A method of decoding predictively encoded 3D video data, the method comprising: determining whether a current video unit is coded using a first mode, wherein the current video unit is a macro block, MB, or an MB partition of a current texture view component of a current view of a current access unit; when the current video unit is coded using the first mode: determining a reference view picture for view synthesis prediction, wherein the reference view picture is the picture in the current access unit in a view indicated in a slice header as being a view for view synthesis; setting a reference index for the current video unit such that the reference index indicates the reference view picture; and deriving a motion vector for the current video unit, wherein the motion vector for the current video unit refers to the reference view picture and wherein deriving the motion vector comprises: determining a representative depth value from a block of a depth picture, the block of the depth picture corresponding to a current video unit of the corresponding texture picture, wherein the representative depth value is determined based on a maximum, average or median value of predetermined depth pixels in the block of the depth picture, wherein the predetermined depth pixels are the corner depth pixels in the block of the depth picture; using the representative depth value to determine a disparity vector; and setting the motion vector for the current video unit equal to the disparity vector; or when the current video unit is coded using a second mode, decoding, from the bitstream, motion information for the current video unit; generating a predictive block for the current video unit based on a reference block indicated by motion information of the current video unit, the motion information of the current video unit including the motion vector for the current video unit and the reference index for the current video unit; and adding the predictive block to a residual block to construct a sample block of the current video unit. determining whether a current video unit is coded using a first mode, wherein the current video unit is a macro block, MB, or an MB partition of a current texture view component of a current view of a current access unit; when the current video unit is coded using the first mode: determining a reference view picture for view synthesis prediction, wherein the reference view picture is the picture in the current access unit in a view indicated in a slice header as being a view for view synthesis; setting a reference index for the current video unit such that the reference index indicates the reference view picture; and deriving a motion vector for the current video unit, wherein the motion vector for the current video unit refers to the reference view picture and wherein deriving the motion vector comprises: determining a representative depth value from a block of a depth picture, the block of the depth picture corresponding to a current video unit of the corresponding texture picture, wherein the representative depth value is determined based on a maximum, average or median value of predetermined depth pixels in the block of the depth picture, wherein the predetermined depth pixels are the corner depth pixels in the block of the depth picture; using the representative depth value to determine a disparity vector; and setting the motion vector for the current video unit equal to the disparity vector; or setting a reference index for the current video unit such that the reference index indicates the reference view picture; and deriving a motion vector for the current video unit, wherein the motion vector for the current video unit refers to the reference view picture and wherein deriving the motion vector comprises: determining a representative depth value from a block of a depth picture, the block of the depth picture corresponding to a current video unit of the corresponding texture picture, wherein the representative depth value is determined based on a maximum, average or median value of predetermined depth pixels in the block of the depth picture, wherein the predetermined depth pixels are the corner depth pixels in the block of the depth picture; using the representative depth value to determine a disparity vector; and setting the motion vector for the current video unit equal to the disparity vector; or determining a representative depth value from a block of a depth picture, the block of the depth picture corresponding to a current video unit of the corresponding texture picture, wherein the representative depth value is determined based on a maximum, average or median value of predetermined depth pixels in the block of the depth picture, wherein the predetermined depth pixels are the corner depth pixels in the block of the depth picture; using the representative depth value to determine a disparity vector; and setting the motion vector for the current video unit equal to the disparity vector; or when the current video unit is coded using a second mode, decoding, from the bitstream, motion information for the current video unit; generating a predictive block for the current video unit based on a reference block indicated by motion information of the current video unit, the motion information of the current video unit including the motion vector for the current video unit and the reference index for the current video unit; and adding the predictive block to a residual block to construct a sample block of the current video unit.