When dependent scalar quantization is used, the choice of the quantizer depends on the decoding of the preceding transform coefficient, and the entropy decoding of a transform coefficient depends on quantizer choice. To maintain high throughput in hardware implementations for transform coefficient entropy coding, several decision schemes of the scaler quantizer are proposed. In one implementation, the state transition and the context model selection are based on only regular coded bins. For example, the state transition can be based on the sum of the SIG, gt1 and gt2 flags, the exclusive-or function of the SIG, gt1 and gt2 flags, or based on only the gt1 or gt2 flag. When a block of transform coefficients is coded, the regular mode bins can be coded first in one or more scan passes, and the remaining bypass coded bins are grouped together in another one or more scan passes.