Hybrid Broadcast Broadband for the Delivery of 3D Video

Abstract

Fuelled by the need to increase their market share, broadcast service providers enhance their services with media and social networking. Hybrid broadcast broadband (HBB) television (HbbTV) has emerged as a promising means of content distribution for enriched and interactive television services. Specifically, the convergence of terrestrial digital video broadcasting (DVB) services and peer-to-peer (P2P) overlay networks is an up-and-coming telecommunication design. In this chapter, we discuss how this vision came into fruition, within the context of the European-funded project ROMEO. ROMEO project aims at delivering three-dimensional (3D) multi-view content to fixed, mobile and portable users with guaranteed minimum quality of experience (QoE). In particular, we elaborate on the P2P overlay construction process as well as on techniques to optimise its performance. Moreover, we present a packetisation scheme that facilitates the task of synchronising the streams that are being received from DVB and P2P networks. Additionally, ROMEO architecture supports mobility by exploiting the evolved packet core design and enhancing content delivery, particularly for mobile devices. Finally, we specify the life cycle of the ROMEO content from a QoE perspective from core network to access network including scenarios involving multiple internet service providers.