Video streaming speed changes could help replace pauses and the frustrating buffering circle

Viewers would rather watch video at slightly lower speeds than endure rebuffering, according to new research from Lancaster University. The study investigated how dynamically slowing down or speeding up playback is perceived by viewers, and how playback speed changes compare to other ways of overcoming viewer internet slowdowns—such as reducing picture quality and pausing for rebuffering. The resulting paper is published in the journal ACM Transactions on Multimedia Computing, Communications, and Applications.