Built-in amplifier, local input adds value for businesses broadcasting “retail radio” and multi-room distribution applications

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, August 29, 2011 — Barix AG comes to IBC 2011 (September 9-13, RAI Exhibition Centre, Amsterdam, Booth #3A48) with its next-generation Exstreamer IP Audio device for multipoint networks.

The Exstreamer 205 IP makes retail and hospitality applications dramatically simple. Each room or location requires a single Exstreamer 205, a network connection and power outlet, two common high-quality audio speakers and minimal wiring.

The device delivers a wealth of features to simplify infrastructure and reduce deployment costs for in-store media systems. Its built-in 2×25 watt, power-efficient class-D amplifier minimizes equipment needs at the end point, lowering costs while retaining superior audio quality. Businesses can distribute branded retail radio broadcasts, customized “store and play” programs, or simple background music streams to as many locations as the network can support, without the need for separate amplifiers.

The Exstreamer 205 is also the first Barix IP audio device to add a local, line-level stereo input. This allows direct connection of an in-zone audio source to the device for local playout. This is ideal where local, non-streaming content is available, whether from a guest’s iPod or a digital signage system.

“Exstreamer customers have requested an audio input to feed local content into the device, using its powerful, integrated high-quality amplifier,” said Johannes G. Rietschel, CEO and Founder of Barix. “This gives our customers more options for where to use Exstreamer products. Hotel and spa treatment rooms in larger hospitality systems are perfect examples.”

Businesses operating digital signage systems can also benefit from adding the Exstreamer 205 to out-of-home networks. Operators can establish a general background stream for the entire network, with the flexibility to interrupt the stream and play out local content at any location. Offline content protection is enhanced via a MicroSD slot, which enables local playout of (encrypted) content directly from the device while minimizing opportunities for theft or modification.

The Exstreamer 205 also offers priority ports for connection into a master paging system, such as the Barix Annuncicom PS16. This allows a facility manager, security guard or other operator to break into the network stream to make a page or announcement — also overruling any local audio sources.

Like previous models, the Exstreamer 205 decodes and plays multi-protocol and multi-format audio streams, including MP3, AACplusV2, WMA, PCM, G.711 and EtherSound. Volume and channel selection is controllable via an API through IP or serial port, a built-in IR receiver or the Barix Volume Source Control (VSC) device.

Dear customers,

Barix has identified a rare issue with the Exstreamer 100 devices shipped over the course of the last couple of months. Under specific conditions, a device may show marginal ESD rejection, get affected by an ESD discharge, and, as a consequence, use more power than normal. In extreme cases, this could trigger the power supply’s internal fuse to be blown. Due to overload.
Fortunately, the problem can be easily solved by ensuring a good grounding of the case, or making a good connection between case and logic board of the device. This can be ensured, without opening the device, by adding a small piece of metal (Copper or brass) to the DB9 connector cut-out. Specific instructions are available on request from Barix.

Domenico Gambino
Head of technical Sales & Support

Barix IP Audio products produced high interest at the Mediatech trade fair in South Africa !
Our Distributor, Technology Innovated Distribution (TID) showcased a live Audio over IP link and the full range of products covering IP Audio, VoIP, SIP and IO device servers – all Barix products were on display.
Here is an impression of the show:

Mediatech Booth in South Africa 2011

Barix Display

Folks, i just wanted to share the picture of the recent installation of a Barionet with the C-MOR video solution.

The photo nicely shows how the Barionet works as a central component of the video surveillance solution.
The IP based IO device does not only integrate sensors to trigger alarms, but also actors to activate visual and audible notifications.

Barionet in Cmor demo

Johannes

ITvilla implements Barix Barionet devices at the heart of a major automated access control system for efficient traffic management

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, August 2, 2011 — Barix announced today that ITvilla, an automation consulting company in Estonia, has standardized on Barix Barionet IP devices for automated access control at four busy shipping ports in Estonia. The Barionet devices play a key role in solving access, traffic, and network management challenges, integrated within an automated ticket and traffic management system that more efficiently manages traffic flows and entry ticket validation for passengers and vehicles.

The Estonian ports serve as a base for vehicle ships taking passengers to destinations in Estonia on the Baltic Sea and to surrounding countries such as Finland. Traffic volume is significant all year, and is especially high during the summer months. This translated to traffic congestion and long delays for ticket and passenger validation when using the manual entry system at the port and onto the ships.

ITvilla, an Estonian automation consulting and system integration company, was contracted to support the E-Port Project for four passenger ports, with an objective to reduce load times and allow faster access to greater volumes of vehicle traffic.

“The manual validation process for vehicles and passengers prior to driving onto the vessels proved very time-consuming,” said Neeme Takis, CEO of ITvilla. “It was decided that automated entry ticket validation and traffic management of waiting lines would allow for more efficient access. The E-Port Project required an IP controller that could manage configuration data for all types of peripheral hardware, understand all communication protocols, and manage the entry and exit sensor behavior for multiple types of vehicles passing through the port.”

ITvilla chose the Barix Barionet as the automation controller between the periphery devices and the server of the access system. The Barix Barionet provides both the physical and logical interface between the server and the peripheral devices, storing the periphery device configuration and driver software. It also translates the signals and commands between the peripheral devices and the server, offloading the server from device-dependent processing. The Barionet controllers additionally offload the server from simpler tasks such as barrier closure decision-making, which happens after the expected number of vehicles has passed.

“The Barix Barionet controllers are the heart of the project, efficiently meeting all of the E-Port Project’s access and traffic management requirements,” said Neeme Takis, CEO of ITvilla. “The middleware based on Barix controllers features strong network management support, quickly finding and resolving problems with network peripherals, and remotely controls and monitors vehicles and their passengers. This results in vastly improved traffic management and vehicle flow even during peak volume seasons.”

The Barix Barionet controllers are also responsible for logging signals and actions onto an external network server, managing the manual control option for peripheral devices, and sending regular status and immediate action data to an external monitoring system. These controllers provide remote support, and track the status and health of all E-Port Project peripheral devices.

One Barionet controller located in the outdoor ticket terminal device controls the bar code readers, keypad, VFD, buzzer, barrier and numeric displays; and reads vehicle presence and height sensors for one entry lane to the port.

There are a total of 16 Barionet controllers and Barix IO12 extension modules in each port. The controllers are connected via a LAN, including an optical ring for the longest connections. The server is connected to the same LAN. The WLAN extension of the LAN enables control of the loading process from the board of the vessel, using PDA devices.

“The E-port Project is a nice example of the flexible and cost-effective use of the Barix Barionet in infrastructure projects,” said Johannes G. Rietschel, CEO and Founder of Barix AG. “The open Barix approach provides Barix partners with easy integration and utilization of Barix product offerings. Integrators and project managers can quickly and easily build unique solutions for challenging installations. The ease of use, coupled with strong product functionality in remote monitoring and automated access control, enabled ITvilla to easily write a custom application on the Barionet controllers that operates reliably on our standard, cost-effective devices.”

The Barix Barionet is a network-enabled, programmable automation controller for industrial automation and facility management systems. It is pre-loaded with a web configuration and user interface application for monitoring and control of all on-board I/O functions. Custom applications can be developed using the built-in BCL interpreter (Barix Control Language).

The Barionet supports standard interfaces such as SNMP, CGI, HTTP, and Modbus/TCP to access local I/O and program functions. It supports a broad variety of standard protocols such as TCP/IP, SNMP, HTTP, and CGI. It communicates over a standard built-in 10/100 Ethernet port, making the devices ideal for automation and monitoring applications in buildings, industry and IT systems.

All,

the newest family addition to the Barix Audio over IP devices, the Exstreamer 105, is now available !

The new Exstreamer 105 is a sibling to the Exstreamer 100, the well known IP Audio decoder from Barix. Instead of the USB connection, which provides an interface for flash memory to store audio files, the new 105 model is equipped with a MicroSD slot.

Ideal for instore audio applications, the MicroSD can hold backup audio content, for example, and the card does not stick out of the device. For special applications, a “closed” front can be made available which secures the memory in the device.

Please contact your local Barix distributor if you are interested in purchasing the new device. All standard software which runs on the Exstreamer 100 also supports the Exstreamer 105. The device is shipped with the “streaming client” firmware.

Greetings !

Johannes

Company reports two-digit growth in 2010

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, June 7, 2011 — Barix AG, a pioneer in IP audio, monitoring, control and automation, announces it surpassed the 100,000 device threshold for sales as part of a highly successful 2010 that also saw major project wins and double-digit growth.

“2010 was a huge success for Barix,” said Johannes G. Rietschel, CEO and Founder of Barix AG. “We passed a major sales milestone and experienced a substantial revenue increase. Barix contributed more than 1,200 devices to the largest Audio over IP project for live sound ever at a sports event in India, while securing key customer wins in security, transportation, healthcare and other markets.”

Barix supplied the 1,200-plus Audio over IP devices for the Commonwealth Games in India last summer, handling IP contribution from all the venues to the control room; and distribution to a large number of broadcast studios. The company also continued to develop technology and business partnerships with key manufacturers for the purpose of delivering full IP system solutions to customers, notably in security and transportation.

Barix heads into June looking forward to several key trade shows, notably InfoComm 2011, taking place from June 15-17 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. Barix, exhibiting at Booth 1425, will introduce three recent products to North American systems integrators and end users focused on the AV and entertainment markets:

• Exstreamer P5, the “IP Speaker without the Speaker,” an amplified IP decoder with Power over Ethernet (PoE) capability that can turn nearly any 8-ohm speaker into an IP speaker
• Annuncicom 155, a ruggedized IP intercom and announcement device built to the EN50155 transportation standard for survival in harsh environments
• IPAM 100 Industrial, a hardened, coated version of the core technology module from Barix, allowing OEM customers to build Audio over IP and IP Intercom devices for use in harsh, challenging environmental conditions

Exstreamer P5

Balingen Police Department will showcase burglary alarm triggers over the network; Barix IP devices will link an alarm system and the C-MOR video monitoring solution

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, May 11, 2011 — Barix AG today announced its latest in a string of successful integration partnerships with leading software and solutions providers in the security and surveillance market. Barix has now partnered with za-internet GmbH, developer of the C-MOR remote video surveillance solution, to fully integrate Barix Barionet products into the C-MOR solution as universal, IP based I/O interfaces.

At IFSEC (May 16-19, 2011, NEC, Birmingham, England, Hall 4, Stand G155), Barix is planning a unique demonstration that will exhibit how Barix Barionet IP control and monitoring devices will be used in the burglary prevention center showroom of the Balingen Police Department in southern Germany to trigger alarms in C-MOR solutions.

C-MOR, a well-known, affordable remote video surveillance solution (www.c-mor.com) is available as software or as an appliance, targeting residential and commercial security markets. Popular commercial applications include surveillance in retail environments, horse stables, and gas stations.

The Barionet’s versatile I/O establishes communication between C-MOR and external “things” systems such as lights, security systems or motion sensors. Interfacing to sensors (motion sensors or a an alarm output of a security system) and actors such as lights, lock-down equipment and security system trigger inputs is fully supported. This functionality further allows C-MOR to serve as a versatile internet alarming upgrade for a traditional security system, as it can raise alarms over the internet to browser-capable mobile phones, supporting live video feeds of the site in alarm.

The Barionet product family is specially developed for automation and monitoring applications as well as interfacing solutions in buildings, industry and IT systems. Barionet devices provide an ideal link between hardware/hard-wired solutions and the IT world in an era of increased convergence.

In the case of the C-MOR integration, Barionet devices communicate with the surveillance solution via TCP/IP and with sensors and actors via traditional hardware interfaces such as contact closures and serial ports. Implementation with C-MOR is especially simple as the only tool needed is a standard web browser.

The Barionet 50 used in this application is a freely-programmable I/O device server with contact closure inputs, relay outputs and serial ports, so even highly specific and complex interface functions can be implemented. No programming is required for standard applications, and the device supports the most common IP-based standard protocols such as SNMP, web/cgi, Modbus/TCP and ASCII based I/O protocols.

SureView adds Barix Barionet IP control and monitoring solutions to Immix platform after success with Barix Audio over IP integration

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, May 10, 2011 — Barix AG announces that SureView Systems, a commercial security monitoring service provider, has progressed its integration of Barix IP devices to an advanced, second phase.

The first phase began in 2009, when SureView integrated Barix Annuncicom two-way IP audio device support into its Immix platform. The Annuncicom integration allows the monitoring of unlimited remote audio surveillance locations and integration of intercom/help points within the Immix management solution — often consolidated with video surveillance.

SureView has now added support for Barix Barionet IP control, automation and monitoring equipment. The Barionet integration vastly increases I/O and relay interfacing capabilities of the Immix system, enabling SureView customers to easily connect a large number of security devices and functions to the network. Immix users activate controls and functions connected through Barionet devices, such as switching on lights and opening doors, through a simple press of a control button at a remote monitoring station.

The Barionet also enhances remote monitoring operations, allowing Immix users to directly interface motion detectors or building management sensors tied to HVAC, water, temperature, lighting, alarms and other systems for monitoring environmental and security aspects.

“The Barionet integration gives our customers a range of flexible deployment options, solving existing challenges and providing a more integrated, value-added solution to meet new customer requests,” said Craig Evans, director of SureView Systems. “Like the Annuncicom, the Barionet integrates seamlessly into the Immix platform so that the product itself is transparent. The customer simply presses a button to initiate an action, turning features on and off as if working a light switch.”

Evans added that the Barionet integration requires no addition training or expense for Immix customers. “It is exactly the same user-friendly experience,” he said.

The Annuncicom integration continues to prove successful in the professional security marketplace. Evans noted that Corps Security in Glasgow, Scotland, a leading security solutions provider in the UK, is the most recent customer, deploying the integrated remote surveillance solution to more than 50 sites in the UK.

“The success of the Annuncicom integration for improving audio quality at the surveillance point has been an ideal blueprint for how we can extend the partnership, notably through enhanced I/O and relay/sensor capabilities,” said Johannes G. Rietschel, CEO and Founder of Barix AG. “The Barionet will allow Immix users to bring more devices onto the network for control and monitoring purposes. This includes “actor” capabilities such as switching on lights and opening doors, as well as monitoring functions with motion and other sensors for surveillance purposes. The possibilities are boundless.”

The announcement comes as both companies prepare for the IFSEC 2011 professional security show, taking place from May 16-19 at NEC in Birmingham, England. Barix exhibits in Hall 4, Stand 155.

About SureView Systems (www.sureviewsystems.com)
SureView Systems owns, develops, sells and supports the Immix(R) product line. Immix(R) Enterprise and Cloud are video centric software platforms designed to receive alarm events from video, video analytics, access control, automation systems and GPS location aware devices. The products are UL Certified in the USA and BS8418 compliant in Europe.

Sureview Systems UK, Technium 1, Kings Road, Swansea SA1 8PH, UK. Tel. +44 1792 485600
Sureview Systems US, 400 N. Ashley Dr., Tampa, FL 33602, USA. Tel +1 (877) 712 8766

A Barionet is a great product to monitor environmental parameters, power useage, contact closures etc.

If the Barionet detects an alarm condition, it will need to notify you. But how?

Sample code for sending email, operating a SMS modem etc is already available from us.

Here is a very nice method to do this via the popular iPhone by using an application called “prowl”. The Prowl makers operate a public server and manage the delivery to the iPhone/iPad/iPod touch “prowl” app via the standard iOS notification scheme (so, very little consumption of power/bandwith on the iOS device).
You need to purchase the prowl app from the app store ($2.99), register and generate an API key on the prowlapp website, and you are good to go!

On the Barionet, you will need a small application which
– opens a TCP connection to the prowl api server, api.prowlapp.com, port 80 (http)
– sends an “add” command with a meaningful notification message to the server (see example below)
– close the connection.

That’s it!
The alarm message will arrive within very short time at your iPhone, where you can configure quiet times, alarm tones etc.

here is an example for a string you would need to send (replace the xxxxx… with the API code you get from the website):

“GET /publicapi/add?apikey=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx&event=alarm%20temp%3e65F%20too%20high&application=fridge HTTP/1.0” (plus 2x CR/LF)

Note: you will need to do the URL encoding (%20 for space etc) in your program if your message contains blanks or special characters.

We can provide a sample BCL program on request.

Johannes

P.S: Once you have implemented this, let us know so we can feature your application!