Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, located in Mumbai, India, is the second-largest international airport in the country - handling around 45 million passengers through Terminal 2 in 2022. The airport provides travellers with highquality television and communications services across various locations within the terminal, including public areas, food courts, lounges, and offices of agencies.
IPTV Deployment
When the terminal opened in 2014, Communetiques was responsible for providing all television services at Terminal 2. Their chosen deployment included a 100- channel IPTV Headend and the installation of 150 Amino A 140 boxes connected to 65” HD TVs. This setup extended to a 120-room transit hotel within the terminal complex, marking the first major IPTV deployment in India. Communetiques managed the IPTV network operations with a dedicated 24x7 staff at the airport, achieving a 99.9% Service Level Agreement (SLA) over ten years.
System Reliability
The TVs at the airport operate 24/7 throughout the year. Despite this constant use in a demanding environment, the system has had only 10 boxes replaced over the decade: all but one replacement was due to electrical surges or physical damage.
Upgrade to Amino H200
In 2022, Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) decided to upgrade the IPTV network. The Amino H200 was chosen for its 4K capabilities and Power over Ethernet (PoE) feature, which simplifies installation requiring only a single ethernet cable to connect and power the player, which reduces installation time and maintenance costs. This upgrade also aligns with environmental sustainability by reducing CO2 emissions due to Amino’s focus on every aspect of the sustainability of their products. The upgrade included replacing the old TVs with 65” 4K models, upgrading the IPTV Headend to support 4K content and replacing the older A140 media players with Amino’s latest 4k H200 devices.
"Building our PAX TV around the Amino H200 device was an obvious strategic decision as it meets key requirements for 4K video and out-of-sight operations and can provide service level assurance of 99.9%. Its technical specifications are ideal for all types of public transportation venues."
Milind Kulkarni
CEO, Communetiques Mumbai International Airport
Middleware and BIS Certification
Communetiques developed an HTML / JavaScript middleware running in the browser included with the H200 firmware. The H200’s support for the latest HTML / JavaScript standards - together with comprehensive API documentation and code samples - greatly simplified the task of integration into other business systems.
Amino easily integrated with Communetiques’ new middleware, PAX TV, which is specifically designed for transport hubs and meets the requirements of today’s ‘Silent Airports’ concept. Since there is no audio, Amino’s comprehensive support for video standards and multi-language subtitles was essential and differentiated the H200 from many other enterprise video media players on the market.
The flexibility of the solution means that devices can be used for multiple purposes. For example, in case of emergency, displays in parts or all the airport can be transformed into a flashing warning screens in multiple languages indicating nearest evacuation exit using easy to understand graphics.
The TV Screens can display announcements like Flight Delay, Flight Cancellations or Disruption in services with or without audio. Communetiques have then used innovative AI (Artificial Intelligence) (Artificial Intelligence) technology to implement Text to Speech enabling messages to be automatically played in a realistic male or female voice. The displays can also live broadcast the local events held at the airports in festivals like Diwali and New Year directly to the screen.
Conclusion
In the fast-paced world of digital media, Amino has achieved a significant milestone by securing the BIS Certification for their Amino H200 media players, a crucial step for market compliance in India. This certification paves the way for the H200's integration into the burgeoning Indian Enterprise IPTV Market.
The case study showcases the Amino H200's successful deployment at a major international airport, underlining the device's reliability and advanced capabilities. The H200's robust performance in such a demanding environment sets the stage for future installations at other airports managed by the Adani Group.
