Video stream preview

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a session system, a request from a user device requesting a video stream preview representing a quality of video data provided by a session host for guiding a user to select a target session host;

estimating, by the session system, an aggregated network transmission quality for data transmitted from the session host to the user device based on (1) a first measure of network transmission quality for data transmitted over a network from the session system to the user device, and (2) a second measure of network transmission quality for data transmitted over the network from the session host to the session system;

generating, by the session system, the video stream preview according to the aggregated network transmission quality; and

providing, by the session system to the user device, the video stream preview.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating the aggregated network transmission quality comprises:

transmitting, by the session system to the user device, a first test payload of data, and

determining, by the session system, the first measure of network transmission quality based on transmitting the first test payload to the user device over the network from the session system.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining, by the session system, a size of the first test payload based on a duration of a video stream of a given quality.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first test payload is transmitted in multiple segments, wherein at least one of the multiple segments has a different size than other segments.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first test payload is transmitted at a faster rate than a rate at which the video data is to be streamed to the user device.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first test payload is transmitted using an unreliable communication protocol.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

determining, by the session system, the second measure of network transmission quality based on a previously computed measure of historical transmission quality from the session host to the session system.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

receiving a second test payload from the session host; and

determining, by the session system, the second measure of network transmission quality based on receiving the second test payload from the session host.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

receiving, by the session system, a video steam from the user device; and

generating, by the session system, the video stream preview using the received video stream.

10. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

storing, by the session system, a video steam; and

generating, by the session system, the video stream preview using the stored video stream.

11. A system comprising:

one or more computers and one or more storage devices, including at least one computer and at least one storage device implementing a session system, the one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to:

receive a request from a user device requesting a video stream preview representing a quality of video data provided by a session host for guiding a user to select a target session host;

estimate an aggregated network transmission quality for data transmitted from the session host to the user device based on (1) a first measure of network transmission quality for data transmitted over a network from the session system to the user device, and (2) a second measure of network transmission quality for data transmitted over the network from the session host to the session system;

generate the video stream preview according to the aggregated network transmission quality; and

provide the video stream preview to the user device.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more computers are configured to estimate the aggregated network transmission quality based on:

transmitting a first test payload of data to the user device, and

determining the first measure of network transmission quality based on transmitting the first test payload to the user device over the network from the session system.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more computers are configured to determine a size of the first test payload based on a duration of a video stream of a given quality.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more computers are configured to transmit the first test payload in multiple segments, and wherein at least one of the multiple segments has a different size than other segments.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first test payload is transmitted at a faster rate than a rate at which the video data is to be streamed to the user device.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more computers are configured to transmit the first test payload using an unreliable communication protocol.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more computers are configured to determine the second measure of network transmission quality based on a previously computed measure of historical transmission quality from the session host to the session system.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more computers are configured to:

receive a second test payload from the session host; and

determine the second measure of network transmission quality based on receiving the second test payload from the session host.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more computers are configured to:

receive a video steam from the user device; and

generate the video stream preview using the received video stream.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more computers are configured to:

store a video steam; and

generate the video stream preview using the stored video stream.