Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for selecting frames for decode and display during different playback modes of a media player. Prediction dependencies may be estimated among frames from a sample table of a media item identifying dependency state among frames in the media item. Based on a playback rate of a media player, a collection of frames may be identified from the media item that have presentation times within a display refresh time of the player. A frame may be selected for decode and display during the display refresh time based on the estimated prediction dependencies. The selected frame may be decoded for display during the player display refresh time.