Stockholders' Equity (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Stock-Based Compensation (Textual) [Abstract]
Stock options, Outstanding, Aggregate Intrinsic Value	$ 123
Stock options, Exercisable, Aggregate Intrinsic Value	$ 122
Stock options, Exercisable, Number of Options (in shares)	687
Stock options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$ 11.60
Stock options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life	2 years
Stock options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life	2 years 14 days
Stock options
Stock-Based Compensation (Textual) [Abstract]
Stock award, vesting period	4 years
Stock award, exercise period	5 years
Awards other than options, decrease in number of shares reserved for issuance	0
Common stock, shares reserved for issuance	9,415
Options and award to purchase shares of common stock, issued or expired (in shares)	7,840
Number of shares available for future grants	1,575
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Dividend Rate	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Weighted-average fair value per share, options granted (in dollars per share)	$ 4.39	$ 4.71	$ 5.45
Stock options, total intrinsic value of options exercised	$ 50	$ 232	$ 933
Stock options, Outstanding, Aggregate Intrinsic Value		1,814	1,958
Stock options, Exercisable, Aggregate Intrinsic Value		$ 761	$ 619
Stock options, Exercisable, Number of Options (in shares)		490	349
Stock options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)		$ 11.87	$ 11.90
Stock options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life		1 year 9 months 3 days	2 years 2 months 15 days
Stock options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life		2 years 8 months 19 days	2 years 9 months 29 days
Unrecognized compensation expense	$ 1,505
Weighted-average period of recognition (in years)	2 years 3 days
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense	$ 1,229	$ 1,368	$ 1,438
Cash received under stock option plans for exercises	90	471	1,344
Restricted stock
Stock-Based Compensation (Textual) [Abstract]
Unrecognized compensation expense	$ 4,173
Weighted-average period of recognition (in years)	2 years 2 months 19 days
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense	$ 2,422	$ 2,317	$ 2,613
Granted (in shares)	203	265	266
Restricted stock, Granted, Weighted-average grant date fair value (in dollars per share)	$ 12.43	$ 13.57	$ 13.61
Employee stock purchase plan
Stock-Based Compensation (Textual) [Abstract]
Number of shares available for future grants	18
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense	$ 58	$ 55	$ 73
Employee stock purchase plan, number of shares authorized	650
Percentage of Company's common stock share price	85.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Shares Issued in Period	28	12	27
Employee stock purchase plan, discount percentage attributable to compensation expense	15.00%
Cash received under the employee stock purchase plan	$ 291	$ 138	$ 308
Employee stock purchase plan \| Maximum
Stock-Based Compensation (Textual) [Abstract]
Employee election percentage of pre-tax compensation withheld to purchase Company's common stock shares	6.00%

Share-Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award, Award Exercise Period

No definition available.

Name:	kvhi_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardExercisePeriod
Namespace Prefix:	kvhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-Based Payment Award, Non-Option Equity Awards, Pre-Tax Contibution Percentage Of Compensation

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	kvhi_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNonOptionEquityAwardsPreTaxContibutionPercentageOfCompensation
Namespace Prefix:	kvhi_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Share-Based Compensation Arrangement By Share-Based Payment Award, Non-Option Equity Instrument, Discount Percentage Attributable to Compensation Expense

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	kvhi_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNonOptionEquityInstrumentDiscountPercentageAttributableToCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	kvhi_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Share-Based Compensation Arrangement By Share-Based Payment Award, Non-Option Equity Instrument, Percentage Of Share Price

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	kvhi_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNonOptionEquityInstrumentPercentageOfSharePrice
Namespace Prefix:	kvhi_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-Based Payment Award, Non-Option Equity Instruments, Reduction Of Number of Shares Reserved For Issuance

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	kvhi_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNonOptionEquityInstrumentsReductionOfNumberOfSharesReservedForIssuance
Namespace Prefix:	kvhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-Based Payment Award, Options and Non-Option Equity Instruments, Shares Issued Or Expired

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	kvhi_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsAndNonOptionEquityInstrumentsSharesIssuedOrExpired
Namespace Prefix:	kvhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Stock based compensation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	kvhi_StockBasedCompensationTextualAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	kvhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the expense recognized during the period arising from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments) with employees, directors and certain consultants qualifying for treatment as employees.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 14.F)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27013229&loc=d3e301413-122809

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5047-113901

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate number of common shares reserved for future issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockCapitalSharesReservedForFutureIssuance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Unrecognized cost of unvested share-based compensation awards.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Weighted average period over which unrecognized compensation is expected to be recognized for equity-based compensation plans, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedPeriodForRecognition1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with the amount received from holders to acquire the entity's shares under incentive and share awards other than stock option exercises. This item inherently excludes any excess tax benefit, which the entity may have realized and reported separately.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSharesUnderIncentiveAndShareBasedCompensationPlans
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with the amount received from holders exercising their stock options. This item inherently excludes any excess tax benefit, which the entity may have realized and reported separately.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (j)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3255-108585

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Financing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6513228

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriod1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of grants made during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The weighted average fair value at grant date for nonvested equity-based awards issued during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The estimated dividend rate (a percentage of the share price) to be paid (expected dividends) to holders of the underlying shares over the option's term.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) originally approved (usually by shareholders and board of directors), net of any subsequent amendments and adjustments, for awards under the equity-based compensation plan. As stock or unit options and equity instruments other than options are awarded to participants, the shares or units remain authorized and become reserved for issuance under outstanding awards (not necessarily vested).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The difference between the maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) authorized for issuance under the plan (including the effects of amendments and adjustments), and the sum of: 1) the number of shares (or other type of equity) already issued upon exercise of options or other equity-based awards under the plan; and 2) shares (or other type of equity) reserved for issuance on granting of outstanding awards, net of cancellations and forfeitures, if applicable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of shares into which fully or partially vested stock options outstanding as of the balance sheet date can be currently converted under the option plan.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The weighted-average price as of the balance sheet date at which grantees can acquire the shares reserved for issuance on vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable under the stock option plan.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageExercisePrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of accumulated difference between fair value of underlying shares on dates of exercise and exercise price on options exercised (or share units converted) into shares.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The weighted average grant-date fair value of options granted during the reporting period as calculated by applying the disclosed option pricing methodology.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount by which the current fair value of the underlying stock exceeds the exercise price of options outstanding.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of share instruments newly issued under a share-based compensation plan.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardSharesIssuedInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of difference between fair value of the underlying shares reserved for issuance and exercise price of vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Weighted average remaining contractual term for vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable or convertible, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted average remaining contractual term for option awards outstanding, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm2
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: