Unable to encode aztec code correctly.

[Omkar Amberkar]

Hello, I am trying to create an aztec code with the payload below for android app. However, after feeding this into the aztec generator, I am unable to read this payload after scanning the barcode. The reader linked to Xing says the barcode is invalid.

Has anyone else seen this issue? Or am I generating the Aztec code incorrectly?

Thanks for the help
Take it or leave it

barcode_payload

"i¼\u0000\u0003\u0000\u0001\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000)X“}ôZv\u0002ô\u0000\u0000˜\u0012\u0012äNMGX†Ô\u0000\u0001Zv\u0002ô05\u0002\u0018T 64\u0011k\u0007m[\u000f瓉¿RÙƒ¨<úýá‹M\u0002\u0019\u0000 ɼÏØ\u0010Ë¢\u0003d·ã Í\u000bÚæ? Ÿ#+\u0017˜\u0000"

code

public static Bitmap createAztec(String str, int mQrWidth, int mQrHeight, String timestampStr) {
String aztecStr;
if (!TextUtils.isEmpty(timestampStr)) {
aztecStr = str + "|" + timestampStr;
} else {
aztecStr = str;
}
AztecCode aztecCode = com.google.zxing.aztec.encoder.Encoder.encode(aztecStr.getBytes());
BitMatrix matrix = aztecCode.getMatrix();
if (matrix != null) {
int width = matrix.getWidth();
int height = matrix.getHeight();
int[] pixels = new int[width * height];

// All are 0, or black, by default
for (int y = 0; y < height; y++) {
int offset = y * width;
for (int x = 0; x < width; x++) {
pixels[offset + x] = matrix.get(x, y) ? Color.BLACK : Color.WHITE;
}
}

Bitmap bitmap = Bitmap.createBitmap(width, height, Bitmap.Config.ARGB_8888);
bitmap.setPixels(pixels, 0, width, 0, 0, width, height);
return Bitmap.createScaledBitmap(bitmap, mQrWidth, mQrHeight, false);
}
return null;
}