Wednesday February 26 9:24 AM EDT
Lockheed Martin Set To Enter In-Flight Entertainment Market With The Network Connection
for AirView
ATLANTA, Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin Display Systems ("Display Systems"), a Lockheed Martin Corp avionics display systems company, and
The Network Connection Inc (TNCX), an Atlanta- based designer, manufacturer and distributor of computer networking products that provide digital video/audio
on-demand, imaging and multimedia processes, announced today the signing of a basic agreement for entering the In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) market.
The companies will collaborate to market, produce and deploy the TNCX AirView(R) system for interactive IFE and Cabin Management applications for the
commercial airline marketplace and other fully interactive digital video/audio local area network (LAN) based applications.
TNCX produces AirView(R), an industry proven fully digital, LAN based, client/server interactive multimedia delivery system, based on its Cheetah(R) Video
Server which it has adapted for in-flight use. Display Systems is a pioneer in the avionics marketplace for commercial and government applications and has extensive
experience with the Federal Aviation Administration's certification process, and the timely introduction of new technology to aircraft.
George Lombard, President of Display Systems commented, "We are pleased to enter into a basic agreement with TNCX and are most encouraged by the results
of our on-going evaluation of the technical and market-appeal merits of the TNCX AirView(R) system. While further details need to be defined, we look forward to
commencing a production program with TNCX in the very near future."
According to Wil Riner, founder and CEO of TNCX, "This relationship will combine TNCX's advanced LAN technology and engineering, with Display Systems'
global expertise in aeronautics and electronics to redefine the standard for fully digital interactive IFE and cabin management systems. Also important are Display
Systems' large volume manufacturing facilities, engineering and project management staff which will be used to bring our technology through the certification process,
and into the commercial and government marketplace. Our teaming efforts will greatly accelerate our timeline for AirView's offerability on new aircraft by major
airframe manufacturers such as Boeing and Airbus and the delivery time to airline customers."
Riner pointed out that in the quest for fully interactive systems, vendors have been struggling with standard client/server network technologies which are key to this
requirement. "While many vendors have moved to deploy complex systems based upon broadband architectures, a great need exists to migrate to the simpler,
cost-effective, and practical client/server approach using baseband local area network technologies, cabling and protocols."
Features of AirView(R) include the ability for inter-passenger communication and interaction, passenger/crew communication, shopping, games, movies, music
videos and travel information. Each user has private control to the extent that videos can be started, stopped or paused by each user independently of what other
users may he doing. SOURCE Network Connection, Inc. |
