Platforms for handling and development of audiovisual data

Estágio realizado na MOG Solutions e orientado por Vítor TeixeiraTese de mestrado integrado. Engenharia Informátca e Computação. Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 200

Feasibility study: Electronic media laboratory according to Industry standard

The goal of this Master's thesis was to find out the Metropolia media technology laboratory’s correlation to industrial electronic media production standards and environments. The laboratory environment for education and training should be following not only media technology curriculum, but also the requirements set for learning audio-visual technology, including the processes, technologies and practices involved in professional electronic production and publishing in Finland. Since the role of the laboratory is to perform as an effective learning environment, there are some understandable restrictions in technology and development, in financial and in management section that prevent it from reaching the industrial level. These limitations and differences between this environment and more sophisticated industrial model were studied in this thesis. Feasibility study, which is suitable for analyzing the technology, financial and administrative development all together, was selected as the research method. The study was intended to determine the achievable laboratory model of functional validation and also to demonstrate the proof of concept. Audiovisual production in the laboratory and the subsequent electronic digital publishing was created as an embedded model. The model takes into account the ongoing changes in the television environment and the traditional radio frequency transmission, which is now competing with other alternatives such as IP network distribution. Video editing as post production was analyzed in its current state and compared to a complete network-based-editing NAS and SAN model, which can also be implemented in cloud technologies for decentralized co-operation. This way the model was following the industry trends and future prospects. Research material was collected and acquired from written sources, industry fairs and conferences, resellers and agents as well as production companies and broadcasters. Practical implementation of electronic media publishing was simulated in the laboratory environment so that all the possible reception technologies were covered. Publishing was customized for compatibility with various devices. Noteworthy aspects in this publishing process were the post-processing, packetizing and distribution related quality management aspects their definition and management issues were also discussed in this thesis. The end result was a feasibility analysis and model, which defines the electronic publishing technology teaching bottlenecks regarding the equivalence of the technologies in laboratory environment.YAMK-insinöörityön tavoitteena oli selvittää Metropolian mediatekniikan laboratorion vastaavuus teollisessa elektronisen median tuotannossa noudatettaviin standardeihin. Laboratorion koulutusympäristönä tulee noudattaa paitsi mediatekniikan opetussuunnitelmassa audio-visuaaliselle tekniikalle oppimiselle asetettuja vaatimuksia, myös niitä prosesseja, käytäntöjä ja teknologioita joita ammattimainen elektroninen tuotanto ja julkaiseminen Suomessa toteuttaa. Oppimisympäristönä toimivan laboratorion kehittämiselle ja varustamiselle on ymmärrettävästi teknisiä, taloudellisia ja hallinnallisia rajoituksia, jotka estävät sen saavuttamasta teollista tasoa. Näiden rajojen ja kehittyneemmän teollisen mallin eroja tutkittiin. Tutkimusmenetelmäksi valittiin saavutettavuustutkimus (eng. feasebility study), joka menetelmänä soveltuu teknologian, taloudellisen tai hallinnollisen kehittämiseen analysointiin. Tutkimuksella pyrittiin määrittelemään saavutettavissa olevan laboratoriomallin toiminnallinen validointi ja toteutettavuuden osoitus (engl.proof of concept). Laboratorion audiovisuaalista tuotantoa ja sitä seuraavaa elektronista sekä digitaalista julkaisemista varten luotiin sulautettu malli. Mallissa huomioitiin televisioympäristössä meneillään oleva muutos, jossa perinteinen radiotaajuuslähettäminen on saanut vaihtoehdoksi IP- verkoilla suoritettavan jakelun. Videon editointi jälkituotantona analysointiin nykytilassa ja vertailtiin sitä täydellisen verkkoeditoinnin malleihin, jotka voivat myös toteuttaa pilviteknologioita hajautetussa tuotannollisessa yhteistyössä. Näin medialaboratorion mallinnuksessa huomioitiin toimialan ajan trendit ja tulevaisuuden näkymät. Tämä tutkimusaineisto hankittiin kirjallisten lähteiden lisäksi, alan messuilta ja konferensseista, maahantuojilta ja edustajilta sekä tuotanto- ja yleisradioyhtiöiltä. Elektronisen median julkaisemista simuloitiin laboratorioympäristössä niin, että kaikki mahdolliset vastaanottotekniikat oli otettu huomioon. Julkaiseminen räätälöitiin myös soveltuvaksi eri päätelaitteille. Julkaisemisessa huomionarvoisiksi asioiksi nousivat audiovisuaalisen sisällön jälkiprosessointiin, paketointiin ja lähettämiseen liittyvät tekniset laadunhallinnan aspektit, esimerkiksi eri videonpakkausalgoritmien soveltuvuus videosisällön jakelussa, julkaisemisen automatisoinnin mahdollistaminen ja eri julkaisualustojen tutkiminen ja määrittely Lopputuloksena saatiin aikaan soveltuvuusanalyysi ja mallinnus, jossa määriteltiin elektronisen julkaisemisen teknisen opetuksen pullonkaulat teolliseen vastaavuuteen nähden. Suurimmaksi kompastuskiveksi voidaan mainita jakelujärjestelmän operoinnin hankaluus sekä verkotetun editointijärjestelmän määrittelyn haasteellisuus

Compare multimedia frameworks in mobile platforms

Multimedia feature is currently one of the most important features in mobile devices. Many modern mobile platforms use a centralized software stack to handle multimedia requirements that software stack is called multimedia framework. Multimedia framework belongs to the middleware layer of mobile operating system. It can be considered as a bridge that connects mobile operating system kernel, hardware drivers with UI applications. It supplies high level APIs that offers simple and easy solutions for complicated multimedia tasks to UI application developers. Multimedia Framework also manages and utilizes low lever system software and hardware in an efficient manner. It offers a centralize solution between high level demands and low level system resources. In this M.Sc. thesis project we have studied, analyzed and compared open source GStreamer, Android Stagefright and Microsoft Silverlight Media Framework from several perspectives. Some of the comparison perspectives are architecture, supported use cases, extensibility, implementation language and program language support (bindings), developer support, and legal status aspects. One of the main contributions of this thesis work is that clarifying in details the strength and weaknesses of each framework. Furthermore, the thesis should serve decision-making guidance when on needs to select a multimedia framework for a project. Moreover, and to enhance the impression with the three multimedia frameworks, a basic media player implementation is demonstrated with source code in the thesis.fi=Opinnäytetyö kokotekstinä PDF-muodossa.|en=Thesis fulltext in PDF format.|sv=Lärdomsprov tillgängligt som fulltext i PDF-format

Audio module integration into high quality video transmission software

El projecte tracta d'afegir noves funcionalitats al sistema de transmissio HD, basat en software lliure, UltraGrid. El projecte consistira en l'integracio d'un modul d'audio tant en captura des d'una mateixa font, audio i video, com desde una font independent de forma sincronitzada, per cada usuari. Aixo donara lloc a un sistema complet de videoconferencia adaptable. A mes en una segona fase del projecte, l'alumne adaptara el modul d'audio per a entorns multiusuari (multiconferencia), en els modes, N:1 i N:N, afegint les millores d'audio aconseguides. Per ultim, s'estudiara la viabilitat de desenvolupar un cancel?ladors d'eco basat en software i un modul de deteccio d'activitat per donar posicio preferent al usuari que esta parlant a la multi- conferenci

Media of things : supporting the production and consumption of object-based media with the internet of things

Ph. D. Thesis.Visual media consumption habits are in a constant state of flux, predicting which platforms and consumption mediums will succeed and which will fail is a fateful business. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality could be the 3D TVs that went before them, or they could push forward a new level of content immersion and radically change media production forever. Content producers are constantly trying to adapt to these shifts in habits and respond to new technologies. Smaller independent studios buoyed by their new-found audience penetration through sites like YouTube and Facebook can inherently respond to these emerging technologies faster, not weighed down by the “legacy” many. Broadcasters such as the BBC are keen to evolve their content to respond to the challenges of this new world. Producing content that is both more compelling in terms of immersion, and more responsive to technological advances in terms of input and output mediums. This is where the concept of Object-based Broadcasting was born, content that is responsive to the user consuming their content on a phone over a short period of time whilst also providing an immersive multi-screen experience for a smart home environment. One of the primary barriers to the development of Object-based Media is in a feasible set of mechanisms to generate supporting assets and adequately exploit the input and output mediums of the modern home. The underlying question here is how we build these experiences, we obviously can’t produce content for each of the thousands of combinations of devices and hardware we have available to us. I view this challenge to content makers as one of a distinct lack of descriptive and abstract detail at both ends of the production pipeline. In investigating the contribution that the Internet of Things may have to this space I first look to create well described assets in productions using embedded sensing. Detecting non-visual actions and generating detail not possible from vision alone. I then look to exploit existing datasets from production and consumption environments to gain greater understanding of generated media assets and a means to coordinate input/output in the home. Finally, I investigate the opportunities for rich and expressive interaction with devices and content in the home exploiting favourable characteristics of existing interfaces to construct a compelling control interface to Smart Home devices and Object-based experiences. I resolve that the Internet of Things is vital to the development of Object-based Broadcasting and its wider roll-out.British Broadcasting Corporatio

Virtualisation and Thin Client : A Survey of Virtual Desktop environments

This survey examines some of the leading commercial Virtualisation and Thin Client technologies. Reference is made to a number of academic research sources and to prominent industry specialists and commentators. A basic virtualisation Laboratory model is assembled to demonstrate fundamental Thin Client operations and to clarify potential problem areas

Evaluating and improving the performance of video content distribution in lossy networks

The contributions in this research are split in to three distinct, but related, areas. The focus of the work is based on improving the efficiency of video content distribution in the networks that are liable to packet loss, such as the Internet. Initially, the benefits and limitations of content distribution using Forward Error Correction (FEC) in conjunction with the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is presented. Since added FEC can be used to reduce the number of retransmissions, the requirement for TCP to deal with any losses is greatly reduced. When real-time applications are needed, delay must be kept to a minimum, and retransmissions not desirable. A balance, therefore, between additional bandwidth and delays due to retransmissions must be struck. This is followed by the proposal of a hybrid transport, specifically for H.264 encoded video, as a compromise between the delay-prone TCP and the loss-prone UDP. It is argued that the playback quality at the receiver often need not be 100% perfect, providing a certain level is assured. Reliable TCP is used to transmit and guarantee delivery of the most important packets. The delay associated with the proposal is measured, and the potential for use as an alternative to the conventional methods of transporting video by either TCP or UDP alone is demonstrated. Finally, a new objective measurement is investigated for assessing the playback quality of video transported using TCP. A new metric is defined to characterise the quality of playback in terms of its continuity. Using packet traces generated from real TCP connections in a lossy environment, simulating the playback of a video is possible, whilst monitoring buffer behaviour to calculate pause intensity values. Subjective tests are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the metric introduced and show that the results of objective and subjective scores made are closely correlated

MediaSync: Handbook on Multimedia Synchronization

This book provides an approachable overview of the most recent advances in the fascinating field of media synchronization (mediasync), gathering contributions from the most representative and influential experts. Understanding the challenges of this field in the current multi-sensory, multi-device, and multi-protocol world is not an easy task. The book revisits the foundations of mediasync, including theoretical frameworks and models, highlights ongoing research efforts, like hybrid broadband broadcast (HBB) delivery and users' perception modeling (i.e., Quality of Experience or QoE), and paves the way for the future (e.g., towards the deployment of multi-sensory and ultra-realistic experiences). Although many advances around mediasync have been devised and deployed, this area of research is getting renewed attention to overcome remaining challenges in the next-generation (heterogeneous and ubiquitous) media ecosystem. Given the significant advances in this research area, its current relevance and the multiple disciplines it involves, the availability of a reference book on mediasync becomes necessary. This book fills the gap in this context. In particular, it addresses key aspects and reviews the most relevant contributions within the mediasync research space, from different perspectives. Mediasync: Handbook on Multimedia Synchronization is the perfect companion for scholars and practitioners that want to acquire strong knowledge about this research area, and also approach the challenges behind ensuring the best mediated experiences, by providing the adequate synchronization between the media elements that constitute these experiences

DLNA test suite

Mestrado em Engenharia Electrónica e TelecomunicaçõesH a uma tendencia para o crescimento da inteleg^encia nas nossas casas. Normas como UPnP e DLNA prop^oem automatizar a forma como os nossos dispositivos interagem. No quadro actual, os dispositivos de media dominam a intelig^encia das nossas casas. O f orum UPnP e uma iniciativa industrial criada para permitir a conectividade f acil e robusta entre dispositivos auto-su cientes e PC's de diferentes fabricantes. O objectivo deste f orum e desenvolver normas para descrever os protocolos de comunica c~ao entre dispositivos e esquemas XML, e permitir a opera c~ao entre dispositivos numa rede escal avel. O DLNA foi criado em Junho de 2003 com o nome Digital Home Working Group (DHWG), em Junho de 2004 foi alterado para Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA). A alian ca DLNA e liderada por 23 companhias (Access, Awox, Broadcom, Cisco, Comcast, HP, Huawei, IBM, Intel, Kenwood, LG Electronics, Macrovision, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, NXP Semiconductors, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp, Sony e Toshiba) e tem mais de 245 membros. Hoje em dia os consumidores est~ao a adquirir, ver e gerir uma grande quantidade de informa c~ao digital (fotos, m usica e v deos) nos seus PCs, dispositivos electr onicos e dispositivos m oveis. Estes pretendem aceder de forma f acil a partir de qualquer dispositivo em qualquer parte da sua casa aos seus conte udos de outros dispositivos. Esta ideia e poss vel atrav es da cria c~ao de uma rede com dispositivos certi cados pela alian ca DLNA. Uma rede DLNA oferece aos consumidores inter-conectividade autom atica entre equipamentos dom esticos, e aos fabricantes uma oportunidade de inovar e de diferenciar os seus produtos. Do ponto de vista do operador, aumenta a capacidade de diagn ostico e gest~ao remota da rede de cliente.The world we live on is becoming more and more digital, our homes are growing in intelligence. Standards like DLNA and UPnP AV propose to exchange our digital media (photos, audio, video) in an automatic way. The UPnP forum is a industrial initiative created to allow easy connectivity and robustness between independent devices from di erent fabricators. The objective of this forum is to develop templates to discriminate the protocols and XML schemes involved in the process of interoperability in a scalable network. The DLNA alliance was created in July 2003 by the name Digital Home Working Group (DHWG), later changed to Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) in June 2004. The DLNA alliance is commanded by 23 companies (Access, Awox, Broadcom, Cisco, Comcast, HP, Huawei, IBM, Intel, Kenwood, LG Electronics, Macrovision, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, NXP Semiconductors, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp, Sony e Toshiba) and have more then 245 members. Today consumers are acquiring, viewing and managing a big amount of digital information (images, audio, video) in their PCs, electronics devices and mobile devices. They want to access easily from any device in any part of the home to their information present in other devices. This idea is possible through a creation of a network with DLNA certi cated devices. A DLNA network o ers automatic inter-connectivity between devices to the consumers. It is an opportunity to innovate an di erentiate the products of their fabricators. From the operator point of view, increases the diagnose capability and remote management of the client network