Dubai 2011: dPAVES the way for Rockwell Collins

Air Arabia has selected Rockwell Collins's second-generation digital programmable audio video entertainment system (dPAVES) in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for 44 new Airbus A320 aircraft.
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It is the first airline in the Middle East to select the system, which features high-definition 10.6-inch, 16:9-ratio touch screens and an intuitive graphical user interface.

This latest version of dPAVES has new levels of information and entertainment content, with significantly reduced size, weight, and power consumption.

The system’s high definition media server (HDMS) can offer up to 160 gigabytes of solid-state digital audio and video storage, integrated pre-recorded announcements and music, and an embedded Airshow 3D moving map.

This is all in a single four-modular concept unit (MCU), electronics bay-mounted box. The large storage capability of the HDMS allows for multiple pre-scripted play periods of entertainment content to be pre-stored on the server, for automatic changeover when a new play period begins.

With dPAVES, airlines have the option to handle updates of non-encrypted content themselves or through Rockwell Collins content services group.

This choice also gives airlines flexibility to update time-sensitive content at a moment’s notice, anywhere in the world.

Power consumption is only 21 watts maximum (18 watts typical) and it is powered via an Intel Atom 1.33 GHz processor. Interfaces include microSD, 10/100 base-T ethernet, 31-pin DSub connector, USB (x2) and a mono audio jack.

The Rockwell Collins PAVES family of IFE systems has now been installed on more than 1,600 single-aisle air transport aircraft.

Picture perfect: Rockwell Collins’s Suzanne Braidy