VBV-CBR and ABR in X264

xkfz007 · 10th December 2013, 04:23

In x264 VBV-CBR RC mode is based on ABR and vbv-maxrate and vbv-bufsize are set. On the basis of frame QP decided by ABR, the MB row QP is decided by VBV-CBR for each row. I test these two modes and the command lines are listed:
ABR: -o BasketballDrill_832x480_50_20131210102507.264 BasketballDrill_832x480_50.yuv 832x480 --fps 50 --frames 300 --bitrate 1120 --profile baseline --threads -1 -I 50 -v --psnr
VBV-CBR: -o BasketballDrill_832x480_50_20131210102507_mb.264 BasketballDrill_832x480_50.yuv 832x480 --fps 50 --frames 300 --bitrate 1120 --vbv-maxrate 1120 --vbv-bufsize 1680 --profile baseline --threads 1 -I 50 -v --psnr

The final results are:
ABR: Y-PSNR 31.530dB, bitrate 1146.93kbps
VBV-CBR: Y-PSNR 31.728dB, bitrate 1230.25kbps
Compared to ABR, VBV-CBR achieved 4.9% bitrate promotion and 0.198dB PSNR promotion. But the PSNR promotion is lower than bitrate (1% bitrate=0.05dB).

Having talked so much, I just want to ask what is the advantage of VBV-CBR compared ABR? If ABR can get the reasonable results, why the VBV-cBR is needed?
In my opinion, VBV-CBR maybe can promote the subjective quality owing to deciding the QP for each MB row. But the bitrate also rises. Also I have compared some frames of the two modes, they are almost the same.
Maybe there are some situations that are fit for VBV-CBR and I don't know. So guys, give me, the new to x264, some professional explanation.

sneaker_ger · 10th December 2013, 10:39

The differences in your results are unintended coincidences/normal deviation (not least because of your extremely short sample size), CBR is not made to "promote" bitrate or PSNR - usually it's quite the opposite since vbv restricts x264 in its possibilities to distribute bits freely. CBR is used if you want to maximize the bitrate in e.g. a streaming scenario or if the streaming application requires it.

xkfz007 · 10th December 2013, 12:42

@sneaker_ger
Thanks for your reply. I learned some about CBR.
Can you tell me in which situations VBV-CBR are used compared with ABR? I think ABR can satisfy most cases.
Compared with ABR, VBV-CBR decides QP for each MB row. Is this the reason why VBV-CBR distribute the bits more accurte than ABR?

10th December 2013, 04:23	#1 \| Link
xkfz007 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 38	VBV-CBR and ABR in X264 In x264 VBV-CBR RC mode is based on ABR and vbv-maxrate and vbv-bufsize are set. On the basis of frame QP decided by ABR, the MB row QP is decided by VBV-CBR for each row. I test these two modes and the command lines are listed: ABR: -o BasketballDrill_832x480_50_20131210102507.264 BasketballDrill_832x480_50.yuv 832x480 --fps 50 --frames 300 --bitrate 1120 --profile baseline --threads -1 -I 50 -v --psnr VBV-CBR: -o BasketballDrill_832x480_50_20131210102507_mb.264 BasketballDrill_832x480_50.yuv 832x480 --fps 50 --frames 300 --bitrate 1120 --vbv-maxrate 1120 --vbv-bufsize 1680 --profile baseline --threads 1 -I 50 -v --psnr The final results are: ABR: Y-PSNR 31.530dB, bitrate 1146.93kbps VBV-CBR: Y-PSNR 31.728dB, bitrate 1230.25kbps Compared to ABR, VBV-CBR achieved 4.9% bitrate promotion and 0.198dB PSNR promotion. But the PSNR promotion is lower than bitrate (1% bitrate=0.05dB). Having talked so much, I just want to ask what is the advantage of VBV-CBR compared ABR? If ABR can get the reasonable results, why the VBV-cBR is needed? In my opinion, VBV-CBR maybe can promote the subjective quality owing to deciding the QP for each MB row. But the bitrate also rises. Also I have compared some frames of the two modes, they are almost the same. Maybe there are some situations that are fit for VBV-CBR and I don't know. So guys, give me, the new to x264, some professional explanation. Last edited by xkfz007; 10th December 2013 at 07:30.

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10th December 2013, 10:39	#2 \| Link
sneaker_ger Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 5,565	The differences in your results are unintended coincidences/normal deviation (not least because of your extremely short sample size), CBR is not made to "promote" bitrate or PSNR - usually it's quite the opposite since vbv restricts x264 in its possibilities to distribute bits freely. CBR is used if you want to maximize the bitrate in e.g. a streaming scenario or if the streaming application requires it.

10th December 2013, 12:42	#3 \| Link
xkfz007 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 38	@sneaker_ger Thanks for your reply. I learned some about CBR. Can you tell me in which situations VBV-CBR are used compared with ABR? I think ABR can satisfy most cases. Compared with ABR, VBV-CBR decides QP for each MB row. Is this the reason why VBV-CBR distribute the bits more accurte than ABR?