summaryrefslogtreecommitdiffstats
path: root/kernel/Documentation/sound/alsa/soc/clocking.txt
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
Diffstat (limited to 'kernel/Documentation/sound/alsa/soc/clocking.txt')
-rw-r--r--kernel/Documentation/sound/alsa/soc/clocking.txt51
1 files changed, 51 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/kernel/Documentation/sound/alsa/soc/clocking.txt b/kernel/Documentation/sound/alsa/soc/clocking.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b1300162e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kernel/Documentation/sound/alsa/soc/clocking.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+Audio Clocking
+==============
+
+This text describes the audio clocking terms in ASoC and digital audio in
+general. Note: Audio clocking can be complex!
+
+
+Master Clock
+------------
+
+Every audio subsystem is driven by a master clock (sometimes referred to as MCLK
+or SYSCLK). This audio master clock can be derived from a number of sources
+(e.g. crystal, PLL, CPU clock) and is responsible for producing the correct
+audio playback and capture sample rates.
+
+Some master clocks (e.g. PLLs and CPU based clocks) are configurable in that
+their speed can be altered by software (depending on the system use and to save
+power). Other master clocks are fixed at a set frequency (i.e. crystals).
+
+
+DAI Clocks
+----------
+The Digital Audio Interface is usually driven by a Bit Clock (often referred to
+as BCLK). This clock is used to drive the digital audio data across the link
+between the codec and CPU.
+
+The DAI also has a frame clock to signal the start of each audio frame. This
+clock is sometimes referred to as LRC (left right clock) or FRAME. This clock
+runs at exactly the sample rate (LRC = Rate).
+
+Bit Clock can be generated as follows:-
+
+BCLK = MCLK / x
+
+ or
+
+BCLK = LRC * x
+
+ or
+
+BCLK = LRC * Channels * Word Size
+
+This relationship depends on the codec or SoC CPU in particular. In general
+it is best to configure BCLK to the lowest possible speed (depending on your
+rate, number of channels and word size) to save on power.
+
+It is also desirable to use the codec (if possible) to drive (or master) the
+audio clocks as it usually gives more accurate sample rates than the CPU.
+
+
+