Real-time issues of MPEG-2 playout in resource constrained systems

Abstract

Decoding MPEG-2 video streams imposes hard real-time constraints for consumer electronic devices such as TV sets. The freedom of encoding choices provided by the MPEG-2 standard results in high variability inside streams, in particular with respect to frame structures and their sizes. In this paper, we discuss real-time issues for MPEG-2 playout. We present results from a study of realistic MPEG-2 video streams to analyze the validity of common assumptions for software decoding and identify a number of misconceptions. We identify constraints imposed by frame buffer handling and discuss their implications on decoding architecture and timing. Finally, we identify realistic timing constraints demanded by high quality MPEG-2 software video decoding.