In video encoding, different types of frame encoding schemes may be used in order to improve coding efficiency (e.g., obtain the best video quality at a specific hit rate). For example, advanced video encoders may select between the use of intra coded frames (I-frames), inter-prediction coded frames (P-frames) and bi-directional inter-prediction coded frames (B-frames), based on factors such as the existence of scene changes and/or significant amounts of motion in the underlying video content. Pre-processing the video content may involve the detection of scene changes and the level of motion, wherein conventional solutions may perform the pre-processing in either programmable software or fixed functionality hardware. In software based video preprocessing solutions, performance and power efficiency may be poor due to the complexity involved with scene change detection and motion level detection at high frame rates, particularly for mobile devices. Although hardware accelerated video pre-processing solutions may achieve better performance and power efficiency, the silicon area involved in implementing those solutions may increase significantly due again to the complexity involved with scene change and motion level detection. Such an increase in silicon area may be cost prohibitive in competitive computing platform industries.