you can read the timer at a higher rate using this code, compliments of seav and qbtm magazine:

FUNCTION CLOCK& 



  ' Get the number of timer ticks at 

  ' 0000:046C 

  DEF SEG = 0 

  Ticks& = PEEK(&H46C) 

  Ticks& = Ticks& + PEEK(&H46D) * 256&

  Ticks& = Ticks& + PEEK(&H46E) * 65536&

  DEF SEG 



  ' Latch the counter and obtain the PIT 

  ' countdown status. 

  OUT &H43, &H4 

  LSB = INP(&H40) 

  HSB = 255 - INP(&H40) 



  ' Compute the CLOCK& value 

  CLOCK& = Ticks& * 256& + HSB 



END FUNCTION 



'to test it:

CLS 

DO 

  timerVal! = TIMER 

  clockVal! = CLOCK / 4660.859# 



  LOCATE 1 

  PRINT USING "CLOCK: #####.###"; clockVal! 

  PRINT USING "TIMER: #####.###"; timerVal! 

LOOP UNTIL LEN(INKEY$)