloads, and closes the FOH Music Player window. It does not shut down the unit.
To reopen FOH Music, select FOH Music from the desktop application menu or its dock icon. The player normally opens automatically when the FOH Music user session begins.


Common Problem

The License Screen Does Not Open the Player

  • Confirm the unit's date and time are correct.
  • Open Service Mode and check the Network summary.
  • Select Check License Now, or use Check Again on the license screen.
  • If Offline Grace is displayed, reconnect before the remaining days expire.
Contact Central Production team for more help


A Track Does Not Start

  • A track that is not stored locally must finish downloading first.
  • Check for a download error on the Player or Home screen.
  • In Service Mode > Sound, select an available output and play the test sound.
  • Confirm that the Maximum Volume control is above 0%.


Download All Tracks Stops or Reports an Error

  • Check Service Mode > Network.
  • Confirm enough Free Space is available under Service Mode > Tracks and Storage.
  • Return to the Home screen and select Retry.


The Battery Status Is Missing

  • Battery status appears only in the Toolbox and only for a detected built-in battery. It is intentionally hidden on units without one.


The Brightness Slider Is Unavailable

  • The connected display does not provide an application-adjustable built-in backlight. This does not indicate a player failure.


The Interface Is Too Large or Too Small

  • Enter Service Mode and choose another Interface Scale under Display.


The App Is Frozen or Information Is Not Updating


  • First use Restart FOH Music in the Toolbox.
  • If the problem remains, use Service Mode > Diagnostics > Restart App.
  • If necessary, use Reboot to restart the entire unit.
If needed, contact the Central Production team for more help