At the 2024 Aircraft Electronics Association convention, Collins Aerospace revealed the latest update to the successful Venue cabin management system.
“This update is a two-purpose application. Number one, it is designed to be a replacement for existing Venue displays,” senior director of sales for business aviation Marc Ayala explained to Skies.
“When you have a full cabin management system (CMS), these new Venue smart monitors can take the place of the old Venue monitors with the main benefit that it makes the installation a whole lot simpler. Secondly, this new version is designed for an aircraft that does not already have the Collins Airshow or other moving map display. This version will be available as a self-contained unit that can be an entry point solution for a lot of smaller aircraft.”
The most immediately noticeable upgrade is the resolution increase to 4K. Also, there is significant weight savings by the incorporation of the operation equipment into the display unit, eliminating the need for the underfloor server, switch, and related wiring.
Keeping familiarity with the previous model, the onscreen iconology will remain the same, making the transition seamless for operators. To add built-in entertainment features, the new Venue has an optional 4TB SSD hard drive.
The incorporation of multiple inputs, including USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, ethernet, and RCA on the underside of the unit allows for connection to just about any source desired, such as AppleTV, Amazon Fire Sticks, audio/video players, video game systems, and much more.
“The smart monitor enables simple software updates, third-party add-ons and the flexibility for owners to incrementally grow their inflight entertainment and CMS capabilities at a pace that fits their individual needs,” Ayala said.
Available in five sizes from 10.1 inches up to 24 inches, the installed Venue system version will be available in Q2 2024, followed by the full standalone rendition in Q4 2024.
