A video encoder includes a region detector module that classifies blocks of video frames. An adaptive filter module applies a median filter to a block based upon a block classification assigned by the region detector module. An adaptive quantization module quantizes a block according to a quantization method adaptively determined based upon a block classification assigned by the region detection module. In one example, a video encoder adaptively determines a median filter selected using a block classification. In another example, a video encoder adaptively determines whether to drop an isolated last transform coefficient based on the block classification, and/or applies a dead-zone selected using the block classification.