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| In-Room Entertainment |
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| The Extraordinary Evolution of the Offering at Equip’Hotel |
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| The field of in-room entertainment has been evolving very rapidly in the past two years… so much so that what we find today bears little resemblance to the VoD offering of the previous ‘generation’. |
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The onset of IP (Internet Protocol) technology, High Definition, and even 3D, means it’s hard, if not impossible, for hoteliers to keep pace with developments. On the other hand, the new offerings on hand for guests thanks to these new technologies, mean hotels can add a great deal of value for guests, while also developing new business models and revenue streams.
Here, we look at some of the key developments in the offerings on show at the Paris show.
First launched at a recent major trade event in The Hague, Philips ‘Super Seven’ is officially on show for the first time in France, including a ‘world first’: a Full HD 3D TV designed specifically for the hospitality sector. “With our new EasySuite, PrimeSuite and Signature ranges, Philips now offers the hotel sector the widest selection of LED TVs across all screen sizes that is currently available from any manufacturer,” says Wouter Staal, EMEA Marketing Manager Hotel TV for Philips. “We are introducing the ‘Super Seven’; a host of exciting new features that focus on enhancing the guest experience whilst offering hotel operators environmental and cost benefits.” New options include SmartPower, which dims the backlighting of the TV without compromising on picture quality in order to minimise energy consumption thereby saving up to 75 Euros in running costs over seven years.
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| Samsung, for its part, is presenting its new hospitality TV range at Equip’Hotel, boasting such features as Set Top Box power supply, built-in clock, and cloning of parameters via USB key. The C6000 range disposes of an “Internet@TV” function, including pre-charged web widgets on the screen. According to Béatrice Moisson-Franckhauser, head of Vertical Business Marketing for the brand, if a hotel wishes to develop its own specific applications, Samsung proposes a co-development service. |
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LG and Swisscom are jointly presenting a new offer for hoteliers, enabling them to offer guests access to direct web-based services via the TV, as well as including a Wireless Router built into the back of the TV. The system has been more than a year and a half in development, with the involvement of R&D teams from Korea and Europe. The LG/Swisscom solution is already being deployed in the UK and Germany, and is set to roll out in France in Q1 2011.
LG’s European Marketing Chief, Shawn Kim, was in Paris for the French launch of their new system. “In the business model we are making together with Swisscom, everything is integrated, so we get rid of the set top box from the hotel room. The hoteliers like this solution, because usually at the back of the TV there is messy cabling and a set top box, and this doesn’t harmonise with the hotel environment. System Integrators are also looking for new solutions, and with this solution, hoteliers can very easily create their own applications for the guests.” Mr Kim says LG is working on expanding its offering in Europe, and should also be bringing its Digital Rights Management solution from the USA in order to help hoteliers who wish to channel High Definition films to guest rooms. Swisscom’s new sales director for France and Switzerland, Françoise Dalery, underlined the fact that existing co-axial cabling can be used with the new system, avoiding hoteliers having to reinstall Cat 5 cables in order to have an efficient IP TV system. Swisscom, she says, has gone from being just an Internet and VoD supplier to being a much broader service provider. Ms Dalery says Swisscom is now working actively in the management and optimisation of network infrastructures. “We want to ensure that the good functioning of the network makes for a pleasant and trouble-free guest experience,” she added. |
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| Quadriga has been publically spotlighting its new “Sensiq” solution for the first time at the French trade show. Quadriga’s Liz Moores says it has been the first chance to give the Sensiq solution ‘pride of place’ in the French market. Sensiq, says Moores, is all about giving hoteliers the tools to be able to develop their own on-screen applications. “We’re very excited to say we have a new major project rolling out in Paris”, says Moores, Quadriga Technology Director Mark Budie adds, “IP technology is central to Quadriga’s Sensiq and Genesis solutions. Quadriga was first to use IP technology to converge on-demand music, video, Internet access and broadcast TV services to guest rooms, over coax and CATx networks. For CATx infrastructures, all our services are full IP. In a Coax environment, IP is used for all data, entertainment and communication services and in the case of IPTV is converted to DVB-C/T.” |
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| The idea of adding value and services for guests via the TV screen is at the heart of a new offering on show at Equip’Hotel for the first time from Media Communications S.A. (M-Com). A new User Interface (U.I.) was more than a year in the design stage, and according to group CEO, Costas Sakellariou, the company employed specialists in TV usage and graphic design in order to come up with “HotStream 4’ – the latest offering. Hotel promotions are, according to Sakellariou, very easy via the new system. Guests can browse services such as restaurants, spa, golf etc, and even book directly via the system… they can also view their bill, order room service and order a wake-up call. Direct access is available to the Internet and the system also includes regularly updated local weather, and even webcam views of different locations around the hotel. An interesting aspect of the system is the fact that the order of channels can be customised depending on the guest’s nationality. M-Com, while being very successful in Greece, the Middle East and a number of other European zones, is looking to establish a new office in France, and is actively seeking partners in this geographical area. |
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Philips
Philips
Samsung
Samsung
Shawn Kim, LG’s European Marketing Chief
LG and Swisscom
Quadriga
Quadriga
Costas Sakellariou, M-Com's CEO and Richard Barnes, Cleverdis' Editor-in-Chief
M-Com
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