Dynamic failable buffer sizing alsa-backend

Dynamically set the alsa buffer and period based on the device's reported min/max buffer and period sizes. In the event of failure use the device's defaults.

This should have no effect on devices that allow for reasonable buffer and period sizes but would allow us to be more forgiving with less reasonable devices or configurations.

Closes: #895

Author: JasonLG1979

playback/src/audio_backend/alsa.rs

@@ -4,16 +4,18 @@ use crate::convert::Converter;
 use crate::decoder::AudioPacket;
 use crate::{NUM_CHANNELS, SAMPLE_RATE};
 use alsa::device_name::HintIter;
-use alsa::pcm::{Access, Format, HwParams, PCM};
+use alsa::pcm::{Access, Format, Frames, HwParams, PCM};
 use alsa::{Direction, ValueOr};
 use std::cmp::min;
 use std::process::exit;
-use std::time::Duration;
 use thiserror::Error;
 
-// 0.5 sec buffer.
-const PERIOD_TIME: Duration = Duration::from_millis(100);
-const BUFFER_TIME: Duration = Duration::from_millis(500);
+const MAX_BUFFER: Frames = (SAMPLE_RATE / 2) as Frames;
+const MIN_BUFFER: Frames = (SAMPLE_RATE / 10) as Frames;
+const ZERO_FRAMES: Frames = 0;
+
+const MAX_PERIOD_DIVISOR: Frames = 4;
+const MIN_PERIOD_DIVISOR: Frames = 10;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Error)]
 enum AlsaError {
@@ -195,28 +197,187 @@ fn open_device(dev_name: &str, format: AudioFormat) -> SinkResult<(PCM, usize)>
                 e,
             })?;
 
-        hwp.set_buffer_time_near(BUFFER_TIME.as_micros() as u32, ValueOr::Nearest)
-            .map_err(AlsaError::HwParams)?;
+        // Clone the hwp while it's in
+        // a good working state so that
+        // in the event of an error setting
+        // the buffer and period sizes
+        // we can use the good working clone
+        // instead of the hwp that's in an
+        // error state.
+        let hwp_clone = hwp.clone();
+
+        // At a sampling rate of 44100:
+        // The largest buffer is 22050 Frames (500ms) with 5512 Frame periods (125ms).
+        // The smallest buffer is 4410 Frames (100ms) with 441 Frame periods (10ms).
+        // Actual values may vary.
+        //
+        // Larger buffer and period sizes are preferred as extremely small values
+        // will cause high CPU useage.
+        //
+        // If no buffer or period size is in those ranges or an error happens
+        // trying to set the buffer or period size use the device's defaults
+        // which may not be ideal but are *hopefully* serviceable.
+
+        let buffer_size = {
+            let max = match hwp.get_buffer_size_max() {
+                Err(e) => {
+                    trace!("Error getting the device's max Buffer size: {}", e);
+                    ZERO_FRAMES
+                }
+                Ok(s) => s,
+            };
 
-        hwp.set_period_time_near(PERIOD_TIME.as_micros() as u32, ValueOr::Nearest)
-            .map_err(AlsaError::HwParams)?;
+            let min = match hwp.get_buffer_size_min() {
+                Err(e) => {
+                    trace!("Error getting the device's min Buffer size: {}", e);
+                    ZERO_FRAMES
+                }
+                Ok(s) => s,
+            };
+
+            let buffer_size = if min < max {
+                match (MIN_BUFFER..=MAX_BUFFER)
+                    .rev()
+                    .find(|f| (min..=max).contains(f))
+                {
+                    Some(size) => {
+                        trace!("Desired Frames per Buffer: {:?}", size);
+
+                        match hwp.set_buffer_size_near(size) {
+                            Err(e) => {
+                                trace!("Error setting the device's Buffer size: {}", e);
+                                ZERO_FRAMES
+                            }
+                            Ok(s) => s,
+                        }
+                    }
+                    None => {
+                        trace!("No Desired Buffer size in range reported by the device.");
+                        ZERO_FRAMES
+                    }
+                }
+            } else {
+                trace!("The device's min reported Buffer size was greater than or equal to it's max reported Buffer size.");
+                ZERO_FRAMES
+            };
+
+            if buffer_size == ZERO_FRAMES {
+                trace!(
+                    "Desired Buffer Frame range: {:?} - {:?}",
+                    MIN_BUFFER,
+                    MAX_BUFFER
+                );
+
+                trace!(
+                    "Actual Buffer Frame range as reported by the device: {:?} - {:?}",
+                    min,
+                    max
+                );
+            }
 
-        pcm.hw_params(&hwp).map_err(AlsaError::Pcm)?;
+            buffer_size
+        };
+
+        let period_size = {
+            if buffer_size == ZERO_FRAMES {
+                ZERO_FRAMES
+            } else {
+                let max = match hwp.get_period_size_max() {
+                    Err(e) => {
+                        trace!("Error getting the device's max Period size: {}", e);
+                        ZERO_FRAMES
+                    }
+                    Ok(s) => s,
+                };
 
-        let swp = pcm.sw_params_current().map_err(AlsaError::Pcm)?;
+                let min = match hwp.get_period_size_min() {
+                    Err(e) => {
+                        trace!("Error getting the device's min Period size: {}", e);
+                        ZERO_FRAMES
+                    }
+                    Ok(s) => s,
+                };
+
+                let max_period = buffer_size / MAX_PERIOD_DIVISOR;
+                let min_period = buffer_size / MIN_PERIOD_DIVISOR;
+
+                let period_size = if min < max && min_period < max_period {
+                    match (min_period..=max_period)
+                        .rev()
+                        .find(|f| (min..=max).contains(f))
+                    {
+                        Some(size) => {
+                            trace!("Desired Frames per Period: {:?}", size);
+
+                            match hwp.set_period_size_near(size, ValueOr::Nearest) {
+                                Err(e) => {
+                                    trace!("Error setting the device's Period size: {}", e);
+                                    ZERO_FRAMES
+                                }
+                                Ok(s) => s,
+                            }
+                        }
+                        None => {
+                            trace!("No Desired Period size in range reported by the device.");
+                            ZERO_FRAMES
+                        }
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    trace!("The device's min reported Period size was greater than or equal to it's max reported Period size,");
+                    trace!("or the desired min Period size was greater than or equal to the desired max Period size.");
+                    ZERO_FRAMES
+                };
+
+                if period_size == ZERO_FRAMES {
+                    trace!("Buffer size: {:?}", buffer_size);
+
+                    trace!(
+                        "Desired Period Frame range: {:?} (Buffer size / {:?}) - {:?} (Buffer size / {:?})",
+                        min_period,
+                        MIN_PERIOD_DIVISOR,
+                        max_period,
+                        MAX_PERIOD_DIVISOR,
+                    );
+
+                    trace!(
+                        "Actual Period Frame range as reported by the device: {:?} - {:?}",
+                        min,
+                        max
+                    );
+                }
+
+                period_size
+            }
+        };
+
+        if buffer_size == ZERO_FRAMES || period_size == ZERO_FRAMES {
+            trace!(
+                "Failed to set Buffer and/or Period size, falling back to the device's defaults."
+            );
+
+            trace!("You may experience higher than normal CPU usage and/or audio issues.");
+
+            pcm.hw_params(&hwp_clone).map_err(AlsaError::Pcm)?;
+        } else {
+            pcm.hw_params(&hwp).map_err(AlsaError::Pcm)?;
+        }
+
+        let hwp = pcm.hw_params_current().map_err(AlsaError::Pcm)?;
 
         // Don't assume we got what we wanted. Ask to make sure.
         let frames_per_period = hwp.get_period_size().map_err(AlsaError::HwParams)?;
 
         let frames_per_buffer = hwp.get_buffer_size().map_err(AlsaError::HwParams)?;
 
+        let swp = pcm.sw_params_current().map_err(AlsaError::Pcm)?;
+
         swp.set_start_threshold(frames_per_buffer - frames_per_period)
             .map_err(AlsaError::SwParams)?;
 
         pcm.sw_params(&swp).map_err(AlsaError::Pcm)?;
 
-        trace!("Frames per Buffer: {:?}", frames_per_buffer);
-        trace!("Frames per Period: {:?}", frames_per_period);
+        trace!("Actual Frames per Buffer: {:?}", frames_per_buffer);
+        trace!("Actual Frames per Period: {:?}", frames_per_period);
 
         // Let ALSA do the math for us.
         pcm.frames_to_bytes(frames_per_period) as usize