Method and apparatus for video coding

An apparatus for video encoding, comprising:

• processing circuitry configured to:
• obtain samples of a current block to be encoded by the apparatus;
• encode the samples of the current block according to a specific inter prediction mode to obtain encoded data;
• and
• generate a coded video bitstream, the coded video bitstream including the encoded data and prediction information, the prediction information including a merge flag for the current block being false and at least one syntax element indicating, which one of inter prediction modes in a subset of available inter prediction modes is selected as the specific inter prediction mode, the inter prediction modes in the subset being associated with the merge flag for the current block being false,
• wherein the subset comprises two or more of a merge with motion vector difference (MMVD) inter prediction mode, a subblock based temporal motion vector predictor (SbTMVP) prediction mode, a combined inter and intra prediction (CIIP) inter prediction mode, a triangle inter prediction mode, an affine merge inter prediction mode, an advanced motion vector predictor (AMVP) inter prediction mode, and an affine AMVP inter prediction mode.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform:

• obtaining samples of a current block to be encoded by the computer;
• encoding the samples of the current block according to a specific inter prediction mode to obtain encoded data;
• and
• generating a coded video bitstream, the coded video bitstream including the encoded data and prediction information, the prediction information including a merge flag for the current block being false and at least one syntax element indicating which one of inter prediction modes in a subset of available inter prediction modes is selected as the specific inter prediction mode, the inter prediction modes in the subset being associated with the merge flag for the current block being false,
• wherein the subset comprises two or more of a merge with motion vector difference (MMVD) inter prediction mode, a subblock based temporal motion vector predictor (SbTMVP) prediction mode, a combined inter and intra prediction (CIIP) inter prediction mode, a triangle inter prediction mode, an affine merge inter prediction mode, an advanced motion vector predictor (AMVP) inter prediction mode, and an affine AMVP inter prediction mode.