An efficient on-policy actor–critic architecture for adaptive bitrate streaming using deep reinforcement learning

Abstract Adaptive video streaming is a widely used way of distributing video material over the Internet. It employs adaptive bitrate (ABR) algorithms to ensure a high quality of experience (QoE) for end users under a variety of network situations. However, the dynamic and varied characteristics of emerging 5th generation (5G) and beyond 5G (B5G) networks frequently causes instability in ABR algorithms. Despite advances in learning-based ABR algorithms, particularly those that use cutting-edge deep reinforcement learning (DRL) technology, they typically achieve mediocre performance and struggle to offer optimal results consistently across a variety of network environments. Recent observations reveal that Comyco, a quality-aware adaptive video streaming technology, provides great QoE over 3G networks but suffers limits across 4G and 5G networks. To solve this issue, we offer GRAdient Sharing actor-critic approach with Policy optimization (GRASP), a revolutionary on-policy DRL-based ABR technique. We compare GRASP to various on-policy and off-policy DRL techniques such as Pensieve, GRAAB, Comyco, PPO-ABR and SAC-ABR and other cutting-edge DRL-based ABR algorithms and non DRL-based ABR algorithms including BB, RB and BOLA. For comparison, we utilize mm Wave 4G traces and Lumos 5G dataset. Our results show that the proposed GRASP algorithm outperforms Comyco and other cutting-edge DRL-based ABR methods under a variety of network situations. GRASP consistently achieves higher QoE over the Comyco DRL-based framework up to 11.44%, and 16.56% for 5G and 4G networks respectively, and even higher QoE for other DRL-based and non DRL-based ABR schemes. Meanwhile, GRASP reduces the stall ratio compared to Comyco up to 67% and 70% for 5G and 4G networks respectively.