Picture encoding method and picture encoding apparatus

Abstract

On the basis of encoding condition and encoding difficulty parameter of material inputted at steps S31, S32, stability of pull-down pattern is calculated at step S33. The stability of the pull-down pattern is judged at step S34. In the case where the pull-down pattern is not stable, warning is displayed at step S35. At step S36, whether or not encode processing by the original condition is continued is judged. In the case where processing is not continued, encode processing without pull-down processing, etc. is carried out at step S44. In the case where processing is continued or it is judged at step S34 that pull-down pattern is stable, scene change detection/processing, chapter boundary processing, interpolation/correction processing of encoding difficulty, calculation of No. of target bits and address calculation are carried out at steps S37 to S41. Target rate is calculated at step S42. Control file for encoder is prepared at step S43. Processing is thus completed. Thus, it is possible to provide a picture encoding method and a picture encoding apparatus which are capable of discriminating, before execution of encode processing, whether or not encode condition is suitable at the time of the 2-pass variable rate encode processing by pull-down processing.

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