3 minute read
The Peak of Video Streaming
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By Kristen A. Schmitt
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The classroom may only be aT half-capacity, but all of the students registered for the course are present. Remote students are attending class virtually via a Zoom link shared by Professor Jason Schmitt. This inperson/hybrid model, implemented to allow for social distancing in classrooms, requires solid internet connections and is just one example of the shift in internet usage over the past year due to COVID-19.Before the pandemic, media consumption wasn’t at the all-time high it is today. Now, the majority of the global population relies on streaming services to virtually connect with others — either for work, school or socializing — and to stream entertainment, too. In fact, according to a report by J.P. Morgan, there’s never been a time where so much original content is constantly coming out of the pipelines. Companies like Netflix, Hulu, Twitter and even Pinterest have all reported increased engagement and usage, which shows a shift in sentiment toward screen time and a surge in streaming habits never seen before. “It’s a perfect storm,” says Schmitt, chair of the Communication, Media & Design Department. “Right now, we’re witnessing a population that is, more than ever, consuming a growing amount of video-based content … and wanting more and more on a daily basis.” He points out that there are currently 4.57 billion people who identify as active internet users, with 3.5 billion regularly using smartphones. And the majority are using handheld devices to stream videos. However, not everyone’s access is equal and can be impacted by broadband accessibility and other technology
interruptions that, in an intensely mediated world, prove problematic. “Eighty percent of global internet traffic is compressed video data, and 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute,” adds Schmitt. “Data — and video specifically — is now part of humanity’s collective nervous system. But ensuring everyone’s accessibility in what’s now a Zoom-universe … we’re just starting to realize how critical that is.” Creating Equal Access in a Mediated World Schmitt’s interest in video streaming and accessibility complement his other projects surrounding the need for open access to research outputs and how technology is empowering online education in the Global South. Schmitt’s 65-minute documentary, Paywall: The Business of Scholarship, which has had 350,000 views, continues to promote the importance of equitable access to scholarly output for a global community. Even as vaccines roll out and we resume normal activities, Schmitt predicts this uptick in internet usage and video streaming is likely to remain — and remain on a global scale — which is why video bandwidth has become a critical issue among internet service providers. A new video compressor/decompressor, or codec, geared toward helping to reduce the file sizes is a necessary next step to keep streaming. “With more data being sent through the digital pipelines, a 50% reduction in video file size is a big deal,” says Schmitt. He points out that a new codec — the H.266/VVC — could be the solution. The new technology prepares video for streaming over the internet, but with shorter video load times, greater resolution and increased available bandwidth for streaming providers. Codecs are used to create streamable media that all computers can universally read. “Basically, they have two specific components,” says Schmitt. “One encodes the compressed files so it becomes a digital format a computer can read, and the other decodes, or decompresses, the file so it can play back as it was originally captured.” However, for Schmitt, the new codec’s most important component is a decrease in overall data usage cost and how that will create more equitable access for consumers. “Decreased cost will reduce disparities in access to digital content for a global consumer,” says Schmitt.
