Measuring Video Quality and Performance: Best Practices

Executive Summary

  • Understanding key metrics: This white paper delineates critical metrics for assessing video quality and performance, such as start-up time, rebuffering frequency, and bitrates, which are essential for optimizing the viewer experience.

  • Implementing analytics: Emphasis is placed on the critical role of using real-time analytics tools to monitor video performance and quality, offering actionable insights for optimization.

  • Optimizing delivery: Optimizing video delivery involves several best practices, including the utilization of content delivery networks (CDNs) and adaptive streaming techniques. These methods are designed to ensure consistent and high-quality video performance across a variety of devices and network conditions.

  • User experience focus: The document underscores the importance of prioritizing the end-user experience, employing tools such as Akamai mPulse for the measurement and enhancement of real user interactions.

  • Continuous improvement: Continuous testing and monitoring are recommended to proactively identify and resolve issues, thereby ensuring sustained high performance and quality.