Cost-effective Exstreamer 500 devices exceed expectations while linking studio, transmitter and remote production sites for recently-launched low-power FM station

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, March 28, 2017 — For hundreds of low-power FM (LPFM) community radio stations across the United States, clearly and reliably bringing insightful local programming to their listeners is paramount. When independent broadcaster Las Vegas Public Radio Inc. hit the airwaves last year, it selected Barix Audio over IP devices – distributed in the U.S. by LineQ – for its studio-to-transmitter link (STL) and to connect its main studio with remote production locations.

Founded by President and CEO Greg LaPorta with a vision of serving as “The People’s Voice of Las Vegas”, Las Vegas Public Radio began broadcasting over the air as KIOF-LP 97.9FM in February 2016. Reaching listeners locally from its 100-watt transmitter site and globally over the Internet, the station aims to promote community-related issues, local culture, tourism and entertainment while creating opportunities for young people to learn about the radio business. KIOF-LP’s programming includes news, public affairs, local sporting events, call-in shows, cultural content, music and more.

When selecting equipment for the new station’s STL, quality and dependability were LaPorta’s primary criteria, with affordability also a key factor. “Staying on the air and delivering a great listening experience are most important, but as a non-profit startup, cost also had to be a consideration for us,” he explained. “We looked at an old-style POTS (telephone system based) STL approach, but it would have been too expensive for our startup budget and wouldn’t have met our quality goals.”

Having read articles in broadcast journals about other stations’ success with Barix equipment, LaPorta decided to test an IP-based STL. “Barix has a great name among radio stations large and small, with lots of positive reviews about the stability of their units,” he said. “Prior to trying the Barix devices, we did have some initial reluctance about using IP-based audio over the Internet, particularly in terms of reliability and quality degradation across the uncontrollable public network. But our testing with Barix put those concerns to rest very early in the process – we were very impressed with the results.”

LaPorta selected the Barix Exstreamer 500 model as providing the best combination of capabilities and cost-effectiveness for the station’s needs. One Exstreamer 500 encodes audio from the main studio and control room for transport to the transmission tower site, where it is decoded by a second such unit. An additional pair of Exstreamer 500s delivers audio to the main studio from a second, remote production studio, with the off-site unit occasionally taken into the field for on-location remote broadcasts.

The remote studio and transmitter site use 25Mbps Internet connections from Cox Business, while the main studio, located on the sixth floor of an office tower, shares T1 and T3 connectivity with other companies in the building. The station’s 192Kbps MP3 streams are delivered to the transmitter location through the cloud-based Barix Reflector stream replication service – offered in partnership with StreamGuys – to maximise uptime in spite of the unpredictable nature of the studio’s communal connection. “The Barix units are very low-maintenance,” said LaPorta. “We generally only need to touch them when the building’s IT department makes significant configuration changes to our shared network.”

The audible benefits of the Barix units also continue to impress LaPorta and the station’s listeners. “The Barix units have exceeded our expectations for the audio quality they deliver,” he praised. “Barix’s digital signal processing and other advanced technologies do a fantastic job of maintaining great quality while overcoming the challenges and unpredictability of transport over the public Internet. Barix makes our station sound very rich over the air.”

Building on his satisfaction with Barix in the station’s first year on the air, LaPorta plans to add more Exstreamer 500 units as Las Vegas Public Radio increases its remote productions and expands with more studios, as well as converting its Internet stream encoding to Barix equipment. “We swear by the Barix units,” he summarised. “They’re very well-built products that deliver great value. I would recommend Barix to any radio station looking for a cost-effective STL solution, whether they’re replacing legacy technology or just getting started.”

Barix: We Move Audio (www.barix.com)

Barix supplies simple and reliable solutions and components to systems integrators and end users worldwide.  We move high-quality audio across IP networks, adding value to customer solutions for more than a decade with hundreds of thousands of devices installed worldwide.  Background music distribution with dynamic advertising insertion for retail shops, bars and hotels; public address solutions for schools and public spaces; and intercom and entry systems for facility surveillance, protection and security are among the many applications of Barix solutions.  Barix also supports OEM projects for a number of Global 500 listed companies serving many industries worldwide.

About LineQ

LineQ is a full-service distributor specializing in complete Audio over IP solutions, with a complete portfolio of premium, networked end point solutions from IP audio specialist Barix, pro AV specialist Ecler and Cornered Audio loudspeakers; and key partnerships with streaming and software companies to ensure rock-solid multipoint content distribution for in-store radio and other IP delivery systems. LineQ’s customised approach ensures tailored systems to meet the needs of systems integrators and end users in the Pro AV, broadcast and security markets. LineQ’s experience in retail, corporate, transit and education further differentiates its position as an expert solutions provider for an array of businesses and organisations.  Additionally, LineQ’s unique Digital Product Manager software simplifies ordering, design, installation and maintenance in the field through an intuitive, easy-to-use mobile app. Visit www.lineq.com or e-mail sales@lineq.com for more information.

Exhibit will provide insight into how an interoperable solution across in-store music, advertising and electronic shelf labeling can drive stronger shopper engagement inside brick and mortar stores

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, February 15, 2017 — IP audio and control pioneer Barix continues to make in-roads into the global retail industry with SoundScape, its cloud-based solution for the management and distribution of background music and targeted advertising. For its debut at EuroShop (March 5-9, Messe, Dusseldorf, Germany), the world’s number one retail fair, the company will emphasize how SoundScape can further contribute to a broader in-store multi-sensory experience when integrated with one of the world’s most advanced and scalable wireless Electronic Shelf Labeling (ESL) system available today.

At Stand 7aB24, Barix will demonstrate how interoperability across SoundScape and Pricer’s Shelf-Edge Digital ESL solutions can optimize the in-store audio experience through multi-sensory shopper engagement. The solution will provide brick and mortar retail businesses with a flexible, wireless way to trigger blinking lights of electronic shelf labels upon delivery of a targeted advertisement. The seamless interoperability between the two valuable in-store services has been conceived specifically for the purpose of driving sales and interest by capturing the attention of shoppers in the aisles.

“Retailers must constantly re-invent themselves and adjust marketing strategies to optimize the in-store experience, and capture the attention of shoppers in an increasingly fractured retail marketplace,” said Reto Brader, vice president of sales and marketing, Barix. “This solution addressed the trend for integrated consumer engagement strategies that cross in-store layout, mobile phone interaction, and the traditional audio-visual experience. We believe this is clearly the way that retail technology will go, and Barix’ experience in targeted advertising delivery is an ideal match for Pricer’s innovative approach to electronic shop labeling. The result is a truly effective multi-sensory retail experience.”

SoundScape’s open and flexible Audio over IP platform simplifies interoperability with Pricer’s Shelf-Edge Digital ESL solutions. SoundScape is a web-based SaaS service that is easily configured to deliver audio on a specific schedule, including background music, voice announcements and targeted ads by location or department – all managed in the cloud for optimal efficiency. Barix retail clients in Europe include Coop Switzerland, REWE and Victorinox; the company also services small, medium and large-sized retailers in North America, Africa and the Asia-Pacific.

Pricer leverages infrared (IR) technology to deliver the speed and radio immunity required for reliable electronic shelf labeling. As both companies leverage wireless delivery architectures, Barix and PRICER are ideal partners to bring a reliable platform to retailers that successful marries audio and data for the benefit of driving in-store relationships between retailer and shopper.

“We feel this is a unique approach that provides a single attention-grabbing platform inside the store,” said Brader. “We are excited at the opportunity to showcase this solution at EuroShop with our friends at Pricer, and look forward to talking to retailers and installers from around the world throughout the show.”

About Pricer
Pricer AB, founded in Sweden in 1991, listed on the NASDAQ OMX Nordic, is the global leader in providing in-store shelf-edge digital solutions that enhance both store performance and the shopping experience. The increasingly feature-rich Pricer platform is crossing over to solve key store transformation challenges such as customer and employee guidance, task-to-light and order preparation. It is also evolving to support shelf-edge customer personalization, data capture and interpretation. Pricer works with the world’s top retailers, small and large alike: grocers, DIY., electronics and specialty stores. To date, Pricer has sold more than 140 million electronic shelf labels to 15,000 stores in over 50countries.

BARIX: Your innovator for Audio-over-IP solutions

BARIX is a worldwide leader in the Audio-over-IP technology. BARIX products run in thousands of installations around the globe, providing audio to hospitality, hotels and retail outlets. BARIX is highly involved in the development of new multisensory technologies and supports leading retailers in optimizing their instore experience. The company provides software and hardware solutions for local and distributed audio delivery applications. Easy to configure software solutions allows marketing depart-ments and content providers to implement an elaborate audio strategy with background music and voice announcements to provide an extensive shopping experience to the customer. In a world of multisensory awareness, BARIX is your partner for Audio-over-IP solutions.

Service provider MMX manages all content, including playlists and local ad insertions, from central offices while preserving bandwidth, minimizing costs and opening new revenue streams

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, November 7, 2016 — Audio over IP pioneer Barix is helping MMX In-Store Media, one of three arms comprising MMX Companies, efficiently manage and deliver music and advertising content to three retail businesses in Zimbabwe.

Using Barix’s SoundScape cloud-based platform, MMX In-Store Media has transitioned from an FTP-based playout system to a fully integrated streaming service that minimizes the costs and labor associated with long-distance, multipoint audio content delivery. The initial SoundScape deployment supports nearly 100 locations—including 60 branches of the TM Pick and Pay supermarket chain across Zimbabwe—with plans to scale to many additional locations as more clients sign on for the service.

The transition to SoundScape followed an effort to develop an IP-based delivery system in house. That effort was born out of need to reduce the costs of delivering in-store media content over satellite, which remains a popular yet expensive distribution platform in Africa.

“We worked with a developer who was keen on building something from the ground up, but the costs proved too high for all involved,” said Brendon Sole, director, MMX Companies. “We wanted a more flexible and less expensive alternative to satellite, and Zimbabwe actually has fairly good connectivity compared to the rest of Africa thanks to investment in fiber-optic links. We initially deployed Barix’s FTP-based system, which worked well, but our goal was a more cloud-based system with content management portal that was easy to configure and use. SoundScape was the answer to that goal.”

SoundScape has significantly improved visibility into the content lifecycle, according to Sole. “We see what is really going on with music delivery in the stores, and the scheduling of ads across various locations. It’s a very important tool for proving that ads are being delivered and broadcast. There is a clear record of reconciliation, as opposed to asking advertisers to trust that their spots are playing off a local USB stick. It’s much easier to sell ad space using SoundScape because of that proof of delivery.”

SoundScape is a fully integrated live and scheduled streaming service that brings together cloud-based content management, end point playout and global monitoring capabilities in a highly programmable, user-friendly package, and eliminates the complex integration and management of many different components to deliver branded audio to customers. Service providers like MMX In-Store Media can quickly launch a SoundScape service with a subscription and IP audio players at each end location, and immediately start reliably delivering music and advertising to restaurants, stores, hotels and public facilities. Barix’s upfront SaaS-based “pay as you go” price model, along with SoundScape’s infinite scalability, also ensures attainable long-term expansion goals are reachable while maintaining overall low total cost of ownership. Advanced features, which include dynamic ad insertion for each location, enable new revenue generating streams and an accelerated return on investment.

“The central benefit to SoundScape is efficiency; the ability to program playlists and make changes at the drop of the that across multiple stores and clusters is enormously helpful,” said Sole. “For example, we have an urban cluster and a rural cluster of stores, each with different demographics that require distinct music and ads – not to mention different languages. SoundScape makes it very easy to serve these different groups and clusters with targeted audio content. The reliability of Barix can also not be understated. The Exstreamer SoundScape IP audio players at the stores are built like a tank, with a futureproof design that will keep hardware costs minimal for many years.”

Moving forward, beyond extending the SoundScape network to additional locations, Sole expects to better leverage SoundScape’s extensive system monitoring capabilities, which provide detailed insight into performance down to each remote player. For now, he’s relying on system alerts within the central SoundScape portal, which help to support basic troubleshooting needs. He also hopes to utilize SoundScape’s live streaming capabilities in the future, as opposed to the purely schedule-based configuration of the initial deployment.

“While network connectivity is good, bandwidth remains quite expensive in Zimbabwe,” said Sole. “We intend to first utilize live streaming outside of peak hours, and eventually implement a live radio service for special events. We see a lot of opportunity to be creative with SoundScape in the future.”

Barix: We Move Audio (www.barix.com)

Barix supplies simple and reliable solutions and components to systems integrators and end users worldwide.  We move high-quality audio across IP networks, adding value to customer solutions for more than a decade with hundreds of thousands of devices installed worldwide.  Background music distribution with dynamic advertising insertion for retail shops, bars and hotels; public address solutions for schools and public spaces; and intercom and entry systems for facility surveillance, protection and security are among the many applications of Barix solutions.  Barix also supports OEM projects for a number of Global 500 listed companies serving many industries worldwide.

Barix Instreamer audio-over-IP encoders simplify delivery and recording of aircraft noise levels monitored across surrounding neighborhoods

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, November 30, 2016 — Centennial Airport (APA)—an international public use airport in the Denver/Aurora, Colorado metropolitan area—has shifted to Audio over IP as a simpler and more cost-effective means of monitoring aircraft-related noise and its effect on human life in adjacent vicinities. The multipoint system simplifies the gathering, recording and review of noise exposure data – ultimately for the benefit of maintaining and improving regional community and business relations.

Each Noise Monitoring Terminal (NMT) features a Brüel & Kjaer system with an integrated Barix Instreamer. The Instreamer encodes the aircraft noise captured at each NMT, and streams it over IP to a control center where it’s correlated with flight tracking information. These portable field NMTs are currently situated at 12 permanent, noise-sensitive sites throughout the surrounding communities, including two on the airport grounds. Two additional portable units can also be quickly deployed to specific locations, allowing Centennial operators to monitor noise levels in response to specific residential complaints.

“Before we obtained this noise monitoring technology, we didn’t have a direct way of correlating noise complaints with the actual aircraft in the air,” said Aaron Repp, Noise & Environmental Specialist for Centennial Airport, which is owned and operated by the Arapahoe County Public Airport Authority. “Now, we can listen to audio recordings and study the data, including the duration and decibel level of monitored noise events, to verify if a particular noise was the direct result of specific flight activity in that area.”

Prior to deploying the NMTs, Centennial Airport was limited to just logging and tracking complaints, or calling upon nearby Denver International Airport to check their noise monitoring system. Having its own reliable, round-the-clock NMTs enables Centennial Airport’s noise monitoring team to maintain a detailed noise exposure database over time, and develop a five-year forecast of noise levels based upon the projected volume of airport traffic.

“Today, when we speak to local planning commissions and city councils about noise exposure in the airport vicinity, we’re no longer resorting to estimates of aircraft noise levels,” said Repp. With its rapidly growing population, the Denver metro typically sees a great deal of residential and commercial real estate development and construction.

“We can now support our case with hard facts and figures—and even furnish a historical perspective analyzing noise data in a particular area over a specified period of time,” added Repp. “Having concrete data like this is especially valuable to prospective home buyers and business owners that may wonder how much aircraft noise they’ll experience if they locate near this airport.”

Centennial proactively conducted its own “Centennial Airport Part 150 Noise Compatibility Program,” based on a voluntary FAA program that recommends guidelines for airport noise compatibility planning. Based on the study’s many recommendations, the APA applied for and received a $1.5 million grant to fund the Brüel & Kjaer NMT package, including the company’s subscription-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) for hosting and maintenance. Brüel & Kjaer also integrated the Barix Instreamer devices, distributed by LineQ in the United States, which have a proven record of reliability and simplicity in a wide range of real-time Audio over IP encoding and streaming applications.

“Live audio of noise events are picked up by the NMT microphone, and the Barix Instreamer streams it to a server that records the event. The recordings enable us to study noise exposure on a case by case basis, such as an unusually loud military flight,” said Michael Fronapfel, director of planning and development for Centennial Airport.

“As one of the busiest airports in the country, Centennial Airport contributes more than $1.4 billion to the local economy,” added Fronapfel. “This NMT technology helps us strike a balance between the needs of this regional airport and the noise exposure that local citizens experience as a result of its flight operations. More importantly, it’s been absolutely key to fostering a strong relationship with the residents and businesses in our local communities.”

About LineQ

LineQ is a full-service distributor specializing in complete Audio over IP solutions, with a complete portfolio of premium, networked end point solutions from IP audio specialist Barix, pro AV specialist Ecler and Cornered Audio loudspeakers; and key partnerships with streaming and software companies to ensure rock-solid multipoint content distribution for in-store radio and other IP delivery systems. LineQ’s customized approach ensures tailored systems to meet the needs of systems integrators and end users in the Pro AV, broadcast and security markets. LineQ’s experience in retail, corporate, transit and education further differentiates its position as an expert solutions provider for an array of businesses and organizations.  Additionally, LineQ’s unique Digital Product Manager software simplifies ordering, design, installation and maintenance in the field through an intuitive, easy-to-use mobile app. Visit www.lineq.com or e-mail sales@lineq.com for more information.

Barix: We Move Audio (www.barix.com)

Barix supplies simple and reliable solutions and components to systems integrators and end users worldwide.  We move high-quality audio across IP networks, adding value to customer solutions for more than a decade with hundreds of thousands of devices installed worldwide.  Background music distribution with dynamic advertising insertion for retail shops, bars and hotels; public address solutions for schools and public spaces; and intercom and entry systems for facility surveillance, protection and security are among the many applications of Barix solutions.  Barix also supports OEM projects for a number of Global 500 listed companies serving many industries worldwide.

Audio over IP system enables operational flexibility across multiple targeted paging zones, while ease of integration saves time, effort and cost

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, January 5, 2016 — In expansive community facilities, the ability to quickly and clearly notify and relay instructions to visitors during emergency situations is critical to public safety and security. When Long Island, New York integration firm Rapid Motion Technology deployed a new emergency paging system at a 100,000 square foot cultural and community center in Brooklyn this fall, they selected a Barix Audio over IP solution, supplied by its US distributor LineQ, to provide the flexibility, advanced functionality and installation efficiency the project required.

The community center features a swimming pool, gymnasium and fitness center, and hosts between 500 and 600 visitors at any given time across five floors plus a rooftop playground area. With no existing paging system in place, the center’s management set out to enhance visitor safety with a system to play pre-recorded audio messages throughout the building or to specific, targeted zones in the event of evacuations, fires, lockdowns or other emergency situations.

Brought into the project by Gleis Security Consulting, Rapid Motion Technology looked to an IP-based solution to overcome significant physical challenges. “The building had fully closed, Sheetrock ceilings, which made wiring difficult even within individual floors,” said Jason Hagler, CEO of Rapid Motion Technologies.  “With an Audio over IP solution, we were able to use the facility’s existing CAT6 network infrastructure, avoiding the extensive work that would have been needed to run feeds between floors.”

Having discovered Barix solutions at the ISC West security industry trade show a few years earlier, Hagler saw them as a perfect fit for the project. “Beyond the installation benefits, the Barix system also gave us the flexibility to easily send audio over the network, either anywhere or everywhere.”

In-depth conversations with LineQ quickly overcame Hagler’s initial hesitation about using IP-based audio over the existing network. “I was concerned about bandwidth impact on the customer’s other applications, but the Barix solution shares the LAN very well with other network traffic. It requires very little bandwidth, and LineQ worked closely with me to design the optimal configuration.”

Seven Barix Annuncicom PS1 desktop IP paging stations are distributed across the building’s five floors, rooftop area and central security office. Barix Exstreamer 100 IP audio decoders, located in equipment racks on each level, receive and decode the audio, which Clarity amplifiers by Valcom then feed to ceiling-mounted speakers.115 speakers are dedicated to paging, while integration between the Barix units and the building’s pre-existing, Clarity-powered background music system enables pages to override music playing over additional speakers.

Each Barix paging station can perform an ‘all call’ to every speaker throughout the building or target just specific areas assigned to that station, such as its own floor. “The Barix system makes it easy to configure targeted paging zones,” said Hagler. “We simply gave each Exstreamer receiving unit a static IP address, and specified the IP addresses that each Annunicom’s audio is directed to. And if the customer wants us to modify the mapping, we just add or change IP addresses, with no wiring required.”

The Barix solution saved the integrator and the community center both time and money. “Using IP audio saved close to a week that we would have spent coring through floors and running wiring, and saved our customer thousands of dollars on labor and materials.,” said Hagler. “The speakers took most of the installation time, but we had the Barix solution itself up and running in under six hours. It’s very user-friendly, and the technical support from Barix and LineQ is exceptional.”

Hagler was equally impressed with the end result. “Voice intelligibility is critical in this type of application, and the Barix audio is incredibly crisp,” he said. “From a timeliness standpoint, the delay from paging until it hits the speakers is less than 3 or 4 milliseconds – you don’t even realize there’s any delay at all. And for the customer, the system is easy to adjust or expand if their needs change. The Barix solution lived up to all of our expectations, and I’d definitely use it again.”

Barix: We Move Audio (www.barix.com)

Barix supplies simple and reliable solutions and components to systems integrators and end users worldwide.  We move high-quality audio across IP networks, adding value to customer solutions for more than a decade with hundreds of thousands of devices installed worldwide.  Background music distribution with dynamic advertising insertion for retail shops, bars and hotels; public address solutions for schools and public spaces; and intercom and entry systems for facility surveillance, protection and security are among the many applications of Barix solutions.  Barix also supports OEM projects for a number of Global 500 listed companies serving many industries worldwide.

About LineQ

LineQ is a full-service distributor specializing in complete Audio over IP solutions, with a complete portfolio of premium, networked end point solutions from IP audio specialist Barix, pro AV specialist Ecler and Cornered Audio loudspeakers; and key partnerships with streaming and software companies to ensure rock-solid multipoint content distribution for in-store radio and other IP delivery systems. LineQ’s customized approach ensures tailored systems to meet the needs of systems integrators and end users in the Pro AV, broadcast and security markets. LineQ’s experience in retail, corporate, transit and education further differentiates its position as an expert solutions provider for an array of businesses and organizations.  Additionally, LineQ’s unique Digital Product Manager software simplifies ordering, design, installation and maintenance in the field through an intuitive, easy-to-use mobile app. Visit www.lineq.com or e-mail sales@lineq.com for more information.

To be introduced at ISE 2017, the free downloadable Audio Signage firmware update supports multi-channel audio tracks for digital signage to mobile phones – without the need for a PC

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, January 9, 2017 — At the upcoming ISE 2017 in Amsterdam, Audio over IP pioneer Barix will update its Audio Signage platform with free firmware to deliver multiple audio tracks to single- or multi-screen digital signage installations. Barix will exhibit at Stand 8-N270 in the RAI Exhibition and Conference Center from February 7-10.

The Barix Audio Signage platform helps businesses and visitor attractions deliver audio associated with digital signage to mobile phones over a local Wi-Fi connection. The firmware update will run on a standard Barix Exstreamer Store & Play unit as opposed to an expensive PC-based system that is complicated to manage. The firmware is available for download at www.barix.com/downloads.

The updated Barix Audio Signage solution works for any location where digital signage needs the additional boost of streamed audio to effectively deliver its message.  Though previously simple and low-cost to support single-channel streams using the Barix Instreamer and a free Audio Signage mobile app, the second-generation Barix approach now solves the challenge of delivering multichannel streams as simply, quickly, and inexpensively as possible.

“Consider the case of a museum with three digital signage displays running, each with a unique audio track that is transmitted via Wi-Fi to mobile phone users,” said Reto Brader, vice president of sales and marketing, Barix. “The museum previously would have to buy and use a Linux PC to enable the delivery of channel information to the mobile app, in order to give access to all 3 audio streams via Wi-Fi, costing a minimum of $1000. Now, all they need is an Exstreamer Store & Play loaded with the new, free “Barix Audio Signage Info Server” firmware. With this new approach, the museum can provide multi-channel support for around $300 per installation, and will no longer require a PC in the system—greatly enhancing robustness and reliability.”

Barix Audio Signage is purpose-built to deliver audio streaming to mobile phones with very low latency, ensuring that audio tracks synchronize with digital signage content. This is why the single channel version of Audio Signage has already found wide acceptance in hotels and museums using digital signage. On its own, Audio Signage’s low-latency performance has made it a preferred choice for serving simultaneous audio translation streams at multi-lingual conferences and meetings.

Brader notes that the key challenge in deploying Audio Signage lies in the network configuration and Wi-Fi environment on location. He adds that given the straightforward nature of the Audio Signage platform, systems integrators can easily test and evaluate a facility’s network to ensure that Audio Signage works on the network’s current configuration, or whether its Wi-Fi capability requires strengthening.

“The beauty about the second-generation Barix Audio Signage approach is that the solution relies on Barix hardware that is very robust, easy to setup and exceptionally reliable,” said Brader. “All a client has to do is to purchase our hardware devices – in this case, a Barix Instreamer for each channel, and a Barix Exstreamer Store & Play to support multi-channel implementations. The firmware is downloadable to these devices, and the multichannel audio streaming service is ready to go. On the display of the mobile phone receiving the signals, the consumer simply clicks on the title of the stream they want to listen to, and the connection is made.”

Barix: We Move Audio (www.barix.com)

Barix supplies simple and reliable solutions and components to systems integrators and end users worldwide.  We move high-quality audio across IP networks, adding value to customer solutions for more than a decade with hundreds of thousands of devices installed worldwide.  Background music distribution with dynamic advertising insertion for retail shops, bars and hotels; public address solutions for schools and public spaces; and intercom and entry systems for facility surveillance, protection and security are among the many applications of Barix solutions.  Barix also supports OEM projects for a number of Global 500 listed companies serving many industries worldwide.

Android support for Simple Paging system, redundancy for PBX phones systems among Audio over IP advances for systems integrators and end users at ISE 2017

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, January 18, 2017 — At ISE 2017, Audio over IP pioneer Barix is showcasing its new Simple Paging App for Android phone users, plus its newly-released SIP-based support for redundant PBX systems. The two items are among many exciting products that Barix has brought to the ISE 2017 show in Amsterdam.

Barix is a leader in providing cost-effective paging and public announcement solutions that provide a variety of stand-alone or SIP–based VoIP solutions. At ISE in Amsterdam (Stand N-270), Barix will demonstrate how its SIP gateway can now allow registration with redundant PBX systems, the latest step in the company’s longstanding commitment to SIP integration. This level of support means that SIP-based telephone operators can register devices serving as their SIP client(s) to backup both their main and redundant PBX systems.

In providing this support, Barix is addressing the trend among VoIP-centric integrators to marry intercom, paging, and music-on-hold applications with SIP-enabled PBX telephone systems, providing systems integrators and end users with a centralized control and management platforms for virtually all communications. By enabling redundant streams with seamless switching, systems integrators also now have a more fully formed solution to maximize reliability and customer uptime in corporate and other business environments.

“Supporting redundant PBX systems is the next logical step and a natural progression in Barix’s long-running support for SIP integration with standard VoIP systems to support paging and intercom,” said Brader. “Our products also provide music on hold and messaging (MoH) for these phone networks, and we are constantly developing new products for this market in response to customer demand.” 

Simple Paging, first introduced at ISE 2015, gives systems integrators a way to cost-effectively transition schools and businesses to an IP paging and public address system that can additionally support background music, emergency notification and other services over a common network. Simple Paging also gives end users the flexibility of paging from a master paging station at a fixed location; or from a mobile phone while on the move using the Barix Simple Paging app. 

Previously only available for iOS devices, the Simple Paging App has now been developed and made available for Android users, and offers the same flexibility to broadcast a general announcement or time-sensitive alert to an entire facility or user-specified zones selected in real-time.

“Mobile phones are becoming central to how we manage our lives, both at work and at home,” said Reto Brader, Barix’s VP of Sales and Marketing. “The Android app now, along with an update for iOS10 devices, makes Simple Paging available for the large majority of mobile device users worldwide, an invaluable tool for controlling their announcement systems from anywhere at any time.” 

Further emphasizing Barix’s leadership in this area, Brader will give a presentation on Paging and Intercom in the Age of Mobile at ISE 2017. Brader will share his insights into trends and developments on this emerging topic, and put paging and intercoms into a 21^st century IP context for attendees in the Audio Theater on Friday, February 10, 2017 at 12pm local time. 

The Simple Paging App for Android and redundant PBX support are among many innovative Barix products that can be seen at ISE 2017. The trade show runs February 7-10, 2017 at the RAI Exhibition and Conference Centre in Amsterdam.

Barix: We Move Audio (www.barix.com)

Barix supplies simple and reliable solutions and components to systems integrators and end users worldwide.  We move high-quality audio across IP networks, adding value to customer solutions for more than a decade with hundreds of thousands of devices installed worldwide.  Background music distribution with dynamic advertising insertion for retail shops, bars and hotels; public address solutions for schools and public spaces; and intercom and entry systems for facility surveillance, protection and security are among the many applications of Barix solutions.  Barix also supports OEM projects for a number of Global 500 listed companies serving many industries worldwide.

IP audio and control visionary brings in new CEO and assumes the CTO role while reshaping the company for future growth

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, October 31, 2016 — Audio over IP pioneer Barix today announced that company founder Johannes Rietschel has returned to the company as CTO—just one of several executive-level changes as Barix prepares to introduce new product strategies and innovations to its many markets, including professional AV, broadcast, retail and security.

Rietschel founded Barix in 2001 upon anticipating the need to move audio and control signals over IP networks. The company has since shipped more than 300,000 Barix and private-labeled OEM hardware devices worldwide, and has more recently evolved into SaaS and managed services with SoundScape, its business music and advertising platform for retail, hospitality and other location-based businesses.

In recognition of this evolution, Rietschel has appointed Ivo Killer as Barix CEO. Ivo also serves as COO of Barix’s sister company, Qibixx. “Ivo has clearly demonstrated his strength in managing people and organizations, which dates to executive HR positions in the Financial Services as well as in the Telecom industry, since coming to Qibixx,” said Rietschel, who also serves as Qibixx CEO. “These strengths and his early success at Qibixx prove that he has the vision to lead and continue moving Barix forward.”

While Barix will continue to focus on its core markets stated above, Rietschel and Killer’s leadership positions at both companies will play a role in reshaping operations and product development. Barix recently closed its German office and moved its customer support, engineering and inside sales staff to Zurich. These resources will work closely with existing Qibixx teams on business and product development initiatives moving forward.

“Qibixx, being the main hardware supplier to TWINT, the Swiss mobile payment system, uses the most modern technologies including IPv6, Bluetooth LE and RFID to develop highly innovative mobile, wireless and beacon solutions for large projects,” said Killer. “While Barix will remain an independent, separate entity, we fully intend to leverage the forward-looking technology innovations and engineering resources of Qibixx to move Barix’s traditional and emerging businesses into the next phase. This includes new product launches and enhancements for audio contribution and distribution in broadcast radio, location-based music and advertising delivery, paging and intercom, and control and automation.”

Rounding out the executive level changes is the appointment of Joan Parrilla as VP Engineering. Parrilla has served as Product Manager for SoundScape since its initial development and launch in 2013. Additionally, Reto Brader, who joined Barix in 2015 as VP Sales, has been promoted to VP Sales and Marketing. Departing CEO Frank Frederiksen has left Barix as of the end of August.

“We thank Frank for his years of excellent service and wish him well in his future endeavors,” said Rietschel. “I’m excited to return to Barix, working closely with the greater executive team and the growing Barix staff to bring new and exciting innovations to market, and better serve our global systems integration, end user and OEM customer base.”

Barix: We Move Audio (www.barix.com)

Barix supplies simple and reliable solutions and components to systems integrators and end users worldwide.  We move high-quality audio across IP networks, adding value to customer solutions for more than a decade with hundreds of thousands of devices installed worldwide.  Background music distribution with dynamic advertising insertion for retail shops, bars and hotels; public address solutions for schools and public spaces; and intercom and entry systems for facility surveillance, protection and security are among the many applications of Barix solutions.  Barix also supports OEM projects for a number of Global 500 listed companies serving many industries worldwide.

Island92 on the Dutch side of St. Maarten finds value and reliability in Barix for remote broadcasts, new studio-to-transmitter link to Anguilla that will save thousands per month

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, October 20, 2016 — Audio over IP pioneer Barix is helping St. Maarten FM radio broadcaster Island92, owned by Caribe Broadcasting, strengthen reliability and reduce costs associated with remote broadcasting via its IP encoding and decoding solutions. Using the Barix Instreamer 100 encoder and Exstreamer 100 decoder, the growing station has discovered the benefits of IP connectivity for special events like the annual St. Maarten Yacht Club Heineken Regatta—the largest sailing event in the Caribbean—and live sports broadcasts from the United States.

Island92’s networking capabilities have gradually scaled since current Caribe Broadcasting Program Director, Music Director and afternoon drive-time host Eric Boyer joined the station 11 years ago. The station then had a limited Windows network to manage and deliver on-air programming during daytime hours, before switching to a satellite service at night. With Boyer at the helm, Island92 has since grown to support a mix of live and automated programming, with full on-air, production and back-office functions.

Remote broadcasting proved one of the more challenging functions from a cost and technology perspective, particularly when it came to the St. Maarten Yacht Club Heineken Regatta—an event that Island92 has served as the main broadcaster for over much of the last decade.

“We originally rented a Marti unit, and would broadcast from different locations around the island to gain varied perspectives on the race,” said Boyer. “The problem is the multi-day event takes place on both the French and Dutch sides of the island. Being two separate countries, it’s very difficult and expensive to cover the event over telephone lines. You’re talking a minimum of 20 cents a minute, so it cost us a lot of money over three days, which includes covering the parties, live bands and awards ceremonies, not to mention up to six hours of sailing per day.”

The compact, simple-to-configure Barix Instreamer gives Boyer a reliable and hassle-free way to capture live audio from multiple locations, and stream it back to the studio over a WiMax wireless internet connection. The Barix Exstreamer receives and decodes the audio at the studio, and transports the live signal to the on-air studio. The Barix Audio over IP architecture delivers the program signal at high quality and with minimal latency, typically using a 64kbps bitrate in mp3. Boyer can also log into the Exstreamer at the station from any remote location to monitor the connection, as desired.

“The Barix Instreamer is tuned to our studio IP address over a specific secure port, and it just connects and goes. The reliability has been astounding,” said Boyer. “The great thing about the Instreamer is that it is so small and self-contained: You log into the GUI, set it up, and it reboots every time and simply works. It runs on very low power at 12 volts, which keeps our costs down even more. And we have found the quality to be very worthy of broadcast radio. It’s important to remember that the connectivity and public Internet in St. Maarten is not the best in the world. We can kick the Barix connection up to a higher bitrate when desired, but this provided the best balance of broadcast quality-audio and bandwidth preservation. Once I figured out the best combination of how to make everything work – and it didn’t take long – the entire system has been rock-solid.”

Beyond the St. Maarten Yacht Club Heineken Regatta, Boyer has also used the Instreamer/Exstreamer combination to deliver live remote broadcasts from the Cincinnati Western/Southern Tennis Open, and the US Tennis Open in Flushing Meadows, New York – using the same 64kpbs connection.

Boyer believes Barix will truly deliver its best cost savings yet based on the recent deployment of a studio-to-transmitter link (STL) between Island92 and a remote FM station in Anguilla, a Caribbean island located 11 miles north. This enables Island92 to simulcast its popular Fresh Air in the Morning with Dr. Soc program to Anguilla’s population, and will soon also provide a 24/7 STL link to the island. Boyer secured this latest Barix Instreamer/Exstreamer STL solution from LineQ, Barix’s distributor in the United States, which helped determine the most appropriate solution for their STL requirements.

“Using a fixed microwave STL connection would be prohibitively expensive, as we would need to procure three broadcast licenses in three different countries,” said Boyer, referring to the Dutch and French sides of St. Maarten as well as Anguilla. “And if we wanted a commercial program license on the French side of the island, 60 percent of that programming has to be in the French language. That’s three times the headache and cost of what any broadcaster in the United States, Europe or other major broadcast regions would do. Barix will easily save us thousands of dollars each month using their Audio over IP architecture.”

About LineQ

LineQ is a full-service distributor specializing in complete Audio over IP solutions, with a complete portfolio of premium, networked end point solutions from IP audio specialist Barix, pro AV specialist Ecler and Cornered Audio loudspeakers; and key partnerships with streaming and software companies to ensure rock-solid multipoint content distribution for in-store radio and other IP delivery systems. LineQ’s customized approach ensures tailored systems to meet the needs of systems integrators and end users in the Pro AV, broadcast and security markets. LineQ’s experience in retail, corporate, transit and education further differentiates its position as an expert solutions provider for an array of businesses and organizations.  Additionally, LineQ’s unique Digital Product Manager software simplifies ordering, design, installation and maintenance in the field through an intuitive, easy-to-use mobile app. Visit www.lineq.com or e-mail sales@lineq.com for more information.

Barix: We Move Audio (www.barix.com)

Barix supplies simple and reliable solutions and components to systems integrators and end users worldwide.  We move high-quality audio across IP networks, adding value to customer solutions for more than a decade with hundreds of thousands of devices installed worldwide.  Background music distribution with dynamic advertising insertion for retail shops, bars and hotels; public address solutions for schools and public spaces; and intercom and entry systems for facility surveillance, protection and security are among the many applications of Barix solutions.  Barix also supports OEM projects for a number of Global 500 listed companies serving many industries worldwide.

Easy-to-use IP audio system, distributed in the U.S. by LineQ, cost-effectively overcomes geographic challenges for Massachusetts-based community radio station

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, August 15, 2016 — For non-commercial, community-focused radio stations like WARA 1320AM, finding cost-effective yet reliable solutions that enable them to reach their listeners even in times of emergency is essential. When Attleboro Access Cable System (“DoubleACS”) in Massachusetts took ownership of WARA-AM last year, it turned to Barix Audio over IP devices to overcome geography-imposed technical challenges and deliver these benefits for its studio-to-transmitter link (STL).

Originally a television company, DoubleACS’ first foray into radio came in 2011, partnering with a commercial AM radio station to provide emergency information to the community during a major storm that left residents without power—and thus television service—for many days. Years later, DoubleACS took over the license of that same station, converted it to non-commercial operation and moved its studios before bringing back the locally-significant WARA call letters. Today, WARA’s 5000-watt signal reaches the Attleboro area as well as parts of Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, delivering local news, talk, public affairs, educational, music and “old time radio” programming.

When setting up WARA’s new studio, the local terrain created issues for the STL between the station and its transmitter site seven miles away. “Even with 200-foot towers, the local geography meant we couldn’t get high enough over the tree cover to get line-of-sight,” explained Jim Jones, operations manager at DoubleACS. “Beyond the technical considerations, getting frequency licenses in our area is a challenge, and the equipment to implement a traditional microwave STL was expensive. I am very comfortable with IP-based technologies, so it was a simple decision to use an IP STL to overcome these obstacles.”

Jones had seen Barix solutions—distributed in the U.S. by LineQ—at the previous studio that DoubleACS acquired WARA’s license from, but still thoroughly researched his options for IP audio codecs. That research validated Barix as his best choice. “We already knew that Barix was proven, and we found solutions from alternative vendors to be much more expensive and require a lot more handholding and administration,” he said. “The Barix devices are extremely easy to use, and cost much less than other IP audio products we looked at. And compared to the equipment for a wireless STL system, the Barix solution was on the order of ten times less expensive.”

Jones chose a Barix Instreamer as the encoder for the studio, and an Exstreamer 100 as the decoder at the transmitter site. “With only one signal, we didn’t need the extra features or sophistication of the higher-end Barix models,” Jones recounted. “As such, we chose the most cost-effective model that met our needs, as it also made buying redundant units for our backup operations more affordable.”

Setting up the Barix units proved fast and easy. After listening to them audibly “speak” their assigned IP addresses, Jones configured the Barix devices through a browser on his laptop using their built-in web interface. After configuring security, selecting his input source, and choosing his preferred audio codec, the system was operational. “The whole process took maybe around five minutes total,” he recalled.

Jones chose PCM audio for WARA’s STL. “Barix’s flexible support for multiple codecs was a big selling point for us, but we decided to go with the best quality we could for feeding our transmitter site. PCM gave us the richest sound with no artifacts.” A Comcast cable Internet link is backed up by Verizon DSL connectivity for fault-tolerant redundancy. The Barix units are automatically switched between the two connections if a link fails, minimizing the interruption of the radio signal to at most two or three seconds.

In addition to its ease of use, the Barix STL solution has also lived up to Jones’ reliability expectations. “I think I’ve only looked at the Barix units once since we installed them a year and a half ago. I don’t know of many other products that are as ‘set and forget’ as they are,” he concluded.

Barix: We Move Audio (www.barix.com)

Barix supplies simple and reliable solutions and components to systems integrators and end users worldwide.  We move high-quality audio across IP networks, adding value to customer solutions for more than a decade with hundreds of thousands of devices installed worldwide.  Background music distribution with dynamic advertising insertion for retail shops, bars and hotels; public address solutions for schools and public spaces; and intercom and entry systems for facility surveillance, protection and security are among the many applications of Barix solutions.  Barix also supports OEM projects for a number of Global 500 listed companies serving many industries worldwide.

About LineQ

LineQ is a full-service distributor specializing in complete Audio over IP solutions, with a complete portfolio of premium, networked end point solutions from IP audio specialist Barix, pro AV specialist Ecler and Cornered Audio loudspeakers; and key partnerships with streaming and software companies to ensure rock-solid multipoint content distribution for in-store radio and other IP delivery systems. LineQ’s customized approach ensures tailored systems to meet the needs of systems integrators and end users in the Pro AV, broadcast and security markets. LineQ’s experience in retail, corporate, transit and education further differentiates its position as an expert solutions provider for an array of businesses and organizations.  Additionally, LineQ’s unique Digital Product Manager software simplifies ordering, design, installation and maintenance in the field through an intuitive, easy-to-use mobile app. Visit www.lineq.com or e-mail sales@lineq.com for more information.