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This is how television networks in hotels can grow in simplicity, efficiency, flexibility… And be more cost effective!

Standard satellite set top boxes whose outputs are mixed, amplified and distributed throughout a whole building. That is in very general terms the television headend in many hotels. This is a perfectly right and functional solution… However at PROMAX we have a more efficient alternative for these installations.

It is interesting for installers to know about CompactMax from PROMAX and propose it as an alternative to their customers: It is the solution for television distribution that goes one step further.

Picture of a CompactMax module.

Why we at PROMAX believe that hotel TV headends can improve?

A very simplified diagram of a television headend in a hotel. Standard satellite TV set top boxes mixed with other signal sources.

Once again we want to emphasize the fact that it is perfectly valid to use combined satellite TV decoders to get a customized channel grid to achieve the needs of a hotel. However…

• Standard set top boxes are not designed to operate in confined spaces or stacked one on top of the other. Combined heat of all units can have an impact in their performance and lifespan.
• Mixing signals of a great number of devices generates noise losses. Noise only can be avoided using high quality connections and wiring, which increases costs.
• It is an extremely low energy efficient solution. Each decoder can consume about 30 W, therefore a 24 channel grid consumes up to 720 W of power… This without taking into account the rest of electronic devices in the headend!
• Channel grid cannot be modified without physical technical service assistance to reconfigure set top boxes at the headend.
• In many cases, an external decoder for each television is needed. This leads to higher cost of power consumption and maintenance because remote controllers get lost or broken.

CompactMax is a more efficient way to distribute signal television

A quick look to the picture below reveals why CompactMax simplifies the television networks in hotels: Each module can deliver up to 8 terrestrial multiplexes and they can be configured via Internet to dynamically modify the channel grid when required.

On the left side, a typical hotel headend using 24 set top boxes to generate a 24 channel grid. On the right side, the same job is performed by just three PROMAX CompactMax modules and they can be remotely configured via Internet.

WHY DO WE RECOMMEND USING COMPACTMAX IN HOTELS?

• It is more reliable: It is designed for continuous, error-free operation.
• Space: It takes less space than the equivalent in form of set top boxes.
• Quality: It generates signals of the same quality than a television station (MER > 40 dB).
• Digital-to-Digital conversion: Output Digital Terrestrial TV signal is the same quality as input satellite signal.
• Energy efficiency: Each CompactMax module for 8 channels has a maximum power consumption of 50 W (about 6 W per channel).
• Easy to set-up: Via Internet (or LAN network) to instantly customize the channel grid.
• With no additional decoders: As output signal is Digital Terrestrial Television, television sets can receive it with no additional decoder.
• Encrypted channels: Channels can be decoded inserting a proper CAM module and smart card into the CompactMax module to deliver them as free-to-air channels.
• It can be used anywhere in the world: CompactMax is available with DVB-T, DVB-T2 and ISDB-T outputs.
• It admits IPTV output.

CompactMax allows hotels to reconfigure the channel grid on its own

CompactMax allows hotels to modify its channel grid at any moment and right away.

As CompactMax can be connected to a computer network (LAN) in a building, it is possible to change television services that are being distributed on a television network from any computer connected to that network. And also from the Internet.

The CompactMax is able to assign to each service a LCN (Logic Channel Number) which allows to automatically sort the channels on the TV, thus reducing the installation and configuration time of the TV sets.

PROMAX is a leading manufacturer of test and measurement systems, broadcast and TV signal distribution equipment. Our product lines include measuring instruments for cable TV, satellite TV, broadcast, wireless and fibre optics networks, FTTH and GPON analyzers. DVB-T modulators, IP streamers or IP converters (ASI, DVB-T) are among the company’s latest developments.