[ALSA] ASoC: documentation & maintainer

This patch adds documentation describing the ASoC architecture and a
maintainer entry for ASoC.
The documentation includes the following files:-
codec.txt: Codec driver internals.
DAI.txt: Description of Digital Audio Interface standards and how to
configure a DAI within your codec and CPU DAI drivers.
dapm.txt: Dynamic Audio Power Management.
platform.txt: Platform audio DMA and DAI.
machine.txt: Machine driver internals.
pop_clicks.txt: How to minimise audio artifacts.
clocking.txt: ASoC clocking for best power performance.

Signed-off-by: Liam Girdwood <liam.girdwood@wolfsonmicro.com>
Signed-off-by: Takashi Iwai <tiwai@suse.de>
Signed-off-by: Jaroslav Kysela <perex@suse.cz>

1 files changed, 52 insertions, 0 deletions

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+Audio Pops and Clicks
+=====================
+
+Pops and clicks are unwanted audio artifacts caused by the powering up and down
+of components within the audio subsystem. This is noticable on PC's when an audio
+module is either loaded or unloaded (at module load time the sound card is
+powered up and causes a popping noise on the speakers).
+
+Pops and clicks can be more frequent on portable systems with DAPM. This is because
+the components within the subsystem are being dynamically powered depending on
+the audio usage and this can subsequently cause a small pop or click every time a
+component power state is changed.
+
+
+Minimising Playback Pops and Clicks
+===================================
+
+Playback pops in portable audio subsystems cannot be completely eliminated atm,
+however future audio codec hardware will have better pop and click supression.
+Pops can be reduced within playback by powering the audio components in a
+specific order. This order is different for startup and shutdown and follows
+some basic rules:-
+
+ Startup Order :- DAC --> Mixers --> Output PGA --> Digital Unmute
+
+ Shutdown Order :- Digital Mute --> Output PGA --> Mixers --> DAC
+
+This assumes that the codec PCM output path from the DAC is via a mixer and then
+a PGA (programmable gain amplifier) before being output to the speakers.
+
+
+Minimising Capture Pops and Clicks
+==================================
+
+Capture artifacts are somewhat easier to get rid as we can delay activating the
+ADC until all the pops have occured. This follows similar power rules to
+playback in that components are powered in a sequence depending upon stream
+startup or shutdown.
+
+ Startup Order - Input PGA --> Mixers --> ADC
+
+ Shutdown Order - ADC --> Mixers --> Input PGA
+
+
+Zipper Noise
+============
+An unwanted zipper noise can occur within the audio playback or capture stream
+when a volume control is changed near its maximum gain value. The zipper noise
+is heard when the gain increase or decrease changes the mean audio signal
+amplitude too quickly. It can be minimised by enabling the zero cross setting
+for each volume control. The ZC forces the gain change to occur when the signal
+crosses the zero amplitude line.