arXiv:2508.13402v1 Announce Type: new
Abstract: Live streaming has experienced significant growth recently. Yet this rise in popularity contrasts with the reality that a substantial segment of the global population still lacks Internet access. The emergence of Low Earth orbit Satellite Networks (LSNs), such as SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper, presents a promising solution to fill this gap. Nevertheless, our measurement study reveals that existing live streaming platforms may not be able to deliver a smooth viewing experience on LSNs due to frequent satellite handovers, which lead to frequent video rebuffering events. Current state-of-the-art learning-based Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) algorithms, even when trained on LSNs’ network traces, fail to manage the abrupt network variations associated with satellite handovers effectively. To address these challenges, for the first time, we introduce Satellite-Aware Rate Adaptation (SARA), a versatile and lightweight middleware that can seamlessly integrate with various ABR algorithms to enhance the performance of live streaming over LSNs. SARA intelligently modulates video playback speed and furnishes ABR algorithms with insights derived from the distinctive network characteristics of LSNs, thereby aiding ABR algorithms in making informed bitrate selections and effectively minimizing rebuffering events that occur during satellite handovers. Our extensive evaluation shows that SARA can effectively reduce the rebuffering time by an average of $39.41%$ and slightly improve latency by $0.65%$ while only introducing an overall loss in bitrate by $0.13%$.
Expert Commentary on Live Streaming over Low Earth Orbit Satellite Networks
Live streaming has become increasingly popular in recent years, but there remains a digital divide due to the lack of Internet access for a significant portion of the global population. The emergence of Low Earth orbit Satellite Networks (LSNs), like SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper, offers a promising solution to bridge this gap. However, a recent measurement study has highlighted a significant challenge – the frequent satellite handovers in LSNs can cause disruptions in video streaming, leading to rebuffering events that affect the viewing experience.
This is where the concept of Satellite-Aware Rate Adaptation (SARA) comes into play. By intelligently modulating video playback speed and leveraging insights from the unique network characteristics of LSNs, SARA enhances the performance of live streaming over these satellite networks. By working in conjunction with existing Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) algorithms, SARA helps in making informed bitrate selections to minimize rebuffering events during satellite handovers.
From a multi-disciplinary perspective, SARA’s approach combines elements of network optimization, machine learning, and video streaming technologies. By integrating seamlessly with ABR algorithms, SARA showcases the potential of collaboration between different domains to address complex challenges in multimedia information systems.
Looking ahead, advancements in technologies like SARA could have implications beyond live streaming over LSNs. The principles of satellite-aware rate adaptation could also be applied to other areas such as animations, artificial reality, augmented reality, and virtual reality, where smooth and uninterrupted delivery of multimedia content is crucial.
The results of the evaluation of SARA are promising, with significant reductions in rebuffering time and slight improvements in latency, showcasing the potential of this middleware to enhance the viewing experience over LSNs. As the demand for high-quality multimedia content continues to grow, innovative solutions like SARA will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of live streaming and multimedia information systems.