Converge
How to install and use BitTorrent
by Mick Fuzz
Aim: To install and use Azureus BitTorrent client in order to download content.
Task: Download a video file using the BitTorrent system
Tools: Azureus for Mac OSX and Windows
Overview
The BitTorrent world contains both licenced and pirated content. Azureus, which can be used for downloading all sorts of content, is one of the most popular BitTorrent clients, supported by an Open Source community that has contributed to plenty of add-ons. BitTorrent has also become a commercial distribution system for pay-per-view content.
Installing Azureus
Windows: Get it from http://azureus.sourceforge.net/
Double-click on the installer: azureus_*.exe
Click Next when the welcome screen shows. Click I Accept the agreement when you are happy with the Licence agreement presented to you, then click Next. As for choosing your installation location, use the one suggested to you unless you have a strong preference. Click Next. As for choosing your Start Menu folder location, also use the one suggested unless you have a strong preference. Click Next. In the Select File associations window, make sure the Azureus download box is ticked. Click Next. Click Finish.
Mac: Download the latest OSX package. Follow the instructions when opening the .dmg file.
Linux: Follow instructions here http://azureus.sourceforge.net/howto_linux.php
Using Azureus
When you are looking for torrents you may use a site like [http://www.thepiratebay.org/ The Pirate Bay] which publishes .torrent files uploaded by its users. These small torrent files contain information about the content in circulation. It does not contain the video file itself. Therefore, the torrent files are very quick to download. Azureus uses this information to connect to other users who have the actual content on their computers, and starts to download it from them. You may be downloading it from a lot of users at the same time, while any fragments of the file that you have downloaded are automatically made available to other users as well. In this way the more people who are simultaneously sharing a file, the quicker it will download to your computer.
Azureus should be set up to automatically open when you have downloaded a torrent files. If not, you can save the torrent file to your desktop and then select File > Open in Azureus to browse for the particular torrent file.
http://www.converge.org.uk/img/WatchBittorent/azur1.jpg
It is recommended that the first thing you do when you are using Azureus is to click on the Advanced Tab (in the top right under the blue frog). The advanced view lets you know how quickly the file will arrive and how many other people you are downloading it from.
http://www.converge.org.uk/img/WatchBittorent/azur2.jpg
Much of the information you see will be redundant to you, but the number of seeds and the incoming speed of data will be useful when deciding which torrents are worth keeping to download content and which ones will probably take too long or be out of date.
http://www.converge.org.uk/img/WatchBittorent/azur3.jpg
Saving and finding your downloaded video files
To choose a directory where all your incoming files are stored you can select Tools > Options
Then click on the word Files in the list on the left of the window.
http://www.converge.org.uk/img/WatchBittorent/azur4.jpg
You can then choose the default directory and if you want to, download to there automatically. Put a tick in this box if appropriate. If possible choose a location that doesn't contain your system, i.e. not C: for windows, or the main drive for Mac. This, because it is easy for your computer to fill up with data if you use Azureus to download large amounts of content, and this may cause the machine to function badly.
You can return to the advanced transfer window by clicking on the My Torrents tab.
Once you have set the directory for download you will know where to find your files when they have finished downloading. There is an option for playing files with the Azureus Vuze program but it is more recommended using the VLC player, as it is well documented and generally a superior application.