Wavelet-based video compression: A glimpse of the future?

Abstract

Even though wavelet-based video compression has been an area of research for more than a decade, motion estimation and compensation has been considered complex and inefficient until recently. We have carried out a thorough investigation of existing research work in this field, and found that fundamental problem with wavelet-based temporal removal while obtaining highly scalability (the wavelet-properties of multiresolution structure in combination with embedded coding), has been solved by performing motion compensated temporal filtering within the wavelet domain of a overcomplete three-dimensional lifting-based wavelet transform, and that wavelet-based video CODECs now can compete with DCT-based video CODERS. In addition we have designed and implemented a video compression prototype founded on the Java Media Framework API and a DCT- and DWT-based still-image compression application developed by four engineer students in a previous project. We carefully planned a stepwise implementation progress, to help us making the prototype extendable. The entire plan has not been implemented. However, this was never the intention. We wanted to make a foundation that could be utilized in future studies, both for our one interest and others. Only a so-called intra-frame CODEC has been implemented, and has a lot of potential for further development.