The IED 524 digital microphone station is a 4-button device for initiating audio/visual announcements, messages and pages with the GLOBALCOM and vACS Series Announcement Control Systems. It is a network appliance with a unique IP address that simplifies installation and configuration. The 524 features four zone group selection buttons plus a push-to-talk button located on the hand-held microphone. Just like IED's other digital microphone stations, the 524 uses a single Ethernet interface for audio and control data. The 524 station is fully compatible with IEEE 802.3af standard for Power over Ethernet (PoE), allowing the 524 to be powered directly from any standard off-the-shelf PoE switch. The processing power for the 524 comes from the onboard 32-bit processor. This powerful processor manages the input buttons, Ethernet interface, audio signal processing and self-test diagnostics. This and all IED LAN-based GLOBALCOM components, are designed to maximize the benefits of a standard 100 Mbps Ethernet LAN based network, using off-the-shelf switches and structured CAT5e or better cabling. The 524 Digital Microphone Station utilizes CobraNet technology.