An apparatus for interfacing with a multimedia communication link comprises a half-duplex translation layer circuit operating in half-duplex and a full-duplex link layer circuit to communicate over a control bus of the multimedia communication link in full duplex. The apparatus further comprises an arbitration circuit communicatively coupled between the half-duplex translation layer circuit and the full-duplex link layer circuit, the arbitration circuit to control data flow between the half-duplex translation layer circuit and the full-duplex link layer circuit. The arbitration circuit provides interface and signaling rules for transmitting packets from the half-duplex translation layer circuit to the full-duplex link layer circuit, receiving packets via the full-duplex link layer circuit at the half-duplex translation layer circuit, and resolving conflict arising due to bidirectional data flow at the arbitration logic.