Flexible QoE optimized Video Adaptive Streaming over HTTP for sudden
bandwidth drops
Abstract
We have observed a boom in video streaming over the Internet, especially
during the Covid-19 pandemic, that could exceed the network resource
availability. In addition to upgrading the network infrastructure,
finding a way to smartly adapt the streaming system to the network and
users’ conditions to satisfy clients’ perceptions is exceptionally
critical, too. This paper proposes a new QoE-aware adaptive streaming
scheme over HTTP - ABRA - to make flexible adaptations based on the
network and the client’s current status. Besides, we propose a technique
that can keep the buffer at an average high for more than 10s. We were
limiting the phenomena of rebuffering due to unexpected and
unpredictable bandwidth changes. The algorithm keeps the quality of
subsequent versions at a constant level even when the average bitrate
decreases, increasing the QoE. Experimental results show that our method
can improve QoE from 7.86% to 20.41% compared to state-of-the-art
methods. ABRA can provide better performance in terms of QoE score in
all buffer conditions compared to the existing solutions while
maintaining a minimum secured buffer level for the worst case.