One of the most common trouble calls that we’ve seen over the years involves the TV service at the short-term rental. Inevitably every group of guests has a member who thinks they know your TV setup better than you do and they attempt to mess with it or attempt to plug in their own devices. Every time this happens, the guests leave and something isn’t right, and the next group can’t get the TV to work properly.
We’ve put together a list of recommendations that we’ve successfully implemented at all of our properties, and which has made a huge difference in the number of trouble calls we receive.
Physical access
Our first recommendation is to make sure your TV equipment isn’t accessible to the guests. This recommendation helps to create an atmosphere where guests don’t have easy access to mess with your TV’s inputs, outputs or related equipment.
- Mount your TVs on the wall with a low-profile mount
- Recommended mount: Sanus Low Profile Mount – 37-80″
- Mounting your TV prevents easy access behind the TV to your inputs and cables
- Secure all cables to the TV mount
- Use cable ties and sticky hooks behind the TV to secure all of your cables to the mount, preventing them from being pulled out
Keep it simple
While I’m the first to admit I love great sound, a wicked receiver with full surround sound speakers that shake the house, this has a place – and that place is not at your short-term rental property.
- If you use external speakers, keep it simple
- We recommend only a sound bar and remote subwoofer to accompany your TVs, keeping the system simple.
- Mount the soundbar directly to the TV mount on the wall: USX Universal Soundbar Mount
- Avoid extra input devices like bluray players and game consoles when possible.
- Only allow guests access to a single remote
- Use a TV service that comes with or can be accompanied by a universal remote
- We recommend getting a TV with Google TV built in, or using the Google TV Streamer
- If streaming isn’t an option, use a simple cable or satellite solution, secure all cables with cable ties, and use a universal remote like the SofaBaton X1S
Give guests an input
The number one reason why guests mess with your TV setup is because they brought their own device or game console they want to hook up. Give your guests what they want and use an HDMI switch.
- Use an auto-switching HDMI hub: 4K HDMI Switch
- If a new device is plugged in or powered on, it automatically switches to that input
- Your TV will never change inputs, always being connected to the single output of the HDMI switch
- When the new device is unplugged or powered off, the switch reverts back to the original input (your TV service)
- Place the HDMI switch behind the TV and cable tied to the mount
- Hook your TV service to input 1 of the switch, and cable tie the cable to the switch
- Connect the single output of the HDMI switch (the cable end) to your TV’s input. Use an interior HDMI input for your TV that is difficult to access, and leave no slack.
- Take an HDMI extension cable (choose the correct length), plug it into input 2 of the switch, cable tie it to the mount so it won’t budge if pulled, and hang it down 6 inches below the TV and/or sound bar where it is visible
- Place a sign on the wall by the “tail” from the extension cable that informs the user how to use the TV input, like this example:
- If you have another device like a bluray player or game console, connect it to input 3 of the switch, and appropriately cable tie to the mount
