Consider a multi-resolution source code for describing a stationary source at L resolutions. The description at the first resolution is given at rate R 1 and achieves an expected distortion no greater than D 1 . The description at the second resolution includes both the first description and a refining description of rate R 2 and achieves expected distortion no greater than D 2 , and so on. Recently derived multi-resolution source coding bounds describe the family of achievable rate and distortion vectors ((R 1 ; R 2 ; : : : ; R L ); (D 1 ; D 2 ; : : : ; D L )). By examining these multiresolution rate-distortion bounds, we gain insight into the problem of practical multiresolution source coding. These insights lead to a new multi-resolution source code based on the tree-structured vector quantizer. This paper covers the algorithm, its optimal design, and preliminary experimental results. I Introduction With advances in communications media and technologies come needs for communicatio...