Clear-Com®, the provider of real-time communications solutions, announced today that the new HelixNet beltpack (HXII-BP-X4) for the HelixNet digital partyline intercom systems is now shipping. In addition to a lighter-weight, tougher and more ergonomic design, the HXII-BP-X4 wired beltpack uses Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) to access any two of the 24 channels on the system at once. The new HelixNet beltpack – designed and manufactured in the USA – will succeed the first-generation HelixNet beltpack.

“The easy remote connection of beltpacks through PoE switches will allow for the ability to add more beltpacks to systems already maxed out with 20 Digital Power Line beltpacks - 10 per power line, 2 power lines per main station,” said John Wycoff, product manager at Clear-Com. “It gives users access to an all-digital system based on networked technology and is the superior solution that they have been waiting on.”

Notable features of the new beltpack include:

Tough molded polycarbonate case that is 33% lighter and 13% smaller;
Each user can assign and access any one of the 24 intercom channels to a single intercom key, or multiple channels to a single key set, thanks to the ‘Stacked Key’ feature;
Operates over a single microphone cable for digital powerline or a single PoE cable;
One set of Talk and Call buttons for each of the two intercom channels, and up/down arrow buttons for program audio level adjustment;
3-pin XLR and RJ-45 Ethercon intercom connectors on the bottom panel for connection to the intercom station. A four-pin XLR connector is provided for intercom headsets, with a 5-pin XLR connector being available as an option; and
Micro-USB connector provided to update firmware in the beltpack, and can also be achieved automatically whenever the HXII-BP-X4 is connected to a HelixNet Main Station running a more current firmware version.

“The HelixNet HXII-BP-X4 beltpack is truly one of the kind and will be the new standard by which all other wired digital intercom beltpacks will be evaluated,” added Wycoff.