Standard for Coding Moving Images on Digital Storage Media

COMIS - 2102

Keywords digital video, data compression, video decoding, image processing, CD-I, DVI, multimedia, standards

Start Date: 01-MAR-89 / Duration: 34 months

[ contact / participants ]

Objectives and Approach

COMIS aimed to define an efficient video coding algorithm and a conceptual design of the LSI which would allow implementation of a simple decoder for office and home applications, capable of accessing moving-image information recorded on a variety of digital storage media. The availability of a standard would spur a wide range of applications in different areas, such as entertainment, education, and training, as well as in the office.

The goals of the project were to:

• define an algorithm for the efficient coding of moving pictures for digital storage media having the following properties:
  • target throughput rate of 1-1.5 Mbit/s, typical of the most common digital storage media such as compact disc and DAT
  • high picture quality
  • compatible with telecommunication standards (CCITT Recommendation H.261 for videoconferencing and visual telephony)

• define the conceptual VLSI design of the chips implementing the standard
• coordinate European participation in the relevant standardisation body, ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC2/WG11: this working group is in charge of developing international standards for coding moving picture images, associated audio and their combination when used for storage and retrieval on digital media.

Progress and Results

COMIS has made a significant contribution to an ISO Draft International Standard (Committee Draft No. 11172) entitled Coding of Moving Pictures and Associated Audio for Digital Storage Media up to about 1.5 Mbit/s, and has produced the following additional results:

• a simulation model yielding good-quality coded pictures
• a hardware reference model for the successive phases of conceptual VLSI design
• the specification of a real-time demonstrator able to decode ISO/MPEG audiovisual sequences at a bit-rate of about 1 Mbit/s
• the demonstration of a real-time terminal (mentioned above) playing 30 minutes of audiovisual material coded and multiplexed according to the ISO/MPEG standard and stored on a multimedia workstation based on a PC/AT.

CONTACT POINT

Mr Leonardo Chiariglione
CSELT
Via G. Reiss Romoli 274
I - 10148 TORINO
tel: + 39/ 11-228-6120
fax: + 39/ 11-228-6190
telex: 220539 CSELT I

Participants

CSELT - I - C
BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS PLC - UK - P
PTT RESEARCH NEHER LABORATORIES - NL - P
INMOS LTD - UK - P
PHILIPS RESEARCH LABORATORIES UK - UK - P
PHILIPS CONSUMER ELECTRONICS BV - NL - P
DEUTSCHE THOMSON-BRANDT GMBH - D - P
TN TELENORMA - D - P
THOMSON-CSF - LABORATOIRE
ELECTRONIQUE DE RENNES - F - P
CNET - F - P
CCETT - F - P
ING. C. OLIVETTI & C. SPA - I - P
PHILIPS-LEP - F - A
SIDAC SPA - I - A
RAI - I - A
TELETTRA SPA - I - A
THINK SYSTEMS SA - F - A

COMIS - 2102, December 1993

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html version of synopsis by Nick Cook