The local video decoder 433 may decode coded video data of frames that may be designated as reference frames, based on symbols created by the source coder 430. Operations of the coding engine 432 may advantageously be lossy processes. When the coded video data is decoded at a video decoder (not shown in FIG. 4), the reconstructed video sequence typically may be a replica of the source video sequence with some errors. The local video decoder 433 replicates decoding processes that may be performed by the video decoder on reference frames and may cause reconstructed reference frames to be stored in the reference picture memory 434. In this manner, the encoder 203 may store copies of reconstructed reference frames locally that have common content as the reconstructed reference frames that will be obtained by a far-end video decoder (absent transmission errors).

The predictor 435 may perform prediction searches for the coding engine 432. That is, for a new frame to be coded, the predictor 435 may search the reference picture memory 434 for sample data (as candidate reference pixel blocks) or certain metadata such as reference picture motion vectors, block shapes, and so on, that may serve as an appropriate prediction reference for the new pictures. The predictor 435 may operate on a sample block-by-pixel block basis to find appropriate prediction references. In some cases, as determined by search results obtained by the predictor 435, an input picture may have prediction references drawn from multiple reference pictures stored in the reference picture memory 434.

The controller 450 may manage coding operations of the video coder 430, including, for example, setting of parameters and subgroup parameters used for encoding the video data.