Minimizing distortion for multi-path video streaming over ad hoc networks

We present a video distortion model analyzing the performance of multi-path routing for low latency video streaming, in congestion-limited ad hoc networks. In such environments, a single node transmitting multimedia data may have an impact on the overall network conditions and may need to limit its rate to achieve the highest sustainable video quality. For this purpose, optimal routing which seeks to minimize congestion and distributes traffic over multiple paths is attractive. To predict the end-to-end rate-distortion tradeoff, we develop a model which captures the impact of quantization and of packet loss on the overall video quality. Network simulations are performed to confirm the validity of the model in different streaming scenarios over different numbers of paths.