Abstract: A method and system for encoding digital video picture data. In accordance with this method, the video picture data is partitioned into a group of blocks, at least some of those blocks are selected, one block at a time, and each of the selected blocks of data is encoded to form an encoded coefficient having an associated number of bits. The encoded coefficients are outputted, and an accumulated sum of the number of bits in the outputted encoded coefficients is kept. The outputting of the encoded coefficients is terminated at a defined time in order to prevent the accumulated sum from exceeding a given number.