Abstract
Immersive video applications impose unpractical bandwidth requirements for best-effort networks. With Multi-View(MV) streaming, these can be minimized by resorting to view prediction techniques. SmoothMV is a multi-view system that uses a non-intrusive head tracking mechanism to detect the viewer's interest and select appropriate views. By coupling Neural Networks (NNs) to anticipate the viewer's interest, a reduction of view-switching latency is likely to be obtained. The objective of this paper is twofold: 1) Present a solution for acquisition of gaze data from users when viewing MV content; 2) Describe a dataset, collected with a large-scale testbed, capable of being used to train NNs to predict the user's viewing interest. Tracking data from head movements was obtained from 45 participants using an Intel Realsense F200 camera, with 7 video playlists, each being viewed a minimum of 17 times. This dataset is publicly available to the research community and constitutes an important contribution to reducing the current scarcity of such data. Tools to obtain saliency/heat maps and generate complementary plots are also provided as an open-source software package.

Abstract
A major challenge when accessing protected multimedia content in heterogeneous usage environments is the ability to provide acceptable levels of quality of experience to all involving users. Additionally, different levels of protection should be possible to be addressed when manipulating the content towards the quality of experience maximization. This paper describes the use of a context-aware and Digital Rights Management (DRM)-enabled content adaptation platform towards meeting these challenges. The platform was conceived to deliver advanced content adaptation within different application scenarios, among which Virtual Collaboration (VC) was central. Descriptions of use cases implemented by the platform in heterogeneous VC environments are provided. Conducted experiments have highlighted the benefits to users when compared to an operation without the platform. Results of different adaptations suitable to sensed context conditions are also provided and analyzed. A brief description of the platform functionality is included together with pointers to additional information.

Abstract
A major challenge when accessing protected multimedia content in heterogeneous usage environments is the ability to provide acceptable levels of quality of experience to all involving users. Additionally, different levels of protection should be possible to be addressed when manipulating the content towards the quality of experience maximization. This paper describes the use of a context-aware and Digital Rights Management (DRM)-enabled content adaptation platform towards meeting these challenges. The platform was conceived to deliver advanced content adaptation within different application scenarios, among which Virtual Collaboration (VC) was central. Descriptions of use cases implemented by the platform in heterogeneous VC environments are provided. Conducted experiments have highlighted the benefits to users when compared to an operation without the platform. Results of different adaptations suitable to sensed context conditions are also provided and analyzed. A brief description of the platform functionality is included together with pointers to additional information. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Abstract
Originally defined by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) as part of its standardization work for 3G mobile phone systems, the IMS model has been adopted as a baseline technology for network and service convergence by network (wireless, wireline and cable), service and content operators. Dealing with the same business actors, the ENTHRONE project (FP6-IP-507637) builds an MPEG-21-based service management system that enables distribution of audio-visual content with dynamic end-to-end QoS guarantees over heterogeneous networks to various types of terminal devices. This system controls the access of users to the content and supervises the delivery of the content to ensure the level of QoS. The paper examines how the IMS model could be extended to include service management features offered by the ENTHRONE management system. These features could constitute a potential vehicle for the IMS entrance to the audio-visual market chain. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract
Today's available solutions for the production of digitally compressed TV programmes require successive decoding and re-coding operations due both to the multiplicity of digital formats currently in use for signal acquisition and to technology limitations. This has the consequence of increasing the production costs and of reducing the overall signal quality. The ability of using compression also at the production stage will contribute to improve the overall signal quality and to reduce storage requirements and associated costs. The ATLANTIC project (ACTS 078) is developing a digital studio for the production of TV programmes using the MPEG2 format throughout the entire process, from the input of the studio to final programme distribution. EXPO'98, the next international exposition to be held in Lisbon, has been identified as an ideal showcase for audio-visual services developed by ACTS projects. The ATLANTIC project will provide basic infrastructures and technology for compressed-based TV programme production and distribution of audio-visual information and entertainment services for the entire EXPO site. This paper describes the studio reference model of the ATLANTIC project and the role ATLANTIC will be playing within the planned demonstrations of ACTS projects at EXPO'98.

Abstract
First generation of overlay P2P networks had scalability problems although offering useful keyword-base searching functionality. The new generation of structured networks, based on Distributed Hash Tables (DHT), solved the scalability problem but at the same time eliminated the possibility of performing searches by proximity. This can be considered as an effective limitation as users of P2P networks will most often not have the complete information about the data they are looking for. Accordingly they tend to submit general queries to the network, hoping to receive back a list of results that match their needs. In this paper we describe a solution that is able to profit from the best of the two approaches. It relies on a two-layer architecture, offering on the top layer a set of Web Services to upload, search and retrieve content and on the bottom layer a fully structured P2P network (DHT-based) for distribution and downloading efficiency. Central to our solution, is the use of distributed databases, implemented at the top layer, holding descriptive metadata of the uploaded digital objects. The developed system also makes use of the JXTA project at the top layer and the Bit Torrent suite of protocols at the bottom layer. © 2009 IADIS.