CONFIGURABLE TRANSCODER AND METHODS FOR USE THEREWITH

A transcoder includes a demultiplexer that demultiplexes a video signal into a moving image stream, an audio stream and a subtitle stream. A stream probe generates stream format identification data based on the video signal. A transcoder configuration module generates hardware/software configuration data based on the stream format identification data. The hardware/software configuration data configures a plurality of hardware transcoders and the processing device to operate to generate a transcoded video stream, a transcoded audio stream and processed subtitle stream via selected hardware and software blocks. A remultiplexer generates the processed video signal by remultiplexing the transcoded video stream, the transcoded audio stream and the processed subtitle stream, based on the hardware/software configuration data.