Hotel & Motel Management - April 21, 2008 - (Page 18)

18 Technology TELEVISIONS H&MM April 21, 2008 | HotelMotel.com BY JASON Q. FREED, ASSOCIATE EDITOR Have you made the Cost to install the most commonly recommended HD-ready, Pro:Idiom-enabled, ﬂat-panel displays* Size No. of Rooms Cost (not mounted) Cost (wall-mounted) 32 inch 75 $62,520 $69,750 150 $124,500 $139,500 300 $249,000 $279,000 37 inch 75 150 300 75 150 300 $74,625 $149,250 $298,500 $90,000 $180,000 $360,000 $82,125 $164,250 $328,500 $100,125 $200,250 $400,500 tech TALK Panasonic Professional Display Co. debuted a plug-in card for its 10 Series plasmas, including the 42-inch and 37-inch hospitality models. Panasonic’s IMP-1200 plug-in card is an Integrated Media Player solution with a high-deﬁnition hospitality tuner card that offers 128bit Pro:Idiom decryption of HD premium content and 5.1 digital audio-out capabilities. Paragon Casino & Resort in Marksville, La., chose Agilysys to provide a variety of hotel and casino operations software products for the 531-room property. The programs automate property management, inventory and procurement and document management. IFA Hotels & Resorts announced plans to implement System Products International enterprise software throughout its properties. The software will manage marketing and sales operations, owner services and accounting, owner reservations and residential property management. Wayport reached an agreement to provide wireless high-speed Internet to properties managed by Wyndham Vacation Resorts. Wayport will install its CyberCenter Express public PC solution and the NaviCity Portal to will provide local mapping and business and recreation listings. Kaba IIco signed an agreement with ResortQuest to install the Oracode keyless access system for its managed properties. Oracode Locks will be installed in units in North America. Compiled by Jason Q. Freed, jfreed@questex.com switch? Hotel owners and operators still feel major pressure to upgrade their in-room entertainment, mainly displays. Guests expect the same entertainment options on the road as they have at home, and now brands even are mandating the switch to ﬂat-panel, high-deﬁnition televisions. But with everyone focused on minimal spending, one giant question remains: How much is it going to cost? HOTEL & MOTEL MANAGEMENT spoke with representatives of two major commercial television brands, as well as a high-deﬁnition provider, and got their recommendations and opinions on trends in the guestroom. 42 inch * Based on average equipment prices Source: LG Electronics (Pro:Idiom-enabled displays) Mounting TVs just one option Early on in the ﬂat-panel revolution, wall mounting your new television set was the way to go. But because of sound and wiring issues, many hoteliers are reverting back to the desk mount or even the armoire. “There were early issues with the wall mount,” said Matt Sandvold, senior director of technology and content implementation at LodgeNet Interactive. “The bigger issue is hiding the cables. Once you try and open in your walls (to hide the wires), in most states you are violating code.” Mike Kosla, director of sales for LG Electronics’ commercial division, said hotels he sees mount the TV on a desk or modify a current armoire to put the display on top. “There is a concern with wall mount that you can have more sound creeping into neighboring rooms,” he said. “More importantly is the cost of running the cables up the wall.” Hotels usually choose one of three options. “You can put it in an existing armoire, on a table or dresser or on the wall.” said John Holmes Jr., marketing manager, Sony Electronics commercial division. Where do I start? There are roughly 4.5 million guestrooms in the U.S., and only about 800,000 have made the switch from conventional televisions to high-deﬁnition ﬂat-panel displays, according to Mike Kosla, director of sales for LG Electronics’ commercial division. That leaves a lot of owners and operators preparing to upgrade. “The growth is exploding every month,” Kosla said. “Virtually all companies are making franchises make the switch. If the hotel down the street is making the switch, so should you.” When it’s time to upgrade, there are many options you need to take into consideration. Cost can vary dramatically. “It’s all dependent on the room you are putting the TV in,” Kosla said. First, it is important to be aware that the display equipment itself may not be the only purchase you make to get the best results. “[Hoteliers] should be looking at their overall needs,” said Matt Sandvold, senior director of technology and content implementation at LodgeNet Interactive. “I keep hearing over and over about hoteliers who got the big TVs and the picture looks worse than the 25-inch TVs they used to have.” High-deﬁnition televisions do not reproduce standard signals well, so you’ll have to upgrade to an HD broadcast. Upgrading your service may or may not require some infrastructure changes, such as wiring throughout your property. Next, when deciding what type of television to purchase, representatives from the leading brands suggest purchasing a commercial set. “The primary difference is control capability,” said John Holmes Jr., marketing manager for Sony Electronics commercial division. “You don’t want your guests to have complete control over the display.” Also, many noncommercial sets are not compatible with Pro:Idiom, a digital rights management system derived from content providers concerned with copyright protection. LG ELECTRONICS Quotable For more info Company Circle No. DirecTV . . . . . . . . . . 286 LG Electronics . . . . . 287 LodgeNet . . . . . . . . . 288 MDM Commercial. . . 289 NexTV . . . . . . . . . . . 290 Panasonic . . . . . . . . 291 Philips . . . . . . . . . . . 292 Polaroid . . . . . . . . . . 293 Samsung . . . . . . . . . 294 Sharp. . . . . . . . . . . . 295 Sony . . . . . . . . . . . . 296 “ Consider a complete solution before you start. If you talk to somebody before you even buy the TVs, they can give you some good advice.” SCOTT YOUNG, senior v.p., chief marketing ofﬁcer, LodgeNet Interactive http://HotelMotel.com

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Hotel & Motel Management - April 21, 2008 Contents Vista Affirms Fair Franchising Doctrine HOTEC Panel Explores Green Procurement Spa Revenue Drives Overall Profitability Perspective Legal FAQ Sales Clinic Travel Trends Guest Column Trends & Stats Owners and Operators Feel Pressure to Switch to HD Protect and Clean Stone Floors Coffee On Demand Fitness Equipment Experts Weigh New Builds Vs. Conversions Transactions Ad/Edit Index Marketplace Classifieds Checking Out

Hotel & Motel Management - April 21, 2008

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