Next month’s Entertainment Technology in the Connected Age (ETCA) conference, titled ’Redefining the Entertainment Experience’ will be held in Silicon Valley 

The Entertainment Technology in the Connected Age (ETCA) conference, titled ’Redefining the Entertainment Experience’, will  feature leaders from across the technology, telecommunications, streaming, broadcast and cinema sectors, with Google, Microsoft, HBO and IBM in attendance.

The two-day event, held on 8-9 May at Microsoft Silicon Valley Campus, will explore emerging technologies’ impact on the current and future delivery of compelling connected entertainment experiences.

The event’s two keynote presentations demonstrate the interconnected interests and expertise of companies across the technology and entertainment realms.

Bob DeHaven, general manager of Worldwide Communications & Media at Microsoft Azure, will present a keynote on the future of entertainment carriage, and Hanno Basse, chief technology officer at Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, will present a keynote on next-generation entertainment.

Smpte conference

SMPTE conference

Conference sessions likewise will showcase the intersection of the tech and entertainment worlds, with many conversations extending across creative, business, and technical obstacles and opportunities presented by the connected experience.

A session on content creation and monetisation will include speakers from Perspective Media Group, PBS, Padem Media Group, and HBO. Experts from nScreen Media, Microsoft, Verizon Digital Media Services, Qwilt, and Conviva will participate in a session on large-scale live streaming.

Representatives from TiVo, nScreen Media, IBM Cloud Video, and Google will take part in a session about how audio control is being used to enhance viewing experiences.

Video compression

Advances in video compression technology will be the subject of a panel including experts from The Walt Disney Studios, Dolby Laboratories and Lytro, and the emergence of virtual reality will be discussed by speakers from Lytro, Dolby Laboratories and Jaunt VR.

“We’re proud that the ETCA conference has become an essential event so quickly for pioneering companies across the modern media ecosystem,” said Patrick Griffis, SMPTE executive vice president and ETCA programme chair.

“In addition to providing valuable insights into the current workings of the industry, the conference offers a unique opportunity to engage with the companies and individuals shaping the connected entertainment environment we’ll experience in the future.”