Air Transport

Portable in-flight entertainment (IFE) manufacturer digEcor has added a new product to its family of handheld devices to address what it sees as "a growing need to support longer flight segments".

Building on the architecture of the firm's digEplayer XT, the new digEplayer XLP (extra long play) sports a similar case design as its predecessor. However, it has been modified to fit a more powerful battery.

A digEcor spokesman says the digEplayer XLP operates approximately six more hours than the standard digEplayer XT, which has a 10-hour battery life.

The screen has also been upgraded to an LED backlit screen, which increases the brilliancy of movies, yet is lighter and more power efficient, according to digEcor.

"Our development team has long sought to address the increasing desire for a player with an extended battery life. We took this opportunity to not only provide a device with 16 hours of continuous video playback, but also added several other features to enhance the overall user experience," says digEcor president Brad Heckel.

Lead engineer Glade Hulet adds: "Every aspect of the digEplayer has been optimized for the in-flight experience. Meaning, passengers and flight attendants are using a device that has them in mind in every detail."

He points out that one of the more popular features of the new handheld is the external battery status indicator, which greatly simplifies a flight attendant's job. "The unit also supports in-seat powering via a DC jack and Power over Ethernet content loading."