Optimizing Video Streaming: Enhancing Quality and Reducing Energy Consumption through Luminance Management

The climate crisis demands urgent attention to the environmental footprint of information and communication technologies (ICT). With video streaming accounting for a significant portion of Internet traffic, it is essential to explore sustainable solutions for reducing carbon emissions in this domain. This presentation will delve into two innovative approaches for optimizing the energy consumption of OLED TVs, particularly focusing on screen and video brightness. First, Server-Side Brightness Adjustment. Using FFmpeg, we studied how brightness modifications impact viewer experience and energy use through a comprehensive subjective test. Our findings reveal that reducing video luminance by up to 10% can yield energy savings of around 14% without compromising visual quality for specific content. However, for medium-brightness videos, a reduction of only 4% is recommended to maintain perceptual integrity. Second, FAMIUM GREENVIEW: We introduce FAMIUM GreenView, an integrated library within streaming applications paired with a backend system that customizes settings based on real-time context (content, device, display type). This AI-driven model optimizes playback for energy efficiency, leveraging data from our FAMIUM Green Streaming Measurement Framework and FAMIUM Stream Analytics.