Digital multimedia has changed the way we view computers. For example, the emergence of digital multimedia has brought DVD players to our home theaters, transformed our computers into media centers, and has allowed us to take our media with us in our handheld devices. Multimedia applications are part of the driving force behind the development of third and fourth generation wireless networks.

Our project aims to examine one of the technologies that have been key to this digital revolution, digital video compression. The most recognizable consumer application is DVD video. On a DVD disc a movie is stored digitally as a string of ones and zeros. Video compression algorithms, such as MPEG, use various signal processing and video processing techniques to reduce the storage space needed to represent a movie while maintaining the highest quality possible.

In search of a better solution, we have created a video compression algorithm that is superior to today’s mainstream formats. The key is ‘Wavelets’. Most current video compression techniques rely on the discrete cosine transform (DCT). By dropping the DCT and using wavelets we have been able to produce a better video compression system. Compared to current video compression algorithms, our encoder can produce movies with higher quality and smaller storage size.

Video compression algorithms based on wavelets have many advantages over their DCT counterparts. By moving to wavelets current digital video applications can be made more efficient and new applications, which are currently unattainable, will become possible.