Classification Based Mode Decisions for Video over Networks

A video encoder has to make many mode decisions in order to achieve the goal of a low bit rate, high quality, and fast implementation. We propose a general classification based approach to making such mode decisions accurately and efficiently. We first illustrate the approach using the Intra-Inter coding mode decision. We then focus on the decision to skip or code a frame for rate control of video over networks. Using the classification based approach we show improvement in the rate-distortion sense. We then extend the work to scalable video coding in choosing between scalability modes and examine the performance of our approach over error prone networks, using simulated packet losses.