Presented is a data channel with selectable components, such as encoders or decoders. Also, data having different data signal characteristics can be processed through a data channel based on the data signal characteristics. Further, a data channel may have independent encoding path and an independent decoding path. For example, a first data transmission having first data signal characteristics may be processed via a data channel based on a first selected set of components of the data channel and a second data transmission having second data signal characteristics different than the first data signal characteristics may be processed via the data channel using a second selected set of components in the data channel. The first selected set of components may be different than the second selected set of components, but may share one or more common components.