Quality of experience for multimedia content sharing

Abstract

In recent years, it has been realized that the success of multimedia services or applications not only depends on Quality of Service (QoS) parameters but also relies on the analysis of the entire user experience (UX). The relevance of this paradigm ranges from IPTV or video-on-demand systems for distributing and sharing professional TV to user-generated content over the web. To obtain a pleasurable user experience far more aspects than QoS have to be taken into account. Major challenges in this context include the identification of relevant UX factors and the quantification of their influence on Quality of Experience (QoE). In particular, context awareness and assessment of users' expectations play an essential role. This is further justified by the emergence of new multimedia enhancement techniques, notably 3DTV and Free Viewpoint. Future Internet architectures >under current research are also promising on the possibility to accommodate protocols and policies that take QoE issues into consideration. Consequently, acquired knowledge on the context and on identified parameters affecting users' experience could be used to improve media delivery.