What's new in QNX Neutrino 7.0: Audio component BuildID 237—June 29, 2017 (7.0.237.S2017062909757)

Here are some of the updates in functionality that were introduced with the Audio component Build ID 237—June 29, 2017 (7.0.237.S2017062909757) update:

Changes to the snd_pcm_*_pause and software mixer interaction

When your subchannel went through the software mixer ("sw_mixer") and you paused the audio stream (calling snd_pcm_*_pause()), it ramped down the volume, but immediately transitioned to the PAUSED state. The transition to PAUSED state shouldn't have occurred until the volume had ramped down to zero.

With this update, the snd_pcm_*_pause() call blocks until the software mixer completes ramping down the volume to zero. Only after the volume ramps down to zero does the subchannel transition to the PAUSED state. It's important to note that if you don't use a software mixer, no ramping occurs. For more information, see “PCM software mixer”.

Detect whether a subchannel is soft- or hard- suspended

In previous releases, there was no way to determine whether you were soft- or hard-suspended. From this release onward, you can use the snd_pcm_channel_status_t to determine the status using the ducking_state member. For more information, see “Understanding preemption”.

Audio management policies on group subchannels

Previously, the audio management polices weren't correctly applied to subchannels that were grouped together. Subchannels in the same PCM link group caused audio management polices to be applied on one another. For example, if you had two subchannels grouped together and one of those streams was playing, but then you played the second stream in that group (which is the same audio type), incorrect audio ducking occurred where the first stream would have audio ducking applied to it so that the second stream could play.

This update applies audio management policies so that grouped subchannels are treated as a single audio stream rather individual streams. For more information, see “Understanding audio ducking”.

Use snd_pcm_*_resume(), snd_pcm_*_pause(), and snd_*_prepare() on grouped PCM handles

Previously, when you grouped audio subchannels together using the snd_pcm_link() call, you could start the audio streams only by meeting the start mode condition. With this update, you can also call snd_pcm_*_resume(), snd_pcm_*_pause(), and snd_pcm_*_prepare() on the grouped PCM handles.

This default behavior is referred to as synchronized behavior and is the default PCM link mode (SND_PCM_LINK_MODE_SYNC). You can change this behavior using the snd_pcm_link_mode() and snd_pcm_transition() functions. Both of these functions are available after you install this update.

Changed state transition when a preemption state clears

If the preemption state is cleared and the client application didn't previously called snd_pcm_*_go() or snd_pcm_*_write(), the subchannel transitions back to the PREPARED state.

Audio management occurs on non-active channels

Previously, audio management preemption didn't occur when you enabled audio ducking on a subchannel that wasn't in an active, streaming state (e.g., calling snd_pcm_channel_audio_ducking()). Active subchannels are in the RUNNING, SUSPENDED, or PAUSED state.

This update permits audio preemption to occur on a non-active channel and allow a subchannel to receive SND_PCM_EVENT_* events when you enable ducking behavior on a non-active subchannel. Now this allows, for example, a subchannel to transition from the PREPARED to the SUSPENDED state.

Note: Audio preemption doesn't occur unless you call snd_pcm_*_prepare(). You can call snd_pcm_channel_audio_ducking() before or after the subchannel transitions to the PREPARED state.

The following is a summary of the state transitions that can occur with this update when audio management policies are in place:

• If a subchannel is in the READY state, audio ducking policies are applied, but audio management preemption policies are not, and therefore the subchannel stays in the READY state.
• If the subchannel is in a PREPARED state and audio preemption occurs, the subchannel changes to the SUSPENDED state.
  • If the client application attempts to start the subchannel while it's in the SUSPENDED state, what occurs depends on whether it's soft- or hard-suspended:
    • If the subchannel is soft-suspended and the client application calls snd_pcm_*_go() or snd_pcm_*_write() (depending on your start mode), it transitions to the RUNNING state.
    • If the subchannel is hard-suspended, it remains in the SUSPENDED state, but if the audio type is configured to pause, it moves to the PAUSED state when the SUSPENDED state is cleared.
      Note: You can transition to the PAUSED state only if you have called snd_pcm_*_go() or snd_pcm_*_write() while the subchannel was SUSPENDED.
  • If the preemption state is cleared and the client application didn't previously called snd_pcm_*_go() or snd_pcm_*_write(), the subchannel transitions back to the PREPARED state.
  • If the subchannel isn't streaming and snd_pcm_*_resume() is called while the subchannel is soft-suspended, the subchannel transitions back to the PREPARED state. Previously, when you grouped audio subchannels together using the snd_pcm_link() call, you could start the audio streams only by meeting the start mode condition. With this update, you can also call snd_pcm_*_resume(), snd_pcm_*_pause(), and snd_pcm_*_prepare() on the grouped PCM handles.
  For more information, see “Understanding preemption”.

Usage change of second argument in the snd_pcm_link() function

The second argument in the snd_pcm_link() must be a PCM handle that doesn't belong to a PCM group. For more information, see note in “snd_pcm_link()”.