Multi processor encoding goes way back to the early days of video compression. The first real-time MPEG-2 encoder chips from C-Cube Microsystems were specifical

Multi processor encoding goes way back to the early days of video compression. The first real-time MPEG-2 encoder chips from C-Cube Microsystems were specifically designed to be used in parallel. Back then (1993), encoding an SD (720x480) image required twelve processors. Here's a picture of a development board. This is half of a two board sandwich that supported ten video processors. The CL4000 was the first member of the family and was used for the DirecTV rollout. It was not capable of MPEG-2, and for a few months, DirecTV was actually MPEG-1. http://www.w6rz.net/scorpio.jpg http://www.w6rz.net/scorpio.jpg