Finalization of VVenC’s Screen Content Detector and Two-Pass Rate Control Using Pre-Filtering Statistics

For improved performance, practical video encoders integrate algorithms for screen content detection and rate control. This paper outlines recently implemented optimizations to both the screen content classifier (SCC) and two-pass rate control (RC) of VVenC, an open Versatile Video Coding (VVC) compliant encoder. The improvements, confirmed by evaluation experiments in random-access configurations using an extended set of test videos, are mainly achieved by leveraging motion error statistics acquired during motion compensated temporal pre-filtering (MCTPF), carried out in VVenC’s pre-analysis stage. All three aspects – pre-analysis stage, SCC, and RC – are revisited herein, and the exploitation of MCTPF data is described.