Techniques and tools are described for decoding video data having samples
that have been scaled in the spatial domain. For example, a decoder
receives a bit stream that includes coded video data for a current frame.
The decoder processes at least one syntax element (e.g., sequence layer
flag, frame layer flag) that indicates whether the current frame should
be scaled up in value in a spatial domain. If so, then the samples for
the current frame are scaled up in value in the spatial domain. As
another example, for a reference frame used in motion compensation for a
current frame, a decoder scales samples of the reference frame so the
range of the reference frame matches the range of the current frame.