Bootstrap, the initial R/C IFE system contract had a clause guaranteeing 97% servicability. Rockwell said that this could only be achieved if only their engineers touched the system (ie C/C & QF engineers were not allowed to attempt any rectifications initially). The fact that their engineers could not produce anywhere near the guaranteed reliability meant that there were significant penalty payments. When the warranty period expired, QF engineers took over the IFE servicing and from what I've seen, there has been a significant improvement in the reliability of the system (still not as good as our pax want). Installation of the R/C IFE into the original A330's was made even worse because Airbus wouldn't allow the R/C software engineers access to the "source codes" used by the A330 Cabin Computer system and thus there were significant problems getting the two systems to communicate seamlessly.
You are right about the Panasonic system being streets ahead of R/C. 2 Terrabytes of data storage, no hard-wiring of screens to cards in the main system, electronic data processing circuits in the base of each screen instead of in a box under the seat where people continually kick it, etc. It's at least a generation ahead of the R/C system