Rockwell Collins's Venue cabin management and entertainment system has surpassed 1,000 installations and enhancements are in the works, including integration of its newly expanded Stage content service.
Stage is set to get more content, thanks to agreement between West Entertainment and Collins. The deal, announced Monday at NBAA 2017, expands access to regional and premium content beyond the nearly 1,000 movies and TV episodes already available to Stage customers.
West will oversee the content relationship and certain technical requirements, including the management of the content database with Hollywood studios and distributors.
“We’ll help source movie and TV programming from major Hollywood and independent studios, as well as international film and TV distributors worldwide," said Rick Warren, West Entertainment managing partner. "This, combined with our expertise on the technical side of the business, will provide even more entertainment options for passengers."
Collins sees the deal as a value-add for Stage customers, who can worry less about ensuring there is suitable content onboard before departure, said company business jet cabin solutions marketing director Phil Kim. “The wider selection of content will allow them to worry less about planning entertainment or making content purchases before they fly."
Integrating Stage into Venue is one of several enhancements that Collins (Booth N4000) has planned for Venue. Others include Bluetooth connectivity options and larger, higher-resolution displays as technology progresses.
Introduced in 2007, Venue transforms a cabin into a fully integrated and on-demand office and multimedia entertainment environment. The scalable system supports integration with features such as wireless on-demand entertainment, internet connectivity and Airshow moving map.
