A MIMD based multiprocessor architecture for real-time video processing applications consisting of identical bus connected processing elements has been developed. Each processing element contains a RISC processor for controlling and data-dependent tasks and a Low Level Coprocessor for fast processing of convolution-type video processing tasks. To achieve efficient parallel processing of video input signals, the architecture supports independent processing of overlapping image segments. Running at a clock rate of 40 MHz, a single processing element provides a peak performance of 640 Mega arithmetic operations per second (MOPS). For the real-time processing of basic video processing tasks like 3×3 FIR-filter, 8×8 2D-DCT and motion estimation, a single processing element provides a sufficient computational rate for video signals with Common Intermediate Format (CIF) at a frame rate up to 30 Hz. For hybrid source coding of CIF video signals at a frame rate of 30 Hz a multiprocessor system consisting of six processing elements is required. A linear speedup of the multiprocessor system compared to a single processing element is achieved. A VLSI implementation of a processing element in 0.8 µm CMOS technology is under development.