A bidirectional parallel signal interface for providing a parallel data interface between a computer and an external peripheral device includes an interface circuit with command registers for communicating commands and data, a first-in, first-out (FIFO) memory for communicating data between the computer and the peripheral device, and host and slave state machines for receiving commands from the command registers and in accordance therewith controlling communication of data between the FIFO and peripheral device and communicating control signals to and from the peripheral device. The communication of data between the FIFO and peripheral device is effected in accordance with the commands from the command registers. The communications of control signals by the host and slave state machines are responsive to their control signals with such responsiveness being control controllable in accordance with the commands from the command registers. The communication of data from the FIFO to the peripheral device is halted by the host state machine in accordance with its commands from the command registers. The command registers include a status register for storing data from the peripheral device representing a number of status states of the peripheral device.