A system and method are provided for temporally analyzing serial input data. The method comprises: establishing three thresholds; distinguishing present (first) high probability one bit value estimates; distinguishing present high probability zero bit value estimates; and, using a temporal analysis of bit values to distinguish indefinite present bit value estimates. Using a temporal analysis of bit values includes: distinguishing a present bit estimate below first threshold and above the third threshold as a zero if both the past (second) and the future (third) bits are one values and otherwise as a one; and, distinguishing a present bit value estimate above the second threshold and below the third threshold as a one if both the past and future bits are a zero value and otherwise as a zero.