A method to be performed by a receiving apparatus for decoding an encoded bitstream representing a sequence of pictures of a video stream is provided. In the method, capabilities relating to level of decoding parallelism for the decoder are identified, a parameter indicative of the decoder's capabilities relating to level of decoding parallelism is kept, and for a set of levels of decoding parallelism, information relating to HEVC profile and HEVC level that the decoder is capable of decoding is kept. A method for encoding a bitstream representing a sequence of pictures of a video stream is also provided. In the method, a parameter is received from a transmitting apparatus that should decode the encoded bitstream.

Methods, apparatuses and systems may provide for a video transmitter that generates a primary bitstream based on a video signal, wherein the primary bitstream is encoded with subsampled chroma information, and detects a static condition with respect to the video signal. Additionally, a plurality of auxiliary bitstreams may be generated, in response to the static condition, based on the video signal. Each of the plurality of auxiliary bitstreams may be encoded with full resolution chroma information. In one example, a video receiver may detect that the auxiliary bitstreams are associated with the primary bitstream, decode the primary bitstream and the plurality of auxiliary bitstreams to obtain luma information and the full resolution chroma information, and multiplex the luma information with the full resolution chroma information.

The Cloud-based Video Streaming Service (CVSS) architecture is disclosed to transcode video streams in an on-demand manner. The architecture provides a platform for streaming service providers to utilize cloud resources in a cost-efficient manner and with respect to the Quality of Service (QoS) demands of video streams. In particular, the architecture includes a QoS-aware scheduling method to efficiently map video streams to cloud resources, and a cost-aware dynamic (i.e., elastic) resource provisioning policy that adapts the resource acquisition with respect to the video streaming QoS demands. Simulation results based on realistic cloud traces and with various workload conditions, demonstrate that the CVSS architecture can satisfy video streaming QoS demands and reduces the incurred cost of stream providers up to 70%.

The Cloud-based Video Streaming Service (CVSS) architecture is disclosed to transcode video streams in an on-demand manner. The architecture provides a platform for streaming service providers to utilize cloud resources in a cost-efficient manner and with respect to the Quality of Service (QoS) demands of video streams. In particular, the architecture includes a QoS-aware scheduling method to efficiently map video streams to cloud resources, and a cost-aware dynamic (i.e., elastic) resource provisioning policy that adapts the resource acquisition with respect to the video streaming QoS demands. Simulation results based on realistic cloud traces and with various workload conditions, demonstrate that the CVSS architecture can satisfy video streaming QoS demands and reduces the incurred cost of stream providers up to 70%.

A load balancing method for video decoding. The load balancing includes first determining which hardware devices are suitable for the new decoding process, and determining the current load of each of the suitable hardware devices. From the suitable devices potential devices are selected having a current load less than a threshold and overloaded devices are selected having a load greater than or equal to the threshold. If there are no suitable devices, then the decoding process is implemented by software decoding. If the list of potential hardware devices includes only one potential hardware device, then the decoding process is implemented on the hardware device. If the list of potential hardware devices includes more than one potential hardware device, then it is determined how many decoding processes are currently running on each potential hardware device, and the new decoding process is implemented on the potential hardware device having the fewest processes.

A method for encoding a video sequence in a scalable video encoder to generate a scalable bitstream is provided that includes encoding the video sequence in a first layer encoder of the scalable video encoder to generate a first sub-bitstream, encoding the video sequence in a second layer encoder of the scalable video encoder to generate a second sub-bitstream, wherein portions of the video sequence being encoded in the second layer encoder are predicted using reference portions of the video sequence encoded in the first layer encoder, combining the first sub-bitstream and the second sub-bitstream to generate the scalable bitstream, and signaling in the scalable bitstream an indication of a maximum decoded picture buffer (DPB) size needed for decoding the second sub-bitstream and the first sub-bitstream when the second sub-bitstream is a target sub-bitstream for decoding.

A method of encoding a video stream in a video encoder is provided that includes computing an offset into a transform matrix based on a transform block size, wherein a size of the transform matrix is larger than the transform block size, and wherein the transform matrix is one selected from a group consisting of a DCT transform matrix and an IDCT transform matrix, and transforming a residual block to generate a DCT coefficient block, wherein the offset is used to select elements of rows and columns of a DCT submatrix of the transform block size from the transform matrix.

A method of encoding a video stream in a video encoder is provided that includes computing an offset into a transform matrix based on a transform block size, wherein a size of the transform matrix is larger than the transform block size, and wherein the transform matrix is one selected from a group consisting of a DCT transform matrix and an IDCT transform matrix, and transforming a residual block to generate a DCT coefficient block, wherein the offset is used to select elements of rows and columns of a DCT submatrix of the transform block size from the transform matrix.

Methods and systems for resource management are described. A computing device may determine a duration of a content break satisfies a timing threshold. Based on the duration of the content break satisfying the timing threshold, the computing device may cause an encoder to cease an encoding operation. Based on the duration of the content break satisfying the timing threshold, the computing device may cause the encoder to send to a media device, secondary content and cause the media device to repeatedly output the secondary content rather than sending repeated requests for the secondary content.

Methods and systems for resource management are described. A computing device may determine a duration of a content break satisfies a timing threshold. Based on the duration of the content break satisfying the timing threshold, the computing device may cause an encoder to cease an encoding operation. Based on the duration of the content break satisfying the timing threshold, the computing device may cause the encoder to send to a media device, secondary content and cause the media device to repeatedly output the secondary content rather than sending repeated requests for the secondary content.