RAVE Aerospace is confident it made the right decision in selecting 4K miniLED HDR 10+ Liquid Crystal Displays for its latest inflight entertainment (IFE) systems, even though its two main rivals in the space have taken an OLED-based approach.

In 2022, Panasonic Avionics adopted OLED display technology for its new Astrova IFE system. Standard OLED is famous for delivering infinite contrast ratios and perfect black, and the modular Astrova system quickly became the fastest-selling product in the firm’s history. During this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg, Thales revealed it will use Tandem OLED for its new FlytEDGE Aura IFE system. By stacking two OLED displays on top of each other, Tandem OLED is billed as being brighter and more durable.

“We don’t need to get any brighter,” RAVE Aerospace vice president, products and strategy Ben Asmar said of the miniLED Liquid Crystal Display technology that was selected in 2023 by the firm’s predecessor, Safran Passenger Innovations for its RAVE Ultra and forthcoming RAVE 5 IFE displays. “We’re still using miniLED displays with our RAVE 5 displays,” he confirmed to RGN.

Relying on an advanced backlight architecture that packs thousands of microscopic LEDs behind the screen, RAVE Aerospace’s miniLED LCDs are “capable of going to 1,000 nits, which is pretty bright. We actually artificially bring them down because 1,000 nits in the cabin is too bright. So, we don’t need to go brighter, we actually need to come down a bit,” Asmar explained, adding that RAVE Aerospace works with its customers “to set the brightness level they would like.”

The latest displays also boast an anti-glare, anti-fingerprint and anti-reflective surface, which feels very smooth to the touch. “It really does strike the right balance of picture quality but also cutting out the glare and reflections you get from the cabin lights,” the RAVE Aerospace executive noted at AIX.

Beyond brightness, another key factor driving RAVE Aerospace’s choice of miniLED LCDs is product lifespan. That’s because every decision it makes is about ensuring longevity, and making solutions as backwards compatible as possible.

“Finally, now all the IFE suppliers are able to do 4K HDR video playback. So now, no matter who you go with, you’re going to get a fantastic experience,” Asmar said in reference to the competition.

“We just went with the technology we think is the right fit for our environment. I still am a firm believer that OLED (organic light-emitting diode) is not the best fit just because of the organic nature of the display type. Over 20 years, it’s probably going to degrade a little bit. I don’t think anyone can dispute that. With miniLED LCD, it is going to look exactly the same in 20 years as it looked the first time you put it on board the aircraft. And we’ve got proof of that, because RAVE 1 has been flying for 18 years, and the LCD displays still look this bright and very good,” he continued, while pointing to a bright legacy RAVE IFE screen.

That doesn’t mean that RAVE Aerospace is sitting on its hands. During AIX, the firm featured 6P Color Inc. on its stand.

Using a patented approach called Full Color Range (FCR), 6P Color describes its color science innovation as enabling “the world’s first backwards-compatible multi-primary color system to expand beyond the constraints of using only three, RGB (Red, Green and Blue) primaries. With 6P Color’s FCR technology, every digital device on the planet can now be transformed to display all the colors of the rainbow; and, create experiences that are more natural and realistic than ever possible before.”

Kennen Dietz, who serves as lead project manager at 6P Color, told RGN at the show that the company is “actively trying to figure out how do we best integrate with RAVE with their existing architecture, and how do we best support their roadmap and unlock the value that their customers are looking for.”

Flexibility is the name of the game as the FCR technology can enable airlines to select their favorite color profile and change it over-the-air on their IFE displays, or even offer a whole new level of personalization to the individual passenger.

“You can see a point where someone actually customizes their display color gamut, and that profile follows them around with their airline profile,” Asmar said.

Related Articles:

• BBC Studios, Panasonic could offer IFE over-the-top via BBC Player
• RAVE supercharges IFE development with new OS and App Marketplace
• Thales’ new Tandem OLED-based FlytEDGE Aura IFE shines bright
• Panasonic Avionics sees Astrova Curve debuting in first class
• Connected seatback at the fore as RAVE Aerospace enters new era

Featured image credited to RAVE Aerospace