A novel adaptive logic for dynamic adaptive streaming over HTTP

Abstract In this paper, we propose an estimation method that estimates the throughput of upcoming video segments based on variations in the network throughput observed during the download of previous video segments. Then, we propose a rate-adaptive algorithm for Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) streaming. The proposed algorithm selects the quality of the video based on the estimated throughput and playback buffer occupancy. The proposed method selects high-quality video segments, while minimizing video quality changes and the risk of playback interruption, improving user’s experience. We evaluate the algorithm for single- and multi-user environments and demonstrate that it performs remarkably well under varying network conditions. Furthermore, we determine that it efficiently utilizes network resources to achieve a high video rate; competing HTTP clients achieve equitable video rates. We also confirm that variations in the playback buffer size and segment duration do not affect the performance of the proposed algorithm.