Adaptive streaming of multiview video over P2P networks

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) video is the next natural step in the evolution of digital media technologies. Recent 3D auto-stereoscopic displays can display multiview video with up to 200 views. While it is possible to broadcast 3D stereo video (two views) over digital TV platforms today, streaming over IP provides a more flexible approach for distribution of stereo and free-view 3D media to home and mobile with different connection bandwidth and different 3D displays. Here, flexible transport refers to quality-scalable and view-scalable transport over the Internet. These scalability options are the key to deal with the biggest challenge, which is the scarcity of bandwidth in IP networks, in the delivery of multiview video. However, even with the scalability options at hand, it is very possible that the bandwidth requirement of the sender side can reach to critical levels and render such a service infeasible. Peer-to-peer (P2P) video streaming is a promising approach and has received significant attention recently and can be used to alleviate the problem of bandwidth scarcity in server-client-based applications. Unfortunately, P2P also introduces new challenges, such as handling unstable peer connections and peers' limited upload capacity. In this chapter, we provide an adaptive P2P video streaming solution that addresses these challenges for streaming multiview video over P2P overlays. We start with reviewing fundamental video transmission concepts and the state-of-the-art P2P video streaming solutions. We then take a look at beyond the state of the art and introduce the methods for enabling adaptive video streaming for P2P network to distribute legacy monoscopic video. Finally, we move to modifications that are needed to deliver multiview video in an adaptive manner over the Internet. We provide benchmark test results against the state of the P2P video streaming solutions to prove the superiority of the proposed approach in adaptive video transmission.