Apparatus and method for encoding and decoding signals

New capabilities will allow conventional broadcast transmission to be available to mobile devices. A method is described including the steps of receiving a packet of data having a data payload and a header, byte code encoding the data in the packet, and altering information in the header in response to the byte code encoding. An apparatus is described including an encoder receiving a packet of data and encoding the data using a byte code encoding process and a header modifier altering information in the header in response to the byte code encoding. A decoding apparatus is described including a packet identifier receiving a plurality of data packets, and identifying a data packet based on information in the header, a byte code decoder decoding the identified data packet using a byte code decoding process, and a Reed-Solomon decoder decoding at least the decoded identified data packet using a Reed-Solomon decoding process.