An MPEG2-to-ATM converter to optimize performance of VBR video broadcast over ATM networks

This paper presents a novel MPEG2-to-ATM converter for VBR video broadcast over ATM networks. It functions as an external post-coding source rate controller between any MPEG2 source and an ATM network. Dynamic break points are employed to shape and partition the video data into high priority ATM cells which conform to the prevailing usage parameter control contract with the network, and nonconforming low priority cells which minimize the effects of cell loss due to network congestion on the subjective quality of the received video. Both high and low priority cells are transmitted over a common ATM virtual connection. Performance evaluations of actual VBR MPEG2 streams transmitted over a simulated converter and ATM network are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.