ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the most relevant three-dimensional representation formats and associated compression techniques. It describes the major representation formats for three-dimensional video and their associated encoding techniques. Multiview video coding (MVC) is described with emphasis on the recent extensions to the state-of-the-art H.264/ Moving Picture Experts Group-4 Advanced Video Coding standard. Frame-compatible formats for delivery of stereo video through existing infrastructures are introduced. The chapter deals with a summary and discussion on future outlooks. Stereo and multiview videos are typically acquired at common high-definition resolutions for a distinct set of viewpoints. Full-resolution multiview representations can be considered as a reference relative to representation formats that have a reduced spatial or temporal resolution, for example, to satisfy distribution constraints, or representation formats that have a reduced view resolution, due to production constraints. The basic concept of inter-view prediction, which is employed in all of the described designs for efficient MVC, is to exploit both spatial and temporal redundancy for compression.
