AMISP: A complete content-based MPEG-2 error-resilient scheme

We address a new error-resilient scheme for broadcast quality MPEG-2 video streams to be transmitted over lossy packet networks. A new scene-complexit y adaptive mechanism, namely Adaptive MPEG-2 Information Structuring (AMIS) is introduced. AMIS modulates the number of resynchronization points (i.e. , slice headers and intra-coded macroblocks) in order to maximize the perce ived video quality, assuming that the encoder is aware of the underlying pa cketization scheme, the packet loss probability (PLR), and the error-concea lment technique implemented at the decoding side. The end-to-end video qual ity depends both on the encoding quality and the degradation due to data lo ss. Therefore, AMIS constantly determines the best compromise between the r ate allocated to encode pure video information and the rate aiming at reduc ing the sensitivity to packet loss. Experimental results show that AMIS dra matically outperforms existing structuring techniques, thanks to its effici ent adaptivity. We then extend ANUS with a forward-error-correction (FEC)-b ased Protection algorithm to become AMISP. AMISP triggers the insertion of FEC packets in the MPEG-2 video packet stream. Finally, the performances of the AMISP scheme in an MPEG-2 over RTP/UDP/IP scenario are evaluated.