]> git.sesse.net Git - vlc/blobdiff - modules/access_output/udp.c
RTMP access output module
[vlc] / modules / access_output / udp.c
index 6f372cf959b7c6587cf75e815784b18b02333cc9..d9348ed07f98a3ba5be20db844ee133b6f504095 100644 (file)
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*****************************************************************************
  * udp.c
  *****************************************************************************
- * Copyright (C) 2001-2005 VideoLAN
+ * Copyright (C) 2001-2007 the VideoLAN team
  * $Id$
  *
  * Authors: Laurent Aimar <fenrir@via.ecp.fr>
  *
  * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
  * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
- * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111, USA.
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston MA 02110-1301, USA.
  *****************************************************************************/
 
 /*****************************************************************************
  * Preamble
  *****************************************************************************/
-#include <stdlib.h>
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+# include "config.h"
+#endif
+
+#include <vlc/vlc.h>
+#include <vlc_plugin.h>
+
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
-#include <string.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
+#include <assert.h>
 
-#include <vlc/vlc.h>
-#include <vlc/sout.h>
+#include <vlc_sout.h>
+#include <vlc_block.h>
 
 #ifdef HAVE_UNISTD_H
 #   include <unistd.h>
 #ifdef WIN32
 #   include <winsock2.h>
 #   include <ws2tcpip.h>
-#   ifndef IN_MULTICAST
-#       define IN_MULTICAST(a) IN_CLASSD(a)
-#   endif
 #else
 #   include <sys/socket.h>
 #endif
 
-#include "network.h"
+#include <vlc_network.h>
 
+#define MAX_EMPTY_BLOCKS 200
 
 /*****************************************************************************
  * Module descriptor
@@ -62,47 +66,29 @@ static void Close( vlc_object_t * );
 
 #define CACHING_TEXT N_("Caching value (ms)")
 #define CACHING_LONGTEXT N_( \
-    "Allows you to modify the default caching value for UDP streams. This " \
-    "value should be set in millisecond units." )
-
-#define TTL_TEXT N_("Time To Live")
-#define TTL_LONGTEXT N_("Allows you to define the time to live of the " \
-                        "outgoing stream.")
+    "Default caching value for outbound UDP streams. This " \
+    "value should be set in milliseconds." )
 
 #define GROUP_TEXT N_("Group packets")
 #define GROUP_LONGTEXT N_("Packets can be sent one by one at the right time " \
-                          "or by groups. This allows you to give the number " \
+                          "or by groups. You can choose the number " \
                           "of packets that will be sent at a time. It " \
                           "helps reducing the scheduling load on " \
                           "heavily-loaded systems." )
-#define LATE_TEXT N_("Late delay (ms)" )
-#define LATE_LONGTEXT N_("Late packets are dropped. This allows you to give " \
-                       "the time (in milliseconds) a packet is allowed to be" \
-                       " late.")
-#define RAW_TEXT N_("Raw write")
-#define RAW_LONGTEXT N_("If you enable this option, packets will be sent " \
-                       "directly, without trying to fill the MTU (ie, " \
-                       "without trying to make the biggest possible packets " \
-                       "in order to improve streaming)." )
 
 vlc_module_begin();
-    set_description( _("UDP stream output") );
-    set_shortname( N_( "UDP" ) );
+    set_description( N_("UDP stream output") );
+    set_shortname( "UDP" );
     set_category( CAT_SOUT );
     set_subcategory( SUBCAT_SOUT_ACO );
-    add_integer( SOUT_CFG_PREFIX "caching", DEFAULT_PTS_DELAY / 1000, NULL, CACHING_TEXT, CACHING_LONGTEXT, VLC_TRUE );
-    add_integer( SOUT_CFG_PREFIX "ttl", 0, NULL,TTL_TEXT, TTL_LONGTEXT,
-                                 VLC_TRUE );
+    add_integer( SOUT_CFG_PREFIX "caching", DEFAULT_PTS_DELAY / 1000, NULL, CACHING_TEXT, CACHING_LONGTEXT, true );
     add_integer( SOUT_CFG_PREFIX "group", 1, NULL, GROUP_TEXT, GROUP_LONGTEXT,
-                                 VLC_TRUE );
-    add_integer( SOUT_CFG_PREFIX "late", 0, NULL, LATE_TEXT, LATE_LONGTEXT,
-                                 VLC_TRUE );
-    add_bool( SOUT_CFG_PREFIX "raw",  0, NULL, RAW_TEXT, RAW_LONGTEXT,
-                                 VLC_TRUE );
+                                 true );
+    add_obsolete_integer( SOUT_CFG_PREFIX "late" );
+    add_obsolete_bool( SOUT_CFG_PREFIX "raw" );
 
     set_capability( "sout access", 100 );
     add_shortcut( "udp" );
-    add_shortcut( "rtp" ); // Will work only with ts muxer
     set_callbacks( Open, Close );
 vlc_module_end();
 
@@ -110,21 +96,27 @@ vlc_module_end();
  * Exported prototypes
  *****************************************************************************/
 
-static const char *ppsz_sout_options[] = {
+static const char *const ppsz_sout_options[] = {
     "caching",
-    "ttl",
     "group",
-    "late",
-    "raw",
     NULL
 };
 
-static int  Write   ( sout_access_out_t *, block_t * );
-static int  WriteRaw( sout_access_out_t *, block_t * );
+/* Options handled by the libvlc network core */
+static const char *const ppsz_core_options[] = {
+    "dscp",
+    "ttl",
+    "miface",
+    "miface-addr",
+    NULL
+};
+
+static ssize_t Write   ( sout_access_out_t *, block_t * );
 static int  Seek    ( sout_access_out_t *, off_t  );
 
 static void ThreadWrite( vlc_object_t * );
 static block_t *NewUDPPacket( sout_access_out_t *, mtime_t );
+static const char *MakeRandMulticast (int family, char *buf, size_t buflen);
 
 typedef struct sout_access_thread_t
 {
@@ -137,24 +129,20 @@ typedef struct sout_access_thread_t
     int         i_handle;
 
     int64_t     i_caching;
-    int64_t     i_late;
     int         i_group;
 
+    block_fifo_t *p_empty_blocks;
 } sout_access_thread_t;
 
 struct sout_access_out_sys_t
 {
-    int                 b_rtpts;  // 1 if add rtp/ts header
-    uint16_t            i_sequence_number;
-    uint32_t            i_ssrc;
-
     int                 i_mtu;
+    bool          b_mtu_warning;
 
     block_t             *p_buffer;
 
     sout_access_thread_t *p_thread;
 
-    vlc_bool_t          b_mtu_warning;
 };
 
 #define DEFAULT_PORT 1234
@@ -167,63 +155,42 @@ static int Open( vlc_object_t *p_this )
     sout_access_out_t       *p_access = (sout_access_out_t*)p_this;
     sout_access_out_sys_t   *p_sys;
 
-    char                *psz_parser;
-    char                *psz_dst_addr;
+    char                *psz_dst_addr = NULL;
     int                 i_dst_port;
 
-    module_t            *p_network;
-    network_socket_t    socket_desc;
+    int                 i_handle;
 
-    vlc_value_t         val;
+    config_ChainParse( p_access, SOUT_CFG_PREFIX,
+                       ppsz_sout_options, p_access->p_cfg );
+    config_ChainParse( p_access, "",
+                       ppsz_core_options, p_access->p_cfg );
 
-    sout_CfgParse( p_access, SOUT_CFG_PREFIX,
-                   ppsz_sout_options, p_access->p_cfg );
-
-    if( !( p_sys = malloc( sizeof( sout_access_out_sys_t ) ) ) )
+    if (var_Create (p_access, "dst-port", VLC_VAR_INTEGER)
+     || var_Create (p_access, "src-port", VLC_VAR_INTEGER)
+     || var_Create (p_access, "dst-addr", VLC_VAR_STRING)
+     || var_Create (p_access, "src-addr", VLC_VAR_STRING))
     {
-        msg_Err( p_access, "not enough memory" );
-        return VLC_EGENERIC;
+        return VLC_ENOMEM;
     }
-    memset( p_sys, 0, sizeof(sout_access_out_sys_t) );
-    p_access->p_sys = p_sys;
 
-    if( p_access->psz_access != NULL &&
-        !strcmp( p_access->psz_access, "rtp" ) )
+    if( !( p_sys = calloc ( 1, sizeof( sout_access_out_sys_t ) ) ) )
     {
-        msg_Warn( p_access, "be careful that rtp output only works with ts "
-                  "payload (not an error)" );
-        p_sys->b_rtpts = 1;
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        p_sys->b_rtpts = 0;
+        msg_Err( p_access, "not enough memory" );
+        return VLC_ENOMEM;
     }
+    p_access->p_sys = p_sys;
 
-    psz_parser = strdup( p_access->psz_name );
+    i_dst_port = DEFAULT_PORT;
+    char *psz_parser = psz_dst_addr = strdup( p_access->psz_path );
 
-    psz_dst_addr = psz_parser;
-    i_dst_port = 0;
+    if (psz_parser[0] == '[')
+        psz_parser = strchr (psz_parser, ']');
 
-    if ( *psz_parser == '[' )
-    {
-        while( *psz_parser && *psz_parser != ']' )
-        {
-            psz_parser++;
-        }
-    }
-    while( *psz_parser && *psz_parser != ':' )
-    {
-        psz_parser++;
-    }
-    if( *psz_parser == ':' )
-    {
-        *psz_parser = '\0';
-        psz_parser++;
-        i_dst_port = atoi( psz_parser );
-    }
-    if( i_dst_port <= 0 )
+    psz_parser = strchr (psz_parser ?: psz_dst_addr, ':');
+    if (psz_parser != NULL)
     {
-        i_dst_port = DEFAULT_PORT;
+        *psz_parser++ = '\0';
+        i_dst_port = atoi (psz_parser);
     }
 
     p_sys->p_thread =
@@ -231,72 +198,72 @@ static int Open( vlc_object_t *p_this )
     if( !p_sys->p_thread )
     {
         msg_Err( p_access, "out of memory" );
-        return VLC_EGENERIC;
+        free (p_sys);
+        free (psz_dst_addr);
+        return VLC_ENOMEM;
     }
 
+    vlc_object_attach( p_sys->p_thread, p_access );
     p_sys->p_thread->p_sout = p_access->p_sout;
     p_sys->p_thread->b_die  = 0;
     p_sys->p_thread->b_error= 0;
-    p_sys->p_thread->p_fifo = block_FifoNew( p_access );
-
-    socket_desc.psz_server_addr = psz_dst_addr;
-    socket_desc.i_server_port   = i_dst_port;
-    socket_desc.psz_bind_addr   = "";
-    socket_desc.i_bind_port     = 0;
+    p_sys->p_thread->p_fifo = block_FifoNew();
+    p_sys->p_thread->p_empty_blocks = block_FifoNew();
 
-    var_Get( p_access, SOUT_CFG_PREFIX "ttl", &val );
-    socket_desc.i_ttl = val.i_int;
+    i_handle = net_ConnectDgram( p_this, psz_dst_addr, i_dst_port, -1,
+                                 IPPROTO_UDP );
+    free (psz_dst_addr);
 
-    p_sys->p_thread->p_private = (void*)&socket_desc;
-    if( !( p_network = module_Need( p_sys->p_thread, "network", NULL, 0 ) ) )
+    if( i_handle == -1 )
     {
-        msg_Err( p_access, "failed to open a connection (udp)" );
-        return VLC_EGENERIC;
+         msg_Err( p_access, "failed to create raw UDP socket" );
+         vlc_object_release (p_sys->p_thread);
+         free (p_sys);
+         return VLC_EGENERIC;
     }
-    module_Unneed( p_sys->p_thread, p_network );
-
-    p_sys->p_thread->i_handle = socket_desc.i_handle;
+    else
+    {
+        char addr[NI_MAXNUMERICHOST];
+        int port;
 
-    var_Get( p_access, SOUT_CFG_PREFIX "caching", &val );
-    p_sys->p_thread->i_caching = (int64_t)val.i_int * 1000;
+        if (net_GetSockAddress (i_handle, addr, &port) == 0)
+        {
+            msg_Dbg (p_access, "source: %s port %d", addr, port);
+            var_SetString (p_access, "src-addr", addr);
+            var_SetInteger (p_access, "src-port", port);
+        }
 
-    var_Get( p_access, SOUT_CFG_PREFIX "group", &val );
-    p_sys->p_thread->i_group = val.i_int;
+        if (net_GetPeerAddress (i_handle, addr, &port) == 0)
+        {
+            msg_Dbg (p_access, "destination: %s port %d", addr, port);
+            var_SetString (p_access, "dst-addr", addr);
+            var_SetInteger (p_access, "dst-port", port);
+        }
+    }
+    p_sys->p_thread->i_handle = i_handle;
+    shutdown( i_handle, SHUT_RD );
 
-    var_Get( p_access, SOUT_CFG_PREFIX "late", &val );
-    p_sys->p_thread->i_late = (int64_t)val.i_int * 1000;
+    p_sys->p_thread->i_caching =
+        (int64_t)1000 * var_GetInteger( p_access, SOUT_CFG_PREFIX "caching");
+    p_sys->p_thread->i_group =
+        var_GetInteger( p_access, SOUT_CFG_PREFIX "group" );
 
-    p_sys->i_mtu = socket_desc.i_mtu;
+    p_sys->i_mtu = var_CreateGetInteger( p_this, "mtu" );
+    p_sys->p_buffer = NULL;
 
-#ifdef WIN32
     if( vlc_thread_create( p_sys->p_thread, "sout write thread", ThreadWrite,
-                           VLC_THREAD_PRIORITY_HIGHEST, VLC_FALSE ) )
-#else
-    if( vlc_thread_create( p_sys->p_thread, "sout write thread", ThreadWrite,
-                           VLC_THREAD_PRIORITY_OUTPUT, VLC_FALSE ) )
-#endif
+                           VLC_THREAD_PRIORITY_HIGHEST, false ) )
     {
         msg_Err( p_access->p_sout, "cannot spawn sout access thread" );
-        vlc_object_destroy( p_sys->p_thread );
+        net_Close (i_handle);
+        vlc_object_release( p_sys->p_thread );
+        free (p_sys);
         return VLC_EGENERIC;
     }
 
-    srand( (uint32_t)mdate());
-    p_sys->p_buffer          = NULL;
-    p_sys->i_sequence_number = rand()&0xffff;
-    p_sys->i_ssrc            = rand()&0xffffffff;
-
-    var_Get( p_access, SOUT_CFG_PREFIX "raw", &val );
-    if( val.b_bool )  p_access->pf_write = WriteRaw;
-    else p_access->pf_write = Write;
-
+    p_access->pf_write = Write;
     p_access->pf_seek = Seek;
 
-    msg_Dbg( p_access, "udp access output opened(%s:%d)",
-             psz_dst_addr, i_dst_port );
-
-    free( psz_dst_addr );
-
     /* update p_sout->i_out_pace_nocontrol */
     p_access->p_sout->i_out_pace_nocontrol++;
 
@@ -312,60 +279,77 @@ static void Close( vlc_object_t * p_this )
     sout_access_out_sys_t *p_sys = p_access->p_sys;
     int i;
 
-    p_sys->p_thread->b_die = 1;
+    vlc_object_kill( p_sys->p_thread );
+    block_FifoWake( p_sys->p_thread->p_fifo );
+
     for( i = 0; i < 10; i++ )
     {
         block_t *p_dummy = block_New( p_access, p_sys->i_mtu );
         p_dummy->i_dts = 0;
         p_dummy->i_pts = 0;
         p_dummy->i_length = 0;
+        memset( p_dummy->p_buffer, 0, p_dummy->i_buffer );
         block_FifoPut( p_sys->p_thread->p_fifo, p_dummy );
     }
     vlc_thread_join( p_sys->p_thread );
 
     block_FifoRelease( p_sys->p_thread->p_fifo );
+    block_FifoRelease( p_sys->p_thread->p_empty_blocks );
 
     if( p_sys->p_buffer ) block_Release( p_sys->p_buffer );
 
     net_Close( p_sys->p_thread->i_handle );
 
+    vlc_object_detach( p_sys->p_thread );
+    vlc_object_release( p_sys->p_thread );
     /* update p_sout->i_out_pace_nocontrol */
     p_access->p_sout->i_out_pace_nocontrol--;
 
-    msg_Dbg( p_access, "udp access output closed" );
+    msg_Dbg( p_access, "UDP access output closed" );
     free( p_sys );
 }
 
 /*****************************************************************************
  * Write: standard write on a file descriptor.
  *****************************************************************************/
-static int Write( sout_access_out_t *p_access, block_t *p_buffer )
+static ssize_t Write( sout_access_out_t *p_access, block_t *p_buffer )
 {
     sout_access_out_sys_t *p_sys = p_access->p_sys;
+    int i_len = 0;
 
     while( p_buffer )
     {
         block_t *p_next;
         int i_packets = 0;
+        mtime_t now = mdate();
 
         if( !p_sys->b_mtu_warning && p_buffer->i_buffer > p_sys->i_mtu )
         {
             msg_Warn( p_access, "packet size > MTU, you should probably "
                       "increase the MTU" );
-            p_sys->b_mtu_warning = VLC_TRUE;
+            p_sys->b_mtu_warning = true;
         }
 
         /* Check if there is enough space in the buffer */
         if( p_sys->p_buffer &&
             p_sys->p_buffer->i_buffer + p_buffer->i_buffer > p_sys->i_mtu )
         {
+            if( p_sys->p_buffer->i_dts + p_sys->p_thread->i_caching < now )
+            {
+                msg_Dbg( p_access, "late packet for UDP input (%"PRId64 ")",
+                         now - p_sys->p_buffer->i_dts
+                          - p_sys->p_thread->i_caching );
+            }
             block_FifoPut( p_sys->p_thread->p_fifo, p_sys->p_buffer );
             p_sys->p_buffer = NULL;
         }
 
+        i_len += p_buffer->i_buffer;
         while( p_buffer->i_buffer )
         {
-            int i_write = __MIN( p_buffer->i_buffer, p_sys->i_mtu );
+            int i_payload_size = p_sys->i_mtu;
+
+            int i_write = __MIN( p_buffer->i_buffer, i_payload_size );
 
             i_packets++;
 
@@ -391,6 +375,12 @@ static int Write( sout_access_out_t *p_access, block_t *p_buffer )
             if( p_sys->p_buffer->i_buffer == p_sys->i_mtu || i_packets > 1 )
             {
                 /* Flush */
+                if( p_sys->p_buffer->i_dts + p_sys->p_thread->i_caching < now )
+                {
+                    msg_Dbg( p_access, "late packet for udp input (%"PRId64 ")",
+                             mdate() - p_sys->p_buffer->i_dts
+                              - p_sys->p_thread->i_caching );
+                }
                 block_FifoPut( p_sys->p_thread->p_fifo, p_sys->p_buffer );
                 p_sys->p_buffer = NULL;
             }
@@ -401,19 +391,7 @@ static int Write( sout_access_out_t *p_access, block_t *p_buffer )
         p_buffer = p_next;
     }
 
-    return( p_sys->p_thread->b_error ? -1 : 0 );
-}
-
-/*****************************************************************************
- * WriteRaw: write p_buffer without trying to fill mtu
- *****************************************************************************/
-static int WriteRaw( sout_access_out_t *p_access, block_t *p_buffer )
-{
-    sout_access_out_sys_t   *p_sys = p_access->p_sys;
-
-    block_FifoPut( p_sys->p_thread->p_fifo, p_buffer );
-
-    return( p_sys->p_thread->b_error ? -1 : 0 );
+    return( p_sys->p_thread->b_error ? -1 : i_len );
 }
 
 /*****************************************************************************
@@ -433,34 +411,25 @@ static block_t *NewUDPPacket( sout_access_out_t *p_access, mtime_t i_dts)
     sout_access_out_sys_t *p_sys = p_access->p_sys;
     block_t *p_buffer;
 
-    p_buffer = block_New( p_access->p_sout, p_sys->i_mtu );
-    p_buffer->i_dts = i_dts;
-    p_buffer->i_buffer = 0;
-
-    if( p_sys->b_rtpts )
+    while ( block_FifoCount( p_sys->p_thread->p_empty_blocks ) > MAX_EMPTY_BLOCKS )
     {
-        mtime_t i_timestamp = p_buffer->i_dts * 9 / 100;
-
-        /* add rtp/ts header */
-        p_buffer->p_buffer[0] = 0x80;
-        p_buffer->p_buffer[1] = 0x21; // mpeg2-ts
-
-        p_buffer->p_buffer[2] = ( p_sys->i_sequence_number >> 8 )&0xff;
-        p_buffer->p_buffer[3] = p_sys->i_sequence_number&0xff;
-        p_sys->i_sequence_number++;
-
-        p_buffer->p_buffer[4] = ( i_timestamp >> 24 )&0xff;
-        p_buffer->p_buffer[5] = ( i_timestamp >> 16 )&0xff;
-        p_buffer->p_buffer[6] = ( i_timestamp >>  8 )&0xff;
-        p_buffer->p_buffer[7] = i_timestamp&0xff;
-
-        p_buffer->p_buffer[ 8] = ( p_sys->i_ssrc >> 24 )&0xff;
-        p_buffer->p_buffer[ 9] = ( p_sys->i_ssrc >> 16 )&0xff;
-        p_buffer->p_buffer[10] = ( p_sys->i_ssrc >>  8 )&0xff;
-        p_buffer->p_buffer[11] = p_sys->i_ssrc&0xff;
+        p_buffer = block_FifoGet( p_sys->p_thread->p_empty_blocks );
+        block_Release( p_buffer );
+    }
 
-        p_buffer->i_buffer = 12;
+    if( block_FifoCount( p_sys->p_thread->p_empty_blocks ) == 0 )
+    {
+        p_buffer = block_New( p_access->p_sout, p_sys->i_mtu );
     }
+    else
+    {
+        p_buffer = block_FifoGet(p_sys->p_thread->p_empty_blocks );
+        p_buffer->i_flags = 0;
+        p_buffer = block_Realloc( p_buffer, 0, p_sys->i_mtu );
+    }
+
+    p_buffer->i_dts = i_dts;
+    p_buffer->i_buffer = 0;
 
     return p_buffer;
 }
@@ -479,8 +448,21 @@ static void ThreadWrite( vlc_object_t *p_this )
     {
         block_t *p_pk;
         mtime_t       i_date, i_sent;
-
+#if 0
+        if( (i++ % 1000)==0 ) {
+          int i = 0;
+          int j = 0;
+          block_t *p_tmp = p_thread->p_empty_blocks->p_first;
+          while( p_tmp ) { p_tmp = p_tmp->p_next; i++;}
+          p_tmp = p_thread->p_fifo->p_first;
+          while( p_tmp ) { p_tmp = p_tmp->p_next; j++;}
+          msg_Dbg( p_thread, "fifo depth: %d/%d, empty blocks: %d/%d",
+                   p_thread->p_fifo->i_depth, j,p_thread->p_empty_blocks->i_depth,i );
+        }
+#endif
         p_pk = block_FifoGet( p_thread->p_fifo );
+        if( p_pk == NULL )
+            continue; /* forced wake-up */
 
         i_date = p_thread->i_caching + p_pk->i_dts;
         if( i_date_last > 0 )
@@ -488,48 +470,35 @@ static void ThreadWrite( vlc_object_t *p_this )
             if( i_date - i_date_last > 2000000 )
             {
                 if( !i_dropped_packets )
-                    msg_Dbg( p_thread, "mmh, hole ("I64Fd" > 2s) -> drop",
+                    msg_Dbg( p_thread, "mmh, hole (%"PRId64" > 2s) -> drop",
                              i_date - i_date_last );
 
-                block_Release( p_pk  );
-                i_date_last = i_date;
-                i_dropped_packets++;
-                continue;
-            }
-            else if( i_date - i_date_last < -15000 )
-            {
-                if( !i_dropped_packets )
-                    msg_Dbg( p_thread, "mmh, packets in the past ("I64Fd")"
-                             " -> drop", i_date - i_date_last );
+                block_FifoPut( p_thread->p_empty_blocks, p_pk );
 
-                block_Release( p_pk  );
                 i_date_last = i_date;
                 i_dropped_packets++;
                 continue;
             }
-        }
-
-        i_sent = mdate();
-        if( p_thread->i_late > 0 && i_sent > i_date + p_thread->i_late )
-        {
-            if( !i_dropped_packets )
+            else if( i_date - i_date_last < -1000 )
             {
-                msg_Dbg( p_thread, "late packet to send (" I64Fd ") -> drop",
-                         i_sent - i_date );
+                if( !i_dropped_packets )
+                    msg_Dbg( p_thread, "mmh, packets in the past (%"PRId64")",
+                             i_date_last - i_date );
             }
-            block_Release( p_pk  );
-            i_date_last = i_date;
-            i_dropped_packets++;
-            continue;
         }
 
         i_to_send--;
-        if ( !i_to_send || (p_pk->i_flags & BLOCK_FLAG_CLOCK) )
+        if( !i_to_send || (p_pk->i_flags & BLOCK_FLAG_CLOCK) )
         {
             mwait( i_date );
             i_to_send = p_thread->i_group;
         }
-        send( p_thread->i_handle, p_pk->p_buffer, p_pk->i_buffer, 0 );
+        ssize_t val = send( p_thread->i_handle, p_pk->p_buffer,
+                            p_pk->i_buffer, 0 );
+        if (val == -1)
+        {
+            msg_Warn( p_thread, "send error: %m" );
+        }
 
         if( i_dropped_packets )
         {
@@ -541,12 +510,13 @@ static void ThreadWrite( vlc_object_t *p_this )
         i_sent = mdate();
         if ( i_sent > i_date + 20000 )
         {
-            msg_Dbg( p_thread, "packet has been sent too late (" I64Fd ")",
+            msg_Dbg( p_thread, "packet has been sent too late (%"PRId64 ")",
                      i_sent - i_date );
         }
 #endif
 
-        block_Release( p_pk  );
+        block_FifoPut( p_thread->p_empty_blocks, p_pk );
+
         i_date_last = i_date;
     }
 }