AirFi has introduced AirFunnl, a new media delivery stack for inflight entertainment. It was developed by AirFi and is supported by a media suite from AION Media Group.
The solution introduces AI-enhanced DRM (Digital Rights Management) encoding, adaptive bitrate streaming and CMAF (Common Media Application Format) packaging that together reduce average file sizes by up to 45%.
While improving playback on passenger devices, AirFunnl accelerates distribution times and lowers cellular ground data transfer costs for AirFi-installed operations.
AirFunnl uses AI-optimised encoding to cut average file sizes without sacrificing quality. This reduces deployment time and cuts the cost of loading new content onto AirFi units.
Adaptive bitrate ladders keep playback consistent as onboard usage levels fluctuate. Zero-touch orchestration handles ingest, packaging, encryption and quality assurance, so deployment requires minimal manual intervention.
AirFunnl is built on CMAF (Common Media Application Format), an industry standard container that lets a single set of fragmented MP4 files play on both HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) and DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP). By avoiding separate packages for each protocol, CMAF reduces storage, repackaging effort and latency.
AirFunnl is available for airline and CSP (Content Sevice Provider) deployments through AirFi. The product is compatible with AirFi’s wireless-IFE (inflight entertainment) architecture and can integrate easily with third-party CSP workflows.
Marco Dorjee, Vice President IFE and LEO Operations at AirFi, commented: “AirFunnl gives airlines three things that hugely improve the IFE operational experience: smaller files, faster refresh and smooth playback on personal devices. We’ve essentially halved the weight of the content files being sent to the aircraft. Airlines will see lower distribution costs and leaner operations, while passengers will appreciate fresher choices and less buffering or loading time.”
“The player experience is optimised for BYOD (bring your own device) and supports fully offline playback on any device. Studio-grade DRM using standard encryption across the main mobile device operating systems safeguards rights so premium catalogues keep flowing,” added Dorjee.
