Unequal Loss Protection For H.263 Compressed Video

We study the application of unequal loss protection (ULP) algorithms to motion-compensated video over lossy packet networks. In particular, we focus on streaming video applications over the Internet. The original ULP framework applies unequal amounts of forward error correction to embedded data to provide graceful degradation of quality in the presence of increasing packet loss. In this letter, we apply the ULP framework to baseline H.263, a video compression standard that targets low bit rates, by investigating reorderings of the bitstream to make it embedded. The reordering process allows a receiver to display quality video, even at the loss rates encountered in wireless transmissions and the current Internet.