We describe the design of a video streaming system using adaptation to viewing conditions to reduce the bitrate needed for delivery of video content. A visual model is used to determine sufficient resolution needed under various viewing conditions. Sensors on a mobile device estimate properties of the viewing conditions, particularly the distance to the viewer. We leverage the framework of existing adaptive bitrate streaming systems such as HLS, Smooth Streaming or MPEG-DASH. The client rate selection logic is modified to include a sufficient resolution computed using the visual model and the estimated viewing conditions. Our experiments demonstrate significant bitrate savings compare to conventional streaming methods which do not exploit viewing conditions.

Date Published: 11 March 2015
PDF: 17 pages
Proc. SPIE 9411, Mobile Devices and Multimedia: Enabling Technologies, Algorithms, and Applications 2015, 941104 (11 March 2015); doi: 10.1117/12.2077808

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9411:
Mobile Devices and Multimedia: Enabling Technologies, Algorithms, and Applications 2015
Reiner Creutzburg; David Akopian, Editor(s)