Realtime Wavelet Video Encoding with Generic Graphics Processing Unit

Abstract

Wavelet video encoding with multi-resolution analysis is the base for a layered coding scheme. From one video source streams of different resolutions can be generated in one coding process. To reduce computing time the graphics processing unit (GPU) of a PC system is used for tasks of video compression. Color space conversion and wavelet transformation with just one single rendering pass for horizontal and for vertical decomposition were done be the GPU. Together with the CPU the GPU increases the computed frames per second and possible resolutions for live videos. Live broadcasting and interactive systems with streaming video like video conferencing are applications which take advantage from the proposed concept. This is especially interesting for live video encoding up to the high definition TV (HDTV) formats 720p and better.