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

Applications of satellite technology to broadband ISDN networks

Two satellite architectures for delivering broadband integrated services digital network (B-ISDN) service are evaluated. The first is assumed integral to an existing terrestrial network, and provides complementary services such as interconnects to remote nodes as well as high-rate multicast and broadcast service. The interconnects are at a 155 Mbs rate and are shown as being met with a nonregenerative multibeam satellite having 10-1.5 degree spots. The second satellite architecture focuses on providing private B-ISDN networks as well as acting as a gateway to the public network. This is conceived as being provided by a regenerative multibeam satellite with on-board ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) processing payload. With up to 800 Mbs offered, higher satellite EIRP is required. This is accomplished with 12-0.4 degree hopping beams, covering a total of 110 dwell positions. It is estimated the space segment capital cost for architecture one would be about $190M whereas the second architecture would be about$250M. The net user cost is given for a variety of scenarios, but the cost for 155 Mbs services is shown to be about $15-22/minute for 25 percent system utilization

An architecture for an ATM network continuous media server exploiting temporal locality of access

With the continuing drop in the price of memory, Video-on-Demand (VoD) solutions that have so far focused on maximising the throughput of disk units with a minimal use of physical memory may now employ significant amounts of cache memory. The subject of this thesis is the study of a technique to best utilise a memory buffer within such a VoD solution. In particular, knowledge of the streams active on the server is used to allocate cache memory. Stream optimised caching exploits reuse of data among streams that are temporally close to each other within the same clip; the data fetched on behalf of the leading stream may be cached and reused by the following streams. Therefore, only the leading stream requires access to the physical disk and the potential level of service provision allowed by the server may be increased. The use of stream optimised caching may consequently be limited to environments where reuse of data is significant. As such, the technique examined within this thesis focuses on a classroom environment where user progress is generally linear and all users progress at approximately the same rate for such an environment, reuse of data is guaranteed. The analysis of stream optimised caching begins with a detailed theoretical discussion of the technique and suggests possible implementations. Later chapters describe both the design and construction of a prototype server that employs the caching technique, and experiments that use of the prototype to assess the effectiveness of the technique for the chosen environment using `emulated' users. The conclusions of these experiments indicate that stream optimised caching may be applicable to larger scale VoD systems than small scale teaching environments. Future development of stream optimised caching is considered

Guide to Options for ETD Programs

Dr. Martin Halbert of the University of North Texas documents the spectrum of ETD program implementation and offers guidance for academic decision-makers who are either creating or modifying ETD programs. Dr. Halbert identifies and offers in-depth analysis regarding the five key decisions that ETD programs must make. He also provides a literature review of publications, standards and reports that have been produced to date, and relates these to the key decisions

How to accelerate your internet : a practical guide to bandwidth management and optimisation using open source software

xiii, 298 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.Libro ElectrónicoAccess to sufficient Internet bandwidth enables worldwide electronic collaboration, access to informational resources, rapid and effective communication, and grants membership to a global community. Therefore, bandwidth is probably the single most critical resource at the disposal of a modern organisation. The goal of this book is to provide practical information on how to gain the largest possible benefit from your connection to the Internet. By applying the monitoring and optimisation techniques discussed here, the effectiveness of your network can be significantly improved