[alsa-devel] [PATCH v2] ALSA: usb-audio: Fix max packet size calculation for USB audio

[Clemens Ladisch]

Ricard Wanderlof wrote:
> The addition of 0xffff ("almost 1" in Q16.16 format), resulting
> in the rounding up of the resulting value, was in the wrong place,
> as it is the resulting packet size that needs to be rounded up
> to the nearest integer (e.g. if the resulting packet size is
> calculated as 55.125 bytes, we need a packet of 56 bytes),
> rather than the rate value (ep->freqmax).
>
> Tested with an Edirol UA-5 both at 44.1 kHz and 96 kHz.
>
> Signed-off-by: Ricard Wanderlof <ricardw at axis.com>
> ---
> V2: Added tested device to commit message. No other changes.
>
> Since this clearly is a sensitive part of the code, here follows a lengthy
> rationale with examples to illustrate the problem.

There is a maximum size for USB packets, but not for git commit messages. :)

> [...]
> The problem here is that the addition of 0xffff is in the wrong place. We don't
> want the rounding up to take place on the frequency, but on the resulting
> packet size.

Packets must not contain partial frames, so the rounding must take place
on the number of frames per packet.

> Let's take an example. We have a sample rate of 96 kHz, so our
> ep->freqn is 786432 (see usb_high_speed_rate()). Add 25% (line 612) and we get
> 983040.  The calculated maxsize is then ((983040 + 65535) * 8) >> 16 = 127 .

That code was intended to round correctly, but it's obviously wrong
because the result is not an integer multiple of the frame size.

(Please write Q16.16 values in hex.)

> However, if we do the number of bytes calculation in a less obscure way it's
> more apparent what the true corresponding packet size is: we get
> (96000 * 1.25 / 8000) * 8 = 120

The value inside the parentheses is the number of frames per packet, and
must be rounded.

> This is also corroborated by the wMaxPacketSize check on line 616. Assume
> that wMaxPacketSize = 108

It would not make sense to have a value that is not a multiple of the
frame size.  (I'm not saying that it doesn't occur in practice ...)


Regards,
Clemens