Abstract: A microblock-level partitioned digital HDTV video decoder for decoding a bit stream consisting of a series of macroblocks of digital video data which are coded in accordance with an MPEG or other predetermined digital compression code. The decoder includes a bit stream parser for identifying boundaries between the macroblocks and producing macroblock boundary information indicative of the identified boundaries, a bit stream formatter for combining the macroblock boundary information with the bit stream to produce a combined bit stream having successive multi-bit portions, a rate buffer for storing and sequentially outputting the successive multi-bit portions, first and second FIFO memories, and a FIFO controller for alternately write enabling the first and second FIFO memories in response to the macroblock boundary information. The FIFO memories thereby alternately store the successive macroblocks in the combined bit stream sequentially outputted from the rate buffer.