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uTorrent 2.1 adds video streaming support

The latest beta build of the popular torrent client uTorrent has added video streaming support, giving users the chance to preview and play their video files while they are downloading.

“Our hope is to transform getting media using uTorrent from a ‘load-wait-watch-tomorrow’ to more of a ‘point-click-watch’ experience,” says Simon Morris, BitTorrent VP of Product Management.

uTorrent is not the first client to add the feature, but uTorrent is the most popular client in the US and Europe, by far.



The new column, "Stream," is pretty straightforward. Hit the Play button and the video will begin to stream, however when it begins depends on how much you have downloaded and how many seeds. The better seeded, the better.

You can change the media player used for the streaming in the configuration page, and it is recommended to use VLC or MPC.

Pic via TF:


Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 18 Dec 2009 22:03

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• 5 comments

• slickwill

  While this is an excellent feature, wouldn't this force the client to have to set a priority of downloading the parts of the file from the beginning, instead of whatever parts of the file are currently available in order for the streaming feature to work? (assuming the video file isn't rar'ed into multiple parts.) I'm assuming this might cause some problems, especially if the file being shared is kind of old and doesn't have a sufficient amount of seeder/leechers.

  18.12.2009 23:01 #1

• nonoitall

  Originally posted by slickwill: I'm assuming this might cause some problems, especially if the file being shared is kind of old and doesn't have a sufficient amount of seeder/leechers.True, but not a new problem. (Any service that doesn't have adequate bandwidth to service all its users will have issues with real-time streaming.) Heck, this happens on YouTube too. This will be nice for fast torrents though.

  19.12.2009 00:38 #2

• Mik3h

  Interesting feature, not something I can see myself using often though, since I very rarely find myself downloading single video files, most of the files I download are compressed into multiple RAR archives, and I don't think it will support that.

  19.12.2009 02:45 #3

• pmshah

  Originally posted by slickwill: While this is an excellent feature, wouldn't this force the client to have to set a priority of downloading the parts of the file from the beginning, instead of whatever parts of the file are currently available in order for the streaming feature to work? (assuming the video file isn't rar'ed into multiple parts.) I'm assuming this might cause some problems, especially if the file being shared is kind of old and doesn't have a sufficient amount of seeder/leechers.uTorrent already has this feature and one only need activate it. I for one will most certainly appreciate this feature. If I get the first couple of pieces - usually 4 mb on large torrents - I can immediately decide whether I should abandon or continue with the download. Reason may either be - a fraudulent torrent or a poor quality one.
  
  Would save me on energy as well as band width used.

  27.12.2009 22:43 #4

• Str00dl3

  Most video related torrents these days are packed as 3 files.. inf, sample, full video.. So on those occassions where im waiting for a new episode and am sitting at 50% with maybe 30 or so minutes to go till complete, i can sit back with a beer and start watching it early.. Granted its going to be great for me as im in Australia and basicaly watch every show from torrents, but if i was in US then i would just watch regular TV and my torrents would be consumed by other items which are predominately packed in rars.

  1.7.2011 07:33 #5