Is it feasible to set up 21 unit hotel with Mac Mini's in each room?

[hotinplaya]

I am building a 21 unit condo hotel in Mexico, and want to have mini's in each room connected to 42" HDTV, the features I want are

1. WiFi using "share internet"
2. Skype installed for calls
3. iChat for communicating with the front desk, restaurant and other rooms
4. Maintaing a large iTunes collection (music, video and pictures) for viewing
5. ability for clients to access their account (bill)

Does this make sense? and are there any consulting firms that would help me set this up?

 

[FilipH]

my immediate reaction is that it would be to complicated for the average guest. Ichat on an apple tv? I doubt the average customer would be able to deal with it.

 

[petermcphee]

If it's cost effective and you provide simple instructions (and limitations on usage to prevent malicious activity) then you should be just fine. I'd stay there. That's awesome.

 

[ZiggyPastorius]

This is a really cool idea. Like another poster said, provide instructions. As long as it's relatively easy to figure out with instructions, it should work out. As far as a consulting firm, I'd find a computer place near you (that handles Macintosh computers, obviously) and ask if they can help you with this. I think the iChat (rather than phone) communication with the room service/front desk/et cetera is an awesome idea. Just make sure there's some way for people in these places to get the messages in a timely fashion.

 

[Consultant]

Yes. They done it for multi million dollar cruise ship installation of which the entertainment system are powered by Minis.

http://www.appleinsider.com/article...ousands_of_macs_into_hotels_cruise_ships.html

 

[akm3]

You would probably run into licensing issues with #4, but it is all feasible. You would need an expert to configure it for you, and it would likely require expert maintenance as well.

 

[rickeym]

Can you lock them down? Otherwise the customers will be changing the settings, etc.

 

[plinden]

Something like Faronics Deep Freeze would handle customers changing configurations.

 

[Baron58]

I am building a 21 unit condo hotel in Mexico, and want to have mini's in each room connected to 42" HDTV, the features I want are

Sent you a PM.

 

[iParis]

Very nice idea.
This is going to be a very complicated process.
Good luck!

 

[hotzenplotz]

Hm, I've done design engineering and installations of server/client Mac-based networks before (security surveillance & institutional ECM), and for the sake of your sanity, I would add to the list a Mac Pro Xeon or xServe with Leo on it and a good redundant RAID array. Believe me, you don't want to touch this without a centralized "command" center (and no, Apple Remote Desktop will not do it alone ).

 

[Gee]

I stayed in a hotel in Dublin - the morrison - which has a similar set-up. They also had EyeTV on them so guests could watch TV, and the systems were locked down so you couldn't do too much damage to them (install stuff, etc). And, they were mounted hidden away in a draw so they didn't get nicked.