With IFE content upload frequency and content quality demands growing, airlines and IFE providers have been looking for ways to make the upload process faster and more efficient. IFE systems and secure video streaming company, IdeaNova Technologies, has launched Inplay Content Loader, a feature designed to improve the upload process for video, audio and other content to aircraft.
Many airlines used to refresh their IFE content quarterly, but with the advent of subscription channels and social media, passenger demand for fresh content has grown, from studio output to user-generated content such as YouTube or TikTok videos. Content quality demands are also growing, with the traditional standard definition content being replaced with high definition or even 4K/HDR content. As a result, content volumes are much larger, placing increasing demand on IFE upload processes.
The Inplay Content Loader, a protocol agnostic system, has been designed to enable airlines to leverage the best route to get content onto aircraft as fast as possible. One option is to transfer a portion of the content library and then retransmit only the remaining portion whenever connectivity to the aircraft server becomes available. The system can prioritize content based on assigned value, ensuring that high-value content is transmitted first. Using a simple configuration process, any type of content can be uploaded, from large entertainment video files to configuration files, minor software updates, or user interface adjustments.
“We have seen a 10-fold or even higher change of speed when engaging the right transport protocol. There’s also a significant discrepancy between various versions of USB transfer when used in the traditional ‘sneekernet’ configuration. Our new product allows usage of all types of connectivity to maximise throughput. We even work with laser-assisted LiFi technology that provides very promising speeds and convenient content transfer,” said Juraj Siska, CEO of IdeaNova Technologies.
