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VIDEO PROCESSING IN THE CLOUDS CastLabs is providing DRM protected IFE content that can be viewed directly on your own device
n-flight entertainment (IFE) is coming full circle since the idea first emerged in the 1920s – well, sort of. Today, airlines have an alternative to expensive seatback screens for in-flight entertainment and we don’t just mean complimentary crosswords or newspapers. More airlines are offering in-flight Wi-Fi, allowing passengers to consume movies through their own screens. As a result, the use of passengers’ own devices as the client side of in-flight entertainment networks is increasing its market share. Of course, such a feat at 30,000 ft has unique challenges, and IFE has always been a little behind the curve with regard to content delivery and protection.
content and media strategy at Lufthansa Systems, and chair of the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) Technology Committee, explains: “Hollywood movies and Early Window Content have always been a staple on long-haul flights, but putting out content 60 or 90 days after theatrical release – about the same time it is made available for digital download and package media release – is when the content has considerable value to the content provider and considerable value to pirates.” This means IT providers for the aviation industry are subject to scrutiny across
the whole content delivery supply chain and, despite the millions of dollars IFE generates, content providers – particularly the major studios – remain conservative. Childers adds: “The content delivery supply chain suffers from other things. For example, when the first 777 aircraft made its maiden voyage in the early ‘90s, passengers on that flight said everything was wonderful except for the IFE. The manufacturers of that IFE system had failed to work with Hollywood to ensure the content delivery methodology was consistent with the way Hollywood normally processes content.”
IT’S A NOT-SO WONDERFUL IFE Michael Childers, chief consultant,
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