Mar 13, 2014, 12:52 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

All mainline UA aircfraft should have PDE available (April 2018)
Supported devices

Courtesy of JOSECONLSCREW28

If anybody can update this wiki with roll out dates, that will be helpful!

Entertainment options in the future:

Continental Airlines aircraft:
B777-200ER AVOD/Satellite WiFi
B767-400ER AVOD/Satellite WiFi
B787-8 AVOD/Satellite WiFi/Streaming Content
B787-9 AVOD/Satellite WiFi/Streaming Content
B757-300 851 - 859 DirecTV/SatelliteWiFi
B757-300 860 - 871 Streaming Content/Satellite WiFi
B757-200 AVOD/Satellite WiFi
B737-900/900ER 401 - 464 DirecTV/Satellite WiFi
B737-900ER 465 - 478 Streaming Content/Satellite Wifi
B737-800 202 - 226, 228 - 231, 233 - 234, 237 - 239, 241 - 245, 247 - 248, 250 - 299, 501 - 531 DirecTV/Satellite WiFi
B737-800 201, 227, 232, 235 - 236, 240, 246, 249 Overhead IFE/Satellite WiFi
B737-700 701 - 719, 721 - 724, 726 - 733, 750 DirecTV/Satellite WiFi
B737-700 720, 734, 735, 736 Overhead IFE/Satellite WiFi

United Airlines aircraft:
B747-400 AVOD + Streaming Content/Satellite WiFi
B777-200 International AVOD/Satellite WiFi
B777-200 Hawaiian Streaming Content/Satellite WiFi
B767-300 2-cabin AVOD/Satellite WiFi
B767-300 3-cabin AVOD/Looping IFE/Streaming Content/Satellite WiFi
B757-200 PS AVOD/Streaming Content/GoGo WiFi
B737-900ER Streaming Content/Satellite WiFi
A319/A320 Streaming Content/Satellite WiFi

This other thread is also invaluable for general fleet updates:

United Airlines Fleet Updates [2014 Thread]

Watch inflight movies/TV on your personal device (PDE) - Experiences, discussion,...

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May 31, 2017, 7:32 am

#466

FreFly

Join Date: Oct 2007

Location: USA

Programs: UA (1K, 2MM), AA, Avis, National

Posts: 867

Thanks! This explains it. I run Android 7, Android 6+ is not supported on 737s, where I have the issue. As always UA IT is two generations behind.

I understand if for security reasons old OSs would not be supported. But to support only old OSs full of security holes? Must be a conspiracy by Russian hackers or NSA.

Last edited by FreFly; May 31, 2017 at 8:14 am Reason: Text added

May 31, 2017, 7:32 am

#467

Duke787

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Mar 2013

Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 10,130

Yes - I get this often on my work laptop. It's infuriating - it's a 2016 MacBook Pro with the latest OSx, the latest Safari, the latest Firefox, and the latest Chrome but it never works on United (even though it works without issue for AA and DL).

I've had to resort to just watching via my iPad (and therefore bringing it) when I travel for work and when I don't travel for work I just bring the iPad since it works without issue there.

May 31, 2017, 10:16 am

#468

JBuck88

Join Date: May 2017

Location: Denver

Programs: UA 1K

Posts: 11

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreFly

You nailed it. United PDE does not support Android devices on the 737 fleet. The website claims support for "early 2017", but we're already to June and still no luck. If you read the Google Play Store review for the United app, the first 100 or so are 1-star complaints about this exact problem. I go out of my way to book a non-737 (if possible) on longer flights where I will want to watch a movie. C'mon United...let's get this fixed!

Jun 7, 2017, 9:50 am

#469

Michilander

Join Date: Nov 2010

Location: BWI, PHL, IAD

Programs: Marriott LT Titanium; Mileage Plus 1K, 1 MM; Global Entry

Posts: 1,516

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michilander

Just got off A319/4032. Setting Firefox as the default and going through the "continue to unitedwifi" link worked for me. Did try using the browse option, but it has never worked before and it did not work this time.

Galaxy S5, Android 6.0.1.

Same result on A320/4258.

Jun 7, 2017, 11:13 am

#470

nmenaker

Join Date: Feb 2000

Location: Menlo Park, CA, USA

Programs: UA 1MM 0P, AA, DL, *wood, Lifetime FPC Plat., IHG, HHD

Posts: 6,912

I just wish they could get harmony of shows and movies across even domestic flights so nit finishing a movie on one flight wouldn't end in a fail when getting on the next flight and not having that movie available

Jun 7, 2017, 1:25 pm

#471

thejaredhuang

Join Date: May 2012

Programs: UA

Posts: 1,098

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duke787

Same on Windows, constant stuttering or buffering regardless of browser (IE, Edge, Firefox, Chrome). I think sUA 739s worked fine though.

Jun 7, 2017, 5:45 pm

#472

Michilander

Join Date: Nov 2010

Location: BWI, PHL, IAD

Programs: Marriott LT Titanium; Mileage Plus 1K, 1 MM; Global Entry

Posts: 1,516

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michilander

Same result on A320/4269

Jul 7, 2017, 3:32 pm

#473

Jed33d

Join Date: Jun 2008

Programs: AS, UA, AA, Hyatt Globalist, and Marriott Silver

Posts: 277

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duke787

I get this too on my new MacBook Pro. Is there a work around? Last time I flew, it asked me to download the latest plug in, which I did, still didn't work, even after trying to download multiple times. Infuriating!

Jul 7, 2017, 3:44 pm

#474

FlyngSvyr

Join Date: Mar 2016

Location: Houston/DC

Programs: UA 1K, 1MM

Posts: 564

Quote:

Originally Posted by thejaredhuang

Same on Windows, constant stuttering or buffering regardless of browser (IE, Edge, Firefox, Chrome). I think sUA 739s worked fine though.

I have noticed the same thing when I am on E175's. But the stuttering/buffering happens at the same places, even if you rewind it. At first I thought it might be a censoring out inappropriate content, but decided that was not it based on seeing the movie before. It is almost as if the entire movie stream is not uploaded on the flight. Feel like I am missing too much and will have to re-watch the movies at a later time

My 320 & 319 flights lately have been fine. Still resigned to not using PDE on 739's, as I have a android tablet. Please hurry up and get that fixed.

Jul 31, 2017, 7:48 pm

#475

TEBraniff

Join Date: Sep 2014

Location: Houston, Texas

Posts: 206

I'm in total confusion as to what United offers on A320 and B737 IAH to PDX and return.
Apparently there is a charge for wifi. It says you can watch free entertainment on your personal device. How can it be free if you need to pay for wifi?

We recently flew to Miami r/t on AMR and it was awesome. Seatback entertainment and tons of movies free. Is there no such thing on United?

Jul 31, 2017, 8:43 pm

#476

findark

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Nov 2014

Location: MSP

Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found

Posts: 14,404

Quote:

Originally Posted by TEBraniff

Connecting to the WiFi network on the plane is free. This allows you to stream any of the content which is stored onboard the aircraft, a similar selection to what is available on seatback entertainment (AVOD) systems. In order to be allowed off the local network and connect to the Internet at large, you must pay.

UA offers seatback AVOD on most long-haul international equipment (752, 767, 777 except 77G, 787) and on the p.s. 752 fleet. The industry trend has been toward PDE or similar, as most pax carry some sort of device with a monitor onboard, many prefer to watch their own downloaded shows, and it's a weight savings for the airline.

Aug 1, 2017, 6:42 am

#477

nmenaker

Join Date: Feb 2000

Location: Menlo Park, CA, USA

Programs: UA 1MM 0P, AA, DL, *wood, Lifetime FPC Plat., IHG, HHD

Posts: 6,912

Quote:

Originally Posted by TEBraniff

connecting to WIFI is free, paying for access to internet is $. connection to wifi is all one needs to stream movies, but of course make SURE you have the united app on your phone as that is also required.

One can also view United information, use the united app, and get things like weather and flight status.

more than alf the time, even without paying for internet my alerts and iMessage texting still function on ios devices. I haven't been able to figure out what the port is that is allowing this but I think it has something to do with what they allow open to enable access to some information or advertising on the authentication splash page for possible internet purchase.

And then, about 20% of the time, the whole video streaming thing just fails outright, usually about 3/4 of the way through a movie.

Aug 1, 2017, 7:23 am

#478

LordHamster

Join Date: May 2003

Location: Cleveland, OH

Programs: UA-GS 1MM), Hertz Pres Circle, Starriott Titanium)

Posts: 1,966

Honestly, since Netflix and Amazon Prime both have started allowing for "offline videos" I have ceased caring about domestic IFE. On the international flights, the only reason I like the AVOD is because there just isn't any place in the BF pods to prop up my iPad/and/or I can't be bothered.

Aug 4, 2017, 10:38 am

#479

pseudoswede

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Apr 2001

Location: Denver, CO

Programs: UA Silver, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist

Posts: 21,537

Naturally, almost all of my flights are on the 739, and my phone (Nougat) and tablet (Marshmallow) still don't work.

I've resorted to streaming Netflix on the wifi.

Aug 20, 2017, 2:54 pm

#480

Kremmen

Join Date: Feb 2001

Programs: IHG Diamond, HH Diamond, BW Diamond Select, Accor Silver, Marriott Gold

Posts: 4,227

Surely by now most laptop users are on Firefox 52+, Chrome or MS Edge? None of those are supported by United.

Using IE or reverting Firefox to 51 or below in order to run United's videos would be ludicrous. (Overriding the FF version string to fool it works for me, but not all passengers will be set up to do that.) I wonder how many people use IFE at all when it's so poorly supported?