Camera and microphone in the A350 IFE?
Nov 29, 2018, 11:04 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: AA, DAL, blah, blah, blah...The usual.
Posts: 646
Camera and microphone in the A350 IFE?
Okay, I spent ten minutes searching the Delta forum and found no other mention of this.
i had my first ride in the Delta Suite on the A350 just now.
Why is there a camera and microphone looking at me at my seat? I asked the FA and she had never noticed it before. When I first sat down, I thought maybe there was some feature the IFE provided that would use a camera and mic....like maybe I could call the FA and they could respond via video.
Nope.
It’s just a camera and mic, pointing at me....with no explanation as to why.
i think I’m bringing a little piece of electrician’s tape on my next A350 ride.
i had my first ride in the Delta Suite on the A350 just now.
Why is there a camera and microphone looking at me at my seat? I asked the FA and she had never noticed it before. When I first sat down, I thought maybe there was some feature the IFE provided that would use a camera and mic....like maybe I could call the FA and they could respond via video.
Nope.
It’s just a camera and mic, pointing at me....with no explanation as to why.
i think I’m bringing a little piece of electrician’s tape on my next A350 ride.
Nov 29, 2018, 11:11 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: SJC
Programs: Southwest, Alaska, United, American Airlines
Posts: 994
There's a lot that can be said about A/V surveillance onboard commercial airliners flying internationally. Suffice it to say you should not do (or access!) anything on a commercial flight you wouldn't do if being watched in an open public space.
Nov 29, 2018, 11:12 am
#3
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Seattle, WA
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Posts: 3,947
It’s almost certainly a PIR motion sensor, not a camera. The IFE is designed to wake up and light up the controls when your hands are nearby. Think of it like the automatic sensors in a public restroom.
Nov 29, 2018, 11:18 am
#4
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Seattle, WA
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(That said, there has been some discussion of adding cameras to IFE systems eventually, for the purposes of scanning bar codes to easily pair smartphones as content sources or remote controllers. There’s also the occasional clickbait article about crazy ideas like facial recognition for sentiment analysis, but the business case for doing that isn’t there, and it isn’t happening onboard anytime soon.)
Nov 29, 2018, 11:47 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
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Posts: 27,042
This has come up here before. My IT guess it's simply the fact that the IFE screens are really tablets and are just default built in even though not used. However the privacy side of me makes me tear a piece of napkin/magazine and put it between camera and the plastic shell.
Nov 29, 2018, 2:19 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: BAEC, VS FC, LH M&M, ANA Mileage Club
Posts: 20
That's interesting if not slightly disconcerting to hear - does anyone have a photo?
I thought I saw something similar on the IFE during my recent trip in IB A330 Business Class but figured I must have been being paranoid ...maybe not after all
I thought I saw something similar on the IFE during my recent trip in IB A330 Business Class but figured I must have been being paranoid ...maybe not after all
Nov 29, 2018, 2:21 pm
#7
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Arizona
Posts: 5,689
IR sensors and cameras are very similar. That said the equivalent of our USA CIA in France is said to have monitored the audio in the First Class cabin long long time ago. So many easier ways to monitor people today with smart devices. Your phone is not your friend.
Nov 29, 2018, 2:25 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: ORD / MDW / FLL
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Posts: 2,295
I think it's interesting that people are concerned about this but not about giving DL biometric data such as fingerprints and images for facial recognition. As someone else mentioned, you shouldn't be doing anything in the D1 suite that you wouldn't want to be seen doing in public. Also, keep in mind that when you are in public there are cameras on you everywhere.
Nov 29, 2018, 2:54 pm
#9
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: SFO
Posts: 273
Delta uses a variant of the Panasonic eX1 IFE system with Panasonic's Eco monitors. They aren't off the shelf tablets but share architectural similarities and include light detectors and infrared proximity sensors, similar to what's present at the top of every iPhone or Android.
Nov 29, 2018, 3:54 pm
#10
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,884
I think it's interesting that people are concerned about this but not about giving DL biometric data such as fingerprints and images for facial recognition. As someone else mentioned, you shouldn't be doing anything in the D1 suite that you wouldn't want to be seen doing in public. Also, keep in mind that when you are in public there are cameras on you everywhere.
Nov 29, 2018, 8:14 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: CHA
Programs: DL-DM (1.75MM), Bonvoy LifeTi, Hertz-PC
Posts: 618
I just noticed the same thing on my flight yesterday (AMS-DTW). And it looks much more like a camera - as it looks 'lensed' unlike all other IR sensors I've seen, and it's too central with no controls near screen (like other newer IFE revisions: the A350 headphone port it beside you, and " nintendo " controller under arm rest..
Asked two stewards - both played ignorant . I did put a piece of luggage bag tag sticker over it.
Trying to attach pix...
Screen relation to suspect camera
Closeup of suspect
Asked two stewards - both played ignorant . I did put a piece of luggage bag tag sticker over it.
Trying to attach pix...
Screen relation to suspect camera
Closeup of suspect
Nov 29, 2018, 11:40 pm
#13
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Atlanta, GA (KATL)
Programs: Delta SkyMiles KM, Sky Club/Priority Pass, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 458
I just noticed the same thing on my flight yesterday (AMS-DTW). And it looks much more like a camera - as it looks 'lensed' unlike all other IR sensors I've seen, and it's too central with no controls near screen (like other newer IFE revisions: the A350 headphone port it beside you, and " nintendo " controller under arm rest..
Asked two stewards - both played ignorant . I did put a piece of luggage bag tag sticker over it.
Trying to attach pix...
Screen relation to suspect camera
Closeup of suspect
Asked two stewards - both played ignorant . I did put a piece of luggage bag tag sticker over it.
Trying to attach pix...
Screen relation to suspect camera
Closeup of suspect
Nov 30, 2018, 12:06 am
#14
Join Date: Nov 2013
Programs: DL, HH
Posts: 34
Definitely not a camera, agree that it's likely a motion sensor. I'll be doing ICN-ATL in a few weeks, I should have plenty of time to play with it and see what it works. I don't recall seeing any microphone on my previous flights.
As for cameras, I've noticed the Chinese carriers have them facing the boarding door and the safety officer will usually make a few passes through the cabin making sure his body camera catches everyone.
As for cameras, I've noticed the Chinese carriers have them facing the boarding door and the safety officer will usually make a few passes through the cabin making sure his body camera catches everyone.
Nov 30, 2018, 3:44 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: BRU
Programs: A3 *G & FB G
Posts: 640
Definitely not a camera, agree that it's likely a motion sensor. I'll be doing ICN-ATL in a few weeks, I should have plenty of time to play with it and see what it works. I don't recall seeing any microphone on my previous flights.
As for cameras, I've noticed the Chinese carriers have them facing the boarding door and the safety officer will usually make a few passes through the cabin making sure his body camera catches everyone.
As for cameras, I've noticed the Chinese carriers have them facing the boarding door and the safety officer will usually make a few passes through the cabin making sure his body camera catches everyone.