Forward error correction with RaptorQ Code on embedded systems

Raptor code, a member of the rateless fountain codes family, has been a preferred technology for the forward error correction (FEC) at the application layer. It is used by the 3rd Generation Partnership Program (3GPP) Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) and Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB-H) standards for multimedia broadcast and content delivery. Currently, a next generation fountain code, called RaptorQ, is being proposed. It aims at reducing to a minimum the redundant FEC information, outperforming significantly Raptor code. The improved coding performance comes at the expense of increased encoding and decoding complexity. This paper compares the coding properties, the decoding performance and the energy efficiency of the two codes on embedded system. Furthermore, simulations are performed for a practical MBMS scenario. Finally, conclusions are drawn with respect to the applicability of the new code for realtime multimedia broadcasting and content delivery.