HRD Conformance for Real-time H.264 Video Encoding

The H.264 hypothetical reference decoder (HRD) ensures interoperability and smooth playback of video. Because the encoded bit rate may not match the channel rate, buffering and timing information must be specified for the decoder. These parameters can be obtained by analyzing a prerecorded bitstream, but if the video is encoded and transmitted in real-time, these parameters effectively constrain the rate control. We discuss how to set these parameters for real-time encoding, without having the entire bitstream available, and also how VProve can be used to verify HRD conformance.