Stereoscopic 3D Video Quality of Experience : impact of coding, transmission and display technologies

Abstract: Three-Dimensional (3D) videos are using their success from cinema to home entertainmentmarkets such as TV, DVD, Blu-ray, video games, etc. The video quality isa key factor which decides the success and acceptance of a new service. Visual qualitywill have more severe consequences for 3D than for 2D videos, e.g. eye-strain,headache and nausea.This thesis addresses the stereoscopic 3D video quality of experience that can beinfluenced during the 3D video distribution chain, especially in relation to coding,transmission and display stages. The first part of the thesis concentrates upon the3D video coding and transmission quality over IP based networks. 3D video codingand transmission quality has been studied from the end-users’ point of view byintroducing different 3D video coding techniques, transmission error scenarios anderror concealment strategies. The second part of the thesis addresses the displayquality characterization. Two types of major consumer grade 3D stereoscopic displayswere investigated: glasses with active shutter (SG) technology based display,and those with passive polarization technology (film patterned retarder,FPR) baseddisplay.Themain outcomes can be summarized in three points: firstly the thesis suggeststhat a spatial down-sampling processworking togetherwith high quality video compressingis a efficient means of encoding and transmitting stereoscopic 3D videoswith an acceptable quality of experience. Secondly, this thesis has found that switchingfrom 3D to 2D is currently the best error concealment method for concealingtransmission errors in the 3D videos. Thirdly, this thesis has compared three majorvisual ergonomic parameters of stereoscopic 3D display system: crosstalk, spatialresolution and flicker visibility. The outcomes of the thesis may be of benefit for 3Dvideo industries in order to improve their technologies in relation to delivering abetter 3D quality of experience to customers.