An emergency strikes! Spotlight on Wide Area Communication
Featuring TOA’s NX-100 Network Audio

Communication is becoming a very hot topic in the news lately. With an increasing need to communicate with multiple buildings, it is important to have a communication system that can deliver a message, quickly, effectively and to everyone in the building. (In this article we will use school campuses as our example.) University and College campuses often have many buildings covering a large geographic area. Often whole facility communication is non-existent because traditional analog audio systems are impractical to implement, with the facilities relying on the telephone system or e-mail. The telephone method requires multiple calls to deliver the message, which is time consuming and often not a practical form of communication in an emergency. An alternative form of communication is e-mail. Again, not practical and not an effective form of communication. Neither of these scenarios offers the sender confirmation that the intended audience received the message in a timely manner.

Modern communication methods are well established and include high bandwidth and high speed LAN/WAN structures. Universities and Colleges invest a lot of resources into these networks, so why not implement a system that will use the existing network? TOA has developed a network translation device for audio (VoIP), allowing up to CD quality audio over a 10/100Base T network using TCP/IP Protocol. The NX-300 Network Audio Adapter is a stand-alone hardware network solution for delivering audio, contact closure input, open collector output and RS-232c data streams. The NX-300 allows for effective communication from a central location to remote buildings as in the case of a University or College campus. It will allow two-way communication from a central source to all NX-100’s connected to standard audio paging systems, individually, as a group and all call. By using the NX-300 to communicate, the central/sending location can be assured that the receiving destination/building has received the message by utilizing an audio call back, and/or a remote activated switch using the NX-300 contact input.

The operation of TOA’s VoIP system is simple to operate and maintain. Broadcast patterns can be software or hardware (no computer required) activated. When a message is required to be delivered to a single or multiple locations, the operator will select the appropriate location using the TOA Operations Software. Once this “patch” has been established, the START button is selected in the software to commence the broadcast. Or simply select a switch (hardware activated) that has been associated with a broadcast pattern. Additional functionality can include remote strobe/siren activation with the broadcast pattern and data transfer to pixel board or other RS-232c protocol aware data display devices.

TOA Canada Corporation’s NX-300 Network Audio Adapter can be used in many other applications including; voice distribution to remote broadcast areas such as, roadside locations and railway stations; general purpose broadcasts in supermarket chain stores, department stores and various manufacturing plants; voice announcements and other sound distribution for large environments including airports and stadiums; and high quality audio monitoring, such as remote location security. TOA Canada has many solutions for the NX-300 Series product line to fit your application.

Over the next few months, TOA will discuss how many of our reliable products fit into Mass Notification/Wide Area Communications. We will be focusing on the; N-8000: IP Intercom, NX-300: Audio Network Adapter, VM-2000: System Management Amplifier, VM-3000: Integrated Voice Evacuation System (coming soon), A-9000M2: Modular Digital Mixer/Amplifiers, DA Series: Multi-Channel Amplifiers, F-Series Ceiling Speakers, SC Series Paging Horns, Megaphones and Digital Messaging products.

Next month TOA will discuss our VM-2000: System Management Amplifier product line and the role this product plays in Wide Area Communication.

Please note that every application is unique. Our system examples are for reference purposes only. Please contact your Regional Sales Manager to discuss your specific application requirements sales@toacanada.com or 1-800-263-7639.

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