What are the new challenges in video coding standardization? (part two)

The results of the workshop will be available as output document N10174 with the main conclusions as follows:

• Larger formats (resolutions) are becoming more and more popular.
• Video bitrate - especially uncompressed - is (far) ahead the technologies for economic network transmission for both wired and wireless networks, i.e., bitrate >(>) bandwidth.
  
• Next generation of video compression technology is needed with higher compression capabilities than the AVC standard.

However, there's a need for more evidence that goes beyond the initial optimism where 35% bitrate reduction was reported for 1080p. Therefore, MPEG will adopt its usual process which consists of:

1. Collecting requirements mainly targeting compression performance and higher resolutions
2. Call for test material (N10176) seeking for video sequence with VGA, 1080p, or 4Kx2K resolution captured with current camera equipment.
3. Call for evidence to let the industry (in particular, the national bodies) respond to the idea of developing a High-performance Video Coding (HVC) standard.

I'll provide references to the above mentioned documents as soon as they become available! Interested parties are invited to discuss issues related to HVC as part of an Ad-hoc Group (AhG) with the following mandates:

1. To further discuss vision, applications and requirements of high-performance video coding.
2. To distribute the Call for Test Sequences and assist the video chair in collecting and evaluating new test sequences for the upcoming Call for Evidence.
3. To further discuss and develop conditions and testing methodologies for the Draft Call for Evidence.

Reference:

• Part one
  

What are the new challenges in video coding standardization? (part one)

At today's workshop on new challenges in video coding standardization, MPEG tried to figure out what's beyond AVC, SVC, and MVC. Even before the workshop started, a new acronym was found for this envisaged standard: HVC which stands for High-Performance Video Coding. In my view this already provides a rough direction where MPEG is heading to, i.e., higher resolutions (beyond 4K a.k.a. UD which is four times full HD) and higher framerates (beyond 120Hz up to 180/200/240Hz). Interestingly, displays that can handle such resolutions and framerate will be available around 2012 which would require to start video coding standardization for that right now. Another issue that needs to be considered is the viewing angle with such huge display sizes. Currently, the distance between display and viewer is about three times the display height which results in a viewing angle of 33° using a 40'' TV set. With a 80'' device the viewing angle increases to 63° that needs to be considered both by the codec and the display, of course. However, it is not clear which kind of application (domain) MPEG is targeting for this possible future video coding standard.

Of course, there's much to say bout that and I'll report on that later during the week.

Finally, I also learned another acronym (note: MPEG is full of acronyms) which is ODS that stands for Other Digital Stuff.

Busan Workshop on New Challenges in Video Coding Standardization – Program

Video compression has been a very active area of defining standards over the last 30 years. To face the challenges that emerging applications impose on the requirements of video coding standardization, ISO/IEC WG11 (MPEG) will hold a full-day workshop on 14 October 2008, during the 86th WG11 meeting in Korea.

The key intention of the workshop is to acquire solid information about the context in which video coding will be operating in the future, which will enable MPEG to draw conclusions for the needs and chances in video coding standardization during the next years and to start drafting three key documents: technology context, applications and requirements for a new High-Performance Video Coding (HVC) standard. For this purpose speakers have been invited on key topics for the morning sessions, and in addition regular proposed contributions were accepted for the noon and afternoon sessions.

The Workshop will be held on 14 October 2008 from 9:00-18:00 at Crystal Ballroom #3, 3rd Floor, Busan Lotte Hotel, 503-15 Bujeon-Dong Pusanjin-Gu Busan, Korea 614-030.

Detailed Program

9:00-9:10 Welcome and Introduction (Leonardo Chiariglione)

Invited Session 1: Video Coding and Next-Generation Networks
(Chair: Jens-Rainer Ohm)

9:10-9:40 Tomonori Aoyama (Keio University):
Direction of digital media and content evolution and a new generation network to support it

9:40-10:10 Jeongyeon Lim (SK Telecom), Simon Ji (LG Electronics), Taesung Park and Daesung Cho (Samsung Electronics), Jae-Seob Shin (Pixtree) :
Experiences and forecasts on mobile video services by manufacturers and operators

10:10-10:40 Doug Y. Suh (KHU), Won Ryu and Jeong Joo Yoo (ETRI):
MPEG-64 (MPEG over IPv6 and 4G networks)

10:40-11:00 Coffee Break

Invited Session 2: Video Coding for Future Applications and Devices
(Chair: Jörn Ostermann)

11:00-11:30 Seonki Kim (Samsung):
Advanced Technology in LCD Display – New Driving Scheme and Advanced Super PVA Technology

11:30-12:00 Jonghwa Kim (Samsung):
Flash Memory for Packaged Media : What it can do and where it fits

Regular Session 1: Technology Context of Future Video Coding
(Chair: Ajay Luthra)

12:00-12:30 Euee S. Jang (Hanyang University):
Reconfigurable Video Coding – A Building Block for Future MPEG Coding Standards

12:30-12:50 Kim Kyunghoon, Kim Nacwoo, Kim Sangkyune, Son Seungchul and Lee Byungtak (ETRI):
The necessity of a New MPEG Standard Supporting Real-time Distributed IPTV Environment


12:50-14:10 Lunch Break

Regular Session 2: Compression Technology
(Chair: T.K. Tan)

14:10-14:30 Geert Van der Auwera and Yeong Taeg Kim (Samsung Information Systems):
Triangular Sub-Macroblock Partitioning for Motion Compensated Prediction

14:30-14:50 Munchurl Kim (ICU), Changseob Park (KBS):
Beyond Macroblock based Predictive Coding

14:50-15:10 Kyohyuk Lee, Elena Alshina, Jeonghoon Park, Woojin Han and Junghye Min (Samsung):
Technical considerations on new challenges in video coding standardization

15:10-15:30 Johannes Ballé, Steffen Kamp, Aleksandar Stojanovic, Mathias Wien and Jens-Rainer Ohm (RWTH Aachen University):
Tools for Improving Texture and Motion Compression

15:30-16:00 Coffee Break

16:00 Open Discussion and Conclusions

18:00 End of Workshop

Participants who are not regularly attending the 86th MPEG meeting should register by sending an email to Sungwook Jung ( swjung@kisi.or.kr ) with subject line 'Registration for Busan video coding workshop' and including contact data in the mail body (name/title, company/affiliation,
address/phone/fax/email).

Workshop on New Challenges in Video Coding Standardization – Call for Contributions

Video compression has been a very active area of defining standards over the last 30 years. To face the challenges that emerging applications impose on the requirements of video coding standardization, ISO/IEC WG11 (MPEG) plans to organize a full-day workshop in Korea on 14 October 2008, during the 86^th WG11 meeting in Korea.

The key intention of the workshop is to acquire solid information about the context in which video coding will be operating in the future, which will enable MPEG to draw conclusions for the needs and chances in video coding standardization during the next years and to start drafting three key documents: technology context, applications and requirements for a new video coding standard. For this purpose it is planned to invite speakers on key topics and in addition select a variety of proposed contributions. The following topics will be considered:

1. Applications: Which video signal resolutions are expected, which data rates will be manageable, which networks/storage media will be dominant starting from the middle of the next decade for

   1. Unicast and broadcast video/movie distribution,

   2. Wireless and mobile,

   3. Packaged media.

2. Next-Generation Networks (around the year 2015)

   1. Which data rates and quality of service characteristics are expected for distribution over IP, WAN, IP-TV, wireless, mobile; unicast, multicast, broadcast, peer 2 peer, access and core networks?

   2. Existence of approaches for transmission, modulation, channel coding etc. that could break existing barriers for terrestrial, satellite and cable broadcast, mobile applications; are there limits in terms of efficient usage of bandwidth and cost?

3. Video equipment: Availability of cameras, displays, projectors etc. (both for professional and consumer sectors) around the year 2015

   1. Cameras: Resolution, color space, quality of lenses, noise characteristics for HD and beyond in particular, cost.

   2. Displays/projectors: Resolution, color space, size, resolution of typical input signals, cost.

   3. Human factors: What size/resolution is useful considering the properties of human visual system? How likely is it that people will put very large displays (beyond HD) into their houses?

4. Compression technology

   1. What are known limitations or missing functionality of current compression technology, considering new applications?

   2. New compression methods that could overcome such limitations.

   3. Methods to evaluate performance: Visual quality, complexity.

The workshop will be organized by a single track of oral presentations. When planning to propose a contribution, please send a summary by 5 September 2008, including title, author(s), area(s) as from the list above and an abstract of 500 words by email to the following persons (chairmen of MPEG video and requirements subgroups):

• Jens-Rainer Ohm, ohm(at)ient(dot)rwth-aachen(dot)de

• Jörn Ostermann, ostermann(at)tnt(dot)uni-hannover(dot)de

The final program, including exact times and site of the workshop, will be made available by 12 September 2008. Information about acceptance/rejection of the contributions will be conveyed to proponents prior to that date. Note that contributions that cannot be considered for presentation at the workshop will be reviewed during the following week at the MPEG meeting.