SoC 2009/Weighted P-frame Prediction

This project is part of Google Summer of Code 2009. Student: Dylan Yudaken Mentor: Jason Garrett-Glaser

Abstract

x264 is a highly popular h264 encoder. It currently does not implement the entire spec of h264. Currently weighted P-frames are not used to assist in prediction. If implemented this would give huge benefits in cases where the scene fades or where there are flashes. I am proposing to implement an implementation of this that is good enough and fast enough to warrant inclusion in most video encodings.

Goals

No.	Task Description	Status	Comment
1	Build weighting framework	done	I have tested it to work.
2	Brute Force Optimal Weights	In Progress	Basic algorithm is there, just not working optimally
3	Try use these new weights for some interesting things to improve quality	Not started
4	Find Optimal Weights in a fast way (probably based on the findings in 3.)	Not started	Actually I have got a lot of ideas, some of which I have tested. Just nothing using the current framework so it is possible that it is all useless.
5	Optimize	Currently working on the weight assembler code.	Never done assembler before so this is going slooow.
6	See if explicit B-frame weighting can do good things	Not Started
7	Other weird uses	Not Started

Timeline

This is an estimation.

March 20th or so - April 3 Qualifying task. Was a first attempt at goal 1.

April 20 Students announce

April 21 - May Goal 1 redone better and acceptably.

May 1 - May 20 Work on goal 2

May 23 Program Starts

May 26 - June 12 Exams

June 13 - July 13 Code

July 13 Mid Term deadline. Goals for here have not been set but personally I would like to have goal 2 & 4 finished with goal 3 having a decent chunk of work done. This weird out of order thing is because goal 3 can be worked on continuously as it is not really set, more the trying of ideas.

July 13 - August 17 Code

August 17 Program end