hordeprime

I am working on a new TV experience for hotels, and I'm trying to figure out what people really want and what I should focus on. So, say what's on your mind and you might just make a difference

So, what is important/useful to you when you use TV in your room? Aside from just watching TV or movies what would be helpful to you? Services, ads, ordering food, reviewing your portfolio, local info, buying movies, managing loyalty program, checking out using your room TV? Anything else you'd like to have? What do you actually use, what would you like to use that doesn't exist yet, what do you hate and don't need?

Any input is greatly appreciated!

OverThereTooMuch

Make sure the TV has a miracast receiver (or add one to a free HDMI port).

I'd like to see a quick list of channels (like all on one screen). Most hotels have this in a book or a piece of paper somewhere, but having it on the TV would be preferred. Identify the network affiliates clearly.

As far as the rest of those things, you should go to The Cosmopolitan in Vegas to see a great integrated solution in action.

nar0

When I was at the Ritz Carlton Guangzhou they had all the display ports on the TV hooked up to a wall panel right next to the desk with a box containing all the wires needed to hook just about anything to the TV from the room's desk. That was amazing.

So ya pretty much anything that would let us easily use the TV as a screen for our laptops/tablets etc... would be much appreciated.

Doc Savage

Make sure that your system has the ability to show the schedule by channel and time with immediate access to the chosen channel/program.

Make sure TVs have HDMI ports and VGA ports so we can stream our own content.

La Quinta does a pretty good job with this, you might steal some of their ideas.

hordeprime

Thanks for the feedback guys! This is very helpful! And keep it coming!

IMH

None of the above! Seriously -- I want to be able to turn the TV on and get to a list of channels without going through menus trying to sell me films or "welcome" me to a room I've already spend five nights in.

I also want to be able to connect my laptop via HDMI.

fleef

I get a big kick out of local programming. When I am in another place far from home, I like to see what the locals see: their local news, anything that the typical native watches. I don't want to fly thousands of miles from Phoenix to watch CNN or Fox News that I can get at home. Even when traveling domestically I loved to turn on the local TV news, just to get a flavor of the place I am in. All of the hi tech add ons and satellite/cable TV does not interest me as usually when traveling one does not plop in front of TV for hours on end, they are traveling for business or pleasure. We can get TV at home fine.

I read that in S. Korea they air educational TV programs with complex math instructions late at night on local TV. Now, that I would love to watch, just for the novelty. Why would watching the same cable news that I get at home be "fun" if I am in a new and different country?

docbert

My top three would be :

1) TV guide, so I don't have to flip through 50 channels to find something worth watching (especially if it's HD where changing channels can be slow).

2) TV guide, so I don't have to flip through 50 channels to find something worth watching (especially if it's HD where changing channels can be slow).

3) Access to a HDMI port so I can plug in my ChromeCast when I get sick of flicking through 50 HD channels trying to find something to watch because there was no TV Guide.

jmastron

1) The TV should power on to the same channel (and VOLUME) that I left it last time. Not go back to the "WELCOME TO THE HOTEL" screen at full blast. A brief overlay that points out you can press "Home" or whatever to get to the main menu for other functions is sufficient.

2) Sleep function -- easy to find and set.

3) Remote control that has a wide control angle, good button response, and a light to let housekeeping know when to change the batteries well before it stops working well.

Beyond that, echo comments about a mix of local channels, channels with mindless reruns of sitcoms and dramas (from all countries), and national/international news.

Reviewing the charges is nice, but again make it simple and responsive; having to press 10 buttons, waiting each time to see if they took (and having to close one eye to aim the remote at the one spot that consistently reaches the TV) is annoying. Oh, and make it work properly; last time all I could see was some other guy's folio (with name and room number, bad).

golf7

I would say:

1) Sleep Timer
2) DVR Functionality (if possible)
3) TV Guide of some form on screen (Like on directtv or any modern cable provider)
4) Spare HDMI Port (With Easy Access to it)

tehiota

Something similar to 'StayConnect'--ideally free, but $1/yr doesn't kill me either. It's an App for Android/iPhone that lets your phone control the TV but also (for $1/yr) gives you the local channel guide for the hotel so not only can you see the guide, but click on the show and have the tv change channels. I use it enough i'm disappointed when I end up at a hotel that doesn't have this feature.

mapu

large screen, HDMI port available to connect iPad, souround sound

cblaisd

I don't have a lot to add to what I want in the tv's core channel functionality et al (since in the last 10 years I can't remember even turning on the tv except when I had grandkids with me - or when trying to hook up the computer/iPad to play).

But what I would LOVE to see is the ability to easily hook up one's iPad/iPhone/computer instead of making it so difficult and too often with remotes that won't allow change to the input source.

Cf. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...mputer-tv.html

mapletree

1. Easy TV guide
2. Hook up for iPad
3. TV option in the bathroom (like at many Ritz Hotels)
4. Just a faster response...most TVs have a crazy lag between pressing the remote and TV turning on

inlanikai

I'm going to ask for something real simple. Just provide the digital/HD version of whatever channels the hotel provides instead of the analog channel version. Yes, it costs more but there is nothing more annoying, and stupid IMO, then to have some big widescreen HD TV showing nothing but grainy, horizontally stretched and cropped video. The modern day HD TV does a great job in showing every distortion the 60 year signal technology can produce.