1 scalable video coding the 2012 disrupter?. today’s discussion h.264 avc svc fundamentals...

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Scalable Video Coding

the 2012 disrupter?

Today’s Discussion• H.264 AVC• SVC fundamentals• Simulcast• SVC in videoconferencing

– Vidyo– Radvision – Cisco – Polycom

© 2012 Wainhouse Research, LLC. 2

H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC Overview

• Standard for video compression• Includes multiple profiles

– 2003: 3 profiles– 2009: 16 profiles

• 3 for scalable streams, 13 for single layer streams– 2012: 21 profiles

• 5 for SVC, 2 for multiview (3D)

Common vernacular is to refer to H.264 AVC and H.264 SVC, but this may be technically incorrect


H.264: traditional videoconferencing

Transcoding MCU

A

B

C

D

a

b+c+d

b

c

d

a+c+d

a+b+d

a+b+c


Scalable Video Coding• A video bit stream is called scalable if part of the stream

can be removed in such a way that the resulting bit stream is still decodable.

• Scalability here implies:– Single encode– Multiple possibilities to transmit and decode bitstream


Five SVC Profiles (Jan 2012)• Scalable Baseline profile and Scalable Constrained

• Targeted for conversational and surveillance applications.• Support for Spatial Scalable coding is restricted to ratios 1.5 and 2, between

successive spatial layers.• Interlaced video not supported.

• Scalable High profile and Scalable Constrained• Designed for broadcast, storage and streaming applications.• Spatial scalable coding with arbitrary resolution ratios supported.• Interlaced video supported

• Scalable High Intra profile• Designed for professional applications.• Contains only IDR pictures for all layers.• All other coding tools are same as Scalable High Profile.


H.264 SVC Basics

• Straight forward extension to H.264 AVC with very limited added complexity

• Layered approach– One base layer– One or more enhancement layers

• Base layer is H.264/AVC compliant. • Enhancement layers enable Temporal (frame rate),

Spatial (resolution) or Quality (SNR) improvements.• Enhancement layers can be dropped.


Prediction and Update operators

SVC Strengths• Can provide optimum video quality over range of bit

rates• Can provide optimum video quality over range of

endpoint power• Fits well with the dynamic and best-efforts philosophy

and variable performance of the Internet• Resilience to packet loss and graceful degradation as

bits are lost• Has been implemented in all-software solutions running

on industry standard platforms, including mobile


SVC Weaknesses

• Requires more encoding horsepower• Requires more bandwidth• No native interoperability today between

vendors• No native backwards compatibility today• Gateway solutions exist, but is a gateway a

scalable, resilient, cost-effective long term solution?


Google Talk

Skype

Telepresence

Microsoft Lync

Apple Facetime

IBM SameTime

Videoconferencing Islands

H.323

SIP

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SVC

© 2012 Wainhouse Research, LLC.

Simulcast


Simulcast

• Same goals as SVC• Allows endpoint to send multiple versions of

video• Each version is standards-compliant• Typical case: encode SD and HD streams or

encode SD, HD, and CIF


Simulcast

1080p

360p

1080p720p360p

Tablet/Smart Phone user

720p

Room system

Switched infrastructure, not transcoded

Video is standard H.264

Legacy System

Diagram courtesy of Cisco© 2012 Wainhouse Research, LLC. 16

H.264/AVC Simulcast vs. SVC

• Simulcast– Encode and send multiple bit-streams simultaneously

• SVC– Transmit a single bit-stream with base and enhancement

layers

H.264 simulcast

SD

HD

SVC

HD+SD


Simulcast Strengths• Compatible with old standards• Should work with almost any legacy system since all

streams can be decoded individually• Eliminates need for transcoding• Should work with new, low-cost video switching

infrastructure•


Simulcast Weaknesses

• Requires more encoding horsepower• Requires more bandwidth in all cases• Needs new video infrastructure - switched


Parameter AVC SVC Simulcast

Bandwidth Low Moderate High

Architecture scalability Low High High

E2E latency on MP calls High Low Low

Interoperability High Low Moderate to High

Packet loss resilience Moderate High Moderate to High

Ecosystem Large None Large

Source: Stefan Karapetkov Wainhouse Research internal communications

H.264/AVC Simulcast vs SVC


H.264/AVC Simulcast vs SVC

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0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000

Y-P

SN

R

Bitrate (KBPS)

H.264 Simulcast Vs. SVCManInRestaurent Sequence

1920x1080+960x540 SIMULCAST

SVC with 2 spatial layers (1920x1080<->960x540)

Curves depend on motion content, bit rate, number of enhancement layers; SVC generally provides 10-30% bit rate savings for equivalent quality

Source: Prof. V.M. Gadre, Dept of EE, IIT Bombay and TI DSP Labs study (Bangalore)


Technology


Legacy VC SVC Simulcast

Room EP DSP SW DSP

Personal EP SW SW SW

MCU* DSP SW SW + DSP

GW* DSP SW DSP

GK SW SW SW

VM and Cloud compatibility

Low High Medium-Low

* Other examples exist

The Vendors


SVC RoomSystem

SVC Desktop

SVC-VideoRouter

SVC RoomSystem SVC Desktop `

Vidyo

All calls must go through low-latency video router


Polycom• Largest pure-play videoconferencing vendor • Announced intention to deliver SVC solution in

conjunction with Microsoft Lync one year ago – missing in action

• Now appears to be working on simulcast solution

25© 2012 Wainhouse Research, LLC.

Radvision• Announced SVC solution April 2010• Supports temporal enhancements only• SVC implemented in Radvision MCU – supports

multipoint and gateway functionality• SVC implemented in SCOPIA software endpoint• Uses unequal error protection methods to protect base

layer• Pending acquisition by Avaya announced March 2012.


Radvision

Radvision MCUH.264 SVC

H.264 SVC

H.264 SVC

H.264 SVC

H.264 AVC

H.263


Cisco

• Investigating SVC for several years• Announced intention in Nov 2011 to support

simulcast in 2012• Currently in process of slimming down from ~9

video clients to 2 (and then 1)…. Jabber branding


Cisco’s Unified ConferencingCloud – On-premise – Switching – Transcoding

Transcoded Multipoint Conferencing Lowest bandwidth consumption Maximizes interoperability

Switched Multipoint Conferencing Lowest Latency Ability to virtualize High scalability

Webex Conferencing Cloud or On-Premises Global reach Scheduled and Ad-Hoc

Cisco TelePresence Conductor


Closing Thoughts• Innovation and improvement continues in the video

compression standards work• New algorithms take advantage of silicon

performance advances and software coding improvements

• New algorithms present challenges for backwards compatibility and interoperability


Closing Thoughts• Video and visual communications are becoming

commonplace• Millenial workers have grown up with the Internet,

YouTube, Facebook, etc….. This changes everything• Movement to mobile devices, remote workers, and

any-to-any communications drives interest in the newer video compression algorithms


By 2020 the software will always work…..

Version 2.0aApril 2, 2006

© ParkWood Advisors LLC, 2006All Rights Reserved

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New capabilities change behavior in unpredictable ways

Mainstream Collaboration time

1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

RelativeImpact of Capability

On behavior

Succession of H.264 AVC profiles

Simulcasting

H.265

Closing Thoughts• SVC as just another codec in the stack is of limited

value – real value is in migration to switched architecture and to the cloud

• The disruptive force created by Scalable Video Coding may be less than first thought– Simulcast may be alternative– SVC may be standardized with signaling and adopted by

multiple vendors

• The devices and applications we will be using in 2017 probably haven’t been invented yet

•


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• Market research & consulting firm– Founded 1999

• Focus– Videoconferencing, collaboration, & unified communications

• Clients– End Users– Manufacturers– Channel Partners– Financial Community

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Dallas

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1 scalable video coding the 2012 disrupter?. today’s discussion h.264 avc svc fundamentals...

Documents

wainhouse research

scalable video coding

spatial scalable coding

scalable streams

svc profiles

scalable high profile

scalable baseline profile

interlaced video