Apparatus and method for controlling priority order of access to memory

An apparatus for controlling an access to a memory in a system decoder of a digital video disk player. The digital video disk player includes several devices which access the memory. A memory controller connected to the devices and a data/address bus controls access to the memory. A priority order controller allows the devices to access the memory according to a predetermined priority order. The priority order controller generates acknowledgement signals to the corresponding devices in response to request signals generated from the devices. If two or more request signals are simultaneously generated from the devices, the priority order controller generates an acknowledgement signal to the appropriate device according to a predetermined priority order of the devices. Further, the acknowledgement signal is deactivated, if an access actuation signal is deactivated.