By

Asha Iype
Shashanka CD

12/07/2011
Video transmission using USRP
Introduction

Mobile multimedia communications
USRP as a platform to excavate mobile
computing environments
Simple DVB setup
Webcam on the air using USRP
Modulation in software using GNU Radio


Basic block diagram
Video file
source
(webcam
or a
video file)
GNU
Radio
modulato
r and
processin
g
USRP
transmitt
er
USRP
receiver
GNU
Radio
demodulat
or and
processin
g
File sink
(video
playback
e.g., VLC
player)
Video Transmitter




GNU Radio
Real time video streaming

Why do we need VLC streaming?

How do we link webcam and GNU
radio?

Real time video streaming
A webcam is one of the simplest of camera
designs, containing no video encoder onboard
VLC streamer for encoding and streaming
The stream output feature in VLC outputs the
stream read by the VLC to a file


Real time video streaming



A UNIX "pipe" : what's written at one end shows
up as available data at the other end

Create the pipe using the command
mkfifo <filename>
GNU Radio Transmitter
File Source
Packet Encoder
GMSK Mod
Multiply Constant
USRP Sink
GNU Radio Transmitter Flow
Diagram
USRP Transmitter
FPGA
Digital up conversion
Interpolation
USB
USB2 interface
to PC
DAC
High Speed 14-bit DA
DAC Clock - 128MS/s
RF
Transceiv
er
RFx2400
RFX2400 has a band-pass filter
around the 2400 to 2483 MHz

Video receiver
USR
P
GNU
Radio
VLC
player
USRP receiver
RF front-
end
ADC FPGA USB
2.412
GHz
0101011
.bit
stream
-
Downconversio
n
-High-BW math
-Reduce data
rate
-Cypress
FX2
- For PC
interface
RFX2400
-12bit High Speed AD
- 64MSamples/s
GNU Radio
USRP source


Low-pass filter



GMSK demodulator







Packet decoder


File sink
GNU Radio flow diagram
Real-time streaming using VLC
player

Receiving pipe just gets the input stream at one end and delivers to the
other end
Create the receiving pipe mkfifo rx.ts
Transcoding MPEG2 + MPGA (TS)
Display locally option
Start streaming

UNIX pipe
Project activities

Simulation without USRPs
Stored video file and loop back

Transmission with USRPs
Stored video file with USRP

Real time video transmission
Streaming with USRP

Results and Observations
Received signal FFT
plot with USRPs 3 meter
apart
Received signal FFT
plot with USRPs >9
meter apart









Delay in reception of the video
Delay with large distance (>9m) between USRPs
Delay with short distances (1m) between USRPs
Delay with stored video file

Delay is mainly because of streaming and
processing (encoding and multiplexing)
Results and Observations
Results and Observations

Packet loss at reception of the video
Negligible packet loss at short distances (1-3m)
Distortion in video received at large distances (>9m)
showing more packet loss
Distortion was extremely high with increased
distances and with interferences like wall and
furniture


Results and Observations
Distortion observed at large distances
Results and Observations

FFT plot fluctuation at the receiver showing
packet loss

uUuUuU ( USRP Underrun) at the transmitter
The speed of the computer processor plays a role

Future work

Try with different player and different codec for
faster and better encoding

Different modulation schemes suitable for video
transmission

Implementing good error correcting schemes to
correct the video frames received and hence
reduce distortion


Demonstratio
n