# Does anyone know what type of technology setup hotels use to get DirecTV???



## Milkman (Dec 6, 2006)

Seems like a weird question right??? My thought was how do they do this without a receiver in every room (6$ charge per - which I am sure would be negotiated down anyway - but still).

The average hotel gets between 20-50 channels. With my limited understanding of D* technology, the only way that I can see they can accomplish that is as follows:

Say the hotel gets 20 channels. They have 20 receivers sitting in a back room somewhere. Each of the 20 receivers is on 24/7 and broadcasts into a single device which converts each receiver to a dedicated channel (digital or analog depending on the hotel TVs) which is broadcast throughout the hotel in a similar way to that of Cable TV.

Here are my questions:

Is that accurate at all?
I cannot imagine hotels have 20-50 receivers sitting in their back room so I have to imagine there is a different way of doing it
What is the technology that converts the D* signal to the cable signal for the hotel.


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## gov (Jan 11, 2013)

20 receivers and 20 adjacent channel modulators work just fine.

Add a distribution amp, some coax and splitters and you're there.


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

gov said:


> 20 receivers and 20 adjacent channel modulators work just fine.
> 
> Add a distribution amp, some coax and splitters and you're there.


you forgot the combiner!


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

Though the thread was discussing nursing home solutions at the time, these systems can be and likely are used for hotels too which do not want a receiver in every room.

See the thread here for a fuller discussion;
http://www.dbstalk.com/topic/201302-directv-feed-in-a-nursing-home-question/?hl=%2Bcodeplus#entry3071622

In particular note BattleZone's photos in post # 15

However, hotels I understand nowadays mostly do want systems with receivers in every room and which can duplicate the home experience somewhat. So DIRECTV has developed a new solution called "Directv Residential Experience" (DRE) for the hotel market.

Read a description of it recently from an installer of one system on the Solid Signal Blog. Impressive and reasonably cost.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

About six months ago I stayed at a hotel with the "In home" (or whatever) experience, and there was a receiver right behind the TV. Worked fine, but very limited selection. My question, hypothetical as it's against the ToS I bet, is what might happen if one took a receiver or DVR with them on a trip and hooked it up to a hotel's system?


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

Laxguy said:


> About six months ago I stayed at a hotel with the "In home" (or whatever) experience, and there was a receiver right behind the TV. Worked fine, but very limited selection. My question, hypothetical as it's against the ToS I bet, is what might happen if one took a receiver or DVR with them on a trip and hooked it up to a hotel's system?


From the description I read on it, the receivers used on the system (only the H25 and HR24 models at present) need to run special FW in "DRE mode" used to communicate over their internal DECAs with a central UNIX server that controls their authorization, allowed channels, VOD choices and billing tally, etc.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

One shouldn't ignore any advice that DIRECTV's own MDU division has to offer:

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/mdu/owners/overview?topnavtype=2


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/business/hotels/residential would be a better link.

A special receiver in every room would be a better experience ... and would promote DirecTV as well as provide television service.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

I'm qualified to answer whatever questions you have in this arena.

There are three systems used in hotels. One is a generic headend. This is essentially a bunch o' receivers and either an RF modulator for SD systems or an edge QAM for HD. Either way, each receiver is tuned to a single channel and feeds into that system, which then puts everything out on a single wire. This can be a very versatile system that includes pay-per-view and electronic billing.

The next step up is the COM1000 system which is a single rack-mount device with up to 24 HD or 36 SD channels. It can be configured to deliver HD over a coax or over ethernet, and it's built by Technicolor who makes the -100 series receivers. The advantages here are easy management (through a web interface) small size and a rudimentary guide (like the TV Guide channel of yore.) It doesn't include pay-per-view and won't ever include it.

The really desirable system is DIRECTV Residential Experience. Here you're putting a receiver or DVR in every room, usually strapped to the back of the TV or otherwise bolted down. You get every channel that the hotel pays for, and it's done in packages so you're going to get a lot of channels. You don't get pay-per-view but that's coming in another upgrade.

There are two flavors of DRE -- unmanaged DRE is just a bunch of receivers, but DRE plus lets the front desk manage parental controls for you, gives you the ability to use DVRs, and connects every receiver via ethernet for management.

As to whether you could theoretically bring a receiver from home, I'm not saying it's impossible but if you did this (and assuming there were no security connectors on the RG6 cables) then it would through up some big red flags in a managed DRE system. The IT people would know quite quickly.

The receivers themselves are stock hardware but run a custom software load that lets them work with the RC70H hotel remote (which has different codes than the regular remote) and enables the reporting features while disabling some of the advanced setup features.


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## Milkman (Dec 6, 2006)

Thanks Stuart


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

Stuart Sweet said:


> I'm qualified to answer whatever questions you have in this arena.
> 
> The next step up is the COM1000 system which is a single rack-mount device with up to 24 HD or 36 SD channels. It can be configured to deliver HD over a coax or over ethernet, and it's built by Technicolor who makes the -100 series receivers. The advantages here are easy management (through a web interface) small size and a rudimentary guide (like the TV Guide channel of yore.) It doesn't include pay-per-view and won't ever include it.


Hey Stuart , I am as well looking for a system similar to this.

I just bought a fairly good sized Bed and Breakfast hotel which has 10 rooms I need to serve, as well as separate sweet 3 cottages, and I'm as well shooting in the dark.

What is the most cost effective way to serve these rooms, without a receiver in every room? And what are the type of channels lineups?

I want some HD to every room if possible, But again I don't need everything like in Premium pack.
I was thinking something on the lines of just entertainment pack, But NFL and MLB, HBO East, the locals would be a must. Do they do different options packages for Hotels.
Our Local cable offers a set up that includes really random channels which is kind of what i'm looking for. but no HD yet.

I've started to build a 2nd dwelling on site, which will be a bar/ restaurant as well as 10 other rooms, so I'm looking at a good size set up when I'm done . My plan is to serve about 21-25 tvs at first and 35-40 by winter of 2014.

Any help would be great.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

There are options that can work for you. I'll send you a PM.


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## JoeTheDragon (Jul 21, 2008)

damondlt said:


> Hey Stuart , I am as well looking for a system similar to this.
> 
> I just bought a fairly good sized Bed and Breakfast hotel which has 10 rooms I need to serve, as well as separate sweet 3 cottages, and I'm as well shooting in the dark.
> 
> ...


Do hotel bars need there own accounts? At one time directv has give out free HD boxes for the bar with some of the in room plans.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Yes, things need to be set up differently for bars than for guest rooms. It's because a bar is considered "public viewing" and therefore the pricing is based on the occupancy of the bar.


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## JoeTheDragon (Jul 21, 2008)

Stuart Sweet said:


> Yes, things need to be set up differently for bars than for guest rooms. It's because a bar is considered "public viewing" and therefore the pricing is based on the occupancy of the bar.


I have also been to hotels where the public viewing tv where just hooked up to the same system as the other TV's.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

I'm not saying it doesn't happen... only that it shouldn't.


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

Say Stuart;

Briefly, is the managed DRE (or "DRE Plus") system the same as I read on it from an early installer's experience a while ago posted on the Solid Signal Blog for its discussion?

Basically;

VPN router (optional, for remote control and monitoring of system) <-----> UNIX (Linux) server (for system administration and control) <-----> ethernet switch (large enterprise type) <-----> large number of CCKs <-----> OTA/SWM Satellite diplexers (to combine DECA networking signals with SWiM satellite signals) <------> 4/8-way SWiM splitters <-----> To various hotel room receivers (H25s or HR24s).

NOTE: The SWiM satellite signals of this particular installation were provided by SWiM-32s cascaded or fed by intervening taps and amplifiers where necessary.

EDIT: Forgot to add SWIM splitters to signal flow chain and made arrows bi-directional to indicate data signals can take place either direction,


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Yes, that's DRE Plus, also known as Managed DRE. The DIRECTV hardware is stock, as I said, but the IT infrastructure is all custom. It runs a very specific build of Ubuntu, the hardware is all very specific and it's configured very precisely for minimum support issues. 

With regard to the SWiM-32s, just as in any other install you can cascade one SWiM-32 off another but no more than that. The ideal system has IDF closets (intermediate closets) on every floor to keep the home runs off the SWM under 250' so the network signals don't have issues.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Well, if I ever buy a hotel, SS is the first guy I'd e-mail!


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

I'm lucky enough to have gotten all the certifications required for DRE, and I'm happy to share any info I can.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

I doubt that luck had much to do with it! Congrats, too!


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## longrider (Apr 21, 2007)

Stuart, just out of curiosity are you required to use one of these technologies in a hotel/motel environment or in the case of a smaller property just use regular receivers and a SWM-16? (Obviously this would be with the correct service from DirecTV) I ask because a couple years ago I stayed in a small (maybe 20 room) property in Dubois, WY and they had Dish. Granted my knowledge of Dish hardware and software is limited but it looked to me just like what I would have at home including the interface


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

My guess -- and I don't want to point fingers -- is that hotel in Wyoming wasn't operating strictly within the rules. Until recently, DISH really hasn't done anything in the hotel industry other than sell receivers for headends, so having receivers in the room was probably something... extracurricular. 

In a small hotel you can use unmanaged DRE which is essentially just the same as a residential or bar system... just the SWMs you need and H25 receivers in the room with a special software load. The real difference in a hotel is the pricing, which is put together differently especially for the premium channels.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Stuart Sweet said:


> My guess -- and I don't want to point fingers -- is that hotel in Wyoming wasn't operating strictly within the rules. Until recently, DISH really hasn't done anything in the hotel industry other than sell receivers for headends, so having receivers in the room was probably something... extracurricular.


DISH has had a "Q-Box" and other QAM type systems for several years. The headend is set up with a tuner for each transponder to convert that transponder to QAM. All the outputs are combined and sent on a single cable for distribution similar to a cable TV system. (That is one reason why every DISH transponder has at least one channel ... with the vacant transponders having a fake channel. Transponders with no channels confuse the commercial equipment.) The receivers are either standard receivers with a Q-Box or special QAM capable receivers.

That isn't to say that the small hotel was not doing something outside of the rules. Just that they could have been using DISH's QAM technology which has been in use for years.


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

Stuart Sweet said:


> ... *With regard to the SWiM-32s, just as in any other install you can cascade one SWiM-32 off another but no more than that.* The ideal system has IDF closets (intermediate closets) on every floor to keep the home runs off the SWM under 250' so the network signals don't have issues.


Yeah ... the tech. specified three SWiM-32s were used in that installation, so is why I said "SWiM-32s cascaded or fed by intervening taps and amplifiers where necessary" likely as in the following example diagram from PDI Sat. of a multiple SWiM-32s which as you will note has a maximum of only two SWiM-32s in cascade at any point.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

James,

I took it to mean that the poster had seen the actual UI in action, meaning that actual receivers were accessible. In a headend system, I can't imagine how the UI would be visible unless one of the receivers were in an error state. 

Of course a headend is free to use whatever video source you want (as long as you have rights to use it) but correct me if I'm wrong, DISH doesn't have a solution where guests interact with the receivers, right?


Sent from my iPhone using DBSTalk mobile app


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Stuart Sweet said:


> Of course a headend is free to use whatever video source you want (as long as you have rights to use it) but correct me if I'm wrong, DISH doesn't have a solution where guests interact with the receivers, right?


The Q-Box/QAM receiver system placed a receiver in the user's room. One would need to look at the setup screens to discover if their receiver was being fed from a traditional satellite switch or a headend system.

http://www.paceintl.com/solutions/hardware/QAM.asp


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