Revenue (Details Narrative) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)
Impairment	$ 59	$ (59)
Contract liability (or deferred revenue)	600	600
January 1, 2018 [Member]
Contract liability (or deferred revenue)	$ 800	800
2018 [Member]
Unearned revenue reported in deferred revenue and customer deposits		300
2019 [Member]
Unearned revenue reported in deferred revenue and customer deposits		$ 300
Field Maintenance and Monitoring Services [Member]
Contract duration or term with field maintenance		12 months
Adjustment to Retained Earnings - Deferred Contract Acquisition Costs [Member]
Change in accounting principle effect of adoption quantification		$ 76
Minimum [Member]
Capitalized contract cost, amortization period	1 year	1 year
Maximum [Member]
Capitalized contract cost, amortization period	5 years	5 years

Contract duration or term with field maintenance.

No definition available.

Name:	BTN_ContractDurationOrTermWithFieldMaintenance
Namespace Prefix:	BTN_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of contract liability that is expected to be recognized in revenue during the remainder of the current fiscal year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	BTN_DeferredRevenueRemainingPerformanceObligationRemainderOfFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	BTN_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amortization period of cost capitalized in obtaining or fulfilling contract with customer, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 340
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68051541&loc=SL49131251-203054

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalizedContractCostAmortizationPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of impairment loss for asset recognized from cost incurred to obtain or fulfill contract with customer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 340
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68051541&loc=SL49131252-203054

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalizedContractCostImpairmentLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration has been received or is receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913815&loc=SL49130531-203044

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913815&loc=SL49130532-203044

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109196051&loc=SL49130549-203045

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the quantification of the effect of adopting the new accounting standard or change in accounting principle expected by the entity to have a significant effect on the entity's financial statements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NewAccountingPronouncementOrChangeInAccountingPrincipleEffectOfAdoptionQuantification
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardDateAxis=BTN_JanuaryFirstTwoThousandEighteenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardDateAxis=BTN_TwoThousandEighteenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardDateAxis=BTN_TwoThousandNineteenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredRevenueArrangementTypeAxis=BTN_FieldMaintenanceAndMonitoringServicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AdjustmentsForNewAccountingPronouncementsAxis=BTN_AdjustmentToRetainedEarningsDeferredContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: