Effects of Network Impairments on MPEG-2 Video Transmission using ATM

Bhumip Khasnabish, Steven Gringeri, Arianne Lewis and Bert Basch
GTE Labs

Abstract

This paper addresses the relationship between video quality and network performance, and discusses the importance of that relationship in delivering MPEG-2 video using ATM technology. Quality of presentation (QoP) characteristics such as the frequency, duration, and severity of allowable audio and video impairments must be determined for high-quality MPEG-2 based video services. Using these QoP characteristics, ATM network layer (AAL-5) requirements such as cell error ratio, cell loss ratio, and cell delay variation can be approximated. The effects of AAL-5 encapsulation on video quality are reviewed, and the impact of decoding versus discarding AAL-5 packets with invalid cyclic redundancy checks (CRCs) is discussed. In addition, the effects of network jitter on decoder memory usage and synchronization requirements are presented. Both actual and simulated ATM network level impairments are used to study the acceptable ranges for cell errors, cell loss, and cell delay variation parameters.

Keywords: Multimedia, MPEG-2, ATM, Digital Video, Quality of Service (QoS), Quality of presentation (QoP).

Prepared through collaborative participation in the Advanced Telecommunications/Information Distribution Research Program (ATIRP) Consortium sponsored by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory under Cooperative Agreement DAAL01-96-2-0002.

Bhumip Khasnabish
GTE Labs. Inc.
Waltham, MA 02254, USA
Tel.: +1-617-466-2080
Fax: +1-617-466-2130
bhumip@gte.com

Steven Gringeri
GTE Labs. Inc.
Waltham, MA 02254, USA
Tel.: +1-617-466-4127
Fax: +1-617-466-2130
sgringeri@gte.com

Arianne Lewis
GTE Labs. Inc.
Waltham, MA 02254, USA
Tel.: +1-617-466-3303
Fax: +1-617-466-2130
alewis@gte.com

Bert Basch
GTE Labs. Inc.
Waltham, MA 02254, USA
Tel.: +1-617-466-2330
Fax: +1-617-466-2130
bbasch@gte.com