A system for processing sub-blocks of a macroblock of a video frame. In an example embodiment, the system includes a first module that is adapted to process each sub-block of the macroblock, wherein each sub-block is associated with a predetermined position in a first sequence. The processing of certain sub-blocks in the first sequence requires results of processing of one or more previously processed sub-blocks in the first sequence. A controller selectively enables the first module to process each sub-block of a second sequence that is altered from the first sequence so that the first module implements parallel or pipelined processing of certain sub-blocks of the macroblock. In a more specific embodiment each sub-block in the first sequence of sub-blocks is consecutively numbered 0-15 according to H.264 standards.