[alsa-devel] Questions about writing a new ALSA driver for a very limitted device

[Rask Ingemann Lambertsen]

On Sun, Apr 15, 2007 at 06:56:56PM -0700, Tim Harvey wrote:
> 
> I still don't understand what 'period_size' and a 'period' is?

   A period is the interval between updates of the buffer. There must be at
least two periods in a buffer to avoid clicks and pops. During playback, call
snd_pcm_period_elapsed() each time your device has played a period. ALSA will
then update that part of the buffer with new samples. When your device has
played the last period in the buffer, it must be set up to start playing
from the start of the buffer again.

> I've also noticed that I seem to 'have' to call
> snd_pcm_lib_preallocate_pages_for_all or I get an error when ALSA tries to use
> the drive.  I assume that I need to 'preallocate' or allocate manually upon
> each 'open' (or another callback?).  Is this 'preallocate' going to allocate 1
> buffer or 1 buffer per playback/capture?

   Please see the document "Writing an ALSA driver".

-- 
Rask Ingemann Lambertsen