Troubleshoot playback and sessions

Start with the visible symptom and the activity using the room. Media library checks the content, Live control shows playback, Games and experiences have their own session controls, and Room contains output configuration and support tools.

What should you check first?

Check the current activity, its exact status message and whether the problem affects the Mac preview, the room output or both. These observations separate a file problem from an output, audio or session-control problem.

1. Note the title of the selected content and the title currently playing. Preparing another item can leave the existing room activity running.
2. Read any attention message in the active workspace and Room status.
3. Check that content drives and required devices are connected.
4. Use the checks below for the affected part of the session.
5. After a change, repeat the same short operation and compare the result.

Have one familiar, playable clip available for comparison. If it works while another file fails, investigate the affected file before changing the room configuration. The first-steps guide describes preparing a short video.

Why is the room dark when the preview works?

A prepared preview is separate from room playback. Check that the content has been started in the room, the room-output switch is enabled and the intended display is connected and selected.

1. Open Live control and compare Selected content with Room output.
2. If the file is ready and the room is available, choose Start in room or Replace room playback.
3. Check the room-output switch. Its label follows the room type, such as Dome output or Room output.
4. Open Video output, check the selected display and refresh the display list if you have reconnected equipment.
5. If the app reports an occupied output, return to the active experience or game and end it with its own controls.

Turning room output off hides projection while video, audio and scheduling continue. Re-enabling it can therefore reveal content at a later position. Use transport controls to pause or stop the content itself.

When an image reaches the room but has the wrong shape, check its source format and the projection configuration. For a visible seam, follow the dedicated edge-blending and black-level guides.

Why is a file listed but unavailable or unplayable?

A library entry can remain visible after its file becomes inaccessible. A readable file can also contain an encoding that the Mac cannot play. Check access first, then wait for the preview result.

1. Reconnect the content drive and open Settings → Contents.
2. Confirm the active folder and use Open to inspect it in Finder.
3. Use Rescan, or Refresh content in Media library, after changes outside the app.
4. Select the file and wait for the preview to become ready or show an error.
5. Compare it with your familiar clip. If needed, import a playable export of the affected media.

For a playlist, check every video and its background soundtrack. Its first preview covers the first video; a ready preview does not establish that later files remain available. Moving files or selecting another content folder can also leave saved playlist and schedule references pointing at their previous locations.

Why is there no sound, or why does music continue after pausing?

Video sound and background audio have separate mixer controls. Pausing a loaded video can leave background audio playing; the background channel has its own play/pause control.

Open Audio mixer in Live control and check:

• The video and background track names match your intended content.
• Both channel volumes and mute states are appropriate.
• Video audio disabled by the playlist means the playlist selected background music only.
• The background channel is playing and has a track selected.
• An experience managing audio must be operated through that experience’s controls.

The prepared preview starts muted, so preview silence alone does not indicate a fault in room audio. In Room, check the selected audio interface and connected speakers. If the device is unavailable, reconnect it or select the intended connected output. Speaker tests emit sound; prepare the room before using them.

For media playback, Stop ends the video and background audio. Use it when ending that playback is the intended action.

Why has the schedule not resumed?

Manual videos use a timed override, while a manually launched experience keeps scheduling suspended until the operator explicitly returns. Stopping the current scheduled occurrence also keeps it stopped until an explicit resume or a later occurrence starts.

1. In Live control, read the current playback state.
2. Finish or stop any manually running experience using its session controls.
3. Choose More controls → Return to schedule. The programming status area can also offer Resume schedule.
4. Check the slot due at the current time, its days, time zone and available source files.
5. If no slot is due, check the configured waiting video.

Settings → General → Override duration applies to manually started videos and video playlists. Starting background audio alone does not start that timer. Returning to the schedule selects what is due now, so the resumed content may differ from what was playing before the intervention.

Saving or editing a slot immediately checks the schedule. A slot covering the current time can start when scheduling has control. Use a future interval while preparing a later session. See the scheduling guide for recurring days and overlaps.

Why is a game unavailable or its join code missing?

The game’s status identifies installation, access and preparation requirements. Phone joining also needs a working local service or an available CloudPlay connection for that title.

Open Games, refresh the catalogue and read the selected title’s status. Playback support needs an update points to missing support in the installed TholusOS version. Release in preparation means the listed release is not yet available. Use Details and the offered recovery action for preparation problems.

For local phone participation, connect phones to the room network and start the local server. Check phone connections opens the relevant controls. Where CloudPlay is offered, check its reported connection status and use the code for the current session.

If the output remains occupied after a round, check for Close game: Stop game can leave the game software open for another round. Follow the game-session guide for preparation and handover controls.

How do you prepare a useful support report?

Record the operation, exact message, expected result and observed result. Room → Support provides a summary-copy action and Export bundle to save a ZIP file locally for support.

Include the app version, affected file or game, whether the problem occurs in preview or room output, and whether another known-good file works. For scheduled content, include the slot and the time at which the problem occurred.

Choose Export bundle, select a save location and wait for the export result. Review the summary and any material you intend to share: operational information can include the venue, licence profile, app version and network addresses. Keep passwords, access tokens and private classroom content out of additional notes or screenshots.

Saving the bundle creates a local file. Share it through the support channel agreed for your installation, together with the short reproduction steps and the changes you already checked.