A Programmable Multi-Format Video Decoder

In this paper, we propose a VLSI design of programmable multi-format video decoder (PMD) to support video codec standards such as MPEG-2, MPEG-4,H.264, and VC-1. It is a hardware and software hybrid system by moving large portion of the complicated data paths, control logics, and computations into processors as software. More flexibility and expandability of the design is achieved by increasing software portion. The required performance for full-HD video decoding is delivered by the assistance of hardwired logic blocks. The burden of hardwired logic design is reduced.