Synchronization apparatus and method for maintaining synchronization between a binary encoded signal and a timing signal generated in the apparatus and employed in processing the binary encoded signal. The synchronization apparatus includes an up/down binary counter operative to sample the binary encoded signal at a predetermined rate and to count upwardly for each sample of the binary encoded signal having the first logic value and to count downwardly for each sample of the binary encoded signal having the second logic value. A timing signal generated within the synchronization apparatus and including a plurality of pairs of timing pulses is employed to ascertain the values of the counts in the up/down counter at the times of each pair of timing pulses. The values of these counts are examined over a period of several (e.g., 8) pairs of the timing pulses to determine whether the binary encoded signal is in synchronism with, leads, or lags the timing signal. If a lead or lag situation is determined to exist, the timing relationship of the binary encoded signal and the timing signal is altered to bring the signals back into synchronism.