Real-time QoE and Performance Monitoring for Streaming Video Services
VQmon® for TCP Video Streaming is an embedded software technology that measures the quality and performance of streamed video. VQmon non-intrusively monitors video streamed using key streaming protocols, analyzes video quality and buffering performance, and reports detailed Quality of Experience and performance metrics.
Telchemy's VQmon product family comprises a range of QoE measurement modules for VoIP, Videoconferencing, IPTV, and other applications. VQmon for TCP Video Streaming is specifically designed to monitor the quality and performance of video content streamed over TCP, and supports a wide range of popular streaming protocols and video and audio codecs.
VQmon is available as a
compiled binary for Windows, Linux, Solaris, BSD, and standard processor environments. VQmon can be integrated directly into a wide range of hardware and software including Internet-ready TVs, PC video player software, mobile handsets, handheld active test devices, routers, probes and
analyzers.
Managing the Performance of Streaming Video
Streaming video services can suffer from a wide range of quality problems caused by overloaded video servers, network congestion, insufficient client bandwidth, and low video resolution. Network problems can prevent the smooth delivery of packets and cause gaps in playback. To ensure service quality, video content and service providers must be able to monitor and measure the performance of every streamed video session and identify the source of problems.
VQmon analyzes TCP streams carrying video content to extract information about network bandwidth, congestion, and server performance. Using real-time modeling of video and audio playout buffers, VQmon is able to measure buffer fill and empty rates and can detect when buffers are too low or empty, leading to playout gaps. For the video content itself, VQmon identifies key metrics including codec, frame size and rate, and the number of bit rate changes. VQmon's perceptual quality algorithm provides real-time Mean Opinion Scores (MOS) which rate the video, audio, and audiovisual quality on a scale of 1 to 5, providing an accurate reflection of user QoE.
VQmon reports a "snapshot" of perceptual quality metrics, video stream and playout buffer information, and a selection of TCP metrics at sampled intervals, with each sample typically representing one second of video playout time. In addition, VQmon reports an extended set of TCP metrics on a per-stream basis, consisting of cumulative or average calculations over the course of the stream.
Features and Specifications
- Supports a range of popular streaming protocols (Apple® HLS, Adobe® RTMP / Flash® 9+ / HDS, Microsoft® Smooth Streaming), file container formats, and video/audio codecs†
- Accurate, real-time Mean Opinion Scores for Video, Audio, and Audio-Video performance (MOS-V, MOS-A, MOS-AV)
- Estimated Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (EPSNR)
- Playout buffer modeling tracks buffer levels, fill and empty rate, and rebuffering time to identify gaps in playout and impact on viewer QoE
- Perceptual quality metrics, buffer statistics, video stream descriptors, and TCP metrics reported at a 1-second sample interval for each video session
- Extended TCP information reported as cumulative metrics over the duration of the stream
- Compact, efficient code size - typically around 450 KB (compiled binary)
- CPU load typically between 0.2 - 2.0 MIPS per active stream depending on resolution
- 4K RAM per active stream (minimal usage - storage of out-of-sequence packets and index files requires additional memory allocation)
- Processor: 32-bit generic integer processor
† VQmon may not be able to decode encrypted video streams. Because video streaming technology is often proprietary and rapidly evolving, Telchemy advises prospective customers to test VQmon’s ability to analyze protocols of interest prior to making a purchase decision.
For more information about integrating VQmon performance analysis technology into your product line, contact Telchemy.
Apple is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
Adobe and Flash are registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.
Microsoft and Smooth Streaming are registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.