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IPTV Hybrid Solution for Hotel K99 in Radolfzell, Germany

The project

1 October 2019 | Situated in the heart of the Untersee region, the Hotel K99 offers accommodation and conference comfort of the highest standard. Clear lines and unadorned forms are the hallmarks of the hotel ambience. An extension with eleven new exclusive rooms was created for this hotel.
Initially, the cable TV connection for the entire hotel, which was subject to charges, was to be replaced by a headend. This will enable free satellite reception with a large selection of German-language and international channels.
In a conversation at AXING in Ramsen, we presented the AXING headend technology as well as our interactive IPTV solutions for hotels. It quickly became clear that exclusive rooms with today‘s standard require more than just TV and radio reception.
The IPTVSolutions offer a high added value for the guest and for the hotelier. The TV welcomes the guest personally, the TV menu and programmes appear in his native language, information and services can be operated interactively.
All activities and the content provided for customers are processed by the hotel staff via the so-called middleware. It is the control centre of the web-based Content Management System (CMS). This CMS is characterized by intuitive, simple and fast operation of all functions.
IPTVSolutions are available in three different packages: basic-line, premium-line and exclusive-line. Additional functions can be added.

The challenge

All rooms are already supplied with TV signals via coaxial lines. In order to continue using CATV distribution, 16 SAT transponders must be converted into 16 DVB-C channels. A SKY channel also had to be fed in.
Technically, the IPTVSolution can be implemented both as a full IPTV version and as a hybrid version (DVB-C/T + IP). Since the rooms are supplied with TV signals via coaxial lines, the hybrid version was particularly suitable for the K99. In the hybrid solution, the TV signals are distributed classically in DVB-C via the coaxial network and the interactive services via a WiFi network.
The SmartTVs must have access to the middleware via WiFi and thus receive the interactive hotel menu. The 11 new televisions must therefore be compatible with the middleware.
The PMS (hotel system) must provide the middleware with data on room occupancy, guest language, etc. and the design of the interactive menu must correspond to the corporate design of the K99.

The implementation

The project management was coordinated by AXING AG‘s product management with the respective contact person:

  • It was fundamentally important that the necessary parameters were transferred from the hotel software (PMS) to the middleware. The middleware exchanges data (e.g. name and language of the guest) with the PMS (Property Management System) via a defined interface. This required agreements between the IT specialists of the Ganter Hotel Group and the middleware specialists of AXING AG.

  • The marketing company of the Ganter Hotel Group adapted the design of the interactive menu for the hotel TVs. The design of the interactive menu is determined by Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and can therefore be adapted by any experienced web designer.

  • To access the TV sets via WiFi, an IT company installed a hidden WiFi network. All smart TVs receive an IP address from the middleware and thus represent the interactive hotel menu on the screen.

  • The electrician installed a SAT antenna with 2 LNBs. A SPU 916-09 multi-switch was also installed to distribute the SAT signals to the headend inputs. An MK headend was installed and configured to convert 16 SAT transponders into 16 DVB-C channels filled with approximately 80 radio and 54 TV stations. Since a SKY channel was also to be fed in, only an MK 16-06 with CI was considered.

  • A technician of AXING configured the headend on site.

Multiswitch

Headend

AXING technician during configuration

Products used

  • 1 × SAA 85-01 SAT antenna

  • 2 × SCO 4-00 Quattro LNB

  • 1 × SZU 85-02 Multifeed bar ±5°

  • 1 × SZU 85-01 40 mm feed holder

  • 1 × QEW 9-10 Earthing angle with surge protection

  • 1 × SPU 916-09 Multiswitch

  • 2 × QEW 9-12 Earthing angle

  • 1 × SPU 996-09 Cascade unit

  • 2 × QEW 3-12 Earthing angle

  • 1 × MK 16-06 DVB headend

  • 1 × IPTVSolutions Middleware package premium-line

Benefits at a glance

  • The new televisions have an individual, interactive menu that responds to the guest‘s needs.

  • As soon as the hotel purchases new TVs, they can be connected to the middleware via WiFi.

  • The interactive menu can be maintained by the K99 marketing company via remote maintenance.

  • Due to the now in-house SAT to DVB-C implementation, monthly provider costs are no longer necessary.

  • Older, already existing TV sets will continue to be fed via DVB-C