diff --git a/src/abstractreader.cpp b/src/abstractreader.cpp
--- a/src/abstractreader.cpp
+++ b/src/abstractreader.cpp
@@ -24,4 +24,23 @@ AbstractReader::AbstractReader(QIODevice
 {
     _device = device;
     _channelMan = channelMan;
+
+    // initialize sps counter
+    sampleCount = 0;
+    samplesPerSecond = 0;
+    QObject::connect(&spsTimer, &QTimer::timeout,
+                     this, &AbstractReader::spsTimerTimeout);
+    // TODO: start sps timer when reader is enabled
+    spsTimer.start(SPS_UPDATE_TIMEOUT * 1000);
 }
+
+void AbstractReader::spsTimerTimeout()
+{
+    unsigned currentSps = samplesPerSecond;
+    samplesPerSecond = (sampleCount/numOfChannels())/SPS_UPDATE_TIMEOUT;
+    if (currentSps != samplesPerSecond)
+    {
+        emit samplesPerSecondChanged(samplesPerSecond);
+    }
+    sampleCount = 0;
+}