2017 Entertainment Technology in the Connected Age Looks at the Future of Connected Content

The SMPTE Entertainment Technology in the Connected Age (ETCA) Conference was held on 8–9 May 2017 at the Microsoft Campus in Mountain View, CA. As stated in the conference abstract: The convergence of connectivity, bandwidth, and technology continues to expand entertainment distribution options to the living room, mobile, and beyond. Broadband, Wi-Fi, and mobile networks are now beginning to leapfrog traditional distribution mechanisms, because of the rapid pace of innovation and performance improvements, the flexibility of consumer options, and the ability to upgrade with a software download. The concept of this conference is to examine the present and explore the future in the context of the emerging technologies and services for delivering a compelling connected entertainment experience. This two-day event at the Microsoft Campus in the heart of Silicon Valley explored how the connected world is changing entertainment and providing actionable understanding of technology and application trends. At the end of the first and second day Wendy Aylsworth, chief executive officer (CEO) of Walden Pond and SMPTE Fellow gave the day’s wrap-up and take-away discussion with the attendees and the moderators from that day’s sessions. Following are some notes on the two-day event.