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Free IFE and Communication Industry News
for April 28, 2003
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This issue of IFExpress is archived on the web at:
http://www.ifeinsider.com/airfax/ifexpress/ifexpress04282003.htm
Back issues of IFExpress are available at:
http://www.ifeinsider.com/airfax/ifexpress/


Hot Topic: If You Have An Interest In Airborne Servers, You Need To Read This

Later this week (Wednesday and Thursday), the WAEA Technical Committee meets in Los Angeles, California to comment on a strawman functional specification for an airborne digital media server (DMS) submitted by American Airlines. They will then send their recommendations to ARINC to develop a hardware specification. The DMS will provide in-flight entertainment programming and stream digital media to monitors and headsets, non-interactively. This new hardware, we predict, will set the stage for implementation of IFE on new, smaller twin and single-aisle aircraft. We are talking specifically of the developing IFE market that includes aircraft serving the intermediate range, point-to-point flight segments. Single aisle aircraft applications present a key developing market as there are probably well over 3000 single aisle commercial jet planes that could benefit from this product, even if they are not serving the intermediate range routes. As conditions improve in our industry, 1 and 2 hour flight segments will attract IFE (watch Song and jetBlue)! We thought enough of this issue to send out IFExpress early so our readers could consider attending the meeting or follow the proceedings by Internet webcast. Airlines especially need to submit their inputs to this effort because their requirements will result in a baseline of functionality from each DMS box, regardless of manufacturer. Of course, hardware manufacturers will add additional bells and whistles to differentiate their products but a baseline would set the stage for minimum performance. Cant go? Try the WAEA streaming video to be broadcast on the Internet; it will be available to all, so we are told. You have to register to get the URL. Call Suzie McMahon at 703-610-0209 or e-mail [e-mail] or check the WAEA website for more info.

Draft Specification from American Airlines (Word Doc, ~26k)

WAEA TC Invitation from Rich Salter (Word Doc, ~27k)



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IFExpress is sponsored in part by:


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