Comparison of standard-based H.264 error-resilience techniques and multiple-description coding for robust MIMO-enabled video transmission

摘要

MIMO (multiple-input-multiple-output) systems offer potential for throughput increase and enhanced quality of service for multimedia transmission. The underlying multipath environment requires new error-resilience techniques if the obtained benefits are to be fully exploited. Different MIMO architectures produce error-patterns of somewhat diverse characteristics. This paper proposes the use of multiple-description coding (MDC) as an approach that outperforms the standard-based error-resilience techniques in the majority of these cases. Results obtained from the random packet-error generator are furthered through the use of realistic MIMO channel scenarios and argue in favour of the deployment of an MDC-based video transmission system. Singular value decomposition (SVD) is used to create orthogonal sub-channels within a MIMO system which provide, depending on their respective gains and fading characteristics, an efficient means of mapping video content. Results indicate improvements in average PSNR of decoded test-sequences of up to 3 dB (5dB in the region of high PERs) compared to standard, single-description video transmission. This is also supported by significant subjective quality enhancements.