Performance comparison of video coding standards using Lagrangian coder control

A unified approach to the coder control of video coding standards such as MPEG-2, H.263, MPEG-4, and the draft video coding standard JVT/H.26L/AVC is presented. Using this unified framework, the performance of the various standards is compared by means of PSNR and subjective testing results. The results indicate that JVT/H.26L/AVC compliant encoding can typically achieve essentially the same objective PSNR reproduction quality as encoders that are compliant with previous standards while requiring as little as 60% or less of the bit rate of the next best standard, particularly for higher-latency applications and particularly for more difficult source material. Subjective testing shows that the bit savings produced by this draft standard are even larger than the PSNR results indicate.