# Why your brand-new plane doesn't have a seat-back TV



## Athlon646464 (Feb 23, 2007)

*Why your brand-new plane doesn't have a seat-back TV*

(Engadget.com) - The aircraft, a 737-900 with Boeing's Sky Interior (a Dreamliner-esque recessed ceiling lit with blue LEDs), had only been flying for a few weeks. It looked new, and it even had that "new plane smell" most passengers would only associate with a factory-fresh auto. But despite the plane's clean and bright appearance, the family only noticed the glaring absence of seat-back screens. To them, our 737 might as well have rolled off the assembly line in 1984....

Full Story Here


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Whew! I thought you were talking about my personal 12 seater jet plane on order......


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## Athlon646464 (Feb 23, 2007)




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## yosoyellobo (Nov 1, 2006)

I prefer to read on a airplane trip. I would not have notice.


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## juniormaj (Feb 9, 2009)

Sleep is an option, too. 
I guess I can understand the frustration on a 6 hour flight (as mentioned in the article), but I wouldn't be worried about most domestic flights. Also, they will be rolling out the streaming service for personal devices, so it doesn't seem like that much of an issue to me. 
It saves the airline $ on the infrastructure of wiring all the seats, and trying to keep them working. It might even lead to a little more legroom by elimanting the distribution boxes under the seats. I skimmed the article, so I don't know if they covered that aspect. 
I can sympathize with parents who might want something to distract the kids for a while. It seems like most people have either a phone or tablet that is capable of doing the trick though.


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## dennisj00 (Sep 27, 2007)

Our iPads loaded from GenieGo worked great on our trip to Belize in June. 

As fast as the technology is changing, the airline could probably rent tablets far cheaper than installing on every seatback. Remember the phone handsets?


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## yosoyellobo (Nov 1, 2006)

dennisj00 said:


> Our iPads loaded from GenieGo worked great on our trip to Belize in June.
> 
> As fast as the technology is changing, the airline could probably rent tablets far cheaper than installing on every seatback. Remember the phone handsets?


Was that the sound of the cash register I just heard?


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## Satelliteracer (Dec 6, 2006)

That image in the first post cracks me up. I was on a flight in the last few weeks in a very similar plane. My iPad was my entertainment. What I found so silly was the usage of the drop down screens which this particular airline (rhymes Schmerican) used for announcements and safety features. Preloaded videos were fine, here are the exits, how to put on the seatbelt, if cabin loses pressure, etc, etc. Same drill, many airlines do it. However, in the middle of the flight with the screens in the closed (not dropped down) position, we hit some turbulance. The fasten seat belt sign comes on and normally one of the flight attendants would get on the horn and remind passengers to get to their seats, buckle up for safety, etc. Perhaps even the pilot would do this. Nope, not on this flight. Instead, the fasten seat belt sign goes off, then after about 10 seconds, the deployment of the screens come down, a video pops up that lasts probably 3 seconds "Please Fasten Your Seat Belts". Video screens then go back into closed position. The amount of time, energy, etc to have this be your system to warn people to put on their seat belts was a head shaker for me. Completely inefficient. I must be getting old.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Nah. Just wise.....


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## alnielsen (Dec 31, 2006)

dennisj00 said:


> Our iPads loaded from GenieGo worked great on our trip to Belize in June.
> 
> As fast as the technology is changing, the airline could probably rent tablets far cheaper than installing on every seatback. * Remember the phone handsets?*


Yes I do. I used to repair them, in the late 80's, when Airfone was alive. Now my son does QA for Gogo.


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## billsharpe (Jan 25, 2007)

I don't watch anything on those overhead screens, but I do like the seat-back screens that Virgin America features. And reading a book on an iPod Touch works well in the cramped coach section of most airlines.

Unfortunately VA is eliminating their non-stop flights from LA to Philadelphia in a month or so, so it's unlikely that I will be flying with them again.


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## djlong (Jul 8, 2002)

I just flew on a brand-spanking new 787 Dreamliner on Norwegian Airlines from Bergen, Norway to JFK. The seatback systems were installed and everyone's worked just fine.

Except mine. Even after multiple resets by the flight attendants.

280+ people on the plane and, apparently, mine was the only one that didn't work.


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