This article outlines the benchmarking thresholds and corresponding color-coded status indicators for Quality of Experience (QoE) metrics in the Wowza Video Analytics UI. These visual indicators help you quickly evaluate playback performance and identify improvement opportunities. To view benchmarking thresholds for your streams, navigate to the Analytics page in Wowza Video and then click the Quality of Expereince tab.
Note: Quality of Experience Benchmarking metrics is a premium feature available exclusively to Wowza Video subscribers with an annual subscription. To access this feature for enhanced streaming insights, contact our sales team.
Benchmarking color definitions for QoE metrics
Each QoE metric is color-coded (green/yellow/red) to represent performance levels based on specific thresholds. The details for each metric are provided below.
Video start time
Video start time measures the time it takes for video playback to begin. Optimizing video start time improves viewer satisfaction, especially for audiences with low delay tolerance. Benchmarking colors for video start time are based on two key performance measures:
Median Start Time
- Green: 0–2 seconds
- Yellow: 2.001–5 seconds
- Red: 5.001+ seconds
Bottom 5% of Sessions
- Green: 0–10 seconds
- Yellow: 10.001–20 seconds
- Red: 20.001+ seconds
Rebuffer time
Rebuffer time indicates the total duration of playback interruptions (in seconds per hour played). Reducing rebuffer time significantly enhances viewer retention and engagement. The benchmarking colors reflect the following thresholds:
- Green: 0–36 seconds/hour
- Yellow: 36.001–150 seconds/hour
- Red: 150.001+ seconds/hour
Rebuffer count
Rebuffer count tracks the number of buffering interruptions during playback. Optimizing network configurations and CDN performance contribute to minimal buffering events. The benchmarking colors are based on the average number of events per play:
- Green: 0–1.5 events/play
- Yellow: 1.501–5 events/play
- Red: 5.001+ events/play
Why benchmarking matters
Quality of Experience (QoE) benchmarking is essential to ensure optimal viewer satisfaction and stream performance.
- Green status: Indicates high-quality playback indicating a superior viewer experience.
- Yellow status: Signals potential concerns suggesting areas for improvement.
- Red status: Highlights critical performance issues requiring attention.
Factors affecting QoE metrics
Poor QoE metrics impact the overall viewing experience for your audience. The top factors that impact QoE metrics are:
- Poor network conditions – End-users with limited bandwidth, such as those on mobile data, can experience higher buffering and delays.
- Higher resolution – Streaming at a resolution too high for the target device, for example, 1080p for mobile devices, can cause playback issues.
- No content preloading – Not preloading content in the player can lead to delays in starting the video.
- Ads – Ads may increase buffering time or interrupt playback, leading to higher video start times, especially if pre-roll ads are enabled.
Tips to improve QoE metrics
To ensure an optimal viewing experience for your audience, consider the following actionable tips to enhance Quality of Experience (QoE) metrics by addressing key playback and buffering challenges:
- Adjust maximum resolution – Restrict the maximum resolution to 720p when most viewers use mobile devices. This can reduce buffering and improve playback.
- Set initial playback quality – Configure the player to start with low or medium playback quality. This allows the video to load quicker and adapt dynamically based on network conditions, reducing rebuffer time and improving video start time.
- Enable preloading – Configure the player to preload content. This can ensure the video starts faster, improving viewer experience.
Note: Enabling preload configuration in the player gives a faster startup experience for the user but, it increases the overall streaming usage and costs.
- Evaluate ad usage – Consider whether ads are essential for specific videos. Removing or optimizing ads may improve QoE by reducing the buffering and video start times.
By using the above tips, you can proactively address playback issues, enhance viewer satisfaction, and boost audience retention.
