Strange encoding results

[raven21]

Can anyone explain me this? After intraframe-only encoding with QP=1, Intra_4x4 mode is used 97.7 % of the time, and Intra_16×16 rest. When encoding with QP=40, Intra 4x4 is used only 18.5% of the time. How is this possible when ME&MC are done before quantization? The encoder is using just one pass.

[akupenguin]

You're not giving the codec enough credit :). Even if ME&MC comes before quantization (and that isn't always true, e.g. RDO) the codec can still predict the effects of quantization and take that into account when choosing macroblock types.

[raven21]

the codec can still predict the effects of quantization and take that into account when choosing macroblock types.

I figured this but I wasn't sure! Thanks!