The climate crisis has highlighted the environmental impact of information and communication technologies (ICT), underscoring the need for sustainable solutions to reduce carbon emissions from ICT. As video streaming continues to dominate Internet traffic, research in this field has become increasingly important. The energy consumption of OLED TVs relies on the video brightness. Thus, an approach to optimized the energy consumption is reducing the video brightness. In this work, we provide an open dataset for energy consumption in OLED TVs while playing videos with various brightness levels. The dataset comprises the energy data of four OLED TVs with different screen sizes and manufacturers in playing 176 videos in a range of dark and bright content. As results, 704 data traces of energy consumption are collected.

Recent years have observed a drastic improvement in video streaming. However, there are still non-trivial open issues that need to be solved, including latency and throughput estimation. A common approach is Low-Latency Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (LL-DASH) that utilises Common Media Application Format (CMAF) to reduce the latency. Currently, a new solution is being developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) that leverages QUIC protocol, called Meida-over-QUIC (MoQ) Transport. MoQ Transport is supposed to achieve even lower latency for large-scale systems. In this paper, we present a testbed to compare the performance of the up-to-date version of MoQ Transport and LL-DASH under various network conditions.

The generation of 3D views from 2D images has become an essential task in various fields such as 3D animation, computer vision and industrial digital twins. Over the past few years, novel view synthesis models, particularly neural-based approaches, have shown significant advantages over traditional photogrammetry techniques. Despite these advancements, evaluating and comparing different models remains challenging due to varying datasets, testing methodologies, and complex setup processes. To address these issues, we propose a flexible and scalable evaluation framework that facilitates the integration and comparison of both existing and novel 3D view synthesis models. This web-based framework simplifies dataset management and model evaluation through a user-friendly interface, supporting multiple input formats and state-of-the-art tools like COLMAP for dataset creation. It also integrates models such as Instant Neural Graphics Primitives, 3D Gaussian Splatting, and 4D Gaussian Splatting, enabling fair performance comparisons across different datasets and scenarios. These models are also evaluated regarding key aspects showing the usability and versatility of the framework.

Video streaming services have become integral to modern digital experiences, yet they present a challenge in balancing perceptual quality with energy efficiency. This paper presents a study on the impact of luminance changes in video streaming on the perceptual quality experienced by end users and the associated energy consumption. We investigate different luminance change scenarios and evaluate their effects using objective quality metrics and energy consumption measurements. The results demonstrate the trade-off between visual quality and energy efficiency in video luminance reduction. We found that the video luminance can be reduced by 8% with acceptable quality while saving nearly 11% energy consumption. In addition, common quality metrics react differently with the changes in video luminance, which implies a subjective test to find the best performant metric. Insights from this study have implications for video streaming service providers and device manufacturers aiming to optimize user experience and energy efficiency.

As OTT (over-the-top) media streaming and underlying technologies have matured, streaming analytics has become more important, especially in a heterogeneous device ecosystem, where new devices or software updates can potentially cause streaming issues. In this paper we consider SAND (Server and Network Assisted DASH), CMCD (Common Media Client Data) and Streaming Quality of Experience Events, Properties and Metrics (CTA-2066) as standards to enable interoperable, standard-based streaming analytics for the predominant streaming formats MPEG-DASH and HLS. We focus on the visualization aspect of streaming metrics in UI (user interface) dashboards.

Video streaming applications account for 60% of today's global internet traffic. The trend to consume videos over the internet lead to a high demand for sophisticated and robust video players. dash.js is an open source DASH player of the DASH-Industry-Forum written in JavaScript utilizing the native browser APIs Media Source Extensions (MSE) and Encrypted Media Extensions (EME). This paper gives a general overview of the player and presents two specific features namely low-latency streaming and multi DRM playback. For that purpose, we illustrate how CMAF chunks in combination with the corresponding dash.js APIs and additional manifest parameters enable low latency streaming in the browser. For DRM support we focus on the interaction between dash.js, the EME and the underlying Content Decryption Module (CDM) of the browser.

Adaptive bitrate media streaming clients adjust the quality of media content depending on the current network conditions. The shared resource allocation (SRA) feature defined in MPEG-SAND (server and network assisted DASH) allows servers to allocate bandwidth to streaming clients. This enables coordination and prioritization of clients that are connected to the same network bottleneck (e.g., to maximize the number of clients that can play back a stream fluently). In this article, we evaluate different bandwidth limitation strategies and analyze the effects on the clients. For this purpose, a testbed using multiple Raspberry Pis was created. The results show that in various scenarios, SRA improves the fairness and the QoE of streaming sessions. Solely allocating a maximum quality level to the client is not sufficient in some cases. Therefore, additional means, such as limiting bandwidth on the client or traffic shaping with software-defined networking for SRA, are evaluated.

The decision on what item to learn next in a course can be supported by a recommender system (RS), which aims at making the learning process more efficient and effective. However, learners and learning activities frequently change over time. The question is: how are timely appropriate recommendations of learning resources actually evaluated and how can they be compared?

Adaptive bitrate (ABR) media streaming clients adjust the quality of media content depending on the current network conditions. The Shared Resource Allocation (SRA) feature defined in MPEG-SAND (Server and network assisted DASH), allows servers to allocate bandwidth to streaming clients. This enables coordination and prioritization of clients that are connected to the same network bottleneck, e.g. to maximize the number of clients that can play back a stream fluently. In this paper we evaluate different bandwidth limitation strategies and analyze the effects on the clients. For this purpose, a testbed using multiple Raspberry Pis was created. The results show that in various scenarios, SRA improves the fairness and the QoE of streaming sessions. Solely allocating a maximum quality level to the client is not sufficient in some cases. Therefore, additional means for SRA are evaluated.

HTML5 based video players are able to perform a client-side conversion from HTTP Live Streaming and Smooth Streaming content to ISO base media file format compliant media streaming formats supported by the native browser extensions Media Source Extensions and Encrypted Media Extensions. Transmuxing and converting segments and manifests on the client side is a reasonable approach on fast desktop devices, but comparatively slow devices like smart-phones, TV sets, and set-top boxes might run into performance problems. In the worst case this leads to playback and buffering problems and a bad user experience. This paper examines the efficiency of client-side conversion solutions on different platforms and devices. For that purpose a testing framework is integrated into the open source players hasplayer.js and hls.js. The results show significant performance differences in manifest and segment conversion speed between desktop and mobile devices.

MPEG-DASH in combination with CENC (Common Encryption), builds a solid foundation for interoperable media streaming on the Web. With W3C HTML5 premium media extensions MSE (Media Source Extensions) and EME (Encrypted Media Extension), being available in all major browsers today, a wide range of supported platforms exists already. A Content Decryption Module (CDM) is required for a functional EME implementation. We introduce an open source implementation of a CDM and explain the architecture behind this solution. It is designed to work with multiple DRM systems in an open and standardized way. To improve interoperability for protected content across the whole playback chain, the CDMi specification adds another abstraction layer between CDM and DRM system. We show that an open source CDM also integrates with the CDMi approach to support hardware-based DRM platforms.

The proposed system makes video content an interactive experience and gives the viewer the opportunity to interact with objects that are part of the video and access supplemental information. On demand, multimedia content is linked with related information. Interactive, time independent navigation opens new ways to experience and share video content and TV impressions.

In this paper we present an approach towards an open API for managed and unmanaged IPTV Ecosystems, as standardized in Open IPTV Forum and ETSI TISPAN. Inspired by ETSI TISPAN's so called IPTV Service State, containing information upon a current user's service usage data and behavior, the design and implementation of an IPTV Service State API realized inside the FOKUS IPTV Ecosystem will be presented. The goal of this API is to provide a protocol independent mechanism allowing access to an IPTV service provider's infrastructure and its users. The API enables on the one hand other service enablers to manipulate a single user's IPTV session, e.g. for targeted ad insertion, as well as various Web oriented client technologies (e.g. Widget oriented systems) to be integrated into standardized infrastructures.

Convergence of fixed, mobile and cable networks has tackled well known patterns, where incumbent operators have reliable understanding of telecommunication and broadcaster of TV provisioning. Currently both parties are cannibalizing their business models by providing integrated bundled solutions: telecommunication, Internet and TV - known under the notion of Triple Play. To-date, a lot of vendor specific silo approaches are appearing. These approaches lack of three characteristics: cross-vendor interoperability, integrated telecommunication and interactivity. Thus, Standard Development Organizations (SDOs) addressing the standardization of open interfaces to face these issues. This paper presents Fraunhofer FOKUS activities towards Next Generation IPTV ecosystems and proposes a novel IPTV architecture and a prototypical implementation facing interoperability, telecommunication and interactivity.

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In this paper we provide the description of a new mobility service for an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) platform. It optimizes the operation of multimedia services in a wireless heterogeneous environment containing multiple access networks with different cost per bandwidth ratio. It extends the SIP Presence Service with mobility related information, i.e. Media Independent Handover (MIH). The terminals are able to exchange specific handover knowledge with the remote service provisioning infrastructure and to receive commands adapted to the profile of all the parties involved in multimedia sessions, transparent to the actual multimedia service. The system was designed to enable the adaptation of multimedia sessions to the profile of the users and to the momentary network conditions on an end-to-end basis.

Currently there is a strong discussion throughout the industry and all relevant standard development organizations (SDO) like the ITU-T and ETSI TISPAN how next generation IPTV services could incorporate with the developments from the TISPAN NGN Release 2 architecture. Several approaches have already been introduced struggling with the need for an integrated solution with the core IMS network or the development of a separated subsystem for next generation IPTV services. The main focus for the integrated solution lies on the difficulties in using the session initiation protocol (SIP) or SIP in combination with the real time streaming protocol (RTSP) for both the signaling and media control including so called trick functions that allow to manipulate media delivery by e.g. pausing and fast forwarding the content. This paper demonstrates fundamental scenarios and requirements towards a cooperative service delivery platform for the provisioning of IPTV services over IMS enabled next generation networks. As a result of that work a generic IMS-based cooperative service delivery platform is introduced

Identifying correlations between context data, user behavior, and semantic information can lead to new services that are able to adapt to different situations. This "personalization" process can be based on recommendations on content. To better support service developers in focusing mainly on the creation of their service logic, these recommendations should be provided by a generic multipurpose recommender. Therefore, this paper proposes a generic framework that delivers "contextual recommendations" that are based on the combination of previously gathered user feedback data (i.e. ratings and clickstream history), context data, and ontology-based content categorization schemes. This paper provides a detailed overview of the specification, a short description of a possible usage scenario, and a discussion of the results

This paper describes an approach for connecting basic functionalities of distributed consumer electronics and telecommunication equipment to compose so called virtual devices for better user experience. Basic device functions can be their capabilities such as keyboard, mouse, display, storage, as well as communication and messaging capabilities. The paper gives a short introduction of the idea and the need for such a device composition and describes a concept platform for virtual device composition

The paper presents an association rule mining based learning approach for multimodal user interface adaptation in mobile environments. High-level knowledge about user preferences in multimodal interaction is inferred, using data mining techniques based on context parameters of the environment. The current approach facilitates automatic selection of multimodality capable interaction devices and their according rendering facilities for media output streams. An overview of the learning subsystem being part of the distributed communication sphere (DCS) management architecture, proposed within the EU IST-027617 project SPICE, will be introduced. Further the design of the learning approach will be discussed, including the definition and adaptation of snapshot data based on environment parameters. Frequent snapshots form the basis for learning, and therefore for the described association rule mining algorithm. Theoretical simulation results are presented and an outlook towards next research steps is given.

The vision of I-centric communications is one of the important and well-known paradigms for future ubiquitous user-centric services. Following this vision, the goal of the research project 'I-centric business communication tools (ICBCT)' is to realize a seamless computing environment and supporting tools for mobile workers and users. Context awareness, personalization, adaptation as well as communication support are identified as key features of the envisioned platform. The tools were implemented using YACAN (yet-another context awareness), which is a context awareness framework developed by NTT DATA. During the course of the project, YACAN are enhanced with features derived from the I-centric communications approach. This paper introduces the functional building blocks as well as the logical architecture of the resulting ICBCT platform. Based on this architecture two service scenarios was shown.

Research in ubiquitous computing showed the possibilities and advantages of deploying personalized and adaptive services in distributed environments. However traditional service creation burdens the users with proprietary device descriptions and service programming skills. New design paradigms, such as general frameworks based on an open cooperating objects standard enable seamless environments for creation, deployment, and execution of services. This open, distributed, and scalable platform supports the realization of evolvable services based on arbitrary combinations of cooperative objects. This paper introduces a system, which allows the adaptable creation, deployment, and execution of rule-based service descriptions. Thereby, services are customizable by the user and automatically adapted to changing environments.

The convergence of embedded systems and wireless communication enables interconnection of electronic devices to render control and provide information to the user. Offices, apartments, and public spaces are or in the near future will be able to deliver information and services to their occupants ranging from instant Internet access to configuration and control in a context dependent, personalized way. Despite progressing internetworking and sophistication, we are still dealing with islands of functionality rather than the invisible computer envisioned by Mark Weiser. We believe that the spread and acceptance of smart environments will depend on common standards as well as a simple and flexible way to access data and devices and compose services from existing ones. A good example of such a system is the World Wide Web, whose success is mainly due to the simplicity with which all kinds of content can be published and referenced. We present an access protocol to bring the Web's simplicity and holistic view on data and services to pervasive systems. Our approach is based on the representational state transfer architectural style and emphasizes abstraction of data and services as resources, interoperation via self describing data and service orchestration with loosely typed components. A particular concern is to provide for functionality in the absence of proxy nodes or infrastructure services like directory servers.

The vision of pervasive computing and communication will shape individual lives in the future. Following this vision, the goal of 'I-centric services based on super distributed objects' is to provide a seamless computing environment on the basis of users' individual communication spaces. It controls and manages large numbers of autonomous and decentralized objects (super distributed objects), in individual living or working spaces providing services that can adapt to users' individual requirements (I-centric services). This paper introduces the I-centric communications approach and identifies the requirements and design of super distributed objects as the paradigm for future pervasive and autonomous systems. Results of this project have been adopted by the World Wireless Research Forum (WWRF) and Object Management Group (OMG).

A variety of concepts for service integration and corresponding service platforms emerged in the last two years. On the one hand, they aim for the interworking and integration of classical telecommunication and data communication services, such as telephony, voicemail, fax, e-mail, paging, etc. On the other hand they focus on universal service access from a variety of end user systems, including both fixed and mobile terminals. One form of these concepts are Unified Messaging Systems, which are proposed to enhance the control over reachability in telecommunications. This paper presents the evolution of messaging system and an outlook of future developments in the area of communication and information services. Based on this analysis it shows the drawbacks of the current understanding of Unified Messaging. The second part of the paper proposes a system architecture from the technical perspective to overcome the examined disadvantages.

In the last two years a variety of concepts for service integration and corresponding systems have gained momentum. On the one hand, they aim for the interworking and integration of classical telecommunications and data communications services, such as telephony, voicemail, facsimile, E-mail, paging, etc. On the other hand, they are focusing on universal service access from a variety of end user systems, including both fixed and mobile terminals. Such concepts or systems are designated as unified messaging. Most of the technical problems, resulting from the service integration, have been solved during the last years. However, service personalization is still an insufficiently solved problem of today's unified messaging systems. Different services have to be personalized in different ways. This paper investigates how different services could be personalized in a unified way. Therefore, several services, which are offered nowadays by unified messaging systems, are analyzed. In the second part of this paper a generic approach for service personalization are given. For illustrating the introduced approach, the last section describes a first realization.