Barix Audio over IP Devices to support public address at NJ TRANSIT

Written by jrood

Barix AG said that NJ TRANSIT has standardized on Barix Audio over IP equipment for IP-based distribution of public address (PA) announcements at rail and bus stations across the state.

NJ TRANSIT is in the
process of building out an IP-based PA and digital display network that will
disseminate audio and visual passenger information from one to many points. NJ
TRANSIT and consultant Baran Design Associates specified Barix Exstreamers to
receive and decode PA messages at every NJ TRANSIT location. The devices are
currently operational across the River Line light rail system and Northeast
Corridor rail lines, as well as a number of bus stations.

 

Audio messages with
relevant passenger information are continuously updated and streamed to
pre-assigned, IP-addressable Exstreamers to ensure that stations are receiving
the right message. The messages originate as WAV files out of a centralized
text-to-speech engine before being encoded to mp3 for distribution to rail and
bus stations. The Exstreamers convert the streams back to audio at the stations
and send them to various digital processing systems and amplifiers for
immediate playout over the speaker systems

 

"We are improving the
quality of our PA systems as part of our efforts to improve customer
communications," said David Rountree, Manager of Public Address Communications
for NJ TRANSIT. "It is important that our customers hear announcements in the
rail station environment, and this new system is very clear and concise. Barix
plays a key role in both maintaining the audio quality and giving our customers
up-to-the-minute, accurate information."

 

NJ TRANSIT is also using
Barix Instreamer audio encoders to monitor audio quality and levels at every
station. An Instreamer will be connected to every digital processor in the
network, capturing live audio picked up by ambient noise sensing microphones on
each rail and bus platform.  The Instreamer encodes the audio and streams
it to offices where personnel can confirm signal intelligibility, send test
signals and adjust audio levels in response.

 

"We realized that IP-based
network technology was the best way to reach all of our stations," Rountree
said. "The older systems were using drop lines and individual copper lines that
would run 40-to-50 miles. The information was somewhat unintelligible by the
time it reached the end of the line. There is virtually no loss the way we are
doing it now thanks to Barix and other IP-based technology. We simply fire a
packet down the line and the quality and intelligibility of the announcement is
maintained throughout the system."

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