A method or apparatus for error identification of a BCH encoded signal includes processing that begins by receiving a BCH encoded signal in a binary polynomial format to produce a received polynomial. The processing then continues by converting the received polynomial into a plurality of error identifying polynomials. The processing then continues by recursively processing the plurality of binary error identifying polynomials to produce a plurality of error identifying values. The processing then continues by processing the plurality of error identifying values to produce an error locator polynomial that represents error in the received polynomial. The processing then continues by evaluating the error locator polynomial to identify the bit location of the error in the BCH encoded signal. The processing then continues by correcting the BCH encoded signal based on the bit location of the error.