Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements of KVH Industries, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The Company has evaluated all subsequent events through the date of this filing. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The 2019 consolidated interim financial statements reflect the sale of Videotel as discontinued operations. See Notes 1 and 20 for further information on the sale of Videotel. The consolidated interim financial statements have not been audited by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and include all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring adjustments) which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows for the periods presented. These consolidated interim financial statements do not include all disclosures associated with annual financial statements and accordingly should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed on February 28, 2020 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of operating results for the remainder of the year.
Significant Estimates and Assumptions and Other Significant Non-Recurring Transactions	Significant Estimates and Assumptions and Other Significant Non-Recurring Transactions The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of sales and expenses during the reporting periods. As described in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K, the most significant estimates and assumptions by management affect the Company’s revenue recognition, valuation of accounts receivable, valuation of inventory, expected future cash flows including growth rates, discount rates, terminal values and other assumptions and estimates used to evaluate the recoverability of long-lived assets and goodwill, estimated fair values of long-lived assets, including goodwill, amortization methods and periods, certain accrued expenses and other related charges, stock-based compensation, contingent liabilities, forfeitures and key valuation assumptions for its share-based awards, estimated fulfillment costs for warranty obligations, tax reserves and recoverability of the Company’s net deferred tax assets and related valuation allowance, and the valuation of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities. The Company has reviewed these estimates and determined that these remain the most significant estimates for the three months ended March 31, 2020. Although the Company regularly assesses these estimates, actual results could differ materially from these estimates. Changes in estimates are recorded in the period in which they become known. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and various other assumptions that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances.
Accounting Standards Issued and Not Yet Adopted	Accounting Standards Issued and Not Yet Adopted ASC Update No. 2016-13, ASC Update No. 2018-19, ASC Update No. 2019-04, ASC Update No. 2019-05, ASC Update No. 2019-10, ASC Update No. 2019-11 and ASC Update No. 2020-02. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. The update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. The purpose of Update No. 2016-13 is to replace the current incurred loss impairment methodology for financial assets measured at amortized cost with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information, including forecasted information, to develop credit loss estimates. In November 2018, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2018-19, Codification Improvements: Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326). This update introduced an expected credit loss methodology for the impairment of financial assets measured at amortized cost basis. The amendment also clarifies that receivables arising from operating leases are not within the scope of Subtopic 326-20. Instead, impairment of receivables arising from operating leases should be accounted for in accordance with Topic 842, Leases. In May 2019, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2019-04, Codification Improvements: Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) and Financial Instruments (Topic 825). This update introduced clarifications of the Board’s intent with respect to accrued interest, the transfer between classifications or categories for loans and debt securities, recoveries, reinsurance recoverables, projects of interest rate environments for variable-rate financial instruments, costs to sell when foreclosure is probable, consideration of expected prepayments when determining the effective interest rate, vintage disclosures, and extension and renewal options. In May 2019, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2019-05, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Targeted Transition Relief. The amendments in the update ease the transition for entities adopting ASC Update 2016-13 and increase the comparability of financial statement information. With the exception of held-to-maturity debt securities, the amendments allow entities to irrevocably elect to apply the fair value option to financial instruments that were previously recorded at amortized cost basis within the scope of Subtopic 326-20, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses - Measured at Amortized Cost. In November 2019, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2019-10, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815), and Leases (Topic 842): Effective Dates. The amendments in this update change some effective dates for certain new accounting standards for certain types of entities. The update amends ASC 326 and ASC 350's effective date for all SEC filers other than smaller reporting companies to be the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods therein. The effective date for all other entities, including smaller reporting companies, will be the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, and interim periods therein. The update does not change the effective date of ASC 815 and ASC 842 for public business entities (PBEs), but amends the effective date for all other entities to be the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021. In November 2019, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2019-11, Codification Improvements: Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326). The update is effective for entities that have adopted ASU 2016-13, and the amendments in ASU 2019-11 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods therein. Early adoption is permitted in any interim period after issuance of this update as long as an entity has adopted the amendments in Update 2016-13. The purpose of Update No. 2019-11 is to clarify the scope of the recovery guidance to purchased financial assets with credit deterioration. In February 2020, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2020-02, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842). The purpose of Update No. 2020-02 is to amend SEC paragraphs in the ASC that describe SEC guidance or SEC staff views that the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) includes as a convenience to Codification users. As a current smaller reporting entity, the effective date will be the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. The adoption of Update Nos. 2016-13, 2018-19, 2019-04, 2019-05, 2019-10, 2019-11 and 2020-02 are not expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial position or results of operations. ASC Update No. 2019-12 In December 2019, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740). The update is effective for public business entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in any interim period, for public business entities for periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued. The purpose of Update No. 2019-12 is to remove certain exceptions for recognizing deferred taxes for investments and simplify the accounting for income taxes in certain areas, including recognizing deferred taxes for tax goodwill and allocating taxes to members of a consolidated group. It amends the requirements relating to the accounting for "hybrid" tax regimes. Update No. 2019-12 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial position or results of operations. There are no other recent accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB that are expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial statements
Share-based Compensation, Option and Incentive Plans	The Company recognizes stock-based compensation in accordance with the provisions of ASC Topic 718, Compensation-Stock Compensation. Stock-based compensation expense, excluding compensation charges related to our employee stock purchase plan, or the ESPP, was $789 and $860 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As of March 31, 2020, there was $2,724 of total unrecognized compensation expense related to stock options, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.41 years. As of March 31, 2020, there was $2,869 of total unrecognized compensation expense related to restricted stock awards, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.29 years.
Fair Value Measurement	ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (ASC 820), provides a framework for measuring fair value and requires expanded disclosures regarding fair value measurements. ASC 820 defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. ASC 820 also establishes a fair value hierarchy, which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. ASC 820 describes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value: Level 1: Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities. The Company’s Level 1 assets are investments in money market mutual funds. Level 2: Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; or observable prices that are based on observable market data, based on directly or indirectly market-corroborated inputs. The Company has no Level 2 assets or liabilities. Level 3: Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and are developed based on the best information available given the circumstances. The Company has no Level 3 assets. Assets and liabilities measured at fair value are based on the valuation techniques identified in the table below.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

The accompanying consolidated financial statements of KVH Industries, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The Company has evaluated all subsequent events through the date of this filing. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The 2019 consolidated interim financial statements reflect the sale of Videotel as discontinued operations. See Notes 1 and 20 for further information on the sale of Videotel.

The consolidated interim financial statements have not been audited by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and include all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring adjustments) which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows for the periods presented. These consolidated interim financial statements do not include all disclosures associated with annual financial statements and accordingly should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed on February 28, 2020 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of operating results for the remainder of the year.

Significant Estimates and Assumptions and Other Significant Non-Recurring Transactions

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of sales and expenses during the reporting periods. As described in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K, the most significant estimates and assumptions by management affect the Company’s revenue recognition, valuation of accounts receivable, valuation of inventory, expected future cash flows including growth rates, discount rates, terminal values and other assumptions and estimates used to evaluate the recoverability of long-lived assets and goodwill, estimated fair values of long-lived assets, including goodwill, amortization methods and periods, certain accrued expenses and other related charges, stock-based compensation, contingent liabilities, forfeitures and key valuation assumptions for its share-based awards, estimated fulfillment costs for warranty obligations, tax reserves and recoverability of the Company’s net deferred tax assets and related valuation allowance, and the valuation of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities. The Company has reviewed these estimates and determined that these remain the most significant estimates for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

Although the Company regularly assesses these estimates, actual results could differ materially from these estimates. Changes in estimates are recorded in the period in which they become known. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and various other assumptions that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances.

Accounting Standards Issued and Not Yet Adopted

ASC Update No. 2016-13, ASC Update No. 2018-19, ASC Update No. 2019-04, ASC Update No. 2019-05, ASC Update No. 2019-10, ASC Update No. 2019-11 and ASC Update No. 2020-02.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. The update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. The purpose of Update No. 2016-13 is to replace the current incurred loss impairment methodology for financial assets measured at amortized cost with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information, including forecasted information, to develop credit loss estimates.

In November 2018, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2018-19, Codification Improvements: Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326). This update introduced an expected credit loss methodology for the impairment of financial assets measured at amortized cost basis. The amendment also clarifies that receivables arising from operating leases are not within the scope of Subtopic 326-20. Instead, impairment of receivables arising from operating leases should be accounted for in accordance with Topic 842, Leases.

In May 2019, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2019-04, Codification Improvements: Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) and Financial Instruments (Topic 825). This update introduced clarifications of the Board’s intent with respect to accrued interest, the transfer between classifications or categories for loans and debt securities, recoveries, reinsurance recoverables, projects of interest rate environments for variable-rate financial instruments, costs to sell when foreclosure is probable, consideration of expected prepayments when determining the effective interest rate, vintage disclosures, and extension and renewal options.

In May 2019, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2019-05, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Targeted Transition Relief. The amendments in the update ease the transition for entities adopting ASC Update 2016-13 and increase the comparability of financial statement information. With the exception of held-to-maturity debt securities, the amendments allow entities to irrevocably elect to apply the fair value option to financial instruments that were previously recorded at amortized cost basis within the scope of Subtopic 326-20, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses - Measured at Amortized Cost.

In November 2019, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2019-10, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815), and Leases (Topic 842): Effective Dates. The amendments in this update change some effective dates for certain new accounting standards for certain types of entities. The update amends ASC 326 and ASC 350's effective date for all SEC filers other than smaller reporting companies to be the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods therein. The effective date for all other entities, including smaller reporting companies, will be the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, and interim periods therein. The update does not change the effective date of ASC 815 and ASC 842 for public business entities (PBEs), but amends the effective date for all other entities to be the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021.

In November 2019, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2019-11, Codification Improvements: Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326). The update is effective for entities that have adopted ASU 2016-13, and the amendments in ASU 2019-11 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods therein. Early adoption is permitted in any interim period after issuance of this update as long as an entity has adopted the amendments in Update 2016-13. The purpose of Update No. 2019-11 is to clarify the scope of the recovery guidance to purchased financial assets with credit deterioration.

In February 2020, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2020-02, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842). The purpose of Update No. 2020-02 is to amend SEC paragraphs in the ASC that describe SEC guidance or SEC staff views that the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) includes as a convenience to Codification users.

As a current smaller reporting entity, the effective date will be the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. The adoption of Update Nos. 2016-13, 2018-19, 2019-04, 2019-05, 2019-10, 2019-11 and 2020-02 are not expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial position or results of operations.

ASC Update No. 2019-12

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740). The update is effective for public business entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in any interim period, for public business entities for periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued. The purpose of Update No. 2019-12 is to remove certain exceptions for recognizing deferred taxes for investments and simplify the accounting for income taxes in certain areas, including recognizing deferred taxes for tax goodwill and allocating taxes to members of a consolidated group. It amends the requirements relating to the accounting for "hybrid" tax regimes. Update No. 2019-12 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial position or results of operations.

There are no other recent accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB that are expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial statements

Share-based Compensation, Option and Incentive Plans

The Company recognizes stock-based compensation in accordance with the provisions of ASC Topic 718, Compensation-Stock Compensation. Stock-based compensation expense, excluding compensation charges related to our employee stock purchase plan, or the ESPP, was $789 and $860 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As of March 31, 2020, there was $2,724 of total unrecognized compensation expense related to stock options, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.41 years. As of March 31, 2020, there was $2,869 of total unrecognized compensation expense related to restricted stock awards, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.29 years.

Fair Value Measurement

ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (ASC 820), provides a framework for measuring fair value and requires expanded disclosures regarding fair value measurements. ASC 820 defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. ASC 820 also establishes a fair value hierarchy, which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. ASC 820 describes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

Level 1: Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities. The Company’s Level 1 assets are investments in money market mutual funds.

Level 2: Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; or observable prices that are based on observable market data, based on directly or indirectly market-corroborated inputs. The Company has no Level 2 assets or liabilities.

Level 3: Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and are developed based on the best information available given the circumstances. The Company has no Level 3 assets.

Assets and liabilities measured at fair value are based on the valuation techniques identified in the table below.