Abstract: A microcomputer controller for a printer, and apparatus for facilitating direct memory access to the microcomputer, includes a central processing unit (CPU) with a known set-up time at the beginning of each machine cycle. A memory, associated with the CPU, has an access time less than the CPU set-up time. A pair of three-state buffers are utilized on the address bus to, and the data bus to and from, the memory from each of the CPU and a direct memory access (DMA) port. A DMA control circuit is coupled to the three-state buffers to facilitate direct access to the memory, from the DMA port, during CPU set-up time intervals and also returns control of memory access to the CPU when the set-up, or synchronization, time interval ends.