Ethiopian Airlines has selected the dPAVES high definition (HD) digital overhead Audio/Video in-flight entertainment (IFE) system from Rockwell Collins for ten of its 737-800 aircraft that are fitted with the Boeing Sky Interior (BSI) option.
Ethiopian Airlines is the first airline in East Africa to select Rockwell Collins’ dPAVES IFE offering. The dPAVES provides passengers with a wider range of information and entertainment content than previous offerings and also reduces the 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 16×9 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.