Taking a small step forward, Panasonic recently contributed an undisclosed amount to the Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at the University of Southern California to fund the first step toward a broad  study. “Our goal is to get scientifically and statistically valid data on the impact of viewing stereoscopic 3-D content among the general population,” said Phil Lelyveld, a program manager at the ETC.

The Panasonic money will fund two pilot studies to establish the design criteria for two large population studies that still lack funding. Essentially the group aims to provide eye tests to a few theaters full of consumers before and after watching 3-D movies.

“There is no real data today, it’s all anecdotal,” said Lelyveld.

In a marketing survey of 1,914 adults conducted in December by the ETC and the Consumer Electronics Association, 18 percent of the group expected they might have eye strain or headaches from seeing a stereo 3-D movie. Only 12 percent said they had the symptoms after watching one.

–

Link to coverage
PDF Link

Students have mixed feelings about Apple’s latest invention.

College students share their thoughts on new location-based social networking services such as Foursquare and Loopt.

“If consumers want high-quality content with a high-quality experience and high-quality service, there’s a place and a role for companies that have cables piped into your house,” said David Wertheimer, executive director of the Entertainment Technology Center at the University of Southern California.

–

Link to PDF

The Entertainment Technology Center at University of Southern California (ETC@USC) (www.etcenter.org), a nonprofit consortium that brings together top entertainment and consumer-electronics companies to listen to and evaluate consumer feedback towards future technologies, announced that audio company DTS Inc. has joined ETC@USC as an executive sponsor.

As an executive sponsor, DTS will participate in ETC’s cross-industry CxO Roundtables, ETC’s Anytime/Anywhere Consumer Research, Student Feedback Forums, the Anytime/Anywhere ContentLab (AACL) and other exclusive meetings.

–

Link to coverage
Link to PDF

“If consumers want high-quality content with a high-quality experience and high-quality service, there’s a place and a role for companies that have cables piped into your house,” said David Wertheimer, executive director of the Entertainment Technology Center at the University of Southern California.

–

Link to coverage
Link to PDF

LOS ANGELES, Feb 23, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — The Entertainment Technology Center at University of Southern California (ETC@USC) (www.etcenter.org), a non-profit consortium that brings together top entertainment and consumer electronics companies to listen to and evaluate consumer mindshare towards future technologies, announced today that DTS Inc. (DTSI 29.10 , +1.87, +6.87% )has joined ETC@USC as an executive sponsor. DTS Inc. is a pioneer of multi-channel audio whose technology is in home theatre, car audio, PC, and game console products, as well as DVD-Video, Blu-ray Disc and Surround Music software.

–

Link to coverage
Link to PDF

Media behavior in today’s fragmented landscape is best evaluated by looking at the “life stages” that people experience as opposed to their demographic profiles.

So says a new study from the Entertainment Technology Center at the University of Southern California (ETC), the Hallmark Channel and E-Poll Market Research.

–

Link to coverage
Link to PDF

Los Angeles-based DTS, which develops surround sound technology, said today that it has signed on as an Executive Sponsor of USC’s Entertainment Technology Center, an effort at the school to link entertainment, technology, and consumer electronics firms. The center and DTS said the deal will allow DTS to participate in a number of its research, project, meetings, and other activities. Financial details were not disclosed. The Entertainment Technology Center @ USC is part of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, and was co-founded in 1993 with help from George Lucas.

–

Link to coverage
Link to PDF

BusinessWire – The Entertainment Technology Center at University of Southern California (ETC@USC) (www.etcenter.org), a non-profit consortium that brings together top entertainment and consumer electronics companies to listen to and evaluate consumer mindshare towards future technologies, announced today that DTS Inc. (Nasdaq:DTSI) has joined ETC@USC as an executive sponsor. DTS Inc. is a pioneer of multi-channel audio whose technology is in home theatre, car audio, PC, and game console products, as well as DVD-Video, Blu-ray Disc and Surround Music software.

–

Link to coverage
Link to PDF