Wyner-Ziv video compression using rateless LDPC codes

In this paper we consider Wyner-Ziv video compression using rateless LDPC codes. It is shown that the advantages of using rateless LDPC codes in Wyner-Ziv video compression, in comparison to using traditional fixed-rate LDPC codes, are at least threefold: 1) it significantly reduces the storage complexity; 2) it allows seamless integration with mode selection; and 3) it greatly improves the overall system's performance. Experimental results on the standard CIF-sized sequence mobile_and_calendar show that by combining rateless LDPC coding with simple skip mode selection, one can build a Wyner-Ziv video compression system that is, at rate 0.2 bits per pixel, about 2.25dB away from the standard JM software implementation of the H.264 main profile, more than 8.5dB better than H.264 Intra where all frames are H.264 coded intrapredicted frames, and about 2.3dB better than the same Wyner-Ziv system using fixed-rate LDPC coding. In terms of encoding complexity, the Wyner-Ziv video compression system is two orders of magnitude less complex than the JM implementation of the H.264 main profile.