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| Barix Store & Play, and SoundScape solutions cover spectrum for live retail radio, scheduled program playback |
Barix comes to the 2014 NAB Show with a new strategy to create more efficient operations for private radio networks and content providers: fewer separate pieces, and more complete solutions.
At its NAB booth (Las Vegas Convention Center, April 7-10, Booth C1139), Barix will unveil two new complete solutions for in-store radio deployments that eliminate the device-centric philosophy of its previous-generation solutions, while delivering new operational efficiencies and revenue generating opportunities:
- Store & Play, a complete hardware and software solution for scheduled playout of music and advertising with automatic content updates
- SoundScape, a complete live streaming and stored playback solution that enables simple, centralised management across large networks via a portal to control users, content, scheduling and monitoring
Store & play
The next-generation Barix Store and Play solution receives its debut at the 2014 NAB Show. Store & Play gives private radio networks a flexible application for retailers and other businesses that want dynamic in-store radio programming without using too many network resources. While live streaming audio typically doesn’t require a large amount of network space, many businesses have limited network bandwidth to begin with – or otherwise want more control over what they are playing at what time.
Like previous generations, the new Barix Store & Play allows customers to download music and advertising content off the network, and reliably play out that programming on schedule with excellent audio quality. Unlike previous generations, the new Store & Play is a complete hardware and software solution as opposed to a device-centric system. Overall, the new Store & Play delivers much download speeds approaching 100 times faster, as well as improved system memory to preserve quality of playback through demanding processing actions. Additionally, a built-in MicroSD card eliminates theft of monetised content, while built-in precision clock timing ensures that playback schedules remain intact in the event of network outages. Overall, the new Store & Play solution vastly increases flexibility for content providers with a need for scheduled playback of in-store content.
"SoundScape and Store & Play retain the core Barix competency of efficiently and reliably moving audio across IP networks with outstanding audio quality" |
SoundScape
SoundScape, unveiled in February, allows private radio networks to comprehensively manage audio distribution over IP networks, offering a centralised management portal and audio players at multiple locations. Users can manage, configure and group SoundScape audio players, schedule content and monitor device status network-wide.
SoundScape adds in-store radio flexibility through support of live streams and stored content playback over the same network, with seamless switching between the two applications. Both options support targeted, location-based advertising insertions that seamlessly fade in and out of music programs.
The network-wide management capabilities of SoundScape further reduces costs and complexity by enabling private radio networks to remotely deliver firmware updates, create and monitor logs, and track play reports for sponsors. This takes the onus off private radio networks who previously used in-house or third-party monitoring solutions to perform such services.
SoundScape additionally provides value through an ability to target content across the network. The end-to-end architecture ensures that businesses can group devices to receive specific ads, other languages or completely different programs – whether by location, by department or otherwise.
“Businesses of all kinds, including many private radio networks, have long used Barix in-store radio solutions to deliver live streams and file-based playlists to stores and locations,” said Ronni Guggenheim, CEO, Barix. “SoundScape and Store & Play retain the core Barix competency of efficiently and reliably moving audio across IP networks with outstanding audio quality, while introducing new features that will ultimately enable private radio networks and content providers to help their customers create better brand awareness and improve in-store experiences – with added flexibility and cost-efficiency.”
