Methods and systems for improving coding decoding efficiency of video by providing a syntax modeller (24; 26), a buffer (28), and a decoder (12). The syntax modeler (24; 26) may associate a first sequence of symbols with syntax elements. The buffer (28) may store tables (14; 16), each represented by a symbol in the first sequence, and each used to associate a respective symbol in a second sequence of symbols with encoded data. The decoder (12) decodes the data into a bitstream using the second sequence retrieved from a table. (Fig. 4)