1. A multi-standard decoder for decoding data streams comprising: processing stages interconnected to form a pipeline and for processing tokens derived from one or more of the data streams, the processing stages including standard-independent and standard-dependent processing stages, the standard-dependent processing stages capable of reconfiguration to operate in accordance with different data encoding standards; and wherein the tokens provide reconfiguration information to the standard-dependent processing stages at an intermediate stage between an original stage and a final stage.