Method and system for generating a transform size syntax element for video decoding

A device for video signal processing, the device comprising:

• circuitry that is configured to:
• receive an intra-predicted macroblock;
• receive a macroblock type of the intra-predicted macroblock indicating a size;
• select a transform size having a same size as the size of the macroblock type;
• receive a transform syntax element generated based on the transform size that indicates an inverse transform size for use with the intra-predicted macroblock;
• inverse transform the received macroblock based on the selected transform size to generate an inverse transformed macroblock;
• reconstruct a reconstructed macroblock of an image based on the inverse transformed macroblock;
• deblock filter the reconstructed macroblock;
• and
• store a reconstructed picture comprising the reconstructed macroblock,
• wherein selecting the transform size includes selecting an N×N transform size when the macroblock type is an N×N macroblock type and selecting an M×M transform size when the macroblock type is an M×M macroblock type, wherein N and M are integer values and M is greater than N.