Direct memory access for loopback transfers in a media controller architecture

Described embodiments provide for transferring data from one location to another location in a memory of a media controller. A transmit data path and a receive data path of the media controller are linked with a generic direct memory access (GDMA). The transmit data path includes a transmit (TX) buffer and the receive data path includes a receive (RX) buffer. The GDMA is programmed with a total transfer count and a transfer mode. The GDMA processes the movable data based on the total transfer count and the transfer mode by converting one or more portions of the movable data in the TX buffer into a predefined frame structure defined with status entries, which translates frames of the moveable data between the TX data path and the RX data path and synchronizes the movable data between the TX buffer and the RX buffer with the status entries.