Air France Frequence Plus - New improved IFE on long-haul flights

From AF website:
Starting in November, a new inflight entertainment service will be introduced progressively on all Air France long-haul flights. Choose from 85 films, updated every month, popular TV series, TV magazines, 200 CDs and 23 audio channels. What’s more, passengers on selected routes can access satellite images through the AIRSHOW programme (provided by ESA: European Space Agency). Air France has also improved the video offer in l'Espace Affaires on all Dedicate flights with portable Video and Audio On Demand players.

http://www.flyingbluenews.com/html/4/news/7/be_spoilt_for_choice.html

Does anyone knows more about this ? What are the planes and/or destination first concerned ? What is the schedules (On a selfish point of view, I'll by flying RT JFK/CDG for X-mas, on A340 and 777-200).
The picture of the PTV shown there is different form current PTVs. Does this mean that AF is non only going to improve the offer (85 movies!) but also to change the actual system with new screens and all ?

from what I have read on a.net some time ago it seems they are going to install a completely new system. Scheduled duration until all longhaul aircraft are modified is, IIRC, one year.

from what I have read on a.net some time ago it seems they are going to install a completely new system. Scheduled duration until all longhaul aircraft are modified is, IIRC, one year.

I don’t think so. I understood that they were installing on the 747 fleet the same AVOD system that is in the 773 aircraft. The original AVOD system was always capable of handling large numbers of movies per flight but AF and the IFE manufacturer decided (wisely I think) to introduce the system in stages. They tested the system in flight at each stage till they were happy and then added more movies and features.

The new hand held video system, shown on the AF site, ref above, is specifically for the new "bespoke" AF service Dedicate (a dedicated fleet of Airbus A319-ER aircraft with flight schedules tailored to your needs). These smaller A319 aircraft traditionally do not have any IFE systems on board, hence the need for hand held video machines.

as we all know, the new IFE is on the CDG-YUL flights AF346/347 operated by B77W F-GZNA

now a 2nd B77W (F-GSQU) has the new IFE. its not dedicated to a specific route so good luck to all of you to get that plane :)

Anyone have anymore info?
Will the whole fleet be retrofitted?
Who will go in first?

I used their "AVOD" 12 channel system three weeks ago on the 772 and it was awe full.

Anyone have anymore info?
Will the whole fleet be retrofitted?
Who will go in first?

I used their "AVOD" 12 channel system three weeks ago on the 772 and it was awe full.

chrissxb gave us all the info there is for the moment.

with the exception of the 747-400s the whole fleet is to be retrofitted ... who knows on the time span, look at how long the NEV fleet took.

Flew on F-GZNA two weeks ago in Espace Affaires CDG-YUL and while the new IFE definitely offers more variety, my seatmate and I had constant problems. The system kept on freezing and scrambling, to the point that the audio was out of sync with the video and I was having to exit the particular movie and navigate back to it. Eventually I asked to have my PTV rebooted which took 5-7 minutes to complete.

Once these "teething" problems are worked out and the system is introduced across the fleet I anticipate that such problems will be eliminated. All in all, the new IFE is a big step in the right direction and offers many more options.

2 weeks ago to SIN on a 777200 we had the new 'enhanced' J cabin and the better IFE. It really is much better, though still not as imaginatively conceived as KL or SQ or EK. But really much better. Then on the way back in 777 300 last week we not only had the sloppiest and beat up looking J cabin in existence but an IFE that crashed on-stop. The chef looked very exasperated by the whole thing (incl. the terrible catering - she was really quite annoyed).

you probable had the enhanced version of the old IFE. the new one has ~85 movies and is only on two 77W so far. (more airplanes to come, they have some technical problems) see my trip report (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=754531&goto=newpost) for details, I had the pleasure to test it on the way to Montreal.