ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, January 23, 2013 — Barix is helping the parent company of a Maldives Islands resort boost property security through the power of IP audio. The system, installed by Maldives-based systems integration firm EIT Private Limited, integrates two-way Audio over IP technology from Barix as part of an intrusion alarm solution for the business offices of Bandos Island Resort and Spa. The complete solution also includes CCTV video and remote monitoring components.
EIT Private Limited installed a security system following recent burglaries at the resort’s headquarters, located in the 13-story Jazeera Building in the capital city of Male’. The Barix solution employs two Annuncicom PS1 devices, with one at the main Jazeera Building control center and a second in a control center on resort grounds, where all remote monitoring takes place. The PS1 enables a direct connection for intercom communications between the two control centers over an eight-mile (13-kilometer) distance.
EIT Private Limited Director Mohamed Afzal estimates that the Barix solution saved his customer five thousand dollars ($5,000) versus a legacy audio system, eliminating interference concerns in the process. Long-distance audio is streamed between the two PS1 devices over a WiFi link from Ubiquiti Networks, costing far less than communicating by mobile phone or PSTN networks.
Ultimately, the Barix solution provides his customer with the high audio quality needed to reliably communicate and prevent theft today — and the flexibility to grow the system moving forward.
“Barix offers the best option today for a customized IP audio solution in security, with open software that allows us to integrate and customize their hardware,” said Afzal. “Most vendors don’t provide that kind of flexibility. In this case, Bandos Island Resort and Spa no longer have to depend on others or worry about the questionable reliability of SMS-based mobile communication to report security incidents. The PS1 ensures that guards can better communicate (at no additional cost), and more effectively catch suspects during a forced entry or theft.”
Afzal added that Barix provides flexibility in audio streaming, allowing users to choose any type of format or compression depending on the customer’s network strength.
“Too many other products have fixed bit rates for audio, and in many cases the customer’s network cannot accommodate the bandwidth needed to handle the streams,” he said. “Barix offers plenty of audio streaming options so that customers are not forced to invest in network upgrades or buy additional hardware.”
The configuration for the Bandos Island Resort and Spa system uses standard voice over IP (VoIP) protocols for communication between guards at two control centers. SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) calls can be initiated to allow communication with multiple receiving devices. Remote access control at the main office building entrance is also made possible with the Barix installation.
Afzal concluded that set up was extremely simple, with streaming enabled between the two PS1 devices within minutes of configuration. “The PS1 devices detect each other over the network almost immediately once set up and powered on,” he said.
