Math prerequisites for understanding video compression?

[orion44]

What areas of math does one need to know to understand how video compression works?

What programming language is used for coding a video codec?

[LoRd_MuldeR]

What areas of math does one need to know, so he can understand how video compression works?

Boolean algebra, fourier-related transforms, entropy coding, optimization problems (metaheuristics) + search algorithms, graph theory...

What programming language is used for coding a video codec?


In theory the algorithms could be implemented in any (Turing-complete) programming language, of course.

In reality, all state-of-the-art Codecs are probably written in C/C++, with a good portion of Assembler for speed-optimization.

[Dark Shikari]

Nothing in particular beyond basic algebra. Most of the knowledge is specialized applications (e.g. entropy coding), not actual mathematical techniques.

Some basic Fourier theory might help for understanding transforms.

[orion44]

Thanks.