Abstract: An inflight entertainment (IFE) system provides screen configurable video display unit (VDU) roles. Screen configurable VDU roles allow a role for each VDU in the system to be specified in the field through user inputs on the VDU and advertised to the head end system to create awareness of the specified role. Screen configurable VDU roles can reduce the number of discrete VDU line replaceable unit (LRU) types deployed on a single aircraft and across a fleet of aircraft, reducing hardware and software upgrade and sparing costs, while adding substantial flexibility to the system by removing cabin positioning restrictions on certain VDU types and facilitating system reconfiguration.