An iterative decoder is controlled to iteratively decode a block by performing one or more decoding iterations for the block during a predetermined block time. The iterative decoder is further controlled to perform more decoding iterations for the block during a time in which the hardware of the iterative decoder is available, if the block fails to converge to correct data during the predetermined block time. The iterative decoder uses a parity-check matrix and can be configured to process that parity-check matrix for parallel, sequential or a combination of parallel and sequential ("hybrid") parity constraint updates.