Hotel television systems
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Hotel television systems (sometimes also referred to as Hotel TV) is the in-suite interactive television interface media content presented in hotel-rooms, other hotel environments and in the hospitality industry for in-room entertainment, as well as hospitals and larger nursing homes. These services may be free for the guest or paid, depending on the service and the individual hotel's or hotel chain’s policy. Generally these services are controlled by using remote control.
Overview
Hotel Television today is generally available in two forms:
- Free to Guest (FTG) services.
- FTG services in general use today are local channels and satellite or cable programming. Satellite & Cable programming can include more than 100 channels with providers such as DIRECTV now providing more than 100 HD channels for Hotel guests.
- Interactive Television which provides services such as Video on Demand (VOD) or any other paid services.
- In general use today Interactive Television consists of movies, music, adult content, and other services.
In some cases hotel TV also means a bundle of interactive services that are made available on a guest's TV screen including:
- a hotel welcome screen with hotel information
- hotel services – check out, room service, laundry, bill viewing, wake up calls, etc…
- an information portal with weather, news & local attractions
- video games & fun
- internet applications such as Twitter, Facebook & other social media
- internet television or movie rental services
- order & shopping for the hotel’s amenities as well as products & services from local and national companies
Hotel TV Systems
Hotel TV systems are divided into several categories
- L-Band distribution systems
- Pro:Idiom or digitally encrypted for high definition Satellite TV (DIRECTV and Dish Network) programming
- IPTV- based
- DIRECTV Residential Experience for Hotels (DIRECTV Residential Experience for Hotels)
- Free to Air (FTA)
Satellite TV for Hotel Systems
Commonly a hotel television system distributing satellite television signal is known as a SMATV (Satellite Master Antenna TV) system.
In an L-Band distribution system TV signal is sent from the satellite dish to a panel in a distribution closet to a set top box in each room which decrypts the digital signal via a coaxial network.
In a Headend type system For High definition Satellite TV signal from DIRECTV & Dish Network the signal is encrypted to prevent piracy and then distributed via a Com1000, Code Plus or similar headend. Com1000 and Code plus are the most common HD headend systems for hotels.
In an IPTV (internet protocol television) system all video, voice and data are transmitted over an internal hotel IP network.
Cable TV for hotel systems
In a cable TV system signal is distributed via a coaxial network to a set-top box in each room.
Signal distribution
Satellite TV, Cable TV and FTA signals can be distributed via L-Band, Com1000 and Code Plus Headend, or IPTV distribution systems. In most hotels a TV signal provided by a Satellite TV or Cable TV provider or FTA antenna is transmitted over a hotel coaxial cable network. Most hotels today are wired just with coaxial cables, a big obstacle for implementing IP-based hotel TV systems (IPTV). Some newer hotels are pre-wired with UTP, which enables IP-based hotel TV services. For hotels wired with coaxial cable, technology has emerged recently which enables some to take advantage of IP-based signal transmission over coax cables.
Hotel TV services
Common Hotel TV services that are available on most L-Band, Headend or IPTV-based systems are:
- TV channels
- TV channels can be distributed to the hotel via satellite, cable or free-to-air
- Video on demand
- Video On Demand (VOD) allows guests to browse a movie catalogue using the TV remote control and watch a chosen title in room. Usually the guest has to pay for each movie, but it depends on hotel policy.
- Welcome screen
- Personalized welcome message can be displayed on the TV set and welcome the guest upon arrival.
- Information Portal, Weather & News
- Hotels can publish their essential information, weather, news and promote local attractions.
- Ordering & Shopping
- With Ordering & Shopping the hotel can promote their amenities over the room's TV set. Guest can browse the catalogue and choose desired services & products via remote control.
- Games & Fun
- Games which can be played on the TV are one of the most popular hotel tv services.
- Bill Viewing system
- Guests can view their account balances and be up-to-date with their expenditure.
- Wake-up system
- Wake-up systems allows guests to set their wake-up call or time on the TV screen.
- Internet, messaging & e-mail
- Using the hotel TV system, guests can browse the Internet and receive or send e-mail messages. Some systems also include internal messaging between hotel reception and the guest in-room.