An apparatus for coding video data according to certain aspects includes a memory and a processor in communication with the memory. The memory stores video block information. The video block information includes reference layer block information. The processor determines, based on a parameter of the video block information, a transform function that may be used to code the video block information. The processor may encode or decode the video block information. The transform function may be an alternative transform when the parameter is a predetermined value and a primary transform when the parameter is not the predetermined value. The alternative transform includes one of: a discrete-sine-transform (DST), a Type-I DST, a Type-III DST, a Type-IV DST, a Type-VII DST, a discrete-cosine-transform (DCT), a DCT of different types, and a Karhunen-Loeve transform (KLT).