diff --git a/include/bx/endian.h b/include/bx/endian.h
index c9f0294..4227807 100644
--- a/include/bx/endian.h
+++ b/include/bx/endian.h
@@ -46,8 +46,10 @@ namespace bx
 		return (int64_t)endianSwap( (uint64_t)_in);
 	}
 
+	/// Input argument is encoded as little endian, convert it if neccessary
+	/// depending on host CPU endianess.
 	template <typename Ty>
-	inline Ty littleEndian(const Ty _in)
+	inline Ty toLittleEndian(const Ty _in)
 	{
 #if BX_CPU_ENDIAN_BIG
 		return endianSwap(_in);
@@ -56,8 +58,10 @@ namespace bx
 #endif // BX_CPU_ENDIAN_BIG
 	}
 
+	/// Input argument is encoded as big endian, convert it if neccessary
+	/// depending on host CPU endianess.
 	template <typename Ty>
-	inline Ty bigEndian(const Ty _in)
+	inline Ty toBigEndian(const Ty _in)
 	{
 #if BX_CPU_ENDIAN_LITTLE
 		return endianSwap(_in);
@@ -66,6 +70,18 @@ namespace bx
 #endif // BX_CPU_ENDIAN_LITTLE
 	}
 
+	/// If _littleEndian is true, converts input argument to from little endian
+	/// to host CPU endiness.
+	template <typename Ty>
+	inline Ty toHostEndian(const Ty _in, bool _fromLittleEndian)
+	{
+#if BX_CPU_ENDIAN_LITTLE
+		return _fromLittleEndian ? _in : endianSwap(_in);
+#else
+		return _fromLittleEndian ? endianSwap(_in) : _in;
+#endif // BX_CPU_ENDIAN_LITTLE
+	}
+
 } // namespace bx
 
 #endif // __BX_ENDIAN_H__
diff --git a/include/bx/readerwriter.h b/include/bx/readerwriter.h
index 416006b..128c4c7 100644
--- a/include/bx/readerwriter.h
+++ b/include/bx/readerwriter.h
@@ -62,28 +62,61 @@ namespace bx
 	{
 	}
 
+	/// Read data.
 	inline int32_t read(ReaderI* _reader, void* _data, int32_t _size)
 	{
 		return _reader->read(_data, _size);
 	}
 
+	/// Write value.
 	template<typename Ty>
 	inline int32_t read(ReaderI* _reader, Ty& _value)
 	{
 		return _reader->read(&_value, sizeof(Ty) );
 	}
 
+	/// Read value and converts it to host endianess. _fromLittleEndian specifies
+	/// underlying stream endianess.
+	template<typename Ty>
+	inline int32_t readHE(ReaderI* _reader, Ty& _value, bool _fromLittleEndian)
+	{
+		Ty value;
+		int32_t result = _reader->read(&value, sizeof(Ty) );
+		_value = toHostEndian(value, _fromLittleEndian);
+		return result;
+	}
+
+	/// Write data.
 	inline int32_t write(WriterI* _writer, const void* _data, int32_t _size)
 	{
 		return _writer->write(_data, _size);
 	}
 
+	/// Write value.
 	template<typename Ty>
 	inline int32_t write(WriterI* _writer, const Ty& _value)
 	{
 		return _writer->write(&_value, sizeof(Ty) );
 	}
 
+	/// Write value as little endian.
+	template<typename Ty>
+	inline int32_t writeLE(WriterI* _writer, const Ty& _value)
+	{
+		Ty value = toLittleEndian(_value);
+		int32_t result = _writer->write(&value, sizeof(Ty) );
+		return result;
+	}
+
+	/// Write value as big endian.
+	template<typename Ty>
+	inline int32_t writeBE(WriterI* _writer, const Ty& _value)
+	{
+		Ty value = toBigEndian(_value);
+		int32_t result = _writer->write(&value, sizeof(Ty) );
+		return result;
+	}
+
 	inline int64_t skip(SeekerI* _seeker, int64_t _offset)
 	{
 		return _seeker->seek(_offset, Whence::Current);