Lagrange multiplier selection in hybrid video coder control

Lagrangian coder control with parameter choice is presented that lead to the creation of the new hybrid video coder specifications TMN-10 for H.263 and TML for H.26L. An efficient approach for the determination of the encoding parameters is developed. It is shown by means of experimental results that the Lagrange multiplier for the macroblock mode decision corresponds to the negative slope of the distortion-rate curve of the prediction error coding. This distortion-rate curve is parameterized by the quantization parameter of the DCT coefficients motivating the established dependency with the Lagrange multiplier.