A system and a technique for recovering data from an input data stream without synchronization of an input sampling circuit to the input data stream determines a count of incoming samples (or frames) without generating a signal that is frequency-locked to the input data stream. A first clock is generated comprising a frequency that is greater than or equal to an expected frequency of the input data stream. A sample count is incremented in response to a sample received in the input data stream, and is decremented in response to a second clock signal. The second clock is generated the first clock signal by passing the first clock signal if the sample count of the sample counter does not equal a predetermined sample count value and by blocking the first clock signal if the sample count equals the predetermined sample count value.