What to expect at Digital Hollywood in Santa Monica this week?  Despite a recovering Wall Street and newfound financing, this is still a difficult time for media conferences.  Instead of stacked booths and overflowing panels, most digital music and media events are thinly attended, and more heavily populated with bootstrapped startups, students, and individuals hanging fresh shingles.

Hard to justify plane trips and hotels alongside layoffs and shrinking overhead, though a number of bigger companies and funded startups are rustling ahead of the event.  The action gets started today, with panels, workshops, dinners and networking continuing through Thursday.

Digital Hollywood usually gets the right companies and people together, though navigating the schedule is an exercise in lunacy.  Online at digitalhollywood.com, the agenda is simply a mess, though the paper program is an easier ride.  Actually, the site now offers a virtual flip of the actual program – a slightly less painful prep ahead of receiving a physical copy at the event.

And, those looking for music-specific panels will find most of the action on Wednesday the 21st (look for Track IV).  Speakers on deck hail from Napster, Omnifone, IODA, Nielsen, Topspin, and Warner Bros. Records, among others.