[PATCH] ALSA: aloop: Add 'hrtimer' option to timer_source

[PATCH] ALSA: aloop: Add 'hrtimer' option to timer_source

[Yu-Hsuan Hsu]

The snd-aloop driver currently defaults to using the system jiffies
timer (struct timer_list). On systems configured with a low timer
interrupt frequency (e.g., CONFIG_HZ=250), the jiffies resolution
(4ms per tick) is insufficient for precise audio timing. For
example, a 10ms audio period requires 2.5 jiffies ticks, causing
timing jitter that leads to capture underruns.

Introduce "hrtimer" as a supported timer_source option. When
timer_source="hrtimer" is set, aloop uses high-resolution timers
(hrtimer) to drive period updates. This provides nanosecond-level
accuracy regardless of CONFIG_HZ and operates independently of other
hardware audio cards.

Signed-off-by: Yu-Hsuan Hsu <yuhsuan@chromium.org>
---
 sound/drivers/aloop.c | 101 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++--
 1 file changed, 98 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/sound/drivers/aloop.c b/sound/drivers/aloop.c
index 06bfe09eae1a..35018c33a92b 100644
--- a/sound/drivers/aloop.c
+++ b/sound/drivers/aloop.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <linux/wait.h>
 #include <linux/module.h>
 #include <linux/platform_device.h>
+#include <linux/hrtimer.h>
 #include <sound/core.h>
 #include <sound/control.h>
 #include <sound/pcm.h>
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ MODULE_PARM_DESC(pcm_substreams, "PCM substreams # (1-8) for loopback driver.");
 module_param_array(pcm_notify, int, NULL, 0444);
 MODULE_PARM_DESC(pcm_notify, "Break capture when PCM format/rate/channels changes.");
 module_param_array(timer_source, charp, NULL, 0444);
-MODULE_PARM_DESC(timer_source, "Sound card name or number and device/subdevice number of timer to be used. Empty string for jiffies timer [default].");
+MODULE_PARM_DESC(timer_source, "Sound card name or number and device/subdevice number of timer to be used. Empty string for jiffies timer [default], 'hrtimer' for high-resolution timer.");
 
 #define NO_PITCH 100000
 
@@ -161,8 +162,9 @@ struct loopback_pcm {
 	unsigned int period_size_frac;	/* period size in jiffies ticks */
 	unsigned int last_drift;
 	unsigned long last_jiffies;
-	/* If jiffies timer is used */
+	/* If jiffies / hrtimer is used */
 	struct timer_list timer;
+	struct hrtimer hrtimer;
 
 	/* size of per channel buffer in case of non-interleaved access */
 	unsigned int channel_buf_n;
@@ -232,6 +234,29 @@ static int loopback_jiffies_timer_start(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/* call in cable->lock */
+static int loopback_hrtimer_start(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
+{
+	unsigned long tick;
+	unsigned int rate_shift = get_rate_shift(dpcm);
+
+	if (rate_shift != dpcm->pcm_rate_shift) {
+		dpcm->pcm_rate_shift = rate_shift;
+		dpcm->period_size_frac = frac_pos(dpcm, dpcm->pcm_period_size);
+	}
+	if (dpcm->period_size_frac <= dpcm->irq_pos) {
+		dpcm->irq_pos %= dpcm->period_size_frac;
+		dpcm->period_update_pending = 1;
+	}
+	tick = dpcm->period_size_frac - dpcm->irq_pos;
+	tick = DIV_ROUND_UP(tick, dpcm->pcm_bps);
+	hrtimer_start(&dpcm->hrtimer,
+		      ns_to_ktime(div_u64((u64)tick * NSEC_PER_SEC, HZ)),
+		      HRTIMER_MODE_REL_SOFT);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /* call in cable->lock */
 static int loopback_snd_timer_start(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
 {
@@ -270,6 +295,14 @@ static inline int loopback_jiffies_timer_stop(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/* call in cable->lock */
+static inline int loopback_hrtimer_stop(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
+{
+	hrtimer_cancel(&dpcm->hrtimer);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /* call in cable->lock */
 static int loopback_snd_timer_stop(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
 {
@@ -300,6 +333,13 @@ static inline int loopback_jiffies_timer_stop_sync(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static inline int loopback_hrtimer_stop_sync(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
+{
+	hrtimer_cancel(&dpcm->hrtimer);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /* call in loopback->cable_lock */
 static int loopback_snd_timer_close_cable(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
 {
@@ -734,6 +774,28 @@ static void loopback_jiffies_timer_function(struct timer_list *t)
 		snd_pcm_period_elapsed(dpcm->substream);
 }
 
+static enum hrtimer_restart loopback_hrtimer_function(struct hrtimer *t)
+{
+	struct loopback_pcm *dpcm = container_of(t, struct loopback_pcm, hrtimer);
+	bool period_elapsed = false;
+
+	scoped_guard(spinlock_irqsave, &dpcm->cable->lock) {
+		if (loopback_jiffies_timer_pos_update(dpcm->cable) &
+		    (1 << dpcm->substream->stream)) {
+			loopback_hrtimer_start(dpcm);
+			if (dpcm->period_update_pending) {
+				dpcm->period_update_pending = 0;
+				period_elapsed = true;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (period_elapsed)
+		snd_pcm_period_elapsed(dpcm->substream);
+
+	return HRTIMER_NORESTART;
+}
+
 /* call in cable->lock */
 static int loopback_snd_timer_check_resolution(struct snd_pcm_runtime *runtime,
 					       unsigned long resolution)
@@ -907,6 +969,19 @@ static void loopback_jiffies_timer_dpcm_info(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm,
 	snd_iprintf(buffer, "    timer_expires:\t%lu\n", dpcm->timer.expires);
 }
 
+static void loopback_hrtimer_dpcm_info(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm,
+				       struct snd_info_buffer *buffer)
+{
+	snd_iprintf(buffer, "    update_pending:\t%u\n",
+		    dpcm->period_update_pending);
+	snd_iprintf(buffer, "    irq_pos:\t\t%u\n", dpcm->irq_pos);
+	snd_iprintf(buffer, "    period_frac:\t%u\n", dpcm->period_size_frac);
+	snd_iprintf(buffer, "    last_jiffies:\t%lu (%lu)\n",
+		    dpcm->last_jiffies, jiffies);
+	snd_iprintf(buffer, "    timer_expires:\t%llu\n",
+		    ktime_to_ns(hrtimer_get_expires(&dpcm->hrtimer)));
+}
+
 static void loopback_snd_timer_dpcm_info(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm,
 					 struct snd_info_buffer *buffer)
 {
@@ -1097,6 +1172,24 @@ static const struct loopback_ops loopback_jiffies_timer_ops = {
 	.dpcm_info = loopback_jiffies_timer_dpcm_info,
 };
 
+static int loopback_hrtimer_open(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
+{
+	hrtimer_setup(&dpcm->hrtimer, loopback_hrtimer_function,
+		      CLOCK_MONOTONIC, HRTIMER_MODE_REL_SOFT);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static const struct loopback_ops loopback_hrtimer_ops = {
+	.open = loopback_hrtimer_open,
+	.start = loopback_hrtimer_start,
+	.stop = loopback_hrtimer_stop,
+	.stop_sync = loopback_hrtimer_stop_sync,
+	.close_substream = loopback_hrtimer_stop_sync,
+	.pos_update = loopback_jiffies_timer_pos_update,
+	.dpcm_info = loopback_hrtimer_dpcm_info,
+};
+
 static int loopback_parse_timer_id(const char *str,
 				   struct snd_timer_id *tid)
 {
@@ -1274,7 +1367,9 @@ static int loopback_open(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream)
 		spin_lock_init(&cable->lock);
 		snd_refcount_init(&cable->stop_count);
 		cable->hw = loopback_pcm_hardware;
-		if (loopback->timer_source)
+		if (loopback->timer_source && !strcmp(loopback->timer_source, "hrtimer"))
+			cable->ops = &loopback_hrtimer_ops;
+		else if (loopback->timer_source && loopback->timer_source[0])
 			cable->ops = &loopback_snd_timer_ops;
 		else
 			cable->ops = &loopback_jiffies_timer_ops;
-- 
2.55.0.rc0.799.gd6f94ed593-goog

Re: [PATCH] ALSA: aloop: Add 'hrtimer' option to timer_source

[Takashi Iwai]

On Thu, 02 Jul 2026 19:03:48 +0200,
Yu-Hsuan Hsu wrote:
> 
> The snd-aloop driver currently defaults to using the system jiffies
> timer (struct timer_list). On systems configured with a low timer
> interrupt frequency (e.g., CONFIG_HZ=250), the jiffies resolution
> (4ms per tick) is insufficient for precise audio timing. For
> example, a 10ms audio period requires 2.5 jiffies ticks, causing
> timing jitter that leads to capture underruns.
> 
> Introduce "hrtimer" as a supported timer_source option. When
> timer_source="hrtimer" is set, aloop uses high-resolution timers
> (hrtimer) to drive period updates. This provides nanosecond-level
> accuracy regardless of CONFIG_HZ and operates independently of other
> hardware audio cards.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Yu-Hsuan Hsu <yuhsuan@chromium.org>

I guess the code depends on CONFIG_HIGH_RES_TIMERS, so we'd need
either an additional Kconfig dependency or some ifdefs to build
properly.

Other than that, I find the idea fine.


thanks,

Takashi

> ---
>  sound/drivers/aloop.c | 101 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++--
>  1 file changed, 98 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/sound/drivers/aloop.c b/sound/drivers/aloop.c
> index 06bfe09eae1a..35018c33a92b 100644
> --- a/sound/drivers/aloop.c
> +++ b/sound/drivers/aloop.c
> @@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
>  #include <linux/wait.h>
>  #include <linux/module.h>
>  #include <linux/platform_device.h>
> +#include <linux/hrtimer.h>
>  #include <sound/core.h>
>  #include <sound/control.h>
>  #include <sound/pcm.h>
> @@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ MODULE_PARM_DESC(pcm_substreams, "PCM substreams # (1-8) for loopback driver.");
>  module_param_array(pcm_notify, int, NULL, 0444);
>  MODULE_PARM_DESC(pcm_notify, "Break capture when PCM format/rate/channels changes.");
>  module_param_array(timer_source, charp, NULL, 0444);
> -MODULE_PARM_DESC(timer_source, "Sound card name or number and device/subdevice number of timer to be used. Empty string for jiffies timer [default].");
> +MODULE_PARM_DESC(timer_source, "Sound card name or number and device/subdevice number of timer to be used. Empty string for jiffies timer [default], 'hrtimer' for high-resolution timer.");
>  
>  #define NO_PITCH 100000
>  
> @@ -161,8 +162,9 @@ struct loopback_pcm {
>  	unsigned int period_size_frac;	/* period size in jiffies ticks */
>  	unsigned int last_drift;
>  	unsigned long last_jiffies;
> -	/* If jiffies timer is used */
> +	/* If jiffies / hrtimer is used */
>  	struct timer_list timer;
> +	struct hrtimer hrtimer;
>  
>  	/* size of per channel buffer in case of non-interleaved access */
>  	unsigned int channel_buf_n;
> @@ -232,6 +234,29 @@ static int loopback_jiffies_timer_start(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
>  	return 0;
>  }
>  
> +/* call in cable->lock */
> +static int loopback_hrtimer_start(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
> +{
> +	unsigned long tick;
> +	unsigned int rate_shift = get_rate_shift(dpcm);
> +
> +	if (rate_shift != dpcm->pcm_rate_shift) {
> +		dpcm->pcm_rate_shift = rate_shift;
> +		dpcm->period_size_frac = frac_pos(dpcm, dpcm->pcm_period_size);
> +	}
> +	if (dpcm->period_size_frac <= dpcm->irq_pos) {
> +		dpcm->irq_pos %= dpcm->period_size_frac;
> +		dpcm->period_update_pending = 1;
> +	}
> +	tick = dpcm->period_size_frac - dpcm->irq_pos;
> +	tick = DIV_ROUND_UP(tick, dpcm->pcm_bps);
> +	hrtimer_start(&dpcm->hrtimer,
> +		      ns_to_ktime(div_u64((u64)tick * NSEC_PER_SEC, HZ)),
> +		      HRTIMER_MODE_REL_SOFT);
> +
> +	return 0;
> +}
> +
>  /* call in cable->lock */
>  static int loopback_snd_timer_start(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
>  {
> @@ -270,6 +295,14 @@ static inline int loopback_jiffies_timer_stop(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
>  	return 0;
>  }
>  
> +/* call in cable->lock */
> +static inline int loopback_hrtimer_stop(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
> +{
> +	hrtimer_cancel(&dpcm->hrtimer);
> +
> +	return 0;
> +}
> +
>  /* call in cable->lock */
>  static int loopback_snd_timer_stop(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
>  {
> @@ -300,6 +333,13 @@ static inline int loopback_jiffies_timer_stop_sync(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
>  	return 0;
>  }
>  
> +static inline int loopback_hrtimer_stop_sync(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
> +{
> +	hrtimer_cancel(&dpcm->hrtimer);
> +
> +	return 0;
> +}
> +
>  /* call in loopback->cable_lock */
>  static int loopback_snd_timer_close_cable(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
>  {
> @@ -734,6 +774,28 @@ static void loopback_jiffies_timer_function(struct timer_list *t)
>  		snd_pcm_period_elapsed(dpcm->substream);
>  }
>  
> +static enum hrtimer_restart loopback_hrtimer_function(struct hrtimer *t)
> +{
> +	struct loopback_pcm *dpcm = container_of(t, struct loopback_pcm, hrtimer);
> +	bool period_elapsed = false;
> +
> +	scoped_guard(spinlock_irqsave, &dpcm->cable->lock) {
> +		if (loopback_jiffies_timer_pos_update(dpcm->cable) &
> +		    (1 << dpcm->substream->stream)) {
> +			loopback_hrtimer_start(dpcm);
> +			if (dpcm->period_update_pending) {
> +				dpcm->period_update_pending = 0;
> +				period_elapsed = true;
> +			}
> +		}
> +	}
> +
> +	if (period_elapsed)
> +		snd_pcm_period_elapsed(dpcm->substream);
> +
> +	return HRTIMER_NORESTART;
> +}
> +
>  /* call in cable->lock */
>  static int loopback_snd_timer_check_resolution(struct snd_pcm_runtime *runtime,
>  					       unsigned long resolution)
> @@ -907,6 +969,19 @@ static void loopback_jiffies_timer_dpcm_info(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm,
>  	snd_iprintf(buffer, "    timer_expires:\t%lu\n", dpcm->timer.expires);
>  }
>  
> +static void loopback_hrtimer_dpcm_info(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm,
> +				       struct snd_info_buffer *buffer)
> +{
> +	snd_iprintf(buffer, "    update_pending:\t%u\n",
> +		    dpcm->period_update_pending);
> +	snd_iprintf(buffer, "    irq_pos:\t\t%u\n", dpcm->irq_pos);
> +	snd_iprintf(buffer, "    period_frac:\t%u\n", dpcm->period_size_frac);
> +	snd_iprintf(buffer, "    last_jiffies:\t%lu (%lu)\n",
> +		    dpcm->last_jiffies, jiffies);
> +	snd_iprintf(buffer, "    timer_expires:\t%llu\n",
> +		    ktime_to_ns(hrtimer_get_expires(&dpcm->hrtimer)));
> +}
> +
>  static void loopback_snd_timer_dpcm_info(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm,
>  					 struct snd_info_buffer *buffer)
>  {
> @@ -1097,6 +1172,24 @@ static const struct loopback_ops loopback_jiffies_timer_ops = {
>  	.dpcm_info = loopback_jiffies_timer_dpcm_info,
>  };
>  
> +static int loopback_hrtimer_open(struct loopback_pcm *dpcm)
> +{
> +	hrtimer_setup(&dpcm->hrtimer, loopback_hrtimer_function,
> +		      CLOCK_MONOTONIC, HRTIMER_MODE_REL_SOFT);
> +
> +	return 0;
> +}
> +
> +static const struct loopback_ops loopback_hrtimer_ops = {
> +	.open = loopback_hrtimer_open,
> +	.start = loopback_hrtimer_start,
> +	.stop = loopback_hrtimer_stop,
> +	.stop_sync = loopback_hrtimer_stop_sync,
> +	.close_substream = loopback_hrtimer_stop_sync,
> +	.pos_update = loopback_jiffies_timer_pos_update,
> +	.dpcm_info = loopback_hrtimer_dpcm_info,
> +};
> +
>  static int loopback_parse_timer_id(const char *str,
>  				   struct snd_timer_id *tid)
>  {
> @@ -1274,7 +1367,9 @@ static int loopback_open(struct snd_pcm_substream *substream)
>  		spin_lock_init(&cable->lock);
>  		snd_refcount_init(&cable->stop_count);
>  		cable->hw = loopback_pcm_hardware;
> -		if (loopback->timer_source)
> +		if (loopback->timer_source && !strcmp(loopback->timer_source, "hrtimer"))
> +			cable->ops = &loopback_hrtimer_ops;
> +		else if (loopback->timer_source && loopback->timer_source[0])
>  			cable->ops = &loopback_snd_timer_ops;
>  		else
>  			cable->ops = &loopback_jiffies_timer_ops;
> -- 
> 2.55.0.rc0.799.gd6f94ed593-goog
>