A filtering control method applicable to a block of multiple pixels (11, 13, 15, 17) in a video frame, each pixel (11, 13, 15, 17) having a respective pixel value, said method comprising: calculating a first filter decision value for said block based on p 2 j − 2 p 1 j + p 0 j + q 2 j − 2 q 1 j + q 0 j where p 0 j denotes a pixel value of a pixel closest to, in a first line of pixels in said block, a block boundary to a neighboring block, p 1 j denotes a pixel value of a pixel next closest to, in said first line of pixels, said block boundary, p 2 j denotes a pixel value of a pixel second next closest to, in said first line of pixels, said block boundary, q 0 j denotes a pixel value of a pixel in said neighboring block closest to, in a corresponding first line of pixels in said neighboring block, said block boundary, q 1 j denotes a pixel value of a pixel of said neighboring block next closest to, in said corresponding first line of pixels, said block boundary and q 2 j denotes a pixel value of a pixel in said neighboring block second next closest to, in said corresponding first line of pixels, said block boundary; calculating a second filter decision value for said block as p 3 i − p 0 i + q 0 i − q 3 i where p 0 i denotes a pixel value of a pixel closest to, in a current line of pixels (11, 13, 15, 17), said block boundary, p 3 i denotes a pixel value of a pixel third next closest to, in said current line of pixels (11, 13, 15, 17), said block boundary, q 0 i denotes a pixel value of a pixel in said neighboring block closest to, in a corresponding current line of pixels (21,23,25,27), said block boundary and q 3 i denotes a pixel value of a pixel in said neighboring block third next closest to, in said corresponding current line of pixels (21, 23, 25, 27), said block boundary; calculating a third filter decision value for said block as p 0 i − q 0 i; comparing said first filter decision value with a first threshold, said second filter decision value with a second threshold and said third filter decision value with a third threshold; selecting a strong de-blocking filter to filter at least one pixel value in said current line of pixels (11, 13, 15, 17) if said first filter decision value is below said first threshold, said second filter decision value is below said second threshold and said third filter decision value is below said third threshold and otherwise selecting a weak de-blocking filter to filter at least one pixel value in said current line of pixels (11, 13, 15, 17), wherein said strong de-blocking filter has a comparatively higher filtering strength as compared to said weak de-blocking filter. calculating a first filter decision value for said block based on p 2 j − 2 p 1 j + p 0 j + q 2 j − 2 q 1 j + q 0 j where p 0 j denotes a pixel value of a pixel closest to, in a first line of pixels in said block, a block boundary to a neighboring block, p 1 j denotes a pixel value of a pixel next closest to, in said first line of pixels, said block boundary, p 2 j denotes a pixel value of a pixel second next closest to, in said first line of pixels, said block boundary, q 0 j denotes a pixel value of a pixel in said neighboring block closest to, in a corresponding first line of pixels in said neighboring block, said block boundary, q 1 j denotes a pixel value of a pixel of said neighboring block next closest to, in said corresponding first line of pixels, said block boundary and q 2 j denotes a pixel value of a pixel in said neighboring block second next closest to, in said corresponding first line of pixels, said block boundary; calculating a second filter decision value for said block as p 3 i − p 0 i + q 0 i − q 3 i where p 0 i denotes a pixel value of a pixel closest to, in a current line of pixels (11, 13, 15, 17), said block boundary, p 3 i denotes a pixel value of a pixel third next closest to, in said current line of pixels (11, 13, 15, 17), said block boundary, q 0 i denotes a pixel value of a pixel in said neighboring block closest to, in a corresponding current line of pixels (21,23,25,27), said block boundary and q 3 i denotes a pixel value of a pixel in said neighboring block third next closest to, in said corresponding current line of pixels (21, 23, 25, 27), said block boundary; calculating a third filter decision value for said block as p 0 i − q 0 i; comparing said first filter decision value with a first threshold, said second filter decision value with a second threshold and said third filter decision value with a third threshold; selecting a strong de-blocking filter to filter at least one pixel value in said current line of pixels (11, 13, 15, 17) if said first filter decision value is below said first threshold, said second filter decision value is below said second threshold and said third filter decision value is below said third threshold and otherwise selecting a weak de-blocking filter to filter at least one pixel value in said current line of pixels (11, 13, 15, 17), wherein said strong de-blocking filter has a comparatively higher filtering strength as compared to said weak de-blocking filter.