Optimal adaptive quantization is one of the key points to optimize the coding efficiency of video encoders. The latest block-based video compression standards, such as high-efficiency video coding (HEVC), extensively use predictive coding techniques that create dependencies between blocks and increase the complexity of optimal block quantizers search. Specifically, the motion compensation is responsible for a dependency network connecting all blocks of the same GOP together. In this paper, this dependency network is estimated by a temporal distortion propagation model and an accurate estimation of Inter and Skip modes probabilities. Optimal quantizers are then designed per block in order to achieve global optimization in terms of rate-distortion efficiency. By implementing the algorithm into the HEVC reference model (HM), we report -16.51% PSNR-based and -26.26% SSIM-based average bitrate savings compared to no adaptive quantization. The proposed algorithm outperforms several related methods from the state-of-the-art. Moreover, along with the demonstration of an optimal quantizer solution, we propose an in-depth analysis of the algorithm behavior. This analysis includes, among others, the relative distribution of rates between frames and the control of quantizers dynamic range.

HEVC is the latest block-based video compression standard, outperforming H.264/AVC by 50% bitrate savings for the same perceptual quality. An HEVC encoder provides Rate-Distortion optimization coding tools for block-wise compression. Because of complexity limitations, Rate-Distortion Optimization (RDO) is usually performed independently for each block, assuming coding efficiency losses to be negligible. In this paper, we propose an acceleration solution for the Intra coding scheme named Dual-JRDO, which takes advantage of Inter-Block dependencies related to both predictive coding and CABAC. The Dual-JRDO improves Intra coding efficiency at the expense of higher computational complexity. The acceleration of the Dual-JRDO scheme includes adaptive use of the Dual-JRDO model based on source analysis, short-listing and early decisions strategies. The proposed Fast Dual-JRDO reduces the original model complexity by 89.54%, while providing tractable computation for average R-D gains of -0.45% (up to -0.82%) in the HM16.12 reference software model.

Hybrid video coding systems use spatial and temporal predictions in order to remove redundancies within the video source signal. These predictions create coding-scheme-related dependencies, often neglected for sake of simplicity. The R-D Spatio-Temporal Adaptive Quantization (RDSTQ) solution uses such dependencies to achieve better coding efficiency. It models the temporal distortion propagation by estimating the probability of a Coding Unit (CU) to be Inter coded. Uased on this probability, each CU is given a weight depending on its relative importance compared to other CUs. However, the initial approach roughly estimates the Inter probability and does not take into account the Skip mode characteristics in the propagation. It induces important Target uitrate Deviation (TBD) compared to the reference target rate. This paper provides undeniable improvements of the original RDSTQ model in using a more accurate estimation of the Inter probability. Then a new analytical solution for local quantizers is obtained by introducing the Skip probability of a CU into the temporal distortion propagation model. The proposed solution brings -2.05% BD-BR gain in average over the RDSTQ at low rate, which corresponds to -13.54% BD-BR gain in average against no local quantization. Moreover, the TBD is reduced from 38% to 14%.

Recent MPEG video compression standards are still block-based: blocks of pixels are sequentially coded using spatial or temporal prediction schemes. For each block, a vector of coding parameters has to be selected. In order to limit the complexity of this decision, independence between blocks is assumed, and coding parameters are locally optimized to maximize the coding efficiency. Few studies have investigated the benefits of inter-block dependencies consideration using Joint Rate-Distortion Optimization (JRDO), especially in Intra coding. To the best of our knowledge, maximum achievable gains of such approaches have never been exhibited. In this paper, we propose two JRDO models performing joint optimization of multiple blocks applied to intra prediction mode decision. The proposed models have been evaluated in both H.264/AVC and HEVC standards. These two models enables a bitrate saving with respect to the classical RDO model up to -3.10% and -2.31% in H.264/AVC and HEVC, respectively.

Nowadays, Rate-Distortion Optimization (RDO) is commonly used in hybrid video coding to maximize coding efficiency. Usually, the rate distortion tradeoff is explicitly computed in offline encoder implementations whereas R(D) model are used in live encoders to select the best decisions at a lower computational cost. For sake of simplicity, this (mathematical) modelling is often performed for each coding unit (CU) individually and independently, obliterating the spatial or temporal dependency between CUs. In this paper, we provide a new spatio-temporal algorithm to compute local quantizers, based on a theoretical framework able to describe the temporal distortion propagation from an R-D standpoint. In particular, we model the temporal distortion propagation making possible the retro accumulations of any (spatial) psycho-visually weighted distortion onto reference images. Using the R(D) Shannon bound, its high bitrate approximation, and a Lagrange optimization, analytical solutions are obtained for the local quantizers and the Lagrange multiplier. The proposed algorithm shows -4.4% BD-BR SSIM gains in average over state-of-the art algorithm in HEVC, using the same SSIM-based psycho-visual function.