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USB Server Mode - How to connect external USB Library to the BluOS Players?

Updated

With BluOS 4.0 – we have launched a NEW feature called Server Mode. BluOS now interacts with USB external drives more efficiently, simplifying music location and sharing among other Players in the BluOS System, as the USB drive is now integrated into the local Library.

All BluOS Players are equipped with a USB port, enabling you to connect an external USB music library and access it conveniently through the BluOS Controller app.

To make your USB library accessible in the BluOS Controller app, plug the USB drive (in NTFS or FAT32 file format) into the USB port at the back of the BluOS Player and follow the onscreen prompts on the BluOS Controller app.

USB Library - (Share USB drive with other players on this network?)

Note: After the connection, the player's Status Indicator LED turns white, indicating that it is indexing the connected library. Depending on the size of your music library, the indexing process may take some time to complete. The indexing process is complete when the Status Indicator LED returns to solid Blue.

USB Server mode Enabled

Android/iOS - USB Server mode Enabled

  1. Launch the BluOS Controller app.
  2. Insert the USB drive into the required BluOS Player.
  3. Navigate to the Players tab 001_Playerstab_button.png and select the Player with the USB drive connection.
  4. The Share USB drive.... - Player Notification pops up. Tap Yes.
  5. The Reindex in progress - Player Notification pops up. Tap OK.
  6. Navigate to Music tab Musictab_icon.png; tap Library under the Music Services section.
  7. Tap Folders.
  8. Select the USB drive folder: 
    //Player Name/Music
    where Player Name is the name of the USB-connected Player. 
  9. Select the required track from the USB drive - local Library Folder to start playback.

070_USB Server mode Enable_Android.gif

Windows/macOS - USB Server mode Enabled

  1. Launch the BluOS Controller app.
  2. Insert the USB drive into the required BluOS Player.
  3. Select the Player with the USB drive connection from the Player Drawer.
  4. The Share USB drive.... - Player Notification pops up. Click Yes.
  5. The Reindex in progress - Player Notification pops up. Click OK.
  6. Under the left Navigation Drawer, select Library.
  7. Click Folders.
  8. Select the USB drive folder: 
    //Player Name/Music
    where Player Name is the name of the USB-connected Player. 
  9. Select the required track from the USB drive - local Library Folder to start playback.

USB Server mode Disabled

Android/iOS - USB Server mode Disabled

  1. Launch the BluOS Controller app.
  2. Insert the USB drive into the required BluOS Player.
  3. Navigate to the Players tab 001_Playerstab_button.png and select the Player with the USB drive connection.
  4. The Share USB drive.... - Player Notification pops up. Tap No.
  5. The USB device inserted - Player Notification pops up. Tap OK.
  6. Navigate to Music tab Musictab_icon.png; tap USB under the Music Services section.
  7. Select the required track from the USB drive to start playback.

071_USB Server mode Disable_Android.gif

Windows/macOS - USB Server mode Disabled

  1. Launch the BluOS Controller app.
  2. Insert the USB drive into the required BluOS Player.
  3. Select the Player with the USB drive connection from the Player Drawer.
  4. The Share USB drive.... - Player Notification pops up. Click No.
  5. The USB device inserted - Player Notification pops up. Click OK.
  6. Under the left Navigation Drawer, select USB.
  7. Select the required track from the USB drive to start playback.

Manually Disable USB Server Mode (Alternative method)

To manually disable the USB Server Mode in the BluOS Controller app later, perform the following steps:

Android/iOS - Manually Disable USB Server Mode (Alternative method)

  1. Launch the BluOS Controller app.
  2. Remove the USB drive from the required BluOS Player.
  3. Navigate to the Players tab 001_Playerstab_button.png and choose the required Player selected in Step 2.
  4. Navigate to the Home tab 006_Hometab_button.png > Settings button 007_Settings_button.png > Music library.
  5. Toggle to disable - Enable Server Mode option.
  6. Tap the left-arrow button in the upper-left corner and select Diagnostics > Reboot > Yes to restart the Player.
  7. When the Player completes rebooting (the Status Indicator turns solid Blue), insert the USB drive.
  8. The Share USB drive.... - Player Notification pops up. Tap No.
  9. The USB device inserted - Player Notification pops up. Tap OK.
  10. Navigate to the Music tab Musictab_icon.png; tap USB under the Music Services section.
  11. Select the required track from the USB drive to start playback.

Now, the USB is configured on the Player without Server Mode.

072_USB Server mode Settings_Android.gif

Windows/iOS - Manually Disable USB Server Mode (Alternative method)

  1. Launch the BluOS Controller app.
  2. Remove the USB drive from the required BluOS Player.
  3. Choose the Player selected in Step 2 from the Player Drawer.
  4. Under the left Navigation Drawer, select Settings > Music library.
  5. Toggle to disable - Enable Server Mode option.
  6. Under the left Navigation Drawer, select Help > Diagnostics > Reboot > Yes to restart the Player.
  7. When the Player completes rebooting (the Status Indicator turns solid Blue), insert the USB drive.
  8. The Share USB drive.... - Player Notification pops up. Click No.
  9. The USB device inserted - Player Notification pops up.
  10. Under the left Navigation Drawer, select USB.
  11. Select the required track from the USB drive to start playback.

Now, the USB drive is configured on the Player without Server Mode.

Manually Enable USB Server Mode (Alternative method)

To manually enable the USB Server Mode in the BluOS Controller app later, perform the following steps:

Android/iOS - Manually Enable USB Server Mode (Alternative method)

  1. Launch the BluOS Controller app.
  2. Remove the USB drive from the required BluOS Player.
  3. Navigate to the Players tab 001_Playerstab_button.png and choose the required Player selected in Step 2.
  4. Navigate to the Home tab 006_Hometab_button.png > Settings button 007_Settings_button.png > Music library.
  5. Toggle to enable - Enable Server Mode option.
  6. Tap the left-arrow button in the upper-left corner and select Diagnostics > Reboot > Yes to restart the Player.
  7. When the Player completes rebooting (the Status Indicator turns solid Blue), insert the USB drive.
  8. The Share USB drive.... - Player Notification pops up. Tap Yes.
  9. The Reindex in progress - Player Notification pops up. Tap OK.
  10. Navigate to Music tab Musictab_icon.png; tap Library under the Music Services section.
  11. Tap Folders.
  12. Select the USB drive folder: 
    //Player Name/Music
    where Player Name is the name of the USB-connected Player. 
  13. Select the required track from the USB drive - local Library Folder to start playback.

Now, the USB is configured on the Player with Server Mode.

072_USB Server mode Settings_Android.gif

Windows/macOS - Manually Enable USB Server Mode (Alternative method)

  1. Launch the BluOS Controller app.
  2. Remove the USB drive from the required BluOS Player.
  3. Choose the Player selected in Step 2 from the Player Drawer.
  4. Under the left Navigation Drawer, select Settings > Music library.
  5. Toggle to enable - Enable Server Mode option.
  6. Under the left Navigation Drawer, select Help > Diagnostics > Reboot > Yes to restart the Player.
  7. When the Player completes rebooting (the Status Indicator turns solid Blue), insert the USB drive.
  8. The Share USB drive.... - Player Notification pops up. Click Yes.
  9. The Reindex in progress - Player Notification pops up. Click OK.
  10. Under the left Navigation Drawer, select Library.
  11. Click Folders.
  12. Select the USB drive folder: 
    //Player Name/Music
    where Player Name is the name of the USB-connected Player. 
  13. Select the required track from the USB drive - local Library Folder to start playback.

Now, the USB drive is configured on the Player with Server Mode.

Network Share

If you anticipate making frequent updates to your connected USB library, it is recommended to configure the library as a NAS drive and connect it to your BluOS Players as a Network Share. This setup will provide more flexibility and convenience for managing and accessing your library through the BluOS Players. For more information regarding network sharing, refer to our Help Center article.

Note: The USB port on the BluOS-enabled Monitor Audio Players shuts down during Standby mode due to hardware configuration. Every time the Player resumes from Standby mode (with a USB drive plugged in), the BluOS Controller App prompts - "Share USB drive with other players on this network?".

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