Abstract: In advanced video coding standards such as H.264, macro-blocks belong to more advanced MB types, such as skipped and non-skipped macro-blocks. In non-skipped macro-blocks, the encoder determines whether each of 8×8 luminance sub-blocks and 4×4 chrominance sub-block of a macro-block is to be encoded, giving the different number of sub-blocks at each macro-block encoding times. It has been found that the correlation of bits between consecutive frames is high. This correlation is even higher after macro-block normalization by considering advanced macro-block types. Based on this bit characteristic, a fast real-time H.264 rate control scheme is herein described. The empirical example results suggest that this scheme can achieve PSNR gain over JM10.2.