The field of Video Transcoding has been evolving throughout the past ten years. The need for transcoding of video files has greatly increased because of the new upcoming standards which are incompatible with old ones. This thesis takes the method of using machine learning for video transcoding mode decisions and discusses ways to improve the process of generating the algorithm for implementation in different video transcoders. The transcoding methods used decrease the complexity in the mode decision inside the video encoder. Also methods which automate and improve results are discussed and implemented in two different sets of transcoders: H.263 to VP6 , and MPEG-2 to H.264. Both of these transcoders have shown a complexity loss of almost 50%. Video transcoding is important because the quantity of video standards have been increasing while devices usually can only decode one specific codec. / by Christopher Holder. / Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2008. Mode of access: World Wide Web.