Passenger service and entertainment system for supplying frequency-multiplexed video, audio, and television game software signals to passenger seat terminals

A service and entertainment system for a passenger vehicle having a plurality of passenger seats, comprising:

• a head end apparatus comprising means for generating video and related audio signals, means for generating separate audio signals, means for storing television game software signals, encoder means for digitally encoding all of said audio signals and said television game software signals, means for modulating said video signals and the output signal of said encoder means, and multiplexer means connected to said modulating means for multiplexing the modulated video signals, the modulated encoded audio signals and modulated encoded television game software signals;
• a plurality of terminal units each provided at respective one of said passenger seats, each said terminal unit comprising a selecting means for selecting at least one of said multiplexed, modulated video and related encoded audio signals, said multiplexed, modulated separate encoded audio signals, and said multiplexed, modulated, encoded television game software signals, a first tuner means for receiving and demodulating said selected video signals, a second tuner means for receiving and demodulating said selected related encoded audio signals, said selected separate encoded audio signals, and said selected encoded television game software signals, wherein each of said first tuner means and said second tuner means is coupled to the selecting means, a decoder means for decoding the output signal of said second tuner means, a display means for displaying the selected, demodulated video signals, an audio output terminal for receiving the decoded, demodulated audio signals output from the decoder means, a volume control for controlling the amplitude of the decoded, demodulated audio signals received at the audio output terminal, and means for storing and processing the decoded, demodulated television game software signals output from the decoder means;
• and
• means for transmitting said modulated, multiplexed signals from the head end apparatus to each said terminal unit.