Motion video coding in CCITT SG XV-hardware trials

Describes the test procedures and the hardware field trials carried out in Europe and in Japan in order to participate in the definition of the n×384 kb/s standard. The authors also describe how five countries, starting with a simple document (flexible hardware specifications), undertook to build up flexible hardware prototypes. Detailed test procedures are presented which allowed the different laboratories to make sure that their codec worked properly: loopback test at the encoder side, use of test signal generators for debugging the decoders, and back-to-back or satellite connections for full compatibility checks. The hardware field trials have demonstrated the consistency of the hardware specifications, shown that the algorithm could be implemented with a reasonable hardware complexity, revealed that the picture quality is better than expected, and confirmed the interworking capability of the codecs (use of a common intermediate format) between 625- and 525-line-television countries