A self initialized coder and method thereof, the coder arranged and constructed for decoding an information stream (217), the coder including a buffer (301) for storing a portion (403) of the information stream, a controller (313) coupled to the buffer (301) for temporally reversing a first part (401) of the portion to provide a file header (415), and an adaptive decoder (213) having a state parameter, the adaptive decoder (213) coupled to the controller (313) and the buffer (301), for decoding the file header (415) to provide an estimate of the state parameter and thereafter for decoding, using the estimate, the portion (403) to provide a decoded signal.