1. A method for decoding a video sequence from a video bitstream, the method comprising: (a) receiving the video sequence; (b) determining a maximum number of layers in the video sequence; (c) receiving a video parameter set syntax in the video sequence; (d) receiving a video parameter set extension syntax in the video parameter set syntax; (e) receiving a rep_format_idx_present_flag in the video parameter set extension syntax; (f) when the rep_format_idx_present_flag is true, receiving a representation format index for each of the maximum number of layers in the video sequence; (g) when the rep_format_idx_present_flag is false, determining the representation format index for each of the maximum number of layers in the video sequence minus one to be equal to i, with i ranging from 1 to the maximum number of layers in the video sequence; (h) decoding the video sequence from the video bitstream by using the representation format indexes.