diff --git a/cmd/revid-cli/main.go b/cmd/revid-cli/main.go
index 064be699..056687de 100644
--- a/cmd/revid-cli/main.go
+++ b/cmd/revid-cli/main.go
@@ -96,9 +96,7 @@ func main() {
 			cfg.Logger.Log(logger.Fatal, pkg+"failed to start revid", "error", err.Error())
 		}
 		time.Sleep(*runDurationPtr)
-		if err = rv.Stop(); err != nil {
-			cfg.Logger.Log(logger.Error, pkg+"failed to stop revid before program termination", "error", err.Error())
-		}
+		rv.Stop()
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -360,10 +358,7 @@ func run(cfg revid.Config) error {
 			}
 			time.Sleep(time.Duration(rv.Config().BurstPeriod) * time.Second)
 			log.Log(logger.Info, pkg+"Stopping burst...")
-			err = rv.Stop()
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
+			rv.Stop()
 			ns.SetMode(paused, &vs)
 		}
 	sleep:
diff --git a/revid/config.go b/revid/config.go
index 2cafc52d..77226520 100644
--- a/revid/config.go
+++ b/revid/config.go
@@ -186,15 +186,18 @@ func (c *Config) Validate(r *Revid) error {
 			c.Logger.Log(logger.Info, pkg+"defaulting frames per clip for rtmp out",
 				"framesPerClip", defaultFramesPerClip)
 			c.FramesPerClip = defaultFramesPerClip
+			c.Packetization = Flv
 		case NothingDefined:
 			c.Logger.Log(logger.Warning, pkg+"no output defined, defaulting", "output",
 				defaultOutput)
 			c.Outputs[i] = defaultOutput
+			c.Packetization = defaultPacketization
 			fallthrough
 		case Http, Rtp:
 			c.Logger.Log(logger.Info, pkg+"defaulting frames per clip for http out",
 				"framesPerClip", httpFramesPerClip)
 			c.FramesPerClip = httpFramesPerClip
+			c.Packetization = Mpegts
 		default:
 			return errors.New("bad output type defined in config")
 		}
diff --git a/revid/revid.go b/revid/revid.go
index 1a1732a5..4eab6d7a 100644
--- a/revid/revid.go
+++ b/revid/revid.go
@@ -51,10 +51,12 @@ import (
 
 // Ring buffer sizes and read/write timeouts.
 const (
-	ringBufferSize        = 1000
-	ringBufferElementSize = 150000
-	writeTimeout          = 10 * time.Millisecond
-	readTimeout           = 10 * time.Millisecond
+	mtsRbSize        = 100
+	mtsRbElementSize = 150000
+	flvRbSize        = 1000
+	flvRbElementSize = 10000
+	writeTimeout     = 10 * time.Millisecond
+	readTimeout      = 10 * time.Millisecond
 )
 
 // RTMP connection properties.
@@ -137,11 +139,6 @@ type packer struct {
 // are deemed to be successful, although a successful
 // write may include a dropped frame.
 func (p *packer) Write(frame []byte) (int, error) {
-	if len(frame) > ringBufferElementSize {
-		p.owner.config.Logger.Log(logger.Warning, pkg+"frame was too big", "frame size", len(frame))
-		return len(frame), nil
-	}
-
 	if len(p.owner.destination) == 0 {
 		panic("must have at least 1 destination")
 	}
@@ -180,13 +177,10 @@ func (r *Revid) handleErrors() {
 		err := <-r.err
 		if err != nil {
 			r.config.Logger.Log(logger.Error, pkg+"async error", "error", err.Error())
-			err = r.Stop()
-			if err != nil {
-				r.config.Logger.Log(logger.Fatal, pkg+"failed to stop", "error", err.Error())
-			}
+			r.Stop()
 			err = r.Start()
 			if err != nil {
-				r.config.Logger.Log(logger.Fatal, pkg+"failed to restart", "error", err.Error())
+				r.config.Logger.Log(logger.Error, pkg+"failed to restart revid", "error", err.Error())
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -207,7 +201,14 @@ func (r *Revid) reset(config Config) error {
 	}
 	r.config = config
 
-	r.buffer = ring.NewBuffer(ringBufferSize, ringBufferElementSize, writeTimeout)
+	// NB: currently we use two outputs that require the same packetization method
+	// so we only need to check first output, but this may change later.
+	switch r.config.Outputs[0] {
+	case Rtmp, FfmpegRtmp:
+		r.buffer = ring.NewBuffer(flvRbSize, flvRbElementSize, writeTimeout)
+	case Http, Rtp:
+		r.buffer = ring.NewBuffer(mtsRbSize, mtsRbElementSize, writeTimeout)
+	}
 
 	r.destination = make([]loadSender, 0, len(r.config.Outputs))
 	for _, typ := range r.config.Outputs {
@@ -326,7 +327,8 @@ func (r *Revid) setIsRunning(b bool) {
 // and packetising (if theres packetization) to a defined output.
 func (r *Revid) Start() error {
 	if r.IsRunning() {
-		return errors.New(pkg + "start called but revid is already running")
+		r.config.Logger.Log(logger.Warning, pkg+"start called, but revid already running")
+		return nil
 	}
 	r.config.Logger.Log(logger.Info, pkg+"starting Revid")
 	// TODO: this doesn't need to be here
@@ -341,9 +343,10 @@ func (r *Revid) Start() error {
 }
 
 // Stop halts any processing of video data from a camera or file
-func (r *Revid) Stop() error {
+func (r *Revid) Stop() {
 	if !r.IsRunning() {
-		return errors.New(pkg + "stop called but revid is already stopped")
+		r.config.Logger.Log(logger.Warning, pkg+"stop called but revid isn't running")
+		return
 	}
 
 	r.config.Logger.Log(logger.Info, pkg+"stopping revid")
@@ -355,14 +358,11 @@ func (r *Revid) Stop() error {
 		r.cmd.Process.Kill()
 	}
 	r.wg.Wait()
-	return nil
 }
 
 func (r *Revid) Update(vars map[string]string) error {
 	if r.IsRunning() {
-		if err := r.Stop(); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		r.Stop()
 	}
 	//look through the vars and update revid where needed
 	for key, value := range vars {