Company establishes NCCU Sports Network using Barix Audio over IP Technology to distribute college football and basketball games to eight radio stations

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, November 30, 2010 — Barix AG announces that syndicated content provider Bell Media Group of Raleigh, North Carolina, has successfully deployed the Barix Reflector Service to distribute live North Carolina Central University football and basketball games to eight regional AM radio stations comprising the NCCU Sports Network.

Bell Media Group is among the earliest Reflector Service customers, establishing a reliable and cost-efficient Audio over IP distribution network for its syndicated college sports programming service.  Barix introduced the Reflector Service last spring to help broadcasters with limited IT resources to establish IP links for single stations and broadcast networks with minimal effort and hassle.

“Satellite communications was very expensive, and ISDN was also out of my range,” said Jay Bell, president and chief engineer for Bell Media Group.  “IP has saved me between $3,000-4,000 on distribution alone.  I became familiar with Barix and beta-tested the Reflector Service for the 2010 college football season.  All the tests went well and we will continue using the Barix Relector service for sports, music and other remote broadcasts, with the goal of adding more radio affiliates.”

The universal Barix hardware used for the service can be installed in minutes and most deployments for STL, remote contribution and studio-to-studio links are established with just a few clicks in a web browser.  Once installed with internet access, the devices configure themselves automatically, and the encoder and decoders are automatically partnered after entering basic device settings into the service platform.

Barix has partnered with streaming media and content delivery provider StreamGuys for the NCCU Sports Network project.  The StreamGuys-hosted service receives the single feed from BMG Studios in Raleigh and simultaneously “reflects” the signal to each affiliate.  This minimizes network bandwidth and technical support requirements for Bell Media Group.

“Barix partners with StreamGuys as they are streaming infrastructure specialists and offer worldwide technical support 24/7,” said David Gostick, product manager for the Reflector Service at Barix.  “Their streaming service complements our technical skills, allowing us to jointly deliver a professionally hosted and operated service to our customers, with confidence it is being monitored around the clock.”

Jay Bell operates the network from BMG Studios.  The live stadium feed comes in over a POTS line, where a Barix Exstreamer 1000 Audio over IP device receives and encodes the signal.   The StreamGuys streaming platform picks up the Reflector Service stream for distribution to the affiliates, where Barix Exstreamer 100 IP audio devices receive and decode the signal for immediate broadcast.

The Reflector Service is a hosted application that acts as the bridge between the studio and the network affiliates, providing a straightforward relay of the audio feed.   The application simplifies Barix installations for broadcasters by eliminating firewall poking, router forwarding configuration and costly static IP addresses.  The significant reduction in complexity means that users have only a few simple decisions to make related to audio quality and general device settings.

“The hardware was plug-and-play and the streaming service was simple to set up,” said Jay Bell.  “I was skeptical early, as were some of the network affiliates, who were most concerned with the audio quality.  We tested the Barix Reflector Service with several radio affiliates; many program directors and general managers were floored upon hearing the audio quality.  It is a very versatile system, and I’ve taken advantage of the network capacity for side projects, particularly remote broadcasts.”

It’s this time of the year again … our long term content partner DMD2 has launched christmasradio.fm, an internet only radio station, streaming great music with a Christmas touch. Listen to it with your favorite Barix IP Audio player, the Exstreamer, or just use your browser.
Wishing you a peaceful and good pre-christmas time.

Johannes

Here is the URL for direct listening with the Exstreamer: http://www.christmasradio.fm/christmasradio.fm.m3u

Thursday, Barix held a training session for regional distributors, system integrators and partners in Singapore, showcasing the new Exstreamer P5 (IP Speaker device), the Annuncicom 155 (EN50155 test IP Intercom device) and the full range of current Audio over IP devices from Barix.

A large demo, set up by Robert of Avanca, impressed the partners about what all can be done with IP Paging, IP based background music, IP Intercom and combinations of all of that !

We welcome Mitra Elektro from Jakarta, Indonesia, joining the ever growing group of Barix partners in the world.

On the picture: Staff from Avanca our Singaporean Master Distributor, Staff from Mitra Elektro and Johannes Rietschel, CEO Barix.

Barix training in Singapore

Exstreamer P5 connects traditional speakers to IP Audio and SIP phone systems; design enables operation in high-temperature environments

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, November 11, 2010 — Barix AG is preparing to unveil its latest Audio over IP innovation at the InfoComm Asia show this month (November 17-19, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Booth 4B09).  The show marks the world debut of the Exstreamer P5, the company’s solution for IP Speaker applications.   It extends the popular Barix Exstreamer product range into new environments for end users and systems integrators.

The Exstreamer P5 is an all-in-one solution for SIP and hi-fidelity Audio over IP distribution, supporting universal IP standards including TCP/IP, RTP, SIP, Multicast and Ethersound.  The amplified device directly connects any 8-ohm speaker to an IP or Ethersound network.  It enables zoning applications for multi-speaker systems, and allows individual local/remote channel selection and volume control.  The Exstreamer P5 also operates reliably in high-temperature environments.

These features, along with exceptional, hi-fidelity audio quality and Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) support, make the Exstreamer P5 the perfect choice for overhead/ceiling speaker systems.  Applications include:
Hospitality, including general and in-room systems for hotels, venues and cruise ships
In-store audio systems for retail stores, restaurants and other businesses
Background music and paging systems for office buildings and corporate facilities
Security applications, including PA playback points and SIP-based notification

The Exstreamer P5 connects to any 8-ohm speaker, in contrast to “IP Speaker” solutions where the system integrator is limited to certain speakers.  This gives integrators and end users the freedom and versatility to permanently install the Exstreamer P5 in diverse situations, including legacy upgrades.

“The first OEM project will incorporate Exstreamer P5 electronics into hundreds of ‘listening boxes’ throughout a performing arts center in northern Europe, giving the cast, crew and personnel the ability to monitor performances, adjust local volume levels and mute the audio by zone,” said Johannes G. Rietschel, CEO and Founder of Barix AG.  “This is an ideal example of using the Exstreamer P5 for low-latency, high-audio-quality streaming to IP speakers.  The built-in 5W RMS amplifier exceeds the typical 1-to-3W requirements of IP speakers, providing plenty of signal power.  And the local interface for an infrared (IR) receiver or volume/source control provides more benefits for the user.

“For general applications, the biggest benefits are low-cost and flexibility, as the Exstreamer P5 does not lock integrators and users into a limited range of speaker choices,” continued Rietschel.  “You can IP-enable almost any speaker with this device, and take advantage of its PoE capability to simplify deployments.”

The Exstreamer P5 borrows design innovations, including PoE support and high-efficiency class D audio amplification from the Barix Annuncicom range of two-way IP audio devices.  Its reliable operation in warm installation points, ruggedized case and simplified mounting options draw inspiration from the recently-introduced Annuncicom 155 for the transportation industry.  The device can operate in temperature ranges of 32 to 131 degrees Fahrenheit (0 to 55 Celsius) and withstand storage conditions to 158 degrees Fahrenheit (70 Celsius).

The Exstreamer P5 begins shipping worldwide at the end of January 2011. A limited amount of samples are available now.

All Barix products are inexpensive, low-power devices that are scalable to the growth of the operation offer high reliability through a PC-FREE design with no moving parts; and serve as a flexible platform for integration into virtually and operation requiring audio transport and delivery over IP networks.  Barix also offers its programmable BCL standard open to all customers to easily customize applications for specific needs.  Local control, audio relay and low-latency streaming are a few examples of custom programs using Barix’ BCL software environment.

Lighting Sioux Radio Network distributes live UND football and hockey games to 12 broadcast affiliates in two states

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, November 8, 2010 — Barix AG, a pioneer in IP-based audio, intercom, control, and monitoring, has partnered with streaming media provider StreamGuys to establish a low-latency IP distribution network for University of North Dakota football and hockey broadcasts.

Twelve radio stations across North Dakota and Minnesota comprise the Fighting Sioux Radio Network.  The network, seeking to expand its broadcast footprint, selected IP distribution after comparing costs and automation capabilities with competitive distribution systems.  The choice enabled a lower startup cost while ensuring uptime and smooth operation at unmanned facilities.

The network deployed Barix Exstreamer 1000 professional IP audio codecs across the distribution chain.  The Exstreamer 1000 encodes and decodes program audio and relay signals, all delivered over the StreamGuys streaming platform.

“The Barix Exstreamer 1000 has balanced audio inputs and outputs, and that made it perfect for the broadcast environment where cleanliness of audio is a must,” said Jeremy Eisenzimmer, IT Director and Network Engineer.  “The devices also have built-in closures that enable automated functions for our unmanned facilities, delivering relay signals to trigger stop-sets, legal IDs, liners and other elements from studio automation systems.   StreamGuys provides the bandwidth, low-latency delivery and turnkey network development and support we need to keep the network running smoothly.”

Flagship station KQHT-FM in Grand Forks, North Dakota encodes the audio using the Exstreamer 1000, which passes the encoded signal and relay closures to the StreamGuys platform.   StreamGuys deploys Barix Real-Time Protocol (BRTP) to deliver the signal across the network with very minimal delay, and provides plenty of bandwidth to eliminate network congestion.  The Exstreamer 1000 devices at the affiliate stations decode the signal, separating the audio and the relays.  KQHT monitors the entire network with a backup Exstreamer 1000, configured in “Streaming Client” mode to verify that the audio and relays are reaching the affiliates.

Eisenzimmer added that the Barix/StreamGuys solution costs one-quarter the price of satellite distribution, and hopes to add more affiliates in the future.  This is achieved simply by adding a Barix device at each new affiliate and notifying StreamGuys of the new destination points.

“IP distribution was without question the best option for cost, and the availability of high-speed connections made deployment quick and easy,” said Eisenzimmer.  “The automation functions have been nothing short of a dream for the network.  This allows smaller stations that are low on resources and manpower to carry the games for their hometown fans.  It’s entirely a win-win.”

Eisenzimmer also noted that setup is simple, only requiring that he load the firmware and enter the stream information, and that affiliates wire and plug in the devices to be up and running.  “The simplicity of it will allow our network to grow,” he said.

Barix IP Audio devices are an excellent solution when it comes to special SIP interfacing applications. Being it an audio monitoring application, where a call should be placed if a microphone picks up sounds above a certain threshold, or a SIP door station – the standard SIP application, which can be loaded on all Annuncicom and Exstreamer devices, serves well.

But do you know that you can also use a Barix device as a SIP gateway to traditional, multizone paging systems ?

How do you then select a zone ?

The SIP firmware can control local relays on the device, if existing (Exstreamer 500, for example, offers 4 relays). These can be commanded in the SIP call by means of standard signalling (SIP Info and RFC2833). Many IP PBX’es also allow you to send specific commands when you initiate a call, this is the perfect time to select a zone automatically.

The Barix wiki contains a nice article describing the exact configuration necessary of an Asterisk instance to offer the luxury of direct zone selection by extension. If done this way, a user of the phone system can just dial one of a selection of extensions, and the Barix SIP Gateway (actually, an Exstreamer 500 or Annuncicom 1000 device) will select the specific zone(s) to page to automatically, based on the actual extension called.
Here is a link to the general overview of how this is done: SIP Paging

And here is the article detailing the bits and pieces on how to configure Asterisk to directly control the relays from SIP

Greetings !

Johannes

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, October 21, 2010 — Barix AG, a pioneer in IP-based audio, intercom, control, and monitoring, announces that more than 1000 Barix Audio over IP devices were used for contribution, distribution and monitoring of live broadcast audio for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India.

The 2010 Commonwealth Games, held from October 3-14, were considered the largest multi-sport event staged in India.  More than 6,000 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 disciplines.  Host broadcaster Prasat Bharathi, India’s largest public broadcaster, produced the official “International Signal” live from 12 competition venues.

Prasat Bharathi contracted Mahanahar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL), a telecom service provider and the largest provider of broadband services in Delhi, to install and operate a redundant fiber network from all 12 venues to the International Broadcast Center (IBC), transporting IP audio over MPLS.  The IBC managed and delivered more than 40 contribution and 250 coordination feeds to and from the venues, and served as the origination point for broadcast signals delivered globally to rights holders.

Barix Exstreamer 1000 professional IP encoding/decoding devices were the core audio transport solutions, with special firmware from Barix to deliver very low-latency audio (between 20-30 milliseconds of delay).  Redundant pairs of Exstreamer 1000 devices contributed live sports commentary and broadcast-quality event audio from each venue to the IBC.  Many broadcast facilities receiving live feeds from the IBC used Barix Exstreamer devices to receive and decode the program audio.

MTNL, using Barix IP audio and CISCO network components, established an IP network that exceeded the performance levels of traditional telephone links, and met the signal quality requirements of all broadcast partners.  Barix IP devices additionally provided SNMP traps that allowed personnel to monitor the links from the MTNL network center at the company’s operational headquarters.

Mr. Jidendra Garg, Deputy General Manager of MNTL, recognized the success of the IP network, noting feedback from home broadcasters and rights holders that indicated high channel availability, reliable bilateral audio feeds, and superior quality of the coordination circuits.  He opined that the IP coordination circuits provided bandwidth capacity equal to the IP contribution circuits — not possible with traditional links.

Garg also observed that the production partner, SIS Live; and GTV, the official broadcasting partner to Prasar Bharathi, were very satisfied with the Audio over IP delivery achieved through Barix. He expressed appreciation over the high level of professional support that Barix and systems integration partners HCL Infosystems and BNA Technology Consulting offered through the duration of the event.

Senior officials from Prasar Bharathi expressed similar views, appreciating “the team efforts of the technology providers and the systems integrators for their efforts in making the Audio over IP delivery platform a grand success.”

Johannes G. Rietschel, CEO of Barix AG, expressed gratitude at the opportunity to show the world the value of using cost-effective, feature-rich Barix Audio over IP devices for contribution and distribution of broadcast-quality program audio; and the reliability of Barix devices for live broadcast events and network monitoring.

“We appreciated the opportunity to deploy more than 1000 Barix IP devices for the Commonwealth Games, which flawlessly distributed live broadcast audio from the venues to the world,” said Rietschel.  “We are proud to have delivered ‘incident-free’ performance for the 12-day event at an affordable cost, working in a fully-redundant link model in cooperation with the region’s leading broadcast, production, telecom and integration companies.”

All Barix products are inexpensive, low-power devices that are scalable to the growth of the operation; offer high reliability through a PC-FREE design with no moving parts; and serve as a flexible platform for integration into virtually and operation requiring audio transport and delivery over IP networks.  Barix also offers its programmable BCL standard open to all customers to easily customize applications for specific needs.  Local control, audio relay and low-latency streaming are a few examples of custom programs using Barix’ BCL software environment.

Company will also showcase new Exstreamer 500 IP Audio device for radio broadcast program transport

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, October 19, 2010 — Barix AG, a pioneer in IP-based audio, intercom, control, and monitoring, will bring its latest innovations for the radio broadcast industry to Broadcast India (October 21-23, Bombay Exhibition Centre, Booth E.510). The company will introduce a new time reference accessory for applications such as broadcast, in-store audio and IP-based data collection, while also showcasing its latest hardware and device firmware.

“For many years, Barix Audio over IP solutions have given broadcasters affordable and reliable options to deliver program audio and associated data between studios and transmission points,” said Johannes G. Rietschel, CEO and Founder of Barix AG. “Our latest offering gives broadcasters using Barix devices more options in the way they configure their IP Audio links. Meanwhile, Barix continues to grow its product portfolio with new IP Audio hardware devices and associated accessories, such as our new RTC Dongle to be introduced at Broadcast India.”

RTC Dongle

The Barix RTC Dongle is a real-time clock accessory that provides a consistent time reference for embedded devices and control equipment. Thought to be the only product of its kind, the RTC Dongle attaches to any device, Barix or otherwise, that offers an RS232 serial port. The RTC Dongle keeps time for up to three days without power, and requires no batteries — eliminating service requirements. This allows connected devices to immediately retrieve accurate time information after returning to power, with immediate start-up for time-dependent applications such as firing station IDs, jingles and other scheduled events.

“The RTC Dongle fills a gap in the market where we could not find a device with similar functionality,” said Rietschel. “In a Barix IP Audio system, the device is only needed in cases where Barix devices are used offline or have no network connectivity when information is needed. Once set, the device will maintain time on its own, bridging periods of power loss.”

The RTC Dongle keeps time in the Unix format (seconds) with 32-bit resolution. The device has minimum charge requirements, operating with a “gold cap” of high capacity to store the necessary energy for two-to-three days of operation.

Exstreamer 500 Device and IP Audio Firmware

Barix will also display its recently introduced, cost-effective Exstreamer 500 IP audio device built specifically for radio broadcasters. The Exstreamer 500 is a one-half, 19-inch rack mount solution with encoding and decoding capability. Now shipping, it is essentially a lower-cost version of its high-end sibling, the Exstreamer 1000, retaining important features like balanced inputs and outputs and contact closure interfaces. Broadcasters can purchase the Exstreamer 500 through the Barix global network of established broadcast distributors, accessible at www.barix.com.

Barix will also demonstrate its new, easy-to-configure device firmware that provides more technical options and functionality for program audio transport. The new “STL software package,” pre-loaded onto new Exstreamer 500 and 1000 devices, is also available as a free update at the Barix website and can be loaded onto all existing Barix Instreamer encoders and Exstreamer decoders. This enables new features including full-duplex audio transport (48kHz sample rate PCM, full duplex devices only) and trap-based alarming. Applications supported through the new firmware include directed or unidirectional microwave-carried STL IP, remote contribution, and low-bandwidth internet streaming.

Barix has included the Reflector Service client into the same software load. This previously announced service simplifies connections for broadcasters via a plug-and-play scenario. The Reflector Service completely removes any need for user configuration: The hosted application serves as an online center to configure and monitor the audio transport bridge while also providing a straightforward relay of the audio feed, enabling almost immediate audio streaming between multiple devices. Exstreamer 500 and 1000 customers can switch between the new STL software (the default on Exstreamer 1000) and the Reflector client (default on Exstreamer 500) via web browser.

All Barix products are inexpensive, low-power devices that are scalable to the growth of the operation offer high reliability through a PC-FREE design with no moving parts; and serve as a flexible platform for integration into virtually and operation requiring audio transport and delivery over IP networks. Barix also offers its programmable BCL standard open to all customers to easily customize applications for specific needs. Local control, audio relay and low-latency streaming are a few examples of custom programs using Barix’ BCL software environment.

All,

if you get to our website, you may notice that there is an invitation/button for live chat. We are currently experimenting with this, in an effort to improve our response to customers. We know that our offering is broad and generic, about anything in the Audio over IP and a lot in Ethernet IO space can be done using our products.  So .. it might be difficult to find the right information.

Bear with us if there are some hick-ups as we test the system. We are typically learning quickly 🙂

Johannes

We are exhibiting in hall 3, booth 611, and will be happy to show you the latest innovations in Audio over IP and the use of our products in the security industry !

First one mentioning this blog enty will get a nice coffee of choice.

Greetings !

Johannes