Macroblock

<p>The macroblock is a processing unit in <a href="/facts/Image_compression/q9bfesUr">image</a> and <a href="/facts/Video_compression/gMFuY4FT">video compression</a> formats based on linear block transforms, typically the <a href="/facts/Discrete_cosine_transform/gPpDhPwP">discrete cosine transform</a> (DCT). A macroblock typically consists of 16×16 samples, and is further subdivided into transform blocks, and may be further subdivided into prediction blocks. Formats which are based on macroblocks include <a href="/facts/JPEG/HQ8QS3uB">JPEG</a>, where they are called <a href="/facts/JPEG/HQ8QS3uB">MCU blocks</a>, <a href="/facts/H.261/2XzQrNgo">H.261</a>, <a href="/facts/MPEG-1_Part_2/ewnQQLPD">MPEG-1 Part 2</a>, <a href="/facts/H.262%2fMPEG-2_Part_2/uKxBALVh">H.262/MPEG-2 Part 2</a>, <a href="/facts/H.263/KSxo04Gy">H.263</a>, <a href="/facts/MPEG-4_Part_2/qrahXdyN">MPEG-4 Part 2</a>, and <a href="/facts/H.264%2fMPEG-4_AVC/soCzKcmJ">H.264/MPEG-4 AVC</a>. In <a href="/facts/H.265%2fHEVC/6gp7DC1a">H.265/HEVC</a>, the macroblock as a basic processing unit has been replaced by the <a href="/facts/Coding_tree_unit/G1eP8d6u">coding tree unit</a>.
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Macroblock open-in-new

Macroblock