Following Barix’s design approach, the new devices use a fanless, PC-free architecture without moving parts or high-power components. The company positions them as low-cost, scalable platforms for operations requiring audio transport and output.
The Exstreamer 1000 combines Instreamer and Exstreamer technology in a single system. New options include balanced inputs and outputs designed for professional audio distribution. The half-width unit fits 19-inch racks and is scheduled to ship at the end of the fourth quarter.
“With the Exstreamer 1000, we incorporated feedback from broadcast engineers who wanted more professional options in a device that was also easy to mount in a rack,” said Barix chief executive and founder Johannes G. Rietschel. “Using the same device as either an Instreamer or Exstreamer means fewer spares are required for STL, RPU, monitoring, and internet audio-transport applications. Balanced inputs and outputs also remove the need for additional conversion devices, reducing complexity while retaining audio quality across the transmission chain.”
The Exstreamer 1000 is the first Instreamer or Exstreamer model to include eight contact inputs. These can carry control data with audio for local announcements and functions such as station identification, an EAS signal, or local voice inserts in a national programme. The contact inputs also remove the need for separate automation equipment to trigger local content.
The Exstreamer 1000 adds higher-level analogue-to-digital and digital-to-analogue conversion intended to reduce noise and improve sound quality. A professional AES/EBU interface captures a digital signal at the source and keeps it digital across the complete chain.
Annuncicom 1000
The new Annuncicom 1000, a sibling of the Exstreamer 1000, is designed for professional use. It combines intercom, paging, and IP-based voice and music transport for public-address systems in a half-width 19-inch enclosure. A rackmount kit supports standard 19-inch cabinets. Eight monitored relay outputs control external devices, while eight monitored contact inputs support audio control and supervision. For broadcast, Barix expects the unit to be particularly relevant to speech-format AM stations. Availability is planned for the end of September.
“Many AM engineers expressed interest in a mono STL system that can carry the programme on one channel and monitor audio on a second,” Rietschel said. “The Annuncicom 1000 provides full-duplex audio through its improved two-way Voice-over-IP architecture, offering a lower-cost approach to STL transport and monitoring for monaural AM broadcasts. It carries PCM audio at a 24 kHz sample rate and a practical bit rate, with audio quality positioned above typical ISDN systems.”
Barix will continue to provide programmable software for engineers and end users to create custom configurations. Local control, audio relays, and low-latency streaming are examples of applications built with the Barix BCL software environment.
