Efficient reverse-play algorithm for MPEG video streaming with VCR functionality

Abstract

Reverse playback is the most common video cassette recording (VCR) functions in many digital video players. However, the predictive processing techniques employed in MPEG severely complicate the reverse-play operation. In this paper, we propose a compressed-domain approach for the efficient implementation of an MPEG video streaming system to provide the reverse-play operation over a network with minimum requirements on the network bandwidth and the decoder complexity. In the proposed video streaming server, a novel macroblock-based algorithm is used to adaptively select the necessary macroblocks, manipulate them in compressed-domain and send the processed macroblocks to the client machine. Experimental results show that, as compared to the conventional system, the new streaming system reduces the required network bandwidth and the decoder complexity significantly.