[0194] The process of FIG. 17 may b

[0194] The process of FIG. 17 may be repeated in refining different motion vectors. Thus, the described search area may be referred to as a first search area used in refining a motion vector of a first video block. The video decoder may determine one or more characteristics of second video block being decoded and determine a second search area for the DMVR process for the second video block based on the determined one or more characteristics of the second video block. Since the first video block may have different characteristics than the second video block, in some examples, the second search area may define at least on different dimension than the first search area.[0195] In still other examples, a decoder may determine the search area for the DMVR process based a resolution associated with a video sequence that includes the current video block being decoded. In some cases, the search area for the DMVR process may be based solely on resolution, and in other cases, the search area for the DMVR process may be based on characteristics of the block being coded and based on resolution. For example, resolution could define an upper bound or a search space size range or one or more dimensions of the search space, and block characteristics may be used to define a given search space within the range or bounds defined by the resolution. In still other examples, the resolution may be used to define boundaries (largest and smallest sized search area) and block adaptive decisions on the search area size could be made within the defined boundaries. [0196] In still other examples, a video decoder may receive one or more syntax elements associated with the search area for the DMVR process, decode the one or more syntax elements to define one or more values, determine a one or more dimensions of the search area based on the one or more values, and generate the search area based on the one or more dimensions of the search area. In some cases, the search area may be defined based solely on the one or more values decoded from the syntax elements, and in other in other cases, the search area for the DMVR process may be based on characteristics of the block being coded in combination with the one or more values decoded from the syntax elements. For example, the one or more values decoded from the syntax elements may be used to define boundaries (largest and smallest sized search area or largest and smallest dimensions of a search space) and block adaptive decisions on the search area size or dimensions could be made within the defined boundaries.