What Is Mobile Video Streaming?

Mobile streaming media is a video playback function implemented on mobile devices. Generally, the playback format of mobile streaming media is the 3GPP format. Now smart phones (S60 WindowsMobile, etc.) are increasingly able to download streaming media players on these phones. Achieve streaming media playback.

Chinese name: Mobile streaming
Features: Video playback

Carrier: Mobile devices
General type: smart phone

Introduction to mobile streaming

Mobile streaming media is a video playback function implemented on mobile devices. Generally, the playback format of mobile streaming media is 3GP format. Smart phones (Symbian, windows phone, android, iOS, etc.) are increasingly available for download on these phones Streaming media player for streaming media playback

In addition, some non-smart phones can also implement streaming media. Most non-smart phones of Nokia have streaming media players.

The videos played by mobile streaming media usually start with rtsp // :. There are not many such websites, because the domestic network is not perfect, only a few websites have them. Users can log in to Monternet or wap.cctv.com to watch such online videos. However, it is far from enough to watch movies on a monthly basis, but it is believed that people will be able to watch TV on mobile phones in the near future.

Mobile streaming media transmission

There are two types of streaming media transmission: Progressive Streaming and Real-time Streaming.

(1) Sequential flow mode. The sequential streaming method is sequential download, and the previously downloaded part is played while downloading. The sequential download method is not interactive. The sequential flow method is an early way to provide streaming services on the IP network. Generally, HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is used to send over TCP. Services can be provided using a standard HTTP server, and no special protocol is required. The impact of network conditions is basically reflected in latency. The disadvantage of the sequential stream transmission method is that it is not suitable for transmitting longer media, nor can it provide random access.

(2) Real-time streaming mode. In the real-time streaming mode, streaming media can be played in real time, and it provides VCR function, which is interactive and can respond to the user's fast forward or rewind operations during playback. In general, the real-time streaming method requires a special protocol such as RTSP, and also needs a dedicated streaming media server. Due to the real-time playback, the impact of the network condition on the playback quality is more direct. When the network is congested and problems occur, the loss of packets causes the video quality to deteriorate, and playback may appear intermittent or even paused. The advantage of real-time streaming is that it has more interactivity. The disadvantage is that it requires special protocols and dedicated servers, and the configuration and management are more complicated.

Mobile Streaming Media Control Protocol

The unique applications and control protocols used by streaming media are RTP / RTCP, RSVP, and RTSP.

(1) Real-time transmission protocol (RTP) and real-time control protocol (RTCP). RTP / RTCP is an IP-based application layer protocol that supports the transmission of real-time data (audio, video streams). The idea is to send some feedback information about the quality of transmission and reception while transmitting real-time data. These two tasks are respectively handled by RTP. And RTCP is done. RTP provides some mechanisms for time reconstruction, timing, packet loss detection, and reordering. RTP supports unicast and multicast, which can be used for unidirectional transmission and bidirectional services. However, RTP itself does not provide a mechanism for how to transmit in real time, nor does it provide reliable flow blocking control. Instead, it cooperates with RTCP and UDP to make The transmission efficiency is optimized. RTP / RTCP provides the required functions and control mechanisms for transmitting real-time data, but it is not itself responsible for high-level tasks such as reordering and synchronization, which are completed by the application program.

(2) Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP). RSVP allows data receivers to request special end-to-end QoS for data flows. Real-time applications use RSVP to reserve the necessary resources on the router so that the required bandwidth can be obtained during transmission. The RSVP process is single and does not distinguish between sender and receiver. RSVP supports multicast and unicast, and adapts to the changing number of members and routing. The use of RSVP requires that nodes on the transmission path support RSVP, which is difficult to guarantee, so streaming applications generally do not use RSVP.

(3) Real-time streaming protocol (RTSP). RTSP is an application layer protocol. RTSP can be used to establish and control continuous audio media and video media streams between the server and the client, perform "network remote control" between the server and the client, and provide VCR-like audio and video Remote control function. However, RTSP is transmitted in a data-independent channel. RTSP supports unicast and multicast, and provides a method for selecting transmission channels. You can choose UDP, multicast UDP, and TCP. The lower-level transmission mechanism depends on RTP or TCP. RTSP operates in coordination with low-level protocols (such as RTP, RSVP) to provide complete streaming services. RTSP is a stateful, symmetrical protocol. The RTSP server maintains the session state and both the media server and the client in RTSP can make requests. The syntax and operation of RTSP is similar to HTTP, using URLs similar to those in HTTP dedicated to audio and video.

Mobile streaming applications

Streaming media application forms can be simply divided into three categories: on-demand applications, live broadcast applications, and conference applications.

(1) On-demand application. In on-demand applications, generally on-demand content is stored on the server and published as needed. The same or different programs can be ordered on-demand at the same time, that is, multiple terminals can play the same stream file in real-time and interactive locations at different locations and at different times. Users can view and select content for on-demand through the portal. According to the needs of users, the functions of playing, stopping, pausing, fast-forwarding, and rewinding can also be implemented during the on-demand process.

(2) Live application. In the live broadcast service mode, users can only watch the content being played and cannot control it.

(3) Conference application. Meeting applications are similar to live applications, but they have different requirements, such as two-way communication. For both parties, it is necessary to have hardware and software including media capture and streaming technology. Meeting applications sometimes do not require high audio / video quality.

Mobile Streaming Latest Report

Juniper Research said it expects mobile streaming music revenue growth to exceed 40% in 2013 to reach $ 1.7 billion.

The cooperation between operators and service providers will further promote the development of streaming music services, and the revenue generated by streaming music services is expected to exceed the full song download.

In 2013, the United States will surpass South Korea, leading the market for streaming mobile streaming music services

Sweden's Sunella Telecom has integrated music players (Spotify) with TV, mobile and cable services. At the same time, Germany's O2 launched the simfy music service to provide streaming music services; and Deutsche Telekom released Spotify.

Windsor Holden, author of the Juniper Research report, said that in the past, Apple, Google, and Amazon have all focused on cloud music from a storage perspective, viewing it as a download service provided by a remote data center.

Holden added: "Apple's upcoming iRadio service may bring huge impacts and challenges to current music players and stimulate other major OTT operators to participate in the competition."

According to this report, digital privacy has a profound impact on the monetization of streaming music services. In the face of various obstacles and restrictions, Torrent traffic continues to grow.

The report also found that mobile music services are content-driven and that they have played a role in social evolution, such as sharing habits, live updates, and following options.

The report states that revenue from traditional services such as ring tones and ring tones will continue to decline. Currently, ringtone service revenue in Western Europe accounts for only 2% of its peak.

Appearance and development of mobile streaming

The so-called streaming media refers to the media format that is transmitted on the network by means of streaming transmission. Streaming media does not download the entire file before playback, only the beginning of the content is stored in memory, the data packet is cached in the computer and the media data is output correctly. The streaming data stream is transmitted at any time and played at any time. In recent years, the application of streaming media technology based on broadband wired networks has made great progress, and the streaming media technology based on mobile communication networks has also gradually matured.

Currently, some mobile streaming media services can already be implemented on 2.5G networks, and 3G networks will provide more effective support for the development of mobile streaming media services. Because 3G networks have higher data transmission rates and data service support capabilities, 3G operators can not only provide users with high-quality voice services, but also provide high-rate streaming media services. From a global perspective, with the acceleration of the 3G commercial process, some mobile operators in Japan, South Korea, and Europe and the United States have successively launched video services based on mobile streaming technology. Mobile streaming media has become the core business and hotspot of 3G networks. business. From the perspective of practical applications, mobile streaming media can provide on-demand, live broadcast, and download-play services. Among them, on-demand applications mainly include movie clips, highlights, MTV, etc .; live broadcasts include TV shows, video surveillance, major events, live music conferences, etc .; download and play are more suitable for those off-line multimedia programs that require high audio and video quality . Facing the future, people are full of wonderful expectations for the mobile streaming media business. The mobile streaming media business is still in its infancy, but its development prospects are very promising. With the continuous development of mobile communication networks and technologies, mobile streaming media services will definitely become the mainstream of mobile value-added services.

Excerpt from: Mobile streaming media technology and its application in 3G mobile communication-communication world. ^[1]