ok, just to answer my own question
😉 - this is what I found out by trial&error and RTFM, respectively:
- DMA works for up to 3 counters simultaneously, at up to 400 KHz/counter
- more than 3 counters only work in interrupt mode, up to 8..10 KHz/counter, depending on # of counters.
this applies to a 1 GHz pentium, running win2000.
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Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back into the same box.