Do We Need Channel Coding in Online Mobile Video Streaming?: an Experimental Study

Recently, online mobile video streaming (OMVS) has emerged as one of the key services in evolving mobile communication networks. However, during the practical implementation of OMVS, the processing of both source coding and channel coding exhibits very high computational complexity, resulting in significant service delays. Additionally, the variability of the time-varying mobile channel further diminishes the advantages of channel coding. Therefore, is channel coding truly necessary in practical OMVS? In the context of mobile communication systems, it is challenging to model and accurately quantify the impacts of both source coding and channel coding. To address this issue, we investigate the impact of channel coding on OMVS through experimental studies. A testbed is established using a System-on-Chip (SoC) architecture. Based on the testbed, we demonstrate that channel coding has a marginal positive effect on the performance of OMVS, particularly in scenarios where the video content includes rapid motion. Consequently, our findings are significant for developing effective strategies for practical OMVS in mobile communication systems.