Harman Professional Links With Com-Net Software To Launch IDX Information Delivery Systems That Couple Harman Audio Networking And Performance With Com-Net Software's Market-Proven Interface And Control

Realigning expectations for high-performance, easy to integrate communication systems, Harman Professional today announced a partnership with information display and paging specialist Com-Net Software to launch a series of new communication technologies starting with the co-branded IDX Information Delivery Systems that debuts today at PLASA. The IDX System couples Harman's Crown CTs, BSS London and HiQnetâ„¢ technologies on the back end with Com-Net Software ECLIPSX Flight Information Display System or ECLIPSX Transit Information Display System at the front end. The combined result is great sounding, highly reliable audio networks with application-engineered interface and control in a versatile, cost-efficient package.

According to Van Williamson, Sales & Marketing Manager Commercial Systems, Harman Professional, working with Com-Net Software made a very attractive proposition. “Rather than build a system from the ground up and learn paging at our customers' expense, we have the opportunity to work with the market leader in flight information display and message delivery logic. The new IDX System hits the ground running to deliver considerable audio networking and control without impacting the end-user interface or workflow. It's literally the best of both worlds!”

The IDX System delivers audio solutions integrated with signage products and provides integrators serving customers in paging and life safety for infrastructure, healthcare, transportation and government. Featuring Com-Net software logic and interface software deployed on a database platform speaking to a BSS London and Crown CTs audio network via CobraNet and Harman HiQnet systems configuration and control protocol, the IDX System is a powerful, unified communication system. Operators can monitor the status of every critical component of a system for status and full control over recording, playback, volume, and scheduling of audio and visual messages.

Commenting on the introduction, Chad Timms, Vice President, Product Development, Com-Net software said today, “Harman Professional deserves considerable respect for recognizing that one size does not fit all: that mission-critical paging systems require very specific feature-sets and fail-safes to the professional audio systems deployed in entertainment, sport or retail! Because paging is a demanding market where the slightest hiccup can result in mass confusion or personal injury, customers need a proven solution developed by trusted experts — going any other route would be short-sighted and counter-intuitive.”

Underscoring Timms point, Com-Net Software and Harman have worked together closely to deploy several major transit facilities, already prompting the companies to work closer together to productize their solution: The IDX Information Delivery System. The companies have agreed to work closely together to build upon the platform and develop a range of modular paging systems and signage solutions to make airports, train stations, healthcare institutions and other large facilities safer, friendlier and more communicative.

In doing so, Harman Professional is providing its global sales and distribution teams with a range of compelling new solutions to serve new customers in paging and life safety for infrastructure, healthcare, transportation and government markets. Harman will immediately be providing the IDX Information Delivery System to international partners.

“Harman is committed to growth and well-positioned to meet that commitment at the corporate level, the brand level, the manufacturer-rep level and the international distributor level,” Williamson concluded. “We believe that well-directed innovation will provide more customers with better sound and we're pleased to have partners like Com-Net in this important, exciting mission.”

Harman HiQnet is the world's first connectivity and control protocol that integrates all product categories in the signal chain for professional audio systems of all types, size, and applications. Harman HiQnet no longer requires the user to manage multiple disparate operating systems or be responsible for programming individual signal processors, speaker controllers, wireless microphone systems, and mixing consoles. HiQnet was developed by engineers from across Harman's Professional Division and is coordinated by the System Development and Integration Group (SDIG), a team of dedicated systems specialists based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Signature Technologies, Inc. dba Com-Net Software is a leading provider of Audio-Visual Customer Communication Systems for the transportation, retail, hospitality, education and healthcare industries. Com-Net is a market leader in providing sophisticated turnkey solutions that include hardware, software, installation, maintenance and support throughout North America.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 11,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.2 billion for the last twelve months ended March 31, 2010. The Company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.