Embodiments include systems and methods of improving processing in a
decoder in a multimedia transmission system. Multimedia data may include
one or more of motion video, audio, still images, or any other suitable
type of audio-visual data. One embodiment includes a system and method of
parsing fixed and variable length codes from a bit-wise stream of
multi-media data by maintaining and reading the data in a processor
aligned (e.g., word aligned) way. Another embodiment includes a system
and method of decoding variable length codes, particular as received from
such a variable length code using multiple levels of decoding tables to
speed up decoder table lookup.