Recover from Rebuffering: Mux Metrics Explained

Rebuffering is a significant issue that negatively impacts viewer experience during video playback. It occurs when there isn't enough bandwidth for the video to load, leading to interruptions in playback as the video has to "catch up." In the era of Adaptive Streaming, rebuffering can be attributed to various factors such as Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), encoding processes, and players. Mux provides four different rebuffering metrics: Rebuffering Percentage, Rebuffering Frequency, Rebuffering Duration, and Rebuffering Count. These metrics help publishers identify trends in video delivery problems and investigate possible causes of rebuffering issues. By analyzing these metrics, publishers can determine whether the issue lies with ISPs, CDNs, encoding processes, or players, and take appropriate measures to improve viewer experience. Rebuffering is a crucial factor that affects user engagement, as studies show that up to 40% of viewers abandon a video after just one rebuffering event. To tackle this issue effectively, publishers need access to relevant data and should work towards eliminating rebuffering for better viewer experience.