News Release

Lighter-Than-Air Inflight Networks

Palo Alto, CA – Delta Beta In-Flight has concluded integration and testing of new light-weight Tensolite network cables in its In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) harnesses. Surprisingly, when weight comparisons were made with existing wireless solutions for IFE networks, it was found that the copper-based Tensolite solution provided a lower-weight alternative to wireless systems.

Delta Beta is constantly seeking solutions that reduce weight, improve reliability and extend functionality of its IFE systems and recent feedback from the use of Tensolite NETflight® cables indicates substantial benefit in all of these areas. The Delta Beta IFE systems are fully digital and carry all signaling within the cabin on a single cable so the cable needs to be extremely reliable and capable. The cable harnesses Delta Beta has fabricated from the NETflight cables fit those requirements very well carrying a full range of signals including video, audio, telephone, game controls, crew-to-passenger communications, reading light controls, flight attendant call signals, Internet, email and SMS.

Delta Beta points out that people tend to forget that although wireless systems don’t require wires, they do require transmitters and receivers. Using current technology, the weight of the transmitters and receivers needed to deliver movies on demand to passengers is more than the weight of seat-to-seat cables constructed from the Tensolite NETflight cables. Delta Beta continues to propose the use of wireless for connecting passenger laptops and other personal electronic devices but when it comes to delivery of movies to passenger seats, Delta Beta recommends the use of their NETflight-based harnesses pointing out that the wired solution offers additional benefits such as greater immunity from denial-of-service attacks and greater security from piracy of movies and other copyrighted materials.

From an engineering and installation perspective the NETflight cables are extremely flexible with a diameter of less than 0.14 inch and they allow for a very tight bend radius of .7 inches. This makes the harnesses particularly suitable for routing inside seat tracks and through portions of seat structures that experience movement from reclining and other functions. Because the cables are so small, Delta Beta implements their IFE network with full, 100% redundancy such that where only one cable is needed, two are provided. That means a broken cable or loose connector never causes a system failure thereby making it possible for airlines to achieve full IFE availability throughout multiple flight segments.

Further information about Delta Beta’s IFE systems using cable harnesses constructed from Tensolite’s NETflight cables is available at www.deltabeta.com or by contacting Delta Beta directly. Delta Beta In-Flight, Incorporated is based in the heart of Silicon Valley in Palo Alto, California where it develops and produces IFF systems for all aircraft sizes from regional jets through wide-bodied aircraft.

Web: www.deltabeta.com -- Email: sales@deltabeta.com