Coop installs Barix Exstreamer for customized music and advertising between 920 branches
EnglishSwiss wholesaler second large store chain after REWE Group of Austria to use Barix IP-based in-store media system for point-to-multipoint audio streaming
Zurich, Switzerland, January 4, 2007 – Barix AG today announced the installation of approximately 1,200 of its Exstreamer IP audio decoding devices at 920 branch locations of Coop, a department store chain based in Switzerland. The Barix Exstreamer enables a point-to-multipoint audio stream from the central office to all branch locations, providing all 920 stores with a uniform acoustical environment and a customized advertising program using the IP environment. The stores are located in five sales regions: Berne, Northwest Switzerland, Suisse Romadie, East-Switzerland-Ticino and Central Switzerland-Zurich.
The Exstreamer’s low price and operating costs, along with a high level of flexibility and user-friendliness, proved a far more attractive alternative to expensive satellite technology previously used by Coop for in-store streaming. The Exstreamers are the integral hardware component in Coop’s new IP-based in-store media system, replacing CD players, radios and satellite receiver systems.
After four months of installation work, the last of the 920 Coop branches are now receiving new music and advertising streams. Coop customers are entertained with uniform background music at all stores, plus national and regional Coop advertising every seven minutes. The Barix in-store media system uses the already existing IP network connection in the Coop branches, with each branch receiving a uniform digital music stream and a digital advertising stream synchronized with the region and store format.
Individual announcements from branches can also be programmed into the audio stream, further reinforcing the system’s flexibility. Four PC music servers in the Basel headquarters are sufficient to provide all the branches with targeted music and advertising.
According to August Harder, head of IT at Coop, the acquisition price of the Barix Exstreamer lies far below that of an elaborate satellite system used by established wholesalers to distribute in-store music. “The Barix Exstreamer offers the best price/performance ratio, is very user-friendly and functions trouble-free. Barix offers the perfect IP-based in-store media for our requirements,” said Harder. “With over 920 branches throughout Switzerland, the overall inexpensive operating costs were the deciding factor for Coop.”
The Exstreamer is a low-power device requiring a maximum of 4 watts, and 24 times less energy than another solution from the competition that would have entailed a much more expensive PC music server for each branch. Coop is also saving expenses related to costly service technicians. And because the devices utilize a special technology from Barix rather than a traditional computer based operating system, they are extremely immune to network failures or disruptions. Due to the lack of moveable parts such as ventilators, there is no wear and tear on the devices. Thus, operating stability is enormously high.
Thanks to Barix IP-based in-store media, monthly radio reception charges no longer apply to Coop either. Linked to the Coop Intranet, the “Exstreamer” is part of what is known as a closed user Intranet application, which does not receive radio signals and therefore is not considered a device subject to charges according to the Swiss federal law on radio and television (LRTV).
The music and advertising programming is managed with Swiss broadcast software from Micromedia AG (www.micromedia.ch), which has proven itself at local radio stations. The main attraction of the Micromedia system: Branch managers can record individual announcements with a single push of a button and via headset; the system automatically makes sure they are placed in the correct local area and correct timeslot in a synchronized sequence of national or regional Coop advertising. The in-store audio/music is put together and delivered to Coop by the Goldbach Media Group in Küsnacht/ZH.
With Coop as a large client, Barix AG continues its success story with the “Exstreamer” in the IP-based in-store media segment. In the current year the wholesale business chain REWE Group Austria has already equipped its more than 1,900 Merkur, Bipa-Parfümerie and Billa branches with Barix components. Unlike Coop, music and advertising streams are distributed solely via Barix devices without the use of central servers. The REWE Group Austria produces its own REWE radio program with advertising blocks that are also booked by third-party companies.
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About Barix AG (www.barix.com)
Barix AG, headquartered in Zurich Switzerland, specializes in research
and development of state of the art IP based communication and control
technology. Barix products are stand-alone and able to remotely connect
worldwide over standard networks/Internet offering new and improved
solutions to the professional audio distribution, communication and
automation industry. Barix products provide solutions in audio over IP
(audio distribution and monitoring, communication, security) and
automation (remote controlling, monitoring and maintenance). They are
used in various applications such as in-store music and advertisements
for supermarkets, church broadcasting, distance learning, audio
distribution for hotels, offices and hospitals, intercom systems and
PAs, solutions for radio and studio broadcasting, M2M machine
communication, automation in lighting and doors, security solutions as
surveillance and access control. The Barix team provides customers with
state of the art technology offering standard and customized products,
private labeling, licensing and OEM development.
Press contact:
Barix AG, Seefeldstraße 303, CH-8008 Zürich; Barbara Haller-Rietschel,
ph: +41 (0)43/433 22 11; barbara@barix.com; www.barix.com
Agentur Lorenzoni GmbH, Public Relations, Landshuter Str. 29, 85435
Erding Beate Lorenzoni, ph: +49(0)8122/55917-22; beate@lorenzoni.de,
www.lorenzoni.de