Configurable transcoder and methods for use therewith

A method for transcoding a video signal into a processed video signal, the method comprising:

• generating stream format identification data based on the video signal;
• generating hardware/software configuration data based on the stream format identification data;
• demultiplexing, via a demultiplexer, the video signal into a video stream, an audio stream and a subtitle stream;
• configuring, based on the hardware/software configuration data, a plurality of hardware transcoders and a processing device that is configurable further based on video transcoder software, audio transcoder software and subtitle transcoding software, to selectively operate,
• via at least one of:
• video transcoder hardware and the video transcoder software, to transcode the video stream into a transcoded video stream;
• via at least one of:
• audio transcoder hardware and the audio transcoder software, to transcode the audio stream into a transcoded audio stream;
• and
• via one of:
• subtitle process hardware and the subtitle process software, to process the subtitle stream into a processed subtitle stream;
• and
• generating, via a remultiplexer, 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.

A transcoder for transcoding a video signal into a processed video signal, the transcoder comprising:

• a demultiplexer that demultiplexes the video signal into a video stream, an audio stream and a subtitle stream;
• stream probe that generates stream format identification data based on the video signal;
• a plurality of hardware transcoders, coupled to the demultiplexer, including video transcoder hardware, and audio transcoder hardware;
• a processing device, coupled to the demultiplexer, that is configurable based on video transcoder software, audio transcoder software and subtitle transcoding software;
• a transcoder configuration module, coupled to the demultiplexer, the stream probe, the plurality of hardware transcoders and the processing device that generates hardware/software configuration data based on the stream format identification data, wherein the hardware/software configuration data configures the plurality of hardware transcoders and the processing device to selectively operate,
• via at least one of:
• the video transcoder hardware and the video transcoder software, to transcode the video stream into a transcoded video stream;
• via at least one of:
• the audio transcoder hardware and the audio transcoder software, to transcode the audio stream into a transcoded audio stream;
• wherein the subtitle process software processes the subtitle stream into a processed subtitle stream;
• and
• a remultiplexer, coupled to the transcoder configuration module, the plurality of hardware transcoders and the processing device, that 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.