Hotels on SMATV do not need to switch to IPTV immediately; time the change to coincide with renovations or TV replacement, because rewiring and new TVs are the largest costs.
| Topic | SMATV | Hotel IPTV |
|---|---|---|
| Cabling | Coax | LAN or fiber |
| Welcome screen and menus | None or basic | Guest name, language, hotel info |
| Casting | No | Yes, per room, cleared at checkout |
| PMS integration | No | Yes |
| Central management | Room by room | All rooms at once |
| Investment | Lower | Higher |
Guest reviews mention the TV, TVs near end of life, renovation or Wi-Fi upgrade planned within 1–3 years, marketing wants in-room promotion, IT configures TVs room by room.
Many hospitality TVs receive channels from existing coax while showing IPTV-style menus and casting over the network, reducing rewiring.
IGMP snooping and a dedicated IPTV VLAN, TV platform support lifetime, clear PMS integration and guest data clearing, broadcast rights for satellite and pay channels.
