A method and apparatus for encoding an input digital signal for lossless transmission comprising first calculation means for calculating a checksum of the input digital signal. The apparatus further comprises encoding means for lossless encoding into an encoded packet of digital data, and composition means for adding the associated checksum to the encoded packet to form an encoded signal. Associated are a method and apparatus for decoding the encoded signal, comprising extracting means for receiving the encoded signal and extracting the encoded packet and associated checksum, decoding means for decoding the encoded packet into a decoded packet comprising the input digital signal, second calculation means for calculating a checksum for the decoded packet, and output means for outputting the decoded packet as an output signal if the calculated checksum corresponds with the extracted checksum.