Executive Q&A: Hotel Smart TVs Are “Infotainment Hubs”
How are hotel TVs currently shaping and enhancing the overall guest experience, and what emerging technologies or trends do you see having the most significant impact on hotel networks and connectivity in the near future?
Advanced hotel TVs are already having a major impact on hotel networks and connectivity. Newer and more advanced hotel TV models can make connection processes as easy and secure as possible, even though hundreds of TVs and wireless access points are in play in a hotel setting.
Hotel Smart TVs are considered “infotainment hubs” for guests, providing individual welcome messages, access to entertainment options, the capability to stream and cast, share information on hotel amenities, and offer interactive services like room service and check-out. They can also be used as IoT hubs for connected devices in the room such as voice, curtains, thermostats, lights, and more.
Manufacturers like LG are also able to integrate new capabilities such as apps, tools and content services as they are developed – keeping the technology up-to-date and continually enhancing the guest experience.
Integrated casting capabilities via Google Cast or Apple Airplay on hotel TVs eliminates the need for external devices, greatly enhancing guest satisfaction and reducing hotel operating costs. Unlike standalone devices, these systems can't be unplugged or removed, and they don't require external power or reconnection, meaning hotel engineers don't need to visit rooms for reconnection or replacement.
PTVs also support multiple connection types including Ethernet, Wi-Fi and Coax which can be used in all-IP or hybrid network architectures providing great flexibility in hotel deployments where Cat 6 Ethernet direct to the TVs may not exist.
In addition, standards such as G.hn and DOCSIS 3.1 cable modems facilitate IP over coax distribution and can even provide PoE for powering Access Points from the TV. Dual LAN ports with VLAN tagging also help network connectivity for TV and other networked devices.
What are the benefits and potential challenges of integrating streaming services and mobile device connectivity (ex. Google Cast, Apple AirPlay) into hotel TVs?
Integrating streaming services and mobile device connectivity, such as Google Cast and Apple Airplay, into hotel TVs enhances guest satisfaction by providing seamless access to their own personal streaming accounts while ensuring a customized and secure viewing experience.
Apple AirPlay enhances the guest experience by creating a home-like environment for easy content streaming, while Google Cast simplifies compatibility for both Android and iOS users, reducing the need for additional hardware and complex setups. LG also provides a broad range of built-in entertainment options on hotel smart TVs such as Netflix, further enriching the in-room experience and allowing guests to enjoy their favorite content effortlessly.
Securing licensing rights for the commercial use of in-home applications is a primary challenge, but LG’s dedicated team works closely with content providers to ensure hoteliers have full commercial licensing and protection from liability. To tackle network segmentation issues between guest Wi-Fi and TV networks, LG collaborates with its partners to create a secure architecture, using proxy servers or gateways to effectively manage and mitigate risks.
In what ways can advanced hospitality TVs help hotels streamline maintenance and setup?
For LG’s hospitality TV models, it starts with the initial install where self-guided installation tools enable simple and quick programming of the TV, saving time for the installation team as they go room-to-room to complete a property.
Customizable configuration settings on LG hospitality TVs enable them to support the broad range of content providers in the hospitality market. A single TV can be customized with more than 120 different settings, and then those settings can be quickly applied to other televisions locally or remotely. LG’s hospitality TVs have a remote management system called Pro:Centric®, which can update and manage TV settings either remotely or on site with software from one central location without room visits or even visiting the property. This can also often be utilized for remote monitoring and troubleshooting – avoiding the need for staff to visit guest rooms.
Advanced hospitality TVs from LG are also more reliable, easily upgradeable, and repairable. Purchasing a TV from a trusted supplier with strong backgrounds in software and customer support has a huge influence on the quality of both the TVs, service and user experience.
Additionally, with the integration of modern streaming platforms like Google Cast and Airplay, hotels eliminate the need for extra equipment and maintenance – simultaneously reducing the risk of theft and freeing up an additional HDMI port. Also, integrated smart TVs have less hardware to fail, e.g. a separate set top box.
With the increasing reliance on digital and connected services in hotels, what measures should be taken to ensure data security and privacy for guests and the hotel itself?
Being one of the world’s largest providers of hospitality TVs and platforms, LG deeply values the protection of guest data.
To ensure safety and security, LG’s platforms issue a unique QR code for each guest on the screen that remains completely private throughout their stay. Upon checkout, all pairing information that was once stored on the TV during the guest’s stay is erased – allowing for a safe and secure connected experience.
Additionally, LG’s Pro:Centric smart software platform ensures guest credentials are gone as soon as the TV receives a check out notification – safeguarding the departing guest’s information and preparing the television for the incoming guest.
LG’s smart TVs also employ signed certificates with encryption to securely validate websites and other connections, as well as to encrypt the links between cloud servers and the televisions to ensure data integrity and protect against unauthorized access.
