1. A data processing system, the data processing system comprising: a data detector circuit operable to apply a data detection algorithm to a data input to yield a first detector output, and to reapply the data detection algorithm to the data input to yield a second detector output; a combining circuit operable to combine a first input derived from the first detector output with a second input derived from the second detector output to yield a combined detector output, wherein the combined detector output includes a unified data set element generated by combining an element of the first input with a corresponding element of the second input; a data decoder circuit operable to apply a data decoding algorithm to a decoder input derived from the combined detector output to yield a decoded output; and wherein applying the data detection algorithm and applying the data decoding algorithm at least one time corresponds to a global iteration, and wherein the combining circuit is operable to combine the element of the first input with the corresponding element of the second input in a first proportion when the data decoding algorithm failed to converge and a number of global iterations is less than a threshold value and a second proportion when the data decoding algorithm failed to converge and the number of global iterations is greater than the threshold value, and wherein the first proportion is different from the second proportion.