Satellite system for Hotel

[d3scr1pt0r]

Hi,
I was asked from a hotel owner what is the best way to offer a solution to provide satellite tv to multiple rooms in his hotel.

All rooms have a satellite cable in, and all rooms have internet(are connected through a switch) We are talking about three hotels with about 50 rooms each, but that is not the point.

I was looking into it and I thought of asking here for any ideas.

I was thinking that a solution would be to set up a card server on the reception, and then buy something like 50 dreamboxes, and share the content around. Do you think this is possible? I would like to have more than 6 cards to share, so that I have most of the european channels for the clients. Do you think the card server would be able to serve all this load?

Please suggest a setup in brief so I can review

thanks

 

[Robbo]

Is this going to be a single sat' or multisat setup?

Also you're going to need quite a complex multiswitch setup I would imagine, for 50 receivers.

 

[tesla]

Hello patrida. Is it going to be pay per view? If not then it can be easy.

I suggest a headend with QPSK to PAL conversion. The satellite chennels will be sent to each TV set through the VHF/UHF bands.

 

[member91040]

what about the dishes for the 50 boxes.

 

[d3scr1pt0r]

It should be the least expensive solution,
there should be one dish , maybe the one that can take like 16 lnbs, then this this depends on the dishes already installed there. I want the system to be centralized so it ieasy to be maintained

this one with the vhf looks interesting patrida can you give me some more keywords?

 

[skull]

but in the uhf option the no of tv vhannels would be limited and shared by rf connection...here in u-a-e we can get only 19 channels free of the disturbance of the terrestrial signals.

 

[Turok]

Hello!
what,is your maximum limited,that you want to pay for the complete system?
good euqitment has span,in germany,factory hq,is only 70 km away,from my hometown,you have 5 years warenty,on all product iso cerificated,you could also buy alhpa centraury from cezch republik but "only" 4 years warenty!

never shared contents,with 50 dreamboxes
maybe you need a big network hub/swich,to handel this,also dont know how,the performance,will be,during zapping!

15000 to 20000€ would be i think,the under prices limit!
also you can buy relook boxes,that are cheaper then the dreambox,and do the same stuff,under the same system!

you can also buy lnbs ,with 8 outputs,coming from one dish!
in the past conrad electronics has this lnb,with build in multswich!
depend,how many,and what satelite,you want to reive,maye,this the cheaper solution,then buying expensice multiswiches!
when you only want to reveive astra for e.g one satelites,you could buy 7 dishes ,and 7 8x output lnb,you need a lot of cable,but it would be much cheaper,then the multiswich solution!

but,i dont know,is this lnb,it was only one manufactur,in the past,still avalible for sale ?

 

[HB13DISH]

I am sure that the hotel manager has done this already but just in case.
I think that the most practical thing to do would be to get a quotation from Nova to give a solution.
It is common practice in all countries that the local service provider to come up with the best solution. Installation, boxes and smartcards.
If Nova has already given a quotation and it is too costly, then one would look for alternative solutions.

Nova is on Hot Bird 13E which has a lot of FTA channels as well as the channels in Nova, including adults.
Each box would have a smartcard to enable the guests to watch whatever they want in the Nova package which has a good variety of films, sports and news in addition to the Greek channels.
Frankly, if I am to stay in a Hotel, I wouldn't spend that much time to watch TV. This I can do at home.

 

[tesla]

There is an issue that should be taken into account. The TV service for the rooms would be free? Is the customer going to pay for having TV at his room? This question hasn't been answered yet.
The solution depends on that answer.

 

[HB13DISH]

There is an issue that should be taken into account. The TV service for the rooms would be free? Is the customer going to pay for having TV at his room? This question hasn't been answered yet.
The solution depends on that answer.

European hotels (Germany, Sweden, Netherland, etc) gives free TV viewing.
Some may have adult channels and they charge you the earth for it.

If they use Nova, the boxes will have a smartcard in order to open the Nova package and I think that The guest can sign for the smartcard at the reception desk if he wishes to view scambled channels and of course there would be an anti theft system so that the guest would return the same card that he signed for at the desk, or be happy with only the free FTA channels on Hot Bird.

 

[A nonymous]

The best solution for this would be an IRS system if you intend to leave a receiver in each room. This option would also give you the local terrestrial stuff aswell.

You would require one UHF/Digital aerial, one FM/DAB earial, one dish, one quatro lnb, One multiband Diplexer, 2 or 3 Pentasplitters and probably 1 sixteen way switch and 3 twelve way switches (with amplification/attenuation bulit in) and fifty diplexed output sockets for each room

I would recomend the use of either Spaun or Fraccaro components in all honesty :-righton They may be a bit on the pricey side but you get what you pay for these days :-omg

This would solve the problem of outputting on UHF as each receiver would be on a stand alone system so you could connect through the scart lead :-idea

The only other problem that may occur is dependant on the cable run length. A repeater may be required on the system if the cable length starts to hit over 100m dependant on how many dB the system is launched at !

:-beer

Nano

 

[HB13DISH]

@ nanochicken:
The original poster location is in Greece and oddly enough he hasn't responded to any suggestion yet.
Without his feedback, it would be pointless to continue posting more and more ingenous ideas.

 

[Robbo]

it would be pointless to continue posting more and more ingenous ideas.

Apart from the fact that any suggestions made may be of use to other members with a similar request.

Especially a very informative post, like nano has made.

 

[dreamlij]

Hi,
I was asked from a hotel owner what is the best way to offer a solution to provide satellite tv to multiple rooms in his hotel.

All rooms have a satellite cable in, and all rooms have internet(are connected through a switch) We are talking about three hotels with about 50 rooms each, but that is not the point.

I was looking into it and I thought of asking here for any ideas.

I was thinking that a solution would be to set up a card server on the reception, and then buy something like 50 dreamboxes, and share the content around. Do you think this is possible? I would like to have more than 6 cards to share, so that I have most of the european channels for the clients. Do you think the card server would be able to serve all this load?

Please suggest a setup in brief so I can review

thanks

here is a short solution from my little mind. Pay attention to each of the appliances that should be bout to do Just six different subscription channels and two or more free channels for each room.

The result of the installation will be like this
1. each room will have all the channels equals to the number of receivers
2. The channels will be configured and the TV remote is the only thing needed for each tv to change channels ( the remotes will be bought with each TV) no additional cost.
3. you need to lay out the design for signal amplifier for CATV and
4. one or two subscription card will be shared to each subscription receivers.
5. All your receivers will be in one small controlled rooms so that no one will interrupt your transmission and the access is limited to some one responsible to change channels on one or receiver whenever needed.

Equipments required

First Identify the satellite u need to have channels that are mostly required by ur customers, It depend on the customers preference, If they need channels from one satellite it is ok, If two It will cost you another samrtwi card splitter, subscription and satellite dish and get the details of the channels needed by the customers to identify the no of equipments required. you have Hotbird, Nilesat, and astra(doubt)

I will just show you how you can share one card for 6 channels to be viewed for all rooms at the same time and the additional requirements will be the duplicate of this one.

1. Buy six different receivers ( CA card access >>>depend on the type of card you want to use)
2. Buy the required card and satellite dish,
3. shop smartWi Wireless Card Splitter (It is cheaper than subscribing more cards) from somewhere in Europe u can use Google to get a shop ( the no of slaves depend on the no of receivers you want to share, 3 slaves will be avail with the standard pack and you can add more depending on your requirement.
plitter SmartWi Wireless x3



SmartWi products is designed to allow you securely split card between multiply receivers in the household.
Our update software is compatible with all 32-bit versions of Windows.Wireless SmartWi is an Seca Mediaguard 1 & 2, Viaccess 1 & 2.x and Conax splitting hub. (Coming soon Irdeto 1 & 2) With this wireless card splitter you can share one original smart card between all your receivers (up to 7 receivers at the same time) and the card splitter will connect to the digital receivers by the wireless slave which will be insert in the receivers cam (embedded cam) and its work as the original card in your receiver.
This solution is useful when you have more than 1 receiver in your home but you don’t want to pay monthly fee for extra card.

Wireless SmartWi come standard with:
- 1x Wireless SmartWi,
- 3x Wireless Smartwi client card
- 1x power adaptor for Smartwi master as a set

4. Set up your satellite with one receiver and check the signal
5. The type of LNB you buy will depend on the no of receivers you receive from one satellite and make it the lnb outlet to be equal to or more than the number of receivers preferably with 8 output which is avail in market
6. once you setup your satellite with single receiver you can distribute each output of the lnb to each receivers and check only the signal strengths , If it is ok you are lucky now you can Insert each slaves of smart wi wireless to all of receivers and Insert the original subscription card in to the smartwi wireless splitter and turn it on instantaneously all the receivers will have the same access to the card
7. now you can enjoy 6 channels in 6 separate tv sets absolute control and go for the next cumbersome step
8. collecting all 6 receivers output to one cable >>>amplify it with CATV amplifier >>>layout the cables to each rooms whenever the signal drops add another amplifier at a good signal location and continue to split the cable with splitter and connect to the TV sets and scan for the channels. First try on your six tvs in a single room to have all six channels to be viewed for all tvs and try to think how to distribute each of the six to another eight tv's each and you will have 48 and add more on.

If you have further information how to do it, drop a request here. I will try to respond.

For your Information I have done this for five channels( all subscribed) for morethan 70 Tv's in one factory residence houses with large areal coverage and there were so many places the signal drops and I use more than 8 amplifies and 24 splitters . And It works for more than two years oks.
All rooms have the access to all the 5 channels broad casted.
So why It doesn't work for you?

Costs
1 subscribtion depend on about $ 1000 for 12 months
6 receivers $ 220 each >>> $1320
1 smartwi card splitter with 6 client/slave cards about $300 or you can subscribe 5 more cards $5000
cable depend on the length of the stretch needed estimated about $ 400
1 dish and 1 lnb with 8 outputs $400

total $2500 for hardware t once+ $1000 or $5000 per 12 month + installation cost depend on your country min $1000 to $5000

total at start lowest $4000 to $8000

 

[brathnach]

Well I guess its time for me to give my .02€ back here as I have got alot of information from this forum. I totally agree with Teslas advice regarding a headend system.

Ill give you the lot of my experience and let you pick out the useful bits.

Firstly, I was in pretty much the exact same situation as you approx one year ago. I was trying to 'piece' together a solution for a 15 bedroom guesthouse for satellite TV. I looked at the possibility of installing receivers in each room connected to a multiswitch etc. However I had wall mounted 20" LCD and a bracket with a receiver on it would have just been plain ugly. Your situation may be more friendly to this solution however!

Now the second issue with regards to hotels and guesthouses is when you consider for example the dreambox solution or some networked setup. The truth is, I know the owner of the guesthouse as a friend, and he is plain annoyed at the number of times he has had to go up to the rooms to simply show guests how to turn on the TV using the remote. I didnt think of this initially but you really have to think of ease of use for the end user on this one - the end users who may, as pointed out above, may find it challenging to turn on the TV in the first place! Dont forget also that you would now have two remotes in each room to add to the confusion! (Not to mention them going missing!)

So back to how I got to my solution. I had also considered having an IR receiver placed at each TV and wired back to a dedicated reciever placed in a central location so that each TV had all the channels the receiver had to offer. So much wiring, still dual remote controls in each room, pricey, reliability issues are just a few things that spring to mind.

Then I considered why not just set each receiver (with a modulated output) to just decode one channel and have a stack of receivers equal to the number of channels I wanted! This is how most hotels do work! i.e. a QPSK decoder dedicated to each channel. This would have been my second solution. Issues included getting the units to switch to the channel they were on after power cut, modulating channels etc.

So my solution, after much much research, I came across this unit h**p://www.gss.tv/index.php?id=1387.

They arent cheap but this unit is as simple as they get and was approx the same price as going down the receiver route for the 15 rooms. It does dedicate a tuner to each channel so you do only end up with 16 channels output but you can send these channels to as many TV's as you can dream of! (Great future proofing!)

If you have some research done as regards how satellite distro systems work - i.e. horizontal/vertical and Hi/Lo Bands etc then installing this is a breeze!! (3 hours - job done!)

Basically I'm just delighted I went down this route. I did self install and found it quiet easy. Reliability is excellent - havent power cycled it in 9 months! It tunes in each channel to UHF so the TV's pick it up as if it were just another terrestrial channel.

Maybe a bit of a pain not having more channels but you have to remember who this is for - people staying a couple of nights at most and the majority may not be very tech-fast! Also you want to keep the hotel people happy for reputation sake, and not have a patched together system like I was contemplating!

I'm not the best at putting words to my experiences, so sorry for the short novel, but which ever solution you go with let me know if I can offer any advice as I most likely thoroughly researched that solution too (or maybe you'll have me kicking myself for not having thought of something)

(Now to find a way of sending this post back to myself one year ago! )



Good luck

Rob