How to generate audio stream in realtime?

_M_H_

Hi,
I'm working on an embedded device which is measureing a gas concentration. The value should be displayed as number and also the level should be audible. The higher the level the more klicks per second should be played (e.g. 10% -> 10 Klicks per second / 100% -> 100 Klicks per second). Similar to a Geiger counter.
Currently I measure the level and generate a buffer with the audio data (wav-format).

The following code shows only the significant parts of the code. It works, but with problems.

//Headerfile
QMediaPlayer *m_player;
QBuffer *m_stream;
QByteArray m_audioHeader;
QByteArray m_audioData;

void GasSensor::myFunction() {
//...
m_stream->setBuffer(&m_audioData);
m_stream->open(QIODevice::ReadWrite|QIODevice::Append);
m_player->setMedia(QMediaContent(), m_stream);
connect(m_timerRefresh, &QTimer::timeout, this, &GasSensor::refresh, Qt::UniqueConnection);
m_timerRefresh->start(1000);
}

void GasSensor::refresh() {
	//... get current gas concentration level
	//... generate newAudioData with Klick-Sound
	// Samplerate = 8kHz / Samplesize = 16 bit

	//Copy audiodata to stream buffer (double buffer principle)
	if( m_currentBufferNum == 1 ) {
		m_stream->seek(0);
		m_currentBufferNum = 0;
		m_stream->write(newAudioData);
		m_player->setPosition(0);	//--> this leads to additional unwanted pause and klicks
	} else {
		m_stream->seek(8000*2);
		m_currentBufferNum = 1;
		m_stream->write(newAudioData);
		m_player->setPosition(1000);   //--> this leads to additional unwanted pause and klicks
	}
}

The audio data is played continously but every time I set a new play position (m_player->setPosition()) I get two problems. First: The play position is not updated fast enough and a small pause (some milliseconds) is audible. Second: The pulse-pause-ratio is changed because the refresh-function is not called exacly every 1000 ms. I understand that this is a normal behaviour and I'm searching for a workaround.
I have the following idea but I couldn't find a solution to solve it:
A stream should be generated and played continiously. The part with the new audio data (klick-sounds) should be added to the stream some milliseconds (e.g. 100-200 ms) before the play position. The buffer of the audioplayer should not be increased because of limited memory available. Similar to a webradio stream. But I don't need to store or buffer old data.

Has anyone an idea how to generate and play audio data in realtime?
Thanks in advance for your comments.
Regards,
Michael

tekojo

Hi @_M_H_
Just an idea, but would changing the playbackRate work for you? http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/qmediaplayer.html#playbackRate-prop
Have one sound that you loop and change the playback rate of that.

P.S. I haven't done anything with multimedia in a couple of years, so it's just an idea.

_M_H_

Thanks for your idea. But this is no solution for me, because the pulse width should be alwas the same. Only the pause time shoud vary. If I increase the playback rate, both will be changed.