A data encoding circuit and a corresponding method is provided. The data encoding circuit includes a first data formatter in communication with an encoder section. The first data formatter is configured to receive blocks of source data in serial and output parallel two dimensional source data. The encoder receives the parallel two dimensional source data and that computes a plurality of serial row parity bits and a plurality of parallel column parity bits of an error correcting code from the parallel two dimensional source data. A second data formatter communicates with the encoder section and receives the parallel column parity bits and outputs serial column parity bits. A multiplexer section multiplexes the blocks of source data, the serial row parity bits, and the serial column parity bits into an output stream including the blocks of source data encoded by the error correcting code.