A method for decoding a coding-standard layered video stream by a decoder, the method comprising: receiving a coded base layer stream, a coded enhancement layer stream, and an inter-layer prediction unit data stream; decoding the coded BL stream using a BL decoder to generate a decoded BL signal, the BL decoder being compliant to the H.264/AVC standard; decoding the inter-layer prediction unit data stream with an inter-layer prediction unit to determine inter-layer prediction unit processing parameters; in response to determining that the inter-layer prediction unit processing parameters comprise a picture cropping flag, the picture cropping flag indicating that offset cropping parameters are present in the inter-layer prediction unit processing parameters: accessing a base layer picture in the decoded BL signal; accessing the offset cropping parameters; and generating a reference picture for the enhancement layer by cropping a rectangular region of the base layer picture according to the accessed offset cropping parameters, wherein the generating of a reference picture for the enhancement layer further comprises selecting a deblocking filter strength and applying an in-loop deblocking filter compliant to the HEVC standard with the selected filter strength to the cropped base-layer picture; decoding the coded EL stream using an EL decoder to generate a decoded EL signal, the EL decoder being compliant to the HEVC standard, wherein the BL and the EL have at least one of different spatial resolution and different picture aspect ratios, the decoding of the EL signal being based on the generated reference picture for the enhancement layer. receiving a coded base layer stream, a coded enhancement layer stream, and an inter-layer prediction unit data stream; decoding the coded BL stream using a BL decoder to generate a decoded BL signal, the BL decoder being compliant to the H.264/AVC standard; decoding the inter-layer prediction unit data stream with an inter-layer prediction unit to determine inter-layer prediction unit processing parameters; in response to determining that the inter-layer prediction unit processing parameters comprise a picture cropping flag, the picture cropping flag indicating that offset cropping parameters are present in the inter-layer prediction unit processing parameters: accessing a base layer picture in the decoded BL signal; accessing the offset cropping parameters; and generating a reference picture for the enhancement layer by cropping a rectangular region of the base layer picture according to the accessed offset cropping parameters, wherein the generating of a reference picture for the enhancement layer further comprises selecting a deblocking filter strength and applying an in-loop deblocking filter compliant to the HEVC standard with the selected filter strength to the cropped base-layer picture; accessing a base layer picture in the decoded BL signal; accessing the offset cropping parameters; and generating a reference picture for the enhancement layer by cropping a rectangular region of the base layer picture according to the accessed offset cropping parameters, wherein the generating of a reference picture for the enhancement layer further comprises selecting a deblocking filter strength and applying an in-loop deblocking filter compliant to the HEVC standard with the selected filter strength to the cropped base-layer picture; decoding the coded EL stream using an EL decoder to generate a decoded EL signal, the EL decoder being compliant to the HEVC standard, wherein the BL and the EL have at least one of different spatial resolution and different picture aspect ratios, the decoding of the EL signal being based on the generated reference picture for the enhancement layer.