New enhancements to radio broadcast, partyline intercom solutions enhance quality and streamline configuration

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, April 2, 2013 — Barix comes to the 2013 show with new enhancements to its professional two-way IP audio solutions for broadcast radio and intercom, improving quality in sound and communications. Barix also continues to simplify system setup for customers, eliminating traditional IP configuration processes to have customers streaming audio within minutes.

The company will show its Partyline Intercom solution at the 2013 NAB Show, highlighting open-channel communications across multiple parties without audio interference — especially ideal in fast-paced video production environments. New enhancements eliminate the need to configure IP addresses and servers, stripping away the complexity often associated with multipoint IP audio system setup.

Barix will demonstrate how camera operators and other production personnel can use the compact Annuncicom PS1 on the move, utilizing a push-to-talk button with selectable audio channels to facilitate communications amongst directors and production personnel.

Radio Broadcast Solutions
Barix enhances its Exstreamer 500 bi-directional audio device at the 2013 NAB Show to improve audio quality and streaming flexibility. The device now supports both constant and variable bitrate, with the former added to simplify streaming to Shoutcast and Icecast servers – pertinent for extending how broadcasters incorporate Barix IP audio solutions for live streaming and syndicated program distribution. A new chip improves quality of the analog-to-digital conversion path to enhance professional broadcast sound.

The Exstreamer 500 is a multiprotocol encoder and decoder with balanced audio and professional I/O options for signal relay and control. In broadcast, it is ideal for STL and remote contribution applications. Broadcasters can simplify configuration using the Exstreamer 500 with the Barix Reflector Service, creating a complete streaming audio solution that replicates a received stream to an unlimited number of destinations through the public internet. The Reflector Service is based on a simple server-client architecture that removes IP address, server and other configuration hassles.

The start of the year is always busy at Barix, with trade shows and 1001 new ideas to work on! This year we had the added work of rebranding the company – no small task as we have grown in the last years!

Keeping track of industry developments and getting feedback from customers can be difficult in such circumstances, and in the last year we have turned increasingly to social media as a source of information and a place to give and get feedback.

This blog is one example, and for years we’ve offered support to the Barix community through our forums. Just over a year ago we set up the “BarixAG”- youtube channel, which contains a mix of Solutions ideas and practical howtos. Specialist groups on LinkedIn are also a great way to keep abreast of issues, and to give and get advice from other industry professionals. Here are a few that we have found useful:

- Audio over IP for broadcast
- Broadcast Engineering and Technical Professionals
- Broadcast Professionals
- In-Store Music and Messaging Professionals
- On Hold Messaging Association – OHMA

… of course there are MANY more … but be careful! It is easy to let such things steal too much time as well!

Allen Temple Baptist delivers services to those unable to attend using Barix IP audio solutions

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, December 10, 2012 — Audio over IP pioneer Barix AG is helping Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland, California stream its Sunday services to radio station KDIA-1640-AM with exceptional audio quality and low latency — and at a very low cost.

Allen Temple Baptist transmitted its services via telephone line to the radio station for more than 30 years, but was looking to become more cost-efficient while moving into the digital age. The church purchased a Barix Instreamer 100 for on-site encoding of live services, and an Exstreamer 100 for KDIA to receive and decode the audio.

Director and Minister of Communications Charlotte Y. Williams said that Barix came highly recommended, and has simplified the way the church delivers the signal to KDIA. She notes that the migration to Barix IP audio will save the church several thousand dollars annually.

“Our broadcast has never sounded so good, and we have never experienced such substantial cost savings as we have by transferring our broadcast via Barix,” said Williams. “We are able to set it and forget it, and the audio has a much cleaner, pristine sound. We highly recommend the Barix solution as a simple, low-cost, high-return method.”

Williams added that the church was highly impressed by the “excellent customer service” provided from point of purchase through installation, which helped the church get their stream up and running quickly.

Company to introduce new accessory at ISE in Amsterdam

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, December 3, 2012 — Audio over IP pioneer Barix addresses network downtime with its new Real-Time Clock accessory, ensuring that audio and control devices continue operating uninterrupted during network failures — keeping mission-critical operations for broadcast radio, streaming media, building automation and other applications on time.

The market-agnostic, self-sustaining reference clock plugs into any device with an RS232 serial port, including but not limited to Barix IP audio and control products. The Barix Real-Time Clock (RTC) maintains time, even when unpowered, for years. This allows the RTC to provide time information immediately after a device startup, independent of a network-based time reference.

“Barix devices are normally network-connected and receive the time through that connection, but what if, after a power outage, the network connection remains down?” asks Johannes G. Rietschel, CEO and founder of Barix AG. “It’s a serious concern if your operation requires time-dependent logging or control. The Barix Real-Time Clock provides that time source to maintain operations.”

Rietschel points to specific examples for streaming media and building automation. Retail businesses, for example, often operate “Store and Play” systems for in-store audio that are programmed to run time-based announcements and playlists. The Barix Real-Time Clock allows the device to work offline without network connection, playing out audio messages and time-sensitive content on time. Similarly, broadcasters streaming syndicated programs with local network IDs, jingles, ads and promos can trigger events on schedule without affecting the on-air content.

For building automation, Rietschel notes that Barix Barionet IP control devices can use the RTC to gain independence from network time references, continuing to switch lights and boilers on and off if the network goes south. This ensures that energy-saving techniques for schools, businesses and other facilities continue without disruption.

“The overarching benefit for any operation is that your devices can read the time from the RTC and run critical programs as scheduled,” he said. “It’s a low-cost accessory that can make a big difference.”

Barix will show the Real-Time Clock along with its latest one-way and two-way IP audio devices at the ISE show in Amsterdam, taking place January 29-31, 2013 at the RAI Exhibition Center (Booth #2-E64).

New low-cost, reliable VoIP and IP Audio devices optimize features and functionality set for universal applications

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, June 7, 2012 — Barix has successfully marketed its two-way Annuncicom IP audio and SIP/VoIP devices around the world, bringing bidirectional audio streaming and control solutions to various markets within the commercial, entertainment, private sector and residential worlds.

Barix now builds on that success with the introduction of two new Annuncicom devices at InfoComm 2012 (June 13-15, Las Vegas Convention Center, Booth C11722) that are priced to compete in large-volume projects and applications.

The new Annuncicom 50 is built specifically for OEM applications. Barix is now shipping to OEM partners, including a key player in the education and classroom automation market. The device delivers Barix’s trademark rock-solid reliability, open standards design and multi-format audio capability at a very low cost for OEM customers.

Furthermore, Barix breaks new ground with the Annuncicom 60, a universal, programmable and ultra-compact device that offers the industry’s lowest cost today for reliable IP encoding and decoding. The small form factor is roughly 40 percent the size of existing Annuncicom devices, which are already renowned for offering a compact footprint to systems integrators and end users.

In simple terms, the Annuncicom 60 is an ideal single-zone paging interface device that can decode VoIP codecs as well as MP3, AACplus and PCM audio. Its inclusion of a built-in speaker amplifier, balanced line output and microphone interfaces, serial and contact closure control interfaces, and Power over Ethernet (PoE) support is unique to the market — delivering universal functionality at a competitive price.

“The Annuncicom 60 brings full-fledged functionality for low-cost paging and intercom while providing the high audio quality and format flexibility required for background music systems,” said Johannes G. Rietschel, CEO and founder of Barix AG. “With advanced capabilities like built-in, efficient amplification and PoE support to simplify installation, the Annuncicom 60 is ideally positioned to support the continuously growing number of IP Audio applications.”
The Annuncicom 60 enables striking cost and technical advantages for applications suited for many markets:
Reduces cost of entry for Barix IP intercom applications by at least 25 percent
Reduces high quality microphone encoder costs by at least 25 percent, whether for technical or security-related audio surveillance; or classroom lecture audio capture
VoIP and MP3/AACplus audio decoding capabilities enable merging of paging and background music applications
Lowest cost balanced output audio decoder solution for “mono” output applications (paging gateways, AM radio stations, etc.)

The Annuncicom 60 is also the lowest priced IP audio product from Barix to feature a symmetric output, making it suitable for in-store audio and general audio distribution applications requiring a 600-ohm balanced output. The 5W amplifier, when combined with an efficient 8-Ohm speaker, provides enough power for a typical room, hallway, lobby or classroom — making it ideal for single room paging zones and audio “help points” in retail stores and visitor attractions, for example.

We really like this news about a Road Tunnel project in Israel, it demonstrates the power of open systems that we have been advocating for more than 10 years; using IP to bring together audio, video and data into a single system that simplifies the operation of what is a highly complex installation.

http://thinkinghighways.com/Pages/View-issue/Magazine.aspx?id=0682dd32-8439-4df6-92f2-35036137a149&issue=d95a1bc4-d10a-46f4-a914-a744d3d41d9d

It’s NAB this week and, as ever, we have a strong team there spreading the word! If you’re at NAB, why not swing on by booth C1139 to find out what we’re up to?

You’ll be able to see the new Annuncicom PS1, which is ideal for use as a Broadcast production intercom, small footprint paging station and so much more…

If you’re not there, you can find out more here: http://www.barix.com/Annuncicom_PS1/1781/

Swedish company exclusively uses Barix to enhance the shopping experience through the power of music

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, March 5, 2012 — Barix is exclusively providing IP audio decoding solutions to Music in Brands for the delivery of unique music programming to retail stories and other public areas. The company uses Barix for both direct audio streaming and store-and-forward solutions in businesses around Sweden, providing flexible, low-cost playout solutions for in-store campaigns.

Based in Stockholm, Music in Brands creates musical identities for brands through audio, designing specialty programs that match the business and its customers. The company produces a custom radio station for each business, building unique playlists that update regularly to keep programming fresh and store environments lively.

“Music is a very important piece of the shopper experience, and we want to play music that matches the environment without repeating the same songs over and over,” said Anders Svensson, president of Music in Brands. “There is a lot of psychology involved because customers can shop elsewhere if they don’t like the music. We operate similarly to a radio station to improve the atmosphere. This results in increased loyalty, more committed personnel and increased buying behavior.”

Svensson points to several customers currently using Music in Brands audio branding with Barix in-store technology, including Swedish automobile manufacturer Volvo; telecom companies Telenor and 3; retail businesses JC and Polarn O. Pyret; and the Scandic Hotels chain. Barix Exstreamer IP audio decoders reliably receive and play out high-quality audio at multiple locations for these businesses, while minimizing expenses through low device cost and simple installation. Svensson and his team configure the devices and ship them to the store locations, where employees typically install the devices themselves.

Locations with plenty of network bandwidth receive continuous, high-quality AACplus audio streams, while those with stricter bandwidth limitations — like JC and Polarn O. Pyret — use Barix’s store-and-forward capability to download the streams to the devices for MP3 audio playout.

For Scandic Hotels, Music in Brands produces five music channels streamed simultaneously to the hotel. Staff can choose jazz music in the bar or easy-listening in the lounge using the Barix channel selector function. Svensson has found the Barix Exstreamer 200, featuring a built-in amplifier (2x25W), especially helpful in smaller stores such as those operated by Telenor and 3.

“We have mostly used Exstreamer 100s to this point, but the Exstreamer 200 is a very cost-effective and space-saving solution for small shops,” said Svensson. “We can provide an entire solution with an Exstreamer 200 and a few speakers, with Barix providing the IP receiver and amplifier in one device.”

Svensson also noted the importance of Barix’s open-source software, which allowed him to freely build a custom monitoring program to access information from every device in the network. “Barix takes care of all the in-store playout needs while allowing us to see everything that is happening across the network,” said Svensson. “They were clearly the best choice for cost, flexibility, audio quality and reliability.”

Milestone incorporates Barix IP Audio device support to bring “ears to the eyes”

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, November 10, 2011 — Barix AG, a pioneer in IP audio, control and monitoring, today announced that Milestone Systems, the global leader for open platform IP video management software, has integrated Barix Audio over IP device support with Milestone XProtect® IP video management software (VMS). The collaboration enables bidirectional, high-quality voice and audio for XProtect deployments.

Milestone XProtect IP video software now supports Barix one-way (public address/paging) and two-way (surveillance and intercom) audio, marrying the “shout” and ears to the eyes across security operations. Barix Exstreamer IP audio devices introduce live paging and other one-way audio events, allowing operators to announce warnings, trigger alarms and deliver other notifications to external sites. Barix Annuncicom IP devices enable surveillance, intercom and other two-way audio streams for direct communication with subjects in security and general situations.

The open-platform nature of Milestone and Barix solutions ensures that video and audio streams are live over the same technology, simplifying integration. Barix one-way and two-way audio devices work within new deployments and retrofits of existing XProtect systems.

“Trends in the video surveillance business, particularly with the growing acceptance of IP, emphasize significant interest in improving the audio element,” said Johannes G. Rietschel, CEO and Founder of Barix. “Milestone customers can now use Barix IP devices to enhance the audio surveillance and notification capabilities of their installations by strategically positioning audio and video components, and using existing IP infrastructure. This ensures that operators can page, monitor and distribute audio to communicate more efficiently, while using flexible positioning to capture far better audio quality compared to built-in camera microphones.”

Barix was first accepted into the Milestone Manufacturer Alliance Partner (MAP) program in 2009, when Milestone began supporting Barix Barionet IP control devices to integrate legacy hardware devices with Milestone XProtect software — effectively bridging the physical and software layers. Milestone customers can use the Barionet today to trigger camera movements and activate video recording based on motion, doorbells, lights and other security-related events.

“The integration of Barix Audio over IP devices represents the next evolutionary step between the relationship of the two companies, ensuring that Milestone customers can add yet another beneficial integrated functionality to our open-platform IP VMS portfolio,” said Martin Friis-Mikkelsen, Head of Strategic Alliances at Milestone Systems.

About Milestone (www.milestonesys.com)
Founded in 1998, Milestone Systems is the worldwide industry leader in open platform IP video management software, according to IMS Research. Milestone XProtect® products have been installed in thousands of customer installations, sold through authorized and certified partners in more than 100 countries. With support for the widest choice in network hardware and integration with other systems, XProtect provides best-in-class solutions to ‘video enable’ organizations – managing risks, protecting people and assets, optimizing processes, and reducing costs.

Barix IP solution supports multi-language communications for security, entertainment and public address

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, September 14, 2011 — Barix Audio over IP solutions are now live at the Holiday Inn Kandooma Resort in the Maldives Islands, distributing high-quality, multi-lingual voice and music to its guests in nine zones. The system, installed by local systems integration firm EIT Private Limited, delivers audio to multiple points, creating a unified, resort-wide notification and entertainment system.

The Kandooma Resort is a full-service, 160-room resort located on Kandooma Island on the South Male Atoll in the Maldives Islands, renowned for its world-class diving and surfing. Besides its beautiful, oceanside setting, the Kandooma Resort is noted for its advanced technology, providing free Wi-Fi, iPod docking stations, and flat-screen TVs with satellite programming to guests.

Barix met resort requirements for high performance, reliable presence and security applications over the IP network at a reasonable cost. Mohammed Afzal, director of EIT Private Limited, stressed the importance of the system’s scalable topology.

“Barix provides a multi-purpose PA system that is easily expandable to accommodate future growth at the resort, which was very important,” said Mohammed Afzal, director of EIT Private Limited. “The system streams in-house music, live paging and recorded messages. It also supports multi-language playback, which is helpful in emergency situations. No other company serving our market could provide a solution that met the resort’s requirements.”

Afzal added that Barix devices are open and easy to customize. “Barix gives us the flexibility to customize intercom and other applications with the existing hardware,” said Afzal. “The programming language is easy to understand and helpful to companies that want to build custom solutions for their customers.”

The complete solution includes a Barix Annuncicom PS16 Paging Station at the core. The PS16 is a multifunction, standalone IP intercom, paging and PA master station that connects to multiple end devices without the need for PCs or server software.

Resort staff can deliver live pages and announcements from the PS16 to Barix Exstreamer 100 IP audio decoders in nine zones with a single press of the button, targeting messages to specific zones or buildings; or initiating “all-call” announcements.

EIT Private Limited also installed one Barix Annuncicom 100 two-way audio device to override the network-wide audio stream in emergency situations. The Annuncicom is responsible for streaming pre-recorded security announcements to the Exstreamers in all zones. Nine amplifiers and 200 loudspeakers support playout across the grounds.