Serial communications system and method

A communications system and method are disclosed. A transmitter (2) includes a scrambler (5) for scrambling original data, an ECC encoder (6) for converting scrambled data into ECC data, and a serializer for converting the ECC data into a serial stream. A receiver (3) includes a frame recoverer (9) for converting the serial data into frame data, an ECC decoder (10) from converting the frame data into ECC data and error indications, and a descrambler (14) for restoring the original data. By using the results of the ECC decoding to convert the serial data into frame data, line decoding is unnecessary, thereby reducing channel usage.