[NUT-devel] Info packets in NUT stream (spec bugs?)

[Oded Shimon]

On Sun, Nov 05, 2006 at 06:30:45PM +0100, Michael Niedermayer wrote:
> Hi
> 
> On Sun, Nov 05, 2006 at 11:56:45AM -0500, Rich Felker wrote:
> > On Sun, Nov 05, 2006 at 09:48:46AM +0200, Oded Shimon wrote:
> > > > also nut is no network protocol, i have my doubts it will be used raw 
> > > > in such a streaming case ...
> > > 
> > > It could, there's no real reason you can't just TCP NUT over some simple 
> > > protocol. Oh no, I'm turning into Ivan :)
> > 
> > Indeed, TCP is the _sane_ method for streaming. All these fancy
> > protocols are for the stupid case where you're saturating the network.
> > If there's any chance that the recipient wants to record the stream,
> > it needs reliable delivery anyway and should just be using TCP.
> 
> yes, but there are a few issues ...
> routers might give priority to fancy protocols relative to TCP when it
> comes to what to send out first, (no i dunno if thats the case iam just
> guessing)
> packets can be lost even if the network isnt saturated, and the retransmit
> will cause the following few packets to arrive later unless you have >= 2x
> the bandwidth available then what you use and the OS might not give the
> user app the next data until it has successfully received the retransmitted
> packet
> and normal people will complain if they notice problems even just once per
> hour in a conversation on the phone
> they will also complain if you add some extra delay to hide the effects
> of one retransitted packet

This is not the issue here :) Rich exaggurated much, TCP is not the ONLY 
method for streaming, but for a specific case of a streaming, it is 
actually a very good method - the case I have in mind is mass radio. 
This scenario requires no seeking or any fancy stuff, and simple TCP 
really does the trick. (to get back on topic) And THIS is exactly the 
situation where I want info packets inside a NUT file, for the radio to 
tell about the current song. I don't think this is too far-fetched...

- ods15