Vuze: All-In-One Video Downloader and Converter to All Portable Formats

Vuze, the popular BitTorrent client formerly known as Azureus, has received a major update which allows users to automatically convert and play downloaded videos on the iPhone, iPod, Xbox 360 and the PS3. “Now playing, on all your screens” is Vuze’s new tagline.


In other words, it starts from the BitTorrent core basis and creates a vast network for video discovery and user-created video publishing all connected through social networking.

With the latest version, Vuze adds a new split-window MyTorrents view offering support for categories and advanced downloading / seeding / queuing rules for effective and automated torrent management, a user interface that will resonate right from the start with iTunes users and which offers many customization options, seeding from read-only media, and considerable cutbacks on resource consumption.

In offering a general indication of your torrents and media playback controls, the new layout highlights user-initiated searches.

The multiplatform that Vuze client has become is wide-ranging offering lots of features and options: manages multiple downloads simultaneously from a single GUI window, detailed real-time download status and info with export to XML, advanced download and seeding management rules, extended configuration settings and torrent creation wizards, embedded tracker that allows easy and automated hosting of your files, a proxy, for both tracker and peer communications, PeerGuardian IP address filtering, web browser and console UIs, multiple languages function (27), a powerful plug-in interface, and a lot more.

Vuze currently supports Apple devices including the iPhone and the iPod. The PS3 and Xbox 360 are the two gaming consoles that integrate with Vuze as well. More devices may be added in the future but no decisions have yet been made on which ones, TorrentFreak was told. In a recent poll, most Vuze users indicated that iPhone/iPod support was most wanted.

Once device support is turned on in Vuze, users can drag and drop downloaded video onto their device of choice. Vuze will then convert the video into the appropriate format and add it to the device’s library.

For iTunes, Vuze will import the video into your iTunes library so it can be transferred to your iPhone, iPod or Apple TV. For the PS3 and Xbox 360, Vuze will stream the videos from your PC or Mac directly to your game console.

The device support is a great feature for users who want to have an easy all-in-one solution that not only downloads video, but also makes it ready to play on other devices. Although Vuze has been focusing mainly on video lately, the client can still download other content as well.

Website: http://www.vuze.com/app

System Requirement:

PC

• Windows XP or Vista
• 2 Gigahertz processor, 1 GB of RAM and DirectX 9.0 compliant video and sound
• Internet Explorer or Firefox

Mac

• Mac OS 10.4.8+ (Intel-based) Intel Core Duo 1.83-gigahertz or higher processor with 1GB of RAM
• Safari or Firefox 

Miro - free Internet TV and Video Player

Sometimes, the product name might influence the product fate. When Democracy Player has been first released in February 2006, the software name drew negative responses from many Internet and computer users.


Americans associated the name with standard image of yet another left wing media project, and to the rest of the world it was, for some reason, being associated with the Bush administration policy. Under massive consumer pressure, the player was recently renamed to neutral Miro.


Miro is an open-source free Internet television application, supported on major Operating Systems as Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. It can automatically download videos from RSS-based "channels", manage them and play them with descent quality. The application is designed to mesh with other PCF products such as Video Bomb, a social tagging video website, and the Channel Channel, a TV guide for internet television. It integrates an RSS aggregator, a BitTorrent client, and media players (VLC media player under Windows, QuickTime under Mac OS X or Xine Media Player under Linux).

Among program prominent features:


* Miro’s provides perfectly organized list of over 1,500 podcast channels, with content filtered by popularity, editor picks, genre, tags, and language.


* Miro has a built-in search function which accesses content from YouTube, Veoh, Google Video, Blogdigger, Revver, DailyMotion, and Blip.tv, with possibility of the following clips downloading.


* Miro is compatible with most common video file types: DivX, Xvid, QuickTime, WMV, and AVI.


* Miro has a built-in BitTorrent client.


Download the software from authors’ Web Site: http://www.getmiro.com/


Additional Reading:
http://www.last100.com/2007/07/17/democracy-player-is-dead-long-live-miro/
http://www.webtvwire.com/miro-open-source-video-aggregator-in-depth-guide-to-the-new-democracy-player/

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Update 05-01-2012:


Once awhile, I am checking the old posts to see, if the software promoted is still alive and well. The freeware market is constantly evolving. Some players disappear, other may change focus or switch to a new product. 


So, Miro is alive and continues constant development. 


The software version 5 is available for downloading from the developers' website.


Here are the main features of the latest product (you will notice many new capabilities reflecting the new market demands):



1. Works with your current music library
It's very easy to switch from iTunes to Miro -- without any copying. Just point Miro to your music and video folders and those files will appear. If you don't like Miro (impossible!), nothing's changed.
2. Converts and syncs to Android & Kindle Fire
You'd have to be crazy to use a music player that doesn't sync to your phone. Miro is simply the best music and video player for Android phones and tablets.
3. Buy Music and Apps inside Miro
The Amazon MP3 store is built-in to Miro. Buy, download, and listen, seamlessly. Buy Android apps from the Amazon or Google app stores and they will sync to your device.
4. Download and play almost any video
Do you still use separate programs to download, play music, play videos, and sync to your phone? Miro plays almost any video or music format and downloads from YouTube, podcasts, Amazon, and bittorrent.
5. Convert any video
You can convert almost any video with Miro into mp4/h264, with presets for almost any device you can think of (including iPhones, iPods, iPads, Android phones, and more).
6. Share Your Media on your Network
When two Miro's are on the same wifi network, they can stream and transfer music and videos to each other. It's the easiest way to watch a video or play music upstairs if the file is downstairs.
7. Open-source - don't lock yourself in!
Unlike some other media players (cough, cough), Miro is not trying to run your life! Not only is Miro 100% free and open-source, it's made by a non-profit organization. You don't need to be locked down by one corporation to have a great media experience.
8. Ultra-fast torrent downloading
Miro has some of the fastest bittorrent downloading in the world, built in. Try us head-to-head with any bittorrent application!