Offloading intterupts to a counter

[Max Lobovsky]

I have been looking for ways to offload counting encoder clicks from the microprocessor to another chip so that i can get as high a click rate as i want (8,000+) There are thosands of dedicated counting ICs that cost only a few dollars and could easily handle the rate i want to use, but controlling them looks to be a problem when i want to have 4 encoders. I have only begun to look, but from what i have seen, counters designed for encoders have a relatively complicated scheme just for reading the counter, more than i'd like to implement in software and wire. Does your team use a counter or some other sort of electronics to reduce the number of interrupts on the RC from encoders or other sensors?