Of all the items in an apartment which is the obvious star attraction? Without a doubt it is the TV. The TV commands centre stage as the focal point of the room and demands high regard. The TV can set the tone of the entire room and the guests’ first impression is guided by the standard of the TV. Nothing dates the room more easily than an out-dated TV and nothing more quickly modernises a room than a flat screen unit.

Should a guest be so lucky as to enter a room and have his eyes drawn to a large screen or plasma TV his first thought will be ‘wow!’ No matter the curtains are faded, the bed is tired and the fridge sounds like a diesel truck.

Consider that many people these days have a large, flat screen LCD or plasma TV at home. When they pay hard-earned money for a welldeserved holiday they expect to be pampered with at least as good as they have at home and, hopefully, better. Disappointment at finding a 10-year old 48cm TV in a $180/night room is to be expected. Excitement at finding a large, flat panel TV is to be equally expected.

Okay, you definitely want your new TVs as soon as possible however the cost may appear too high and the choices are confusing. A question to ask is: if you want to remain competitive, can you afford not to install modern equipment. It may make your choice easier if you consider the purchasing of your new equipment as value adding to your business and not an expense. Some dedicated hospitality suppliers can also offer tailored finance options such as rental so that you can install your equipment now, retain your capital and gain a 100% tax deduction. As regards your choice of equipment, here are a few points to consider before consulting a professional supplier:

Hotel-Lock - A very important feature. This allows the TV to have certain settings locked-in so that the guest cannot tamper with the adjustments after installation. This allows the locking of features such as station tuning, maximum volume setting and picture adjustments.

Connectivity - Will your guests be bringing with them items such as video games, cameras, Ipods, DVDs and such? If so, what inputs will be required to facilitate the connection of such equipment? There are of course arguments for and against encouraging the connection of ancillary equipment to the TV.

Ancillary equipment - What ancillary equipment would or should you consider providing for guests.

Movie system interface - Is there an in-house movie system in your property and, if so, what TV is best suited to interface with that system? There are certain dedicated models and brands designed to take full advantage of your VOD system. The cost of these dedicated models is not necessarily higher than domestic models and in some cases may be even less. Only a few suppliers have access to these dedicated models.

LCD or plasma? - Far too many points to consider right here. Professional advice should be sought to ensure the right choice for your individual circumstance.

Standard definition or high definition? - Again, this depends on your individual needs but as a general rule it should not be necessary to install full HD equipment in hotel/motel rooms.

What size? - There are certain fixed calculations to be considered when choosing the TV size. Each circumstance may vary and so professional advice should be sought. In general though, it is better to have a TV that is too large rather than too small. The wow! factor should be highly regarded and sought.

Price - Point considering brand standard, reliability, life, warranty and service support. The cheapest may end up costing you the most if all things are not duly considered.

Brand - Most definitely there are great differences between brands. You should not make the mistake of thinking they are all the same and so don’t think you should just buy the cheapest. The wrong choice could come back to bite you.