Audio/Video Quality Control

Manage video quality, codec selection, and adaptive bitrate in Jitsi conferences

This guide covers quality control mechanisms in lib-jitsi-meet, including codec selection, resolution management, and adaptive quality features.

Overview

The QualityController class manages optimal video quality by controlling:

• Codec selection: Choose between VP8, VP9, H.264, and AV1
• Resolution management: Control send and receive video resolution
• Adaptive mode: Automatically adjust quality based on CPU and bandwidth
• Last-N: Limit number of received video streams

Codec Configuration

Codec Preference Order

Configure codec preferences in conference options:

const conferenceOptions = {
    videoQuality: {
        // Codec preference order (most preferred first)
        codecPreferenceOrder: ['VP9', 'VP8', 'H264'],
        
        // Preferred codec for normal video
        preferredCodec: 'VP9',
        
        // Codec for screen sharing
        screenshareCodec: 'VP9',
        
        // Disable specific codec
        disabledCodec: 'H264',
        
        // Enable adaptive mode
        enableAdaptiveMode: true
    },
    
    // P2P codec settings
    p2p: {
        enabled: true,
        codecPreferenceOrder: ['VP9', 'VP8'],
        preferredCodec: 'VP9',
        screenshareCodec: 'VP9',
        disabledCodec: 'H264'
    }
};

const conference = connection.initJitsiConference('room', conferenceOptions);

Codec Selection by Complexity

Codecs are automatically selected based on conference complexity:

// Low complexity (1-2 participants): VP9 preferred
// Medium complexity (3-5 participants): VP8 or VP9
// High complexity (6+ participants): VP8 (more efficient for many streams)

// Available codecs by complexity:
// VP9 - Best quality, highest CPU usage
// VP8 - Good quality, moderate CPU usage  
// H264 - Hardware accelerated on some devices
// AV1 - Next-gen codec (limited browser support)

Mobile Codec Settings

const conferenceOptions = {
    videoQuality: {
        // Mobile-specific codec order
        mobileCodecPreferenceOrder: ['H264', 'VP8', 'VP9'],
        
        // Mobile screen share codec
        mobileScreenshareCodec: 'VP8'
    }
};

Video Resolution Management

Sender Video Constraints

Control outgoing video resolution:

// Set maximum resolution for local video
conference.setSenderVideoConstraint(720); // 720p max

// Common resolutions:
// 180 - Low quality
// 360 - Standard quality
// 720 - HD quality
// 1080 - Full HD quality
// 2160 - 4K quality

Receiver Video Constraints

Control resolution for each received video stream:

// Set constraints per participant
const constraints = {
    // High resolution for dominant speaker
    'participant-1': { maxHeight: 720 },
    
    // Lower resolution for thumbnails
    'participant-2': { maxHeight: 180 },
    'participant-3': { maxHeight: 180 },
    
    // No constraint (bridge decides)
    'participant-4': {}
};

conference.setReceiverConstraints(constraints);

Dynamic Resolution Adjustment

// Adjust based on layout
function updateVideoConstraints(layout) {
    const constraints = {};
    
    if (layout === 'tile') {
        // Tile view: all participants same resolution
        participants.forEach(p => {
            constraints[p.getId()] = { maxHeight: 360 };
        });
    } else if (layout === 'stage') {
        // Stage view: high res for speaker, low for others
        const speakerId = conference.getParticipantById(dominantSpeaker);
        constraints[speakerId] = { maxHeight: 720 };
        
        participants.forEach(p => {
            if (p.getId() !== speakerId) {
                constraints[p.getId()] = { maxHeight: 180 };
            }
        });
    }
    
    conference.setReceiverConstraints(constraints);
}

Last-N Configuration

Limit the number of video streams received to optimize bandwidth:

// Receive up to 5 video streams
conference.setLastN(5);

// Receive all streams (default: -1)
conference.setLastN(-1);

// Disable all video reception
conference.setLastN(0);

// Get current value
const lastN = conference.getLastN();

Adaptive Last-N

Automatically adjust based on CPU performance:

const conferenceOptions = {
    videoQuality: {
        enableAdaptiveMode: true
    },
    
    // Last-N configuration
    channelLastN: 10,        // Maximum Last-N value
    startLastN: 5,           // Initial Last-N value
    
    // Testing options
    testing: {
        lastNRampupTime: 60000  // Time to ramp back up (ms)
    }
};

Last-N Events

// Monitor Last-N changes
conference.on(
    JitsiMeetJS.events.conference.LAST_N_CHANGED,
    (lastN) => {
        console.log('Last-N changed to:', lastN);
    }
);

Adaptive Quality Mode

Enable Adaptive Mode

const conferenceOptions = {
    videoQuality: {
        // Enable automatic quality adjustment
        enableAdaptiveMode: true
    },
    
    // CPU monitoring interval
    pcStatsInterval: 10000
};

How Adaptive Mode Works

Adaptive mode automatically:

1. Monitors encode stats: Tracks CPU usage and encoding performance
2. Detects quality limitations: Identifies CPU or bandwidth bottlenecks
3. Adjusts parameters: Reduces Last-N or switches codecs
4. Ramps back up: Gradually increases quality when conditions improve

// The system monitors these metrics:
// - Quality limitation reason (CPU, bandwidth, none)
// - Encode resolution vs requested resolution
// - Average encode time
// - Timestamp of limitation changes

Quality Limitation Events

conference.on(
    JitsiMeetJS.events.conference.ENCODE_TIME_STATS_RECEIVED,
    (tpc, stats) => {
        // stats is a Map of SSRC -> stats
        stats.forEach((stat, ssrc) => {
            console.log('SSRC:', ssrc);
            console.log('Codec:', stat.codec);
            console.log('Resolution:', stat.resolution);
            console.log('Encode time:', stat.encodeTime);
            console.log('Quality limitation:', stat.qualityLimitationReason);
            // Reasons: 'cpu', 'bandwidth', 'none'
        });
    }
);

Bandwidth Management

Video Bitrate Control

// The bridge and client automatically adjust bitrate
// based on available bandwidth using:
// - Simulcast (multiple quality layers)
// - Adaptive bitrate
// - Network estimation

// Monitor bitrate
conference.on(
    JitsiMeetJS.events.conference.TRACK_STREAMING_STATUS_CHANGED,
    (track, streamingStatus) => {
        // streamingStatus: 'active', 'inactive', 'interrupted', 'restoring'
        if (streamingStatus === 'interrupted') {
            console.log('Poor network quality for', track.getParticipantId());
        }
    }
);

Simulcast Configuration

Simulcast sends multiple quality layers:

// Simulcast is automatically enabled for VP8/VP9
// Layers: High, Medium, Low

// The bridge selects the best layer based on:
// - Receiver constraints
// - Available bandwidth
// - CPU capacity

Audio Quality Settings

Audio Constraints

// Create audio track with quality settings
const audioOptions = {
    devices: ['audio'],
    
    // Disable audio processing for music/system audio
    disableAP: false,           // Audio processing
    disableAGC: false,          // Auto gain control
    disableNS: false,           // Noise suppression
    disableHPF: false,          // High-pass filter
    
    // Enable echo cancellation (recommended)
    echoCancellation: true,
    
    // Enable noise suppression (recommended)
    noiseSuppression: true,
    
    // Auto gain control
    autoGainControl: true
};

JitsiMeetJS.createLocalTracks(audioOptions);

Stereo Audio

const audioOptions = {
    devices: ['audio'],
    
    // For music or high-quality audio
    audioQuality: {
        stereo: true,
        autoGainControl: false,
        echoCancellation: false,
        noiseSuppression: false
    }
};

Quality Monitoring

Connection Quality

// Monitor overall connection quality
conference.on(
    JitsiMeetJS.events.conference.CONNECTION_STATS,
    (stats) => {
        console.log('Bitrate:', stats.bitrate);
        console.log('Packet loss:', stats.packetLoss);
        console.log('Connection quality:', stats.connectionQuality);
        // connectionQuality: 0-100 (100 = best)
    }
);

Track Statistics

// Get statistics for specific track
conference.on(
    JitsiMeetJS.events.conference.TRACK_STREAMING_STATUS_CHANGED,
    (track, status) => {
        console.log('Track:', track.getType());
        console.log('Participant:', track.getParticipantId());
        console.log('Status:', status);
        
        // Get detailed stats
        const stats = conference.getParticipantStats(track.getParticipantId());
        console.log('Stats:', stats);
    }
);

Performance Metrics

// Average RTP stats
conference.on(
    JitsiMeetJS.events.conference.BEFORE_STATISTICS_DISPOSED,
    () => {
        const avgStats = conference.avgRtpStatsReporter?.getStats();
        if (avgStats) {
            console.log('Average bitrate:', avgStats.bitrate);
            console.log('Average packet loss:', avgStats.packetLoss);
            console.log('Average framerate:', avgStats.framerate);
        }
    }
);

Codec-Specific Features

VP9 SVC (Scalable Video Coding)

const conferenceOptions = {
    videoQuality: {
        preferredCodec: 'VP9',
        codecPreferenceOrder: ['VP9', 'VP8']
    }
};

// VP9 provides better quality at lower bitrates
// and supports spatial/temporal scalability

H.264 Hardware Acceleration

const conferenceOptions = {
    videoQuality: {
        // H.264 may provide better performance on mobile
        // due to hardware acceleration
        preferredCodec: 'H264',
        codecPreferenceOrder: ['H264', 'VP8', 'VP9']
    }
};

AV1 Support (Experimental)

const conferenceOptions = {
    videoQuality: {
        codecPreferenceOrder: ['AV1', 'VP9', 'VP8']
    },
    testing: {
        // Enable AV1 in Firefox
        enableAV1ForFF: true
    }
};

Advanced Quality Control

Per-Track Quality Settings

// Set quality per track type
function setTrackQuality(track, quality) {
    if (track.getType() === 'video') {
        const constraints = {
            'low': 180,
            'standard': 360,
            'high': 720,
            'hd': 1080
        };
        
        const height = constraints[quality] || 720;
        
        track.track.applyConstraints({
            height: { ideal: height },
            width: { ideal: Math.floor(height * 16 / 9) }
        });
    }
}

Quality Profiles

const qualityProfiles = {
    low: {
        lastN: 3,
        senderConstraint: 180,
        defaultReceiverConstraint: { maxHeight: 180 }
    },
    medium: {
        lastN: 5,
        senderConstraint: 360,
        defaultReceiverConstraint: { maxHeight: 360 }
    },
    high: {
        lastN: 10,
        senderConstraint: 720,
        defaultReceiverConstraint: { maxHeight: 720 }
    },
    ultra: {
        lastN: -1,
        senderConstraint: 1080,
        defaultReceiverConstraint: { maxHeight: 1080 }
    }
};

function applyQualityProfile(profile) {
    const settings = qualityProfiles[profile];
    
    conference.setLastN(settings.lastN);
    conference.setSenderVideoConstraint(settings.senderConstraint);
    
    // Set constraints for all participants
    const constraints = {};
    conference.getParticipants().forEach(p => {
        constraints[p.getId()] = settings.defaultReceiverConstraint;
    });
    conference.setReceiverConstraints(constraints);
}

// Apply profile
applyQualityProfile('medium');

Auto Quality Adjustment

class QualityManager {
    constructor(conference) {
        this.conference = conference;
        this.currentProfile = 'medium';
        
        // Monitor connection quality
        conference.on(
            JitsiMeetJS.events.conference.CONNECTION_STATS,
            this.onConnectionStats.bind(this)
        );
    }
    
    onConnectionStats(stats) {
        const quality = stats.connectionQuality;
        
        if (quality < 30 && this.currentProfile !== 'low') {
            console.log('Switching to low quality');
            this.applyProfile('low');
        } else if (quality > 70 && this.currentProfile !== 'high') {
            console.log('Switching to high quality');
            this.applyProfile('high');
        }
    }
    
    applyProfile(profile) {
        applyQualityProfile(profile);
        this.currentProfile = profile;
    }
}

const qualityManager = new QualityManager(conference);

Best Practices

Choose the right codec for your use case

• VP9: Best quality, good for small conferences (2-4 participants)
• VP8: Balanced performance, good for medium conferences (5-10 participants)
• H.264: Hardware accelerated, good for mobile and large conferences

Use adaptive mode for dynamic conditions

Enable adaptive mode to automatically handle CPU and bandwidth limitations:

videoQuality: {
    enableAdaptiveMode: true
}

Optimize for layout and use case

Adjust Last-N and receiver constraints based on your UI layout:

// Thumbnail view: low resolution for all
// Stage view: high resolution for active speaker
// Gallery view: medium resolution for all visible participants

Monitor quality metrics

Track quality metrics to identify issues:

conference.on(
    JitsiMeetJS.events.conference.ENCODE_TIME_STATS_RECEIVED,
    (tpc, stats) => {
        // Log CPU limitations, low resolution, etc.
    }
);

Next Steps

End-to-End Encryption

Enable E2EE in conferences

Statistics & Analytics

Monitor performance metrics