A method for the generation of an initial color table to be used in palette-based image coding, comprising: (a) generating (S703) a histogram corresponding to all pixels in a coding unit ; (b) seeking (S705) a first color value according to the histogram and performing step (c), wherein a first number of pixels of the first color value is a maximum number of pixels of all color values in the histogram; (c) determining (S707) whether the first number of pixels of the first color value is greater than or equals to a first threshold, and when the first number of pixels of the first color value is less than the first threshold, performing step (d), and when the first number of pixels of the first color value is greater than or equals to the first threshold, performing step (e); (d) stopping (S709) the initial color table generation method; (e) seeking (S711) a second color value in a first range of the first color value according to the histogram, wherein a second number of pixels of the second color value is a maximum number of pixels of all color values excluding the first color value within the first range of the first color value; (f) determining (S713) whether the second number of pixels of the second color value is greater than or equals to a second threshold, and when the second number of pixels of the second color value is greater than or equals to the second threshold, performing step (g), and when the second number of pixels of the second color value is less than the second threshold, performing step (h); (g) removing (S715) the first number of pixels of the first color value from the histogram and performing step (b); and (h) adding (S719) the first color value into an initial color table and removing (S721) all pixels within a second range of the first color value from the histogram and performing step (b). (a) generating (S703) a histogram corresponding to all pixels in a coding unit ; (b) seeking (S705) a first color value according to the histogram and performing step (c), wherein a first number of pixels of the first color value is a maximum number of pixels of all color values in the histogram; (c) determining (S707) whether the first number of pixels of the first color value is greater than or equals to a first threshold, and when the first number of pixels of the first color value is less than the first threshold, performing step (d), and when the first number of pixels of the first color value is greater than or equals to the first threshold, performing step (e); (d) stopping (S709) the initial color table generation method; (e) seeking (S711) a second color value in a first range of the first color value according to the histogram, wherein a second number of pixels of the second color value is a maximum number of pixels of all color values excluding the first color value within the first range of the first color value; (f) determining (S713) whether the second number of pixels of the second color value is greater than or equals to a second threshold, and when the second number of pixels of the second color value is greater than or equals to the second threshold, performing step (g), and when the second number of pixels of the second color value is less than the second threshold, performing step (h); (g) removing (S715) the first number of pixels of the first color value from the histogram and performing step (b); and (h) adding (S719) the first color value into an initial color table and removing (S721) all pixels within a second range of the first color value from the histogram and performing step (b). <EOS>