1. A decoder that decodes video comprising: (a) said decoder receives a bitstream containing quantized coefficients representative of blocks of video representative of a plurality of pixels; (b) said decoder decoding said bitstream using context adaptive binary arithmetic coding; (c) said context adaptive binary arithmetic coding including at least two decoding modes, said first mode decoding said bitstream based upon a probability estimate which is based upon at least one of spatially and temporally adjacent syntax element values to a current syntax element being decoded, said second mode decoding said bitstream not based upon a probability estimate based upon other syntax elements to said current syntax element being decoded; (d) said context adaptive binary arithmetic coding decoding said current syntax element using said first mode if said current syntax element is intra-coded and selecting between a first set of probable modes and a second set of probable modes, where said first set of probable modes are more likely than said second set of probable modes; (e) said context adaptive binary arithmetic coding decoding said current syntax element using said second mode if said current syntax element is intra-coded and if selecting among one of said second set of probable modes.