Video Tester -- A multiple-metric framework for video quality assessment over IP networks

Abstract: This paper presents an extensible and reusable framework which addresses the problem of video quality assessment over IP networks. The proposed tool (referred to as Video-Tester) supports raw uncompressed video encoding and decoding. It also includes different video over IP transmission methods (i.e.: RTP over UDP unicast and multicast, as well as RTP over TCP). In addition, it is furnished with a rich set of offline analysis capabilities. Video-Tester analysis includes QoS and bitstream parameters estimation (i.e.: bandwidth, packet inter-arrival time, jitter and loss rate, as well as GOP size and I-frame loss rate). Our design facilitates the integration of virtually any existing video quality metric thanks to the adopted Python-based modular approach. Video-Tester currently provides PSNR, SSIM, ITU-T G.1070 video quality metric, DIV and PSNR-based MOS estimations. In order to promote its use and extension, Video-Tester is open and publicly available.