MDI - The Media Delivery Index

MPEG video transport streams undergo time distortions known as jitter when being transported by packet switched networks such as Ethernet. Identifying and measuring jitter and packet loss in such networks is key to maintaining high quality video delivery. The Media Delivery Index (MDI) is a set of measurements used for monitoring and troubleshooting networks carrying any streaming media type. The MDI can be used to warn or alarm on impairments that result in unacceptable video delivery and on conditions that result in unacceptable network margin before video quality is impacted.

A general approach to using MDI in installing, modifying, or evaluating a video network is:

1. First identify, locate, and address any packet loss issues using MLR.
2. Identify, locate, measure, and address jitter margins using DF.
3. Establish an infrastructure monitor for both DF & MLR for transient upsets exceeding preset thresholds representing network or server changes, miss-configurations, failures, etc. The thresholds may be determined based on the network equipment type, decoder type, margin and quality desired, etc.

The Media Delivery Index (MDI) can be used to monitor both the quality of a delivered video stream as well as to show system margin by providing an accurate measurement of jitter and delay. The MDI addresses a need to assure the health and quality of systems that are delivering ever higher numbers of streams simultaneously by providing a predictable, repeatable measurement rather than relying on subjective human observations. Use of the MDI further provides a network margin indication that warns system operators of impending operational issues with enough advance notice to allow corrective action before observed video is impaired.