Dummy Layer Tools

We have introduced the dummy layer format (PT_X_LD) for the MMCN 2003 in particular and for the introduction of layered video formats into komssys in general. The SH::PushPushSH and the SH::DummyLayerSinkSH are two stream handlers that write log files when PT_X_LD contents is observed by them and their programs have been started with the --log parameter.

To examine these log files, we have used two different scripts, DummyLayerAnalyse.cc and DummyLayerAverage.cc. They can be hand-compiled using g++ without any additional options.r

DummyLayerAnalyse.cc creates a two-column file that can be used as input for tools such as gnuplot or xgraph. It shows the best layer that has been received for each frame of the layered dummy video.

DummyLayerAverage.cc does basically the same. It takes an additional integer parameter that indicates how many best-layer values of previous frames should be used to compute the average received quality. Using the value 1 yields obviously the same result as DummyLayerAnalyse.cc. It is also possible to use the parameter 'all', which will than yield just two numbers, the total average best layer and the variance of this value.

Both tools are currently hard-coded for two layers.

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