SyncPlay: Synchronized Video-on-Demand Playback with MOQ

MOQ Transport (MOQT) is primarily recognized for its capabilities in low-latency live media, leveraging real-time publishing and in-network caching. However, its object-based data model is equally well-suited to the distinct challenges of synchronized media playback in co-viewing scenarios, specifically for on-demand content. In this paper, we introduce SyncPlay, a system that repurposes MOQT as a general-purpose transport layer to enable time-aligned playback across geographically dispersed users. Through an open-source implementation, we demonstrate the efficacy of using MOQT's inherent features (its data model, integration of temporal metadata and stream multiplexing capabilities) to achieve fine-grained synchronization control and low-overhead coordination among users.