Two classes of architectures-the tree-based and the PLA-based architectures-have been discussed in the literature for the variable length code (VLC) decoder. Pipelined or parallel architectures in these two classes are proposed for high-speed implementation. The pipelined tree-based architectures have the advantages of fully pipelined design, short clock cycle, and partial programmability. They are suitable for concurrent decoding of multiple independent bit streams. The PLA-based architectures have greater flexibility and can take advantages of some high-level optimization techniques. The input/output rate can be fixed or variable to meet the application requirements. As an experiment, the authors have constructed a VLC based on a popular video compression system and compared the architectures. A layout of the major parts and a simulation of the critical path of the pipelined constant-input-rate PLA-based architecture using a high-level synthesis approach estimates that a decoding throughput of 200 Mb/s with a single chip is achievable with CMOS 2.0 mu m technology. >