H.264 Based Multiple Description Video Coding Using Flexible GOP

In this paper, we proposed a novel scheme of multiple description (MD) video coding, which is compatible with the current video standard H.264. The original video can be split into several sub-sequences using temporal sampling and then each sub-sequence can be encoded to produce independent description. In view of the motion characteristics of the original video, flexible group of picture (GOP) is applied instead of the fixed one when H.264 encoding. Therefore, the frames of high-motion will be encoded as I frames while the frames of slow-motion as P or B frames according to the length of the video sub-sequence. The experimental results show better rate distortion performance than the MD schemes using fixed GOP.