Technology Trends: Today's TVs

For a long time, designers were limited to a glossy black finish when specifying televisions. No more. For example, Panasonic's 2009 model lineup offers both matte black and gray finishes. "The matte finish, compared to the traditional glossy piano-black used by many TV manufacturers, reduces the appearance of fingerprints and smudges from guests touching the TV," says Andrew Nelkin, president of Panasonic Professional Display Co.

Jacob Buckstead

For an even more distinct look, Samsung's Touch of Color models incorporate a translucent ruby red naturally blended into the piano-black bezel for a striking new look. "The Touch of Color line gives designers a great option for a modern, high-tech look with more possibilities to match room décor," says Jeff Krueger, director of technology and business development for Hotel Solutions USA.

Aesthetically, speakers no longer have to take up extra space in a TV chassis. LG's new hospitality product line leverages a new "invisible speaker" technology to eliminate unsightly speaker grilles and effectively hide TV speakers while preserving sound quality. "This innovation saves on the amount of space required for the TV and delivers a sleek, modern look," says Ron Snaidauf, VP of commercial products for LG Electronics USA.

Color coordinated Television manufacturers offer more options for designers looking to seamlessly incorporate the TV into hotel guestroom décor. Samsung’s Touch of Color models blend color into the black bezel for a striking new look.

Environmentally conscious hotel designers can now consider the TV as part of their green designs. "Philips' SmartPower system enables TVs to consume less power while in use and even turn off automatically when the room is unoccupied," says Tom Parham, senior VP and general manager of Philips Hospitality Americas.

Sony's BRAVIA Pro TVs employ intelligent light sensors to adjust the TV's brightness based on the amount of ambient light in the room, thereby saving on guestroom electricity usage.

LG, Samsung, Sony and Philips claim that hoteliers can save 40 to 70 percent annually by utilizing energy saving features in their new lines.

Tips from hotel brands

Designers should plan for larger TVs in their guestroom designs. According to Erin Hoover, VP of design for Westin (a division of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide), "The acceptable screen size keeps growing: two years ago, 32 inches was okay; now that seems too small to some owners and 37-inch and 42-inch screens are being installed. This is all being driven by what guests have in their homes."

Clean and simple Leave space around the TV and behind the set for future upgrades. It is important to leave space behind the TV for ventilation and other in-room equipment and to ensure that the property can take advantage of future solutions without an expensive retrofit.

Wiring/cable management is also a very important consideration in the room design. "There's nothing worse than designing a beautiful console and then seeing all of the wires and cables hanging down below it after it's installed," says Hoover. "For our latest generation of room designs, we've created modesty panels with hidden raceways to keep the rooms looking seamless."

In regard to integrating a TV into a room design, Bogdan Andriychenko, guestroom technology consultant for Hilton Hotels, offers his top five tips for success:

• Leave space around the TV. Designers often make a single piece of furniture for the guestroom that works great from the design standpoint but is tough for future upgrades or TV replacements if borders, shelves or frames are involved. For example, hotels that enclosed their early generation TV sets (TVs with speakers on the sides of the screen) limited their ability to upgrade to the latest model or a larger screen size without replacing furniture.

• Leave room behind the TV. It is vital to leave space behind the TV for ventilation and other in-room equipment such as a set-top box, modem, cables, etc. This small and easy step at the design stage will ensure that the property can take advantage of future solutions without an expensive retrofit.

• TVs don't function well in isolation. I visited a high-end resort property that had a fireplace in every parlor and a television above the fireplace. It looked great; however, as a result they had to sacrifice things such as surround sound, connectivity panels, DVD players or game consoles because there was no place to put them within 6 feet of the television.

• Accessibility: technology needs to be serviced or replaced from time to time. If there is a piece of equipment that will be enclosed (e.g., a set-top box, switch or DVD player), don't make it difficult to reach.

• Test everything three times. A model room not only serves to allow evaluation of the design but also to test the technology. A lot of issues with overheating, viewing angles, light reflection and usability can be identified by simply turning the TV on and simulating a likely guest experience.

Jacob M. Buckstead is principal consultant and managing partner with Hospitality Technology Solutions. He specializes in audio, video and data technology solutions for both the guestroom and public space, including HDTV (video and audio), A/V integration, automation and control systems and digital signage. Jacob can be reached at (605) 351-9821 or jake@hospitalitytechsol.com.