Client-side Bandwidth Estimation Technique for Adaptive Streaming of a Browser Based Free-Viewpoint Application
Tilak Varisetty, David Dietrich · 2019
High bandwidth demands in interactive streaming applications pose challenges in efficiently utilizing the available bandwidth. Well known standards like MPEG-DASH and Apple HTTP streaming use buffer control mechanisms at the client for bandwidth estimation and segmentation at the server, which can add latency and complex- ity. We present a prototype of a real-time interactive free-viewpoint rendered application, that can be applied as an alternative to the existing buffering and segmentation-based approaches. We employ a novel approach in passive bandwidth estimation and implemented a weighed bit rate algorithm in JavaScript and HTML5 that utilizes browser statistics. The video quality fluctuations at the client are signaled to the server via WebSocket. Using open source technolo- gies and client-side bandwidth estimation techniques, the feasibility of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated. The evaluation results show that the prototype quickly responds to fluctuations in the available bandwidth under varying network conditions.