1 Easy Sign

The Easy Sign from RWN Trading is a digital signage software solution which allows hotels to communicate and promote their products and brand.

Although digital signage has been on the market for several years, what sets Easy Sign apart from other digital signage software is that it is a Windows product, which makes it easy for the end user.

As most hotels already have screens in place, RWN Trading marketing director Carol Prince says it is just a matter of ensuring they are utilised effectively.

“Easy Sign allows you to split your plasma or LCD screen into a number of separate sections, for example,” Prince explains.

“Each section can be run independently. So you can divide a screen in to four and in one section have a video of your main restaurant, currency rates in the second section, CNN news in the third and the hotel bus schedule to Dubai Mall in the fourth.

“Each section can have its own schedule. These tools are all advantageous to hotels to promote, communicate and advertise their particular brand,” Prince adds.  

With fierce competition to attract guests to hotels, Prince believes that it is important to develop innovative technology which enhances the guests’ experience.

“Guests are comfortable with reading and seeking out information on screens, so it is a natural progression to use the reception screen, lobby screen, or elevator screen to communicate information to your potential buyers,” she says.

What makes the product so cutting edge, says Prince, is the freedom it gives to hotels.

“The key feature is that the control of the scheduling is being given to the hotel rather than the hotel relying on expensive contracts with technical companies when only minor changes need to occur,” she says.

“We promote the fact that the package is both easy to implement and to control as it is a Windows-based product,”adds Prince.

The future

“This area will continue to grow and to develop,” says Prince. “The information will be available direct to your mobile phones and will become more interactive with each guests’ needs. Competition is a good thing and it keeps us all on our toes.”

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2 MediaHub™

The MediaHub HD™ is a newly-launched model of the MediaHub by TeleAdapt that also includes a Stereo Bluetooth® pairing point. The Bluetooth feature converts the in-room TV into a wireless speaker for iPods, iPads, laptops, iPhones and other MP3-playing smart phones equipped to use wireless speakers.

Simply put, guests are able to listen to their iPod or MP3 player through the in-room entertainment centre while being able to check email, browse mobile apps and control a playlist from anywhere in the room.

TeleAdapt partner marketing manager Cheryl McGinty feels that the emergence of digital entertainment has made it difficult for hotels to cater to the vast demands of guests.

“MediaHub exponentially expands a hotel’s in-room entertainment offering while also giving guests more reasons to stay on their property,” says McGinty.

“More on-site and in-room time means more room service, more perceived value and more potential revenue for the hotel.”

With internet driving the portability of entertainment, McGinty maintains that demands for this sort of technology is increasing as hotel guests are likely to check into their room with an arsenal of portable electronics and expect hotels to be able to facilitate their use.

“MediaHub HD has been very well received among hotels, having been installed in thousands of rooms worldwide. It gives guests more choice in their in-room entertainment and that “wow-factor” from the wireless stereo amenity,” says McGinty.

“The adoption of Stereo Bluetooth technology in MP3-players like iPods and iPads and MP3-playing smart phone brands like Apple, Blackberry, Samsung, Palm, and Nokia for wireless audio playback confirms that wireless is the next step in media connectivity.

And the practical appeal of the product to hoteliers and guests alike has encouraged TeleAdapt to look at further means of developing it.

“MediaHub HD employs the Stereo Bluetooth protocol so the wireless feature is limited to audio only. TeleAdapt is exploring options for incorporating wireless video in future MediaHub products as consumer technology progresses,” McGinty adds.

The Practical Side

MediaHub HD presents easy-to-use, guest-facing audio/video connections, so guests are not tempted to tamper with the connections on the back of the TV, and uses HDMI-scaler technology so all audio and video signals are sent to the TV through a single-HDMI connection. One cable connection to the TV means easier installation for hoteliers.