An apparatus includes a memory and a controller. The memory may be configured to store data. The memory generally comprises a plurality of memory units each having a size less than a total size of the memory. The controller may be configured to generate a set of converted log likelihood ratios by scaling a set of original log likelihood ratios using a selected scalar value, wherein the controller determines the selected scalar value by generating a plurality of sets of scaled log likelihood ratios by scaling the set of original log likelihood ratios with a plurality of corresponding scalar values, calculating a plurality of respective correlation coefficients each measuring a similarity of a respective set of scaled log likelihood ratios to the set of original log likelihood ratios, and selecting the scalar value corresponding to the set of scaled log likelihood ratios whose respective correlation coefficient is highest as the selected scalar value.