Better Bandwidth Utilization, Better Video Play
The Media Optimization application of Bytemobile’s Media Fidelity® Suite
Makes More Efficient Use of Network Capacity
Video servers typically transmit media to clients at the highest rate permitted by the network. This creates an effect called “burstiness” in traffic patterns, clogging the network and disrupting other users and applications. The Media Optimization application of Bytemobile’s Media Fidelity® Suite reduces burstiness by delivering media on a just-in-time basis. In effect, it spreads or levels the download of media over time, thereby modulating peaks of bandwidth consumption. This reduction of burstiness enables operators to accommodate the same number of users with lower capacity, making more efficient use of network resources. As a result, operators are able to reduce or defer expenses for network expansion to support the growth of video traffic.
Transparently Cuts Down Video Traffic
Video streams are intercepted by the Media Optimization, which acts as a transparent proxy to reduce video traffic volume by manipulating video frames and applying patented transcoding and recoding techniques. This allows wireless network operators to deploy Bytemobile’s optimization solution without rolling out client software, requiring users to change their browsing habits or relying on content providers to adapt their content. Media Optimization effectively increases a network’s available bandwidth, providing capacity to service additional users and traffic.
Automatically Adapts to Changing Network Conditions
When streaming video to laptops, the Media Optimization continuously monitors the byte stream to detect changes in available network bandwidth. It automatically adjusts the data reduction rate to match changing network conditions. This effectively reduces traffic volumes during peak usage hours, when the network is most congested.
Delivers an Optimal User Experience
During periods of network congestion, users typically experience video play interruptions as the player attempts to catch up and download the remaining video stream. This occurs when the available network bandwidth drops below the rate at which the video was encoded. The Media Optimization dynamically reduces the video stream rate according to the available network bandwidth, which in turn minimizes the interruptions experienced by the user. This provides an optimal experience for live video streaming applications.
Eliminates Unnecessary Downloads When Video Play Is Terminated Before Completion
Video streaming consists of two distinct processes: downloading the video to the device, which happens as fast as the network allows, and playing the video, which occurs locally at the encoded video rate. If available network bandwidth is insufficient, the video stalls and rebuffers. However, if available network bandwidth amounts to twice the encoded video rate, then by the time the user has watched half the video, the entire video stream has been downloaded to the local device. If the user voluntarily stops the video, then ideally the remaining bytes that have not yet been played would not have been downloaded. By intelligently controlling the stream transmission rate to the device, Media Optimization ensures not only that interruptions are reduced, even when bandwidth is limited, but also that only a sufficient buffer is maintained — thus minimizing downloads that would be wasted if the user stopped watching the video.
Enables Differentiated Services Through Fixed-Rate Reduction
Media Fidelity Suite Media Optimization allows operators to apply fixed data reduction rates to some or all of their users, based on video source, device used, previous usage profile, time and date, and any other identifying parameters that may be available. The ability to differentiate quality of video service offered to different users helps operators control the network abuse that inevitably results from excessive video traffic — and provides new revenue opportunities for creative service plans.
Selectively Optimizes Specific Video Sources
Operators frequently find that video traffic volume is dominated by a few websites. Media Optimization enables them to selectively optimize such sites while allowing other sites to be viewed unaltered. It also gives operators the alternative of excluding optimization from certain video download sites whose users may prefer the highest video quality regardless of download time.
Supports Adobe Flash Video
Adobe Flash Video (FLV) — the format used by many popular video sites, such as YouTube — currently accounts for approximately 90% of all web video traffic. Media Optimization is specifically designed to support progressive download players using Flash-over-HTTP technology, thereby optimizing FLV and thus the vast majority of all videos downloaded, streamed and watched from the Internet.
