General Dynamics Interactive has installed its new, high-definition Intrigue(R) Multimedia System in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group’s new hotel in New York City. General Dynamics Interactive and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group jointly conceived this revolutionary in-room guest entertainment system—the first all-high- definition system in the hospitality industry - in preparation for the launch of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group’s new flagship property in the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle.

General Dynamics Interactive is a leading provider of interactive in-room digital entertainment and information systems for the hospitality industry, with nearly 50 hotels currently served by installed systems. The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, the award-winning owner and operator of some of the world’s most prestigious hotels and resorts, selected General Dynamics to develop the revolutionary entertainment system for its new Mandarin Oriental, New York property.
Nick Price, director of technology for the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, said, “What guests will see in the Mandarin Oriental New York City property sets the entertainment and technology standard for five-star hotels for the next five years. A Mandarin Oriental guest demands the highest quality cinema choices, and the General Dynamics Intrigue high-definition system delivers an unparalleled guest entertainment experience. Mandarin Oriental is delighted to work with General Dynamics to achieve our vision, and to deliver the personalized and customized content that precisely meets the expressed needs, wants and aspirations of our highly individual guests.”

The new high-definition Intrigue system uses LCD displays and surround- sound systems to provide a home theatre-like guest experience. For entertainment, guests can enjoy high-definition movies-on-demand with the DVD- like ability to pause, fast-forward, rewind and bookmark the movie. An AM/FM stereo radio and DVD/CD player also is seamlessly integrated into the entertainment system. Guests can also access the Internet via the television or a laptop in their room, or they can access the Internet wirelessly in the hotel’s common areas. Another feature, not available in any other hotel in the world, includes the ability for guests to select high-resolution electronic artwork and coordinated music to display on room televisions, technologically enabling various “moods” to meet guests’ desires.

The New York Mandarin Oriental installation represents a significant advance in capability over current competitive offerings in the in-room entertainment industry.

General Dynamics also is working with the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group to secure a collection of unique, high-definition entertainment content from HDNet, which contains the largest library of high-definition content. The HDNet high-definition entertainment, combined with Hollywood movies and an avant-garde entertainment line-up including BMW Films, BBC America, art-house films, Chinese and other Asian cinema, places the Mandarin Oriental New York City on the cutting edge of digital guest-room entertainment.

“We will continuously work with Mandarin Oriental to roll out new features, functions, and services, keeping Mandarin Oriental at the forefront of in-room hotel technology,” said Al Whitmore, vice president and general manager of General Dynamics Interactive. “We have leveraged our resources and partnerships to set a new technology and entertainment standard for the five- star hotel market for the coming years.”
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