The Green Metadata Standard for Energy-Efficient Video Consumption

Based on compelling evidence from responses to an April 2013 call for proposals (CFP) on energy-efficient video consumption, MPEG initiated standardization of Green Metadata for energy-efficient video consumption. This article describes how metadata enables large power reductions when QoE is maintained and even larger reductions when QoE is allowed to vary. When QoE is maintained, metadata enables average power reductions of 12, 12, and 26 percent during encoding, decoding, and display, respectively. In addition, the authors measured up to 80 percent power savings at lowered, but acceptable, QoE levels. This article describes the functional architecture of a system that exploits the Green Metadata standard for energy-efficient media consumption, referring to this functional architecture to explain power reductions in various system components.