Upper limit to duration of tone(pin,freq,duration)

Using Arduino Audio
1

For the tone function the duration is simply listed as an unsigned int. Does anyone know if the limit to the duration is only limited to 2^23-1 milliseconds? That would be about 50 days. Could I really have a tone running for days?

2

It depends on the frequency. The constraint is that 2frequencyduration has to be less than 2**31=2147483648. For example at a frequency of 440 Hz the duration has to be less than 2440322 seconds, or 28 days.

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The Gadget Shield: accelerometer, RGB LED, IR transmit/receive, speaker, microphone, light sensor, potentiometer, pushbuttons

3

It compiles & uploads, so it would seem so - haven't tried connecting a speaker yet to hear it.

// info on alarm sound
#include "pitches.h"

// notes in the melody:
int thisNote = 0;
int noteDuration = 0;
int pauseBetweenNotes = 0;
int melody[] = {
  NOTE_C6, NOTE_A5, NOTE_C6, NOTE_A5, NOTE_C6, NOTE_A5, NOTE_C6};
// note durations: 4 = quarter note, 8 = eighth note, etc.:
int noteDurations[] = {
  0xffffffff,12,12,12,12,12,4};
void setup(){}
void loop(){
  for (thisNote = 0; thisNote < 8; thisNote++) 
  {
    // to calculate the note duration, take one second 
    // divided by the note type.
    //e.g. quarter note = 1000 / 4, eighth note = 1000/8, etc.
    // noteDuration = 1000/noteDurations[thisNote];
    noteDuration =noteDurations[thisNote];
    noTone(6);       //apparent known bug - need this for the tone to play next.
    tone(6, melody[thisNote],noteDuration);
    // to distinguish the notes, set a minimum time between them.
    // using the note's duration + 10%:
    pauseBetweenNotes = noteDuration * 1.10;
    delay(pauseBetweenNotes);
    // stop the tone playing:
    //  noTone(6); 
  }
}
4

Thanks guys for your fast responses. In case any of you are wondering why I would care about this, it's because I need to drive a vibrating motor (no giggling!) at approximately 200Hz for about five days. It looks like it will work!

5

Well, you always play quarter notes in void loop over and over and ... :slight_smile:

6

Monica:
I need to drive a vibrating motor for about five days

giggety :smiley:

But yeah - as CrossRoads said, you can just loop a short tone - the delay between them would basically be nothing.