Comments on: Hack the hotel TV – watch what YOU want on it.

By: Bagger

Bagger — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:52:08 +0000

The LG TV I have in the room was progrsammed wrong after they removed lodgenet. IKt skips channels, some dont even show up. Hit the menu button and it shows “key lock”. Will getting as universal remote, program it to this TV allow me to access all the channels i should get?

By: Eph

Eph — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:41:30 +0000

Just an addition from the previous post for those hotels in cities that have nice tv’s but no HD local channels. Buy an indoor antenna from the shack ($12) and hook it to the EyeTV and scan for ATSC channels. I did this two days ago in Fresno and picked 38 digital channels, about half in HD.

By: Eph

Eph — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:31:22 +0000

I must be an outlier when it comes to hotel room tv. I purposely book hotels that have LCD/Plasma TV’s. Here is the equipment I bring with me on a road trip (not good on a plane):
Macbook Pro with mini display port.
EyeTV 250 Plus
Lots of cables: HDMI, DVI, VGA, SVideo, Audio, Optical.
VGA to composite converter.
Here is the protocol I follow:
1. Check inputs on TV; prefer HDMI, DVI, VGA, SVideo, Composite.
2. Check that sound input works with video in.
3. Tune TV to input selected.
4. Use cable protection tool to remove barrel from TV.
5. Insert splitter and run cable to EyeTV.
6. Scan for cable channels, digital QAM, and ATSC.
7. Use local zip to load program guide.
8. Set up recording for favorite shows.
9. Watch recorded shows on big screen.
This all takes about 20 minutes. Be sure to leave TV as it was when you leave.
I have been able to record just about all programs from their feed, although some programs in HD are impossible to tune.

By: Wattsie

Wattsie — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:46:50 +0000

If the hotel TV has an SCART socket then modify a SCART to RCB adaptor (Maplins supply these). Then connect a small toggle switch and a 9V battery (PP9) in series between pins 8 to pins 21.

Connect the SCART adaptor into the hotel TV SCART socket. Connect your AV device to the RCB connectors. The hotel TV should automatically switch to the AV channel when the small toggle switch is switched ON

This works well i am currently using this in the Cumulus Hotel in Tampere Finland.

I have looked online for a SCART to RCB adaptor with the AV switching option but have found no one who supply this. So you have to make your own i’m afraid.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCART

By: Dick

Dick — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:45:21 +0000

scottC
Thanks for the tips. I sometimes bring a little sony DVD player in my bag with whatever netflix disks i have. Mostly the TVs allow switching to the RCA type inputs but not always. I was told embassy suites TVs (Chemei brand) locks you out even with the buttons on the TV itself. So maybe a better remote might be a workaround. Thanks again.
I usually don’t pack the dvd cabled to my lightweight dell D410 laptop.

By: Germy Jackass

Germy Jackass — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 07:55:14 +0000

I have no idea what’s going on here, or what all the “excitement” is about. When traveling, I turn on the TV in the hotel room, I watch the free hotel TV. So what? A moron can operate most TV remote controls.

If I want to see a movie, I grab one of my Netflix rental discs and pop it into my laptop, which is balanced on my chest while I am sitting up in bed in said hotel room and drinking a good scotch. I plug in my $250 Sony high-end headphones to the laptop and I have the best sound available.

If I don’t happen to have the right Netflix disks with me (or if I am travelling for an extended period of time), I have my 50 – foot ultralight CAT-V cable that I run from the hotel DSL jack to my laptop, I climb into bed, and I watch the movies I want using the streaming feature from Netflix. No worries, no hassle.

Why make life more complicated than it has to be?

–>S.

By: Hack

Hack — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:05:31 +0000

Just drive a larger vehicle on your trips and pack a hdmi monitor in it to display your Ps3 on in the room. You can get a 22″ for $130 and a 24″ for $179. Who wants to play a Ps3 on a crappy 480i(if you’re lucky) display anyway?
If its one of those hotels with a fancy lobby where they might bitch if I bring my own screen in I just bring my case down and put it in that and then bring it up.
They weigh like 15lbs max.

By: Gamer1

Gamer1 — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 04:26:41 +0000

I’m in the same situation spring is, I got a U remote and unplugged everything behind the tv and can’t do anything in menu (all options removed by hotel) and input on my remote just makes the light on the tv blink. Springs if you read this, e-mail me at barder185@yahoo.com. Wanna see if you might be in the same hotel, haha. Maybe well figure something out on this bull!

By: RRSPRINGS

RRSPRINGS — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 01:31:40 +0000

I have tried everything to get the PS3 to work of this stupid hotel tv and can not get anything. I have tried the universal remote and the input button switches for a second and goes back. There is no source option on the tv, I need some help!

By: idiot

idiot — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:12:41 +0000

that link should be: http://planetidiot.com/Hotel-TV-vs–PS3/detail.aspx