Even is you aren’t in the market for a corporate jet, this sounds like it’s worth seeing – and if you are in the market, this might very well be the place for you.
[1]The Jet Business [2], the world’s first corporate aviation showroom for business jet aircraft, opened in January, 2012, in London, UK. It allows such individuals as government officials, royalty, and influential corporate executives can plan their business jet sale or purchase with experts and analysts in complete privacy.
The Jet Business, believed to be the world’s first street-level corporate aviation showroom, is further reinventing how business aircraft are transacted by using Matrox Mura MPX Series controller boards from Matrox Electronic Systems [3], headquartered in Dorval, Quebec, to capture and display content for clients on an interactive, 32-monitor video wall.
Based in Belgravia – one of London’s most prestigious districts – The Jet Business boasts a game-changing concept: a life-size replica of an Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ 319) cabin displayed in its front window. Right alongside it stands the interactive Matrox-powered video wall integrated by Candeo Vision [4], Retford, Nottinghamshire (sub-contracted by Viastak [5], London, with technical assistance provided by PSCo Technical Distribution [6]). Each gives clients an in-depth look at their potential purchases before taking the proverbial leap, miles off the ground.
At The Jet Business, clients can enjoy a fully immersive experience as the sales and research team provides independent, impartial advice. Under a single roof potential buyers are educated on the widest range of new or pre-owned business jets available on the market today. The Jet Business simplifies the corporate jet sales experience, with the entire model built around the client’s journey.
[7]The video wall itself comprises 32 NEC [8]-supplied monitors, resulting in an installation that is as tall as the ceiling. A Matrox-validated HP controller system integrated by Candeo Vision displays vitals such as range, fuel economy, speed, and number of seats. Additionally, it overlays each of the available planes’ outlines to compare shape and even full-sized cross-sections of cabins to measure walking room, all in order to help clients choose which jet is right for them.
An Apple iPad gives clients an easy-to-use touch-panel interface with which to access all the aforementioned information. Content is rendered across the monitors as commands get routed from the iPad throughout the installation to a custom, local Mura MPX controller app, built by Candeo Vision with the easy-to-use Mura Network API (included in a Mura MPX software development kit).
“All content is displayed within custom templates designed for the ultra-high resolution screens,” says Tom Makin, systems integrator at Candeo Vision. “Integrated iPad screen mirroring is achieved by interfacing with the Matrox Mura MPX system to dynamically control the size and visibility of an Apple Airplay window overlaid on the screen.”
Alan Betts, director at Candeo Vision, says, “The Mura API allowed the display of Apple TV picture-in-picture windows to be fully integrated with our custom display software. The API interface was used to create layouts dynamically, manage the capture process, and control window visibility. A key API feature for us was the ability to start up the Mura interface in ’No Background’ mode so we could overlay a PiP window on top of a native windows desktop.”
The Mura Network API lets integrators, like Candeo Vision, easily develop their own intuitive applications for end users so they can effortlessly control their new video walls.
“The Matrox Mura API documentation was clear and the .NET example code provided a solid base for us to work from,” says Betts. “The command line telnet interface has also proved highly valuable for manual layout tweaks and remote support.”
As a result, the Mura MPX Network API has since been adopted by The Jet Business to drive further development and meet the showroom and their client base’s ever-evolving needs.