QoE in multicast hybrid networks: optimal parameters for a cross layer FEC

Quality of experience (QoE) is becoming an important parameter for estimating the end user perceived video quality. Video coding algorithms are currently increasing the compression performances by exploiting the temporal and spatial correlations of multimedia information. Such a trend is self-defeating in hybrid networks, due to the frequent channel impairments experienced. In this paper, we present a cross layer approach to reduce the channel impairments that a multimedia communication undergoes when broadcasting a video stream through an hybrid infrastructure constituted by satellite and terrestrial wireless links. We present a detailed statistical description of the terrestrial wireless channel, and we exploit it to design the optimal parameters for tuning our algorithm. Simulations results show that our approach not only performs better than the error recovery techniques currently used, but it also experiences a significant reduction in bandwidth overhead.