Abstract: The technology described herein relates to fast hybrid per-title encoding for video streaming. A method includes performing a probe encoding on representations of a video input using a low complex encoder, generating a bitrate table using probe results from the probe encoding, computing a bitrate ladder, by a per-title algorithm, using the bitrate table, and encoding the video input using the bitrate ladder and a different encoder. The method may include, prior to performing the probe encoding, determining that the video input exceeds a threshold length, trimming the video input into trimmings of a given trimmed length, and combining a given number (i.e., subset) of trimmings into a shortened video input, wherein the probe encoding is performed on the shortened video input instead of the video input in full.

Abstract: Techniques for optimizing a bitrate ladder for live streaming are described herein. A method for optimizing a bitrate ladder for live streaming includes receiving client-side input and an origin-side input during a first interval in a timeslot, the client-side input comprising CDN logs, the origin-side input comprising a quality measure, extracting from the CDN logs frequency of requests for each bitrate in a bitrate ladder in the timeslot and the duration of recent stall events for client video players. During a second interval in the timeslot, an optimized bitrate ladder comprising an optimal set of bitrates (OSB) is selected using an optimization function, the optimization function taking as input quality measures and a coefficient value determined using stall information. The optimized bitrate ladder is sent to the origin server for live encoding follow-on segments.

Abstract: Techniques for implementing perceptually aware per-title encoding may include receiving an input video, a set of resolutions, a maximum target bitrate and a minimum target bitrate, extracting content aware features for each segment of the input video, predicting a perceptually aware bitrate-resolution pair for each segment using a model configured to optimize for a quality metric using constants trained for each of the set of resolutions, generating a target encoding set including a set of perceptually aware bitrate-resolution pairs, and encoding the target encoding set. The content aware features may include a spatial energy feature and an average temporal energy. According to these methods only a subset of bitrates and resolutions, less than a full set of bitrates and resolutions, are encoded to provide high quality video content for streaming.

Abstract: Techniques for implementing an energy-aware ABR algorithm for adaptive streaming may include determining whether a buffer level is less than a threshold buffer, selecting a lowest bitrate representation for playback of a segment of a video in a conservative mode when the buffer level is less than the threshold buffer, calculating a cost of a representation in an operative mode when the buffer level exceeds the threshold buffer, the cost of the representation comprising a weighted sum of a throughput cost, a buffer cost, a quality cost, and optionally also an energy cost, selecting a bitrate for a next segment of the video based on the cost of the representation, and providing to a client device a selected representation. The energy-aware ABR algorithm may be implemented when an ECO mode is selected in a client device.

Abstract: Techniques for video encoding are described herein. A method for video encoding with smart chunking includes receiving, by a distributed video encoding system, a video input and a target bitrate, the video input having segments of a segment duration, determining an internal chunk length that is a multiple of the segment duration, encoding chunks having the internal chunk length, wherein the average bitrate across the chunk is equal to the target bitrate, and segmenting the encoded chunks into encoded segments of the segment duration. The distributed video encoding system may include various video encoders, or encoder instances, able to encode multiple chunks in parallel. The encoded segments may be output to a client, all of the encoded segments being of equal or similar quality.

Abstract: The technology described herein relates to hybrid three pass encoding for video streaming. A method for hybrid three pass encoding may include performing a first pass encoding of a video input using a lower complexity encoder, splitting the video input into segments, performing a two pass encoding of each of the segments using a higher complexity encoder and the complexity curve generated in the first pass encoding, and outputting an encoded version of the video input. The first pass using a lower complexity encoder significantly reduces the encoding time and end-to-end encoding complexity. In some embodiments, the first pass may be performed on one of many renditions of the video input, the resulting complexity curve being used for subsequent two pass encodings of many or all renditions of the video input.

Abstract: Techniques for predicting video encoding complexity are described herein. A method for predicting video encoding complexity includes performing video complexity feature extraction on a video segment to extract low-complexity frame-based features, predicting video encoding complexity for the video segment using the low-complexity frame-based features, and outputting a predicted encoding bitrate and a predicted encoding time. An embodiment may include implementing a hybrid model using a CNN, wherein a latent vector from a frame of the video segment is extracted and also may be used to predict video encoding complexity. The predicted encoding bitrates and encoding times may be provided to encoding infrastructure for use in optimizing a schedule of encodings.

Abstract: Techniques for efficient two-pass encoding for live streaming are described herein. A method for efficient two-pass encoding may include extracting low-complexity features of a video segment, predicting an optimized constant rate factor (CRF) for the video segment using the low-complexity features, and encoding the video segment with the optimized CRF at a target bitrate. A system for efficient two-pass encoding may include a feature extraction module configured to extract low-complexity features from a video segment, a neural network configured to predict an optimized CRF as a function of the low-complexity features and a target bitrate, and an encoder configured to encode the video segment using the optimized CRF at the target bitrate.

Abstract: Techniques for content-adaptive encoder preset prediction for adaptive live streaming are described herein. A method for content-adaptive encoder preset prediction for adaptive live streaming includes performing video complexity feature extraction on a video segment to extract complexity features such as an average texture energy, an average temporal energy, and an average lumiscence. These inputs may be provided to an encoding time prediction model, along with a bitrate ladder, a resolution set, a target video encoding speed, and a number of CPU threads for the video segment, to predict an encoding time, and an optimized encoding preset may be selected for the video segment by a preset selection function using the predicted encoding time. The video segment may be encoded according to the optimized encoding preset.

Abstract: The technology described herein relates to variable framerate encoding. A method for variable framerate encoding includes receiving shots, as segmented from a video input, extracting features for each of the shots, the features including at least a spatial energy feature and an average temporal energy, predicting a frame dropping factor for each of the shots based on the spatial energy feature and the average temporal energy, predicting an optimized framerate for each of the shots based on the frame dropping factor, downscaling and encoding each of the shots using the optimized framerate. The encoded shots may then be decoded and upscaled back to their original framerates.

Abstract: The technology described herein relates to a lightweight dense residual network for video super-resolution on mobile devices. A method for implementing a lightweight dense residual network to achieve super-resolution performance may include generating feature maps using a network based on an input of frames at a lower resolution, the network comprised of DenseRes blocks and an additional convolution operation, each DenseRes block comprising multiple layers of convolution operations and rectified linear activation function (ReLU) operations and a 1×1 convolution operation. Said feature maps are upsampled by a pixel shuffle layer in the network and the frames are output at a higher resolution, the higher resolution relative to the lower resolution by an upscaling factor.

Abstract: Techniques for implementing perceptually aware per-title encoding may include receiving an input video, a set of resolutions, a maximum target bitrate and a minimum target bitrate, extracting content aware features for each segment of the input video, predicting a perceptually aware bitrate-resolution pair for each segment using a model configured to optimize for a quality metric using constants trained for each of the set of resolutions, generating a target encoding set including a set of perceptually aware bitrate-resolution pairs, and encoding the target encoding set. The content aware features may include a spatial energy feature and an average temporal energy. According to these methods only a subset of bitrates and resolutions, less than a full set of bitrates and resolutions, are encoded to provide high quality video content for streaming.

Abstract: The technology described herein relates to variable framerate encoding. A method for variable framerate encoding includes receiving shots, as segmented from a video input, extracting features for each of the shots, the features including at least a spatial energy feature and an average temporal energy, predicting a frame dropping factor for each of the shots based on the spatial energy feature and the average temporal energy, predicting an optimized framerate for each of the shots based on the frame dropping factor, downscaling and encoding each of the shots using the optimized framerate. The encoded shots may then be decoded and upscaled back to their original framerates.

Abstract: A streaming media playback device is provided for playing multimedia presentations with segments encoding video data at different quality levels for adaptive streaming through a network from a server, for example based on MPEG DASH. The streaming media playback device selects segments at a given quality level from those available at the server based on an adaptive bitrate setting and an oscillation measure. The adaptive bitrate setting is selected based on network bandwidth conditions. The oscillation measure provides an indication of how often the device switches between segments of different quality levels. The next segment is selected based on the adaptive bitrate setting unless the oscillation measure exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided. The apparatus has an interface for receiving media information, wherein the media information indicates a segment data rate for each of a plurality of media data segments and further indicates a quality value for each of the plurality of media data segments. Moreover, the apparatus has a processor for selecting one or more selected segments from the plurality of the media data segments depending on the segment data rates of the plurality of media data segments, depending on the quality values of the plurality of media data segments and depending on an available data rate of a communication resource. The interface is configured to transmit a request requesting the one or more selected segments. Moreover, the interface is configured to receive the one or more selected segments being transmitted on the communication resource.

Abstract: A client configured to retrieve a live-stream media content is shown. The client is configured to receive from a live-streaming server a media presentation description (MPD) describing live-stream media content composed of a sequence of segments and an information on a current segment of the sequence of segments. The client is further configured to commence retrieving the live-stream media content from the live-streaming server from a predetermined segment of the sequence of segments onwards, which the client determined based on the information.

Abstract: Media streaming is more efficient in terms of transmission bitrate consumption, transmission latency and/or fair trade of transmission capacity among several by pushing media content rather than the client pulling media content from the server. Pushing media content to the client at a varying bitrate enables to shift, at least partially, the control over the streaming from the client towards the server. The server may continue to push segments of the media content to the client even without receiving explicit queries or directives for these segments thereby reducing upstream bandwidth consumption. As far as the bitrate adaption is concerned, the server may act as a slave remotely controlled by the client in that media content is pushed at a bitrate depending on the client's most recently sent information such as reception situation information explicitly indicating the bitrate to be used.

Abstract: An apparatus for transmitting user data to a server system including one or more servers includes a content encoder for encoding a plurality of portions of the user data to obtain a first data stream, wherein the content encoder is configured to encode each of the plurality of portions with a bandwidth-dependent quality which depends on a bandwidth that is available for transmitting the first data stream from the apparatus to the server system, and includes a transmitter for transmitting the first data stream from the apparatus to the server system. The content encoder is configured to encode two or more of the plurality of portions of the user data to obtain a second data stream, wherein the content encoder is configured to encode each of the two or more of the plurality of portions with a predefined quality.

Abstract: A streaming media playback device is provided for playing multimedia presentations with segments encoding video data at different quality levels for adaptive streaming through a network from a server, for example based on MPEG DASH. The streaming media playback device selects segments at a given quality level from those available at the server based on an adaptive bitrate setting and an oscillation measure. The adaptive bitrate setting is selected based on network bandwidth conditions. The oscillation measure provides an indication of how often the device switches between segments of different quality levels. The next segment is selected based on the adaptive bitrate setting unless the oscillation measure exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: A reduction in bitrate oscillation penalties is achieved by determining an oscillation measure measuring a balance of bitrate increase and bitrate decrease of the varied bitrate at which recently retrieved segments of the sequence of segments have been retrieved and setting the bitrate at which a current segment of the sequence of segments is to be retrieved depending on the oscillation measure.