DPI Labs, which specializes in aircraft-cabin electronics, has announced the development and availability of the first “aviationized” Apple TV set-top box.
This solution, which has been flying on an Airbus A319 since its first installation in 2024, will be unveiled at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) conference in October 2024.
“DPI Labs’ Apple TV is designed to run seamlessly on aircraft. It is powered by 28 VDC and rigorously tested to meet DO-160 standards in a fan-less, silent design,” says says Martin Hamilton, vice president of Sales, Marketing, and Business Development at DPI Labs. “The aerospace version adds aviation-specific features such as 28 VDC power and a 250ms power hold-up for power interruption. It ships with a Certificate of Conformity (CFC) and is fully ready for permanent installation in aircraft. Additionally, DPI Labs plans to have the product PMA-certified by the end of the first quarter of 2025.”
He adds that This aviation-ready Apple TV retains all the features of its consumer counterpart, allowing passengers to cast their audio and video directly to the in-flight entertainment system via Airplay. Apple TV includes Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, AI audio enhancement, and spacial Bluetooth headphone audio playback.
Users can also access their personal content libraries, and the system works in tandem with DPI Labs Multi-Media Server (MMS), enabling the retrieval and playback of stored content onboard. Moreover, it supports Digital Rights Management (DRM) content streaming when paired with high-speed data services like Starlink.
