Abstract: A block dividing section divides a video frame into plural pieces of block data of a predetermined size and outputs the plural pieces block data sequentially. A block coding section codes the block data. A coding amount computing section computes a coding margin amount on the basis of a coding generation amount in the block coding section. A distance computing section computes a block distance indicating a distance between an arbitrary point of fixation predetermined in the video frame and to-be-coded block data. When a coding amount insufficiency determining section determines that the coding margin amount is smaller than an insufficiency threshold value and a coding suppression determining section determines that the block distance is larger than a distance threshold value, a coding amount suppressing section suppresses the coding generation amount in the block coding section according to the coding suppression amount.

Abstract: A first motion vector is searched for based on a block retrieved from a first reference frame, while a second motion vector is searched for based on a block retrieved from a second reference frame. A combination of a block in the first reference frame and a block in the second reference frame is determined so that the correlation of an averaged block of a block retrieved from the first reference frame and a block retrieved from the second reference frame with the object block is the highest, to search for a motion vector pair based on the determined combination. A motion vector or motion vector pair highest in similarity is selected among the first and second motion vectors and the motion vector pair.