BFlavor: an Optimized XML-based Framework for Multimedia Content Customization

C

On an evaluation of transformation languages in a fully XML-driven framework for video content adaptation

Bitstream Structure Descriptions (BSDs) allow taking the complexity of transforming scalable bitstreams from the compressed domain to the semantic domain. These descriptions are an essential part of an XUL-driven video adaptation framework. The performance of a BSD transformation engine is very important in such an architecture. This paper evaluates the efficiency of XML-based transformation languages in our video adaptation framework. XSLT, STX, and a hybrid solution are compared to each other in terms of execution times, memory consumption, and user-friendliness. Our experiments show that STX is the preferred solution when speed and low-memory are important. The hybrid solution is competitive in terms of memory consumption and is more user-friendly than STX. Although XSLT is relative fast, its memory consumption is very high

Format-independent media delivery, applied to RTP, MP4, and Ogg

The current multimedia landscape is characterized by a significant heterogeneity in terms of coding and delivery formats, usage environments, and user preferences. This paper introduces a transparent multimedia content adaptation and delivery approach, i.e., model-driven content adaptation and delivery. It is based on a model that takes into account the structural metadata, semantic metadata, and scalability information of media bitstreams. Further, a format-independent multimedia packaging method is proposed based on this model for media bitstreams and MPEG-B BSDL. Thus, multimedia packaging is obtained by encapsulating the selected and adapted structural metadata within a specific delivery format. This packaging process is implemented using XML transformation filters and MPEG-B BSDL. To illustrate this format-independent packaging technique, we apply it to three packaging formats: RTP, MP4, and Ogg

HTTP adaptive streaming with media fragment URIs

HTTP adaptive streaming was introduced with the general idea that user agents interpret a manifest file (describing different representations and segments of the media); where-after they retrieve the media content using sequential HTTP progressive download operations. MPEG started with the standardization of an HTTP streaming protocol, defining the structure and semantics of a manifest file and additional restrictions and extensions for container formats. At the same time, W3C is working on a specification for addressing media fragments on the Web using Uniform Resource Identifiers. The latter not only defines the URI syntax for media fragment identifiers but also the protocol for retrieving media fragments over HTTP. In this paper, we elaborate on the role of Media Fragment URIs within HTTP adaptive streaming scenarios. First, we elaborate on how different media representations can be addressed by means of Media Fragment URIs, by using track fragments. Additionally, we illustrate how HTTP adaptive streaming is realized relying on the Media Fragments URI retrieval protocol. To validate the presented ideas, we implemented Apple's HTTP Live streaming technique using Media Fragment URI