Baker Electronics has added three new product lines to its range of aviation entertainment, management and cockpit systems, and announced the formation of a consortium of related businesses to provide one-stop shopping for cabin completion and refurbishment.

A Slim Line monitor that has a 21.3-in. diagonal viewing area and a depth of 1.45 in. has been added to its LCD flat-panel display product line. The narrow depth is made possible by a remote box unit that can be located up to 33 ft from the display unit, permitting more versatile mounting than other large flat-panel displays, said the company.

An advantage the company points out is that the Slim Line monitors can be mounted on the outside of a bulkhead as a decorative and functional part of the interior, or inside thin bulkheads or cabinets where space is limited.

The monitor (SL2130) has horizontal and vertical viewing angles of 160 deg and a picture resolution of UXGA (1,600 by 1,200 pixels per inch) and is capable of switching between composite video and analog RGB signals.

Baker’s faux finishing process allows the outer casing of Slim Line and other LCD displays and passenger switch panels to be finished to match or complement any interior design.

Mini DVD player

Multi-region capability is what Baker thinks will make its mini DVD player a hot seller. It will play DVDs from all over the world as well as conventional audio CDs, video CDs, super video CDs and MP3 CDs. With dimensions of 2.5 in. high, 7.25 in. wide and 8 in. deep, the unit is adaptable to small spaces. It features full-motion video playback with superior color and a built-in stereo pre-amp to provide high-level differential audio, said Baker.

The DVD player can be used as a stand-alone unit or controlled via Baker’s MH cabin management system databus through the MHS membrane-style switches, MHL LDC-style switches, modular switch panels, MHT touch screen or MHR handheld remote.

Baker is also introducing a new line of modular passenger cabin control switch panels. The Sanibel, Longboat, Sonoma, Malibu, Tahoe and Aspen series offer six new designs that can be customized to coordinate with cabin interiors.

The switches are a hybrid of the company’s MHL LCD-style switch panels and the MHS membrane-style switches. With the menu-driven LCD, functions such as reading and table lights can be controlled with dedicated switches on the same panel. MH Elite switches interface with Baker’s cabin management and entertainment system to control lighting, temperature, galley functions, window shades, audio and video distribution and other items. And, according to the company, the MH system allows different types of passenger control panels to be mixed or matched without affecting the wiring or engineering of the aircraft.

The Elite control panels, MHL and MHT all have a common 15-pin connector with a maximum of 13 wires, and all MH switches are field programmable via laptop computer.

One-stop Cabin Integration

Baker has joined with six other suppliers to form a partnership to provide turnkey solutions for design, production and integration of products and services in the completions market.

The enterprise, called VQuest Partners, is made up of Baker, Infusion Design, Lou Martin & Associates, Tier One Integration, Bigorre Aerospace, Cabinet Technologies and End to End. Products and services offered include a wide range of design, project management manufacturing and integration services.

Baker Electronics manufactures entertainment and communication equipment for business and commercial aviation and marine applications. The Sarasota, Fla. manufacturer’s main product lines are cabin management systems, entertainment equipment, passenger moving map and information systems, cockpit audio equipment and liquid-crystal flat-panel displays.

Bigorre Aerospace Corp., Pinellas Park, Fla., will provide lighting systems. BAC assembles floodlights, inverters, power units, dimmer boxes, power supplies, fluorescent lamps, logic PC boards and relays under license.

San Antonio manufacturer Cabinet Technologies, Inc. is bringing its high-quality cabinetry and interior products to the partnership. Its specialties include architectural design and products and services in engineering, fabrication, paint, plumbing, electrical, fiberglass, upholstery and installation.

End to End, Inc. is headquartered in Portsmouth, Va., and provides contract manufacturing and technical services. ETE’s technical services division has placed 275 contract personnel in governmental and industrial positions nationwide.

Infusion Design, Inc. is a group that offers product development services such as
3-D imaging and animation, solid modeling, control drawing packages, prototyping and manufacturing management. It has offices in Dallas, Wichita and Bonner Springs, Kan.

Lou Martin and Associates, Inc. of San Antonio designs and manufactures lightweight interior composite panels and electrical and mechanical window shade systems.

Tier One Integration, Inc. provides systems integration, engineering and product management services. The Sarasota, Fla., company will furnish product specs, program management, approved engineering data, fabrication and testing of plug-and-play harnesses and equipment coordination and delivery.

For more information about Baker Electronics, visit the company’s Web site at www.be-inc.com.