Rockwell Collins dPAVES IFE system selected by Ethiopian Airlines

Posted by John McHale
HAMBURG, Germany, 8 April 2011. The dPAVES high definition (HD) digital Overhead Audio/Video in-flight entertainment (IFE) system from Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was selected by Ethiopian Airlines for ten of their ten 737-800 aircraft. Rockwell Collins made the announcement at the Aircraft Interiors show in Hamburg, Germany.
The aircraft have the Boeing Sky Interior (BSI) option.
Ethiopian Airlines is the first airline in East Africa to select Rockwell Collins' dPAVES IFE offering. The newest generation of dPAVES provides passengers with a much wider range of information and entertainment content than previous overhead system offerings. The system also provides reductions in head-end space required, weight, power, and maintenance costs with the new system, compared to previous generation systems.
The dPAVES single-aisle IFE system includes a High Definition Media Server (HDMS) providing an industry high 720p video quality to 12 inch 16x9 HD capable overhead screens integrated into the new larger BSI bag bins. The system also features a 12 inch touch screen entertainment control panel and USB ports for easier content/data updating.
The HDMS offers 160 gigabytes of solid state digital audio and video storage capability, integrated pre-recorded announcements, and music (PRAM) functionality with embedded Airshow moving map, all in a single 4 Modular Concept Unit (MCU), electronics bay-mounted box. The large storage capability of the HDMS allows multiple pre-scripted play periods of entertainment content to be pre-stored on the server, for automatic changeover when the new play period begins.
Additionally, with dPAVES, airlines have the option to update non-encrypted content themselves or through Rockwell Collins Content Services Group.