Video system and method with minimized streaming latency

A method for minimizing streaming latency in an encoder assembly comprising a fixed bitrate system, the method comprising:

• receiving external streaming video data;
• converting the external streaming video data at a fixed bitrate, by an encoding data conversion part, to output converted video data;
• outputting the converted video data;
• measuring a size of the converted video data and a conversion time spent for converting the external streaming video data;
• comparing the size of the converted video data and the conversion time, respectively, to a reference size and a reference time to determine latency;
• determining whether a buffer will be in underflow based on a result of the comparison;
• repeating output of a latest frame of the streaming video data to the encoding data conversion part in response to a determination that buffer will be in underflow;
• and
• repeating, in response to receiving the repeated latest frame, conversion of the latest frame into the video data so as to output the converted video data at a fixed bitrate.

A fixed bitrate video encoding system comprising:

• a data input part configured to receive external streaming video data;
• an encoding data conversion part configured to convert the external streaming video data to output converted video data at a fixed bitrate;
• a first buffer configured to receive the converted video data and output the converted video data to a second buffer of a decoder;
• a data measurement part configured to measure a size of the converted video data and a conversion time spent for converting the external streaming video data;
• and
• a latency determination part configured to determine latency based on a result of the measurement,
• wherein the latency determination part is configured to compare the size of the converted video data and the conversion time, respectively, to a reference size and a reference time, to determine whether the first buffer will be in underflow, and to transmit a determined result to the data input part,
• wherein the data input part is configured to repeat output of a latest frame of the streaming video data to the encoding data conversion part in response to the determined result indicating that the first buffer will be in underflow, and
• wherein the encoding data conversion part is configured to repeat conversion of the latest frame into the video data so as to output the converted video data at a fixed bitrate.