Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for encoding an uncompressed digital video bit stream. The video bit stream comprises successive frames, each of which includes one or more odd fields and one or more even fields. Such frames with more than two fields may result from a telecine process as discussed above. The inventive method comprises the steps of capturing successive frames of said video bit stream in an encoder system, determining statistics for each frame to make an encoding decision for the frame, the statistics for each frame being determined in a single field time, using a statistically valid subset of pixels from the frame, and encoding the frame in said encoding system in a manner responsive to said encoding decision to generate an encoded bit stream. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the statistically valid subset of pixels has a checkerboard pattern.