How often does QF Int. at seat entertainment require CSM rebooting?

[Melburnian1]

In recent years on fora other than AFF there has been occasional discussion about how QF's international planes suffer from the CSM having to reboot the entertainment systems on board.

I have never experienced this problem on PR, SQ or EK, but I have not been on QF International for a while.

Is this problem still occurring? Is it more prevalent on the A330s, the A380s or the 744s - or on all three?

I am talking about an occurrence that shuts down the entertainment system for all or most passengers on board: obviously from time to time individual screens will fail.

If and when this system-wide failure occurs, does QF give any compensation or is it just a matter of passengers grinning and bearing it? Does the CSM make a PA announcement or is there just silence?

Lastly, if it's true that QF's entertainment units are particularly prone to bugs affecting the whole or most of the plane's seats, what is the actual problem on this airline?

 

[Mal]

Haven't had a full shutdown for a long time. The original AVOiD had many bugs, but these were ironed out. I understand some seat units still need to be reset at times... But I haven't experienced it recently.

 

[blackcat20]

When I flew on an A380 in 2009 (NBW), our row of three froze and had to be rebooted. Was fine after that though.

 

[serfty]

Haven't had a full shutdown for a long time. The original AVOiD had many bugs, but these were ironed out. I understand some seat units still need to be reset at times... But I haven't experienced it recently.

Agree - it seems to be an infrequent event these days compered to the years after initial implementation.

 

[mannej]

The system on the 380 (and refurbished 747's) is different to that of the international 330's and the 747's.

There doesn't seem to be as much feedback these days regarding IFE failures on QF (not to say it doesn't happen).

If you look hard enough you can find examples of it happening on most airlines, it's more bad luck than the norm.

 

[moa999]

IN about 40 flights with QFi I have had no problems but once had a cabin reboot.

In 4 flights with SQ, have had an issue twice.

 

[samh004]

Perhaps when the A330's get new seats they'll update their AVOD and bring new bugs for everyone to enjoy

 

[elbarto]

Perhaps when the A330's get new seats they'll update their AVOD and bring new bugs for everyone to enjoy

And they'll be all the bugs in Android OS.

Panasonic testing Android-based eX3 in-flight entertainment system - Crave


Edit: This looks to the the system Emirates has and and worked fine on the flights I had it on.

 

[Mattg]

On one of the older 747s (OJC) a couple of months ago, the CSM had to reboot the IFE, and then 15 minutes later do it again because the original problem had not been rectified.

I've never seen a system reboot on any other aircraft type.

 

[DeKa]

And they'll be all the bugs in Android OS.

Panasonic testing Android-based eX3 in-flight entertainment system - Crave


Edit: This looks to the the system Emirates has and and worked fine on the flights I had it on.

Makes sense to go Android. The older systems run on Linux based on the text you see when they are rebooted.

 

[kelvedon]

Over the years, about 40% of my flights on 744's have involved a reboot, though none on a330 or A380. I've read somewhere on this forum that the 747's use a Rockwell system and the airbus and refurbished 747's use Panasonic.
iFE problems aren't exclusive to QF. On a BA LHR-SIN I had no IFE and was comped £40 in BA vouchers.

 

[Mal]

On one of the older 747s (OJC) a couple of months ago, the CSM had to reboot the IFE, and then 15 minutes later do it again because the original problem had not been rectified.

I've never seen a system reboot on any other aircraft type.

As has been commented. Qantas basically bought a dud IFE product (from memory it couldn't handle the bandwidth required and allegations were made that Qantas bought he cheapest system against manufacturer recommendations) and installed it on the 747 and A330s. The manufacturer got involved and after about 2 years of issues and bug fixes finally the product became fairly stable.

 

[Mal]

Yep. Many IFE devices run on a variant of Linux or Windows embedded. Does make sense to move to android.

 

[candyflip]

Had 4 flights on Virgin MEL-PER in the last 4 weeks and 2 of them had their entertainments systems rebooted (to no effect, I might add).

The other flight of the 2 was fine, and the last had no system installed or iPads at all (now that was a first for me!).

I can't remember Qantas ever being an issue.

 

[dairyfloss]

Another data-point. A delayed start-up, and then full system re-boot required on QF6 from SIN-SYD on the 30th June... this was on a non-reburbished 744. We were probably about an hour into the flight before load screens finished and it finally came on. I was using my own [Android] tablet in any case, so didn't bother me, but generally like to have the flight path up even when not using other on-board IFE.

Cheers.

 

[Timsboot]

Happened to me two weeks ago flying BKK to SYD. Used to be an every other flight occurrence from 2006-8. But seemed to be under control of late until my recent flight. Either way system is due to a big upgrade. Lagging CX and EK

 

[pauly7]

I haven't had a reboot ever on on QF 747/A380/A330. JohnK seems to be a magnet for these sort of problems though

I did have an issue once on a 763 J seat though but irrelevant now they have been replaced with iPads.

 

[candyflip]

re-booted (twice) again on Per-Mel this Friday night just gone.

And I'm so heartily sick of Chocolate Mousse desserts on this flight.... I mean, OK the first few times, but EVERY meal guys?!?
Don't they do vanilla? How about a cake every now and then. Ice cream maybe? I'd even settle for a fruit/nut bar.

 

[mannej]

re-booted (twice) again on Per-Mel this Friday night just gone.

And I'm so heartily sick of Chocolate Mousse desserts on this flight.... I mean, OK the first few times, but EVERY meal guys?!?
Don't they do vanilla? How about a cake every now and then. Ice cream maybe? I'd even settle for a fruit/nut bar.

I'm assuming A330, but which type. The A333 and the international A332 has the same type of system as the unrefurbished 747's, but the newer domestic spec A332 run a similar system to the A380.

*edit - ignore me if you are referring to VA instead of QF as per your previous post.

 

[pauly7]

re-booted (twice) again on Per-Mel this Friday night just gone.

And I'm so heartily sick of Chocolate Mousse desserts on this flight.... I mean, OK the first few times, but EVERY meal guys?!?
Don't they do vanilla? How about a cake every now and then. Ice cream maybe? I'd even settle for a fruit/nut bar.

Odd - I fly that leg frequently and haven't encountered the mousse yet! (Not that I'd eat it of course )

*Edit re: mousse sorry if you were referring to Virgin, I assumed QF.