MediaRes Servers
Hardware for Local Media Distribution
In 2007, wi-fi devices had become nearly ubiquitous. But wi-fi access had not. Bypassing the internet at large, Media Res Servers broadcast locally stored media to wi-fi devices over several hundred yards for streaming and download.
In July of 2007, A&E and Southwest Airlines licensed MediaRes Servers in an exclusive deal. Southwest Airlines had no in-flight entertainment on its flights, so A&E is provided their programs free of charge to Southwest passengers without requiring any physical distribution or staffing — passengers simply accessed the server like any other wi-fi network, and then downloaded their favorite shows to their device.
