SMPTE and Stanford Center for Image Systems Engineering to Coproduce Entertainment Technology in the Internet Age Conference

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. March 12, 2013 The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), the worldwide leader in motion-imaging standards and education for the communications, media, entertainment, and technology industries, today announced that it is working with the Stanford Center for Image Systems Engineering (SCIEN) to produce the two-day conference Entertainment Technology in the Internet Age (ETIA). Beginning June 18 at Stanford University's Palo Alto, Calif., campus, the conference will explore the technology, creative, and business requirements for delivering a compelling, high-quality, monetizable entertainment experience over the Web.

Entertainment technology development and content deployment has historically been the purview of Hollywood and traditional broadcast media, said ETIA conference chair Patrick Griffis, executive director of technology strategy at Dolby Laboratories and SMPTE education vice president. However, the rapid convergence of technology; improvements in connectivity, bandwidth, and media processing; coupled with consumer interest, is causing a surge in entertainment distribution via the Internet.

ETIA will bring together leaders and innovators from Hollywood and Silicon Valley communities to discuss how the Internet is changing the way we create, deliver, enjoy, and pay for entertainment, added Joyce Farrell, executive director of SCIEN and ETIA conference chair.

Through a series of panel discussions and presentations, with ample opportunity for audience participation, the ETIA conference will examine topics within the areas of Internet-focused content creation, distribution, and monetization, as well as technical tools and solutions for shaping the user experience. Among the presentations planned is Flash Forward How HTML-5 and Canvas Will Become the Next Interactive Screen for Web Media, a panel discussion by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and media technology experts on the future of UI technology, as well as several sessions examining the standards and formats SMPTE Interoperable Master Format (IMF), HLS, and MPEG-DASH being used to facilitate content distribution and optimization of content quality.

Where Are the Eyeballs? will look at consumers' shift from subscription pay services to Web services, and a subsequent session will examine the role of new analytics technology in illuminating consumer behavior. Related sessions will examine techniques for incorporating advertising into Internet content and delve into how second screens, such as PCs and tablets, are being used to complement the main-screen viewing experience.

As Internet distribution becomes more ubiquitous, many of the regulatory requirements that traditional content providers have incorporated, such as closed captioning, will be a reality for Internet distributed content as well. The regulatory environment in Washington, D.C., will also be discussed along with the solutions that have been given safe harbor status by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The highly charged topic of commercial content protection will also be addressed from the political, business, and technical challenges perspective.

Held in the CEMEX auditorium in the Knight Management Center in Stanford Graduate School of Business, the ETIA will give delegates ample time to engage with speakers and one another as they discuss topics of the day with a common interest in entertainment technology.

Discounted early-bird rates apply to those registering by April 1. Further information about the ETIA conference, including a full schedule and registration information, is available online at www.smpte.org/ETIA2013.

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About the Stanford Center for Image Systems Engineering

The Stanford Center for Image Systems Engineering (SCIEN) is a partnership between the Stanford School of Engineering and technology companies developing imaging systems for the enhancement of human communication. The mission of SCIEN is to support multidisciplinary training, research, and collaboration on technologies leading to novel imaging systems that include the capture, processing, transmission, and rendering of visual information. SCIEN has a broad technical scope and is currently focusing on applications in the areas of sensors and sensor arrays, digital photography, mobile imaging, computer graphics, multimedia systems, broadband and wireless communication, medical imaging, and remote sensing.

About the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers

The Oscar and Emmy Award-winning Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), a professional membership association, is the worldwide leader in developing and providing motion-imaging standards and education for the communications, technology, media, and entertainment industries. An internationally recognized and accredited organization, SMPTE advances moving-imagery education and engineering across the broadband, broadcast, cinema, and IT disciplines. Since its founding in 1916, SMPTE has published the SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal and developed more than 600 standards, recommended practices, and engineering guidelines. SMPTE members include motion-imaging executives, engineers, creative and technology professionals, researchers, scientists, educators, and students from around the world. Information on joining SMPTE is available at https://www.smpte.org/join.

LINK:	https://www.smpte.org/news-events/news-releases/smpte-and-stanford-cen...
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