SkyTheater Promises Surround Sound in the Cabin

SkyTheater’s new high-definition audiovisual and surround-sound system has passed DO-160 testing, and the first installation will be in service on a business jet by the second quarter. Previous versions of the system are already flying aboard a variety of Boeings and Gulfstreams. The Hollywood, Fla.-based company has 12 orders for the new package scheduled through 2011.

The new system features ambient image speakers; subwoofers customized for aircraft; an iPod dock capable of playing eight-channel, 3-D surround sound; a 26-inch monitor that is 1080i high-definition and 3-D ready; and a high-definition video on-demand system that SkyTheater founder Gregg Launer claims “rivals that of a movie studio’s library.” In addition, said Launer, the 26-inch monitor will fit into the space normally occupied by a 24-inch monitor. Looking ahead, the system is designed for the all-digital and satellite-direct television high-definition MPEG 4 environment.

The goal, said Launer, is to deliver “the experience of being in a large theater, with the sound and picture customized to the client’s personal preferences, all within
the confines of the client’s business jet, and without compromises in fidelity.”