blog/data/2023-12-31-vlc-bittorrent.txt

   1 Title: VLC bittorrent plugin still going strong, new upload 2.14-4
   2 Tags: english, video, verkidetfri
   3 Date: 2023-12-31 10:45
   4
   5 <p>The other day I uploaded a new version of
   6 <a href="https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/vlc-plugin-bittorrent">the VLC
   7 bittorrent plugin</a> to Debian, version 2.14-4, to fix a few
   8 packaging issues.  This plugin extend VLC allowing it to stream videos
   9 directly from a bittorrent source using both torrent files and magnet
  10 links, as easy as using a HTTP or local file source.  I believe such
  11 protocol support is a vital feature in VLC, allowing efficient
  12 streaming from sources such at the 11 million movies in
  13 <a href="https://archive.org/">the Internet Archive</a>.  Bittorrent is
  14 one of the most efficient content distribution protocols on the
  15 Internet, without centralised control, and should be used more.</p>
  16
  17 <p>The new version is now both in Debian Unstable and Testing, as well
  18 as Ubuntu.  While looking after the package, I decided to ask the VLC
  19 upstream community if there was any hope to get Bittorrent support
  20 into the official VLC program, and was very happy to learn that
  21 someone is already working on it.  I hope we can see some fruits of
  22 that labour next year, but do not hold my breath.  In the mean time we
  23 can use the plugin, which is already
  24 <a href="https://qa.debian.org/popcon.php?package=vlc-plugin-bittorrent">installed
  25 by 0.23 percent of the Debian population</a> according to
  26 popularity-contest.  It could use a new upstream release, and I hope
  27 the upstream developer soon find time to polish it even more.</p>
  28
  29 <p>It is worth noting that the plugin store the downloaded files in
  30 <tt>~/Downloads/vlc-bittorrent/</tt>, which can quickly fill up the
  31 user home directory during use.  Users of the plugin should keep an
  32 eye with disk usage when streaming a bittorrent source.</p>
  33
  34 <p>As usual, if you use Bitcoin and want to show your support of my
  35 activities, please send Bitcoin donations to my address
  36 <b><a href="bitcoin:15oWEoG9dUPovwmUL9KWAnYRtNJEkP1u1b">15oWEoG9dUPovwmUL9KWAnYRtNJEkP1u1b</a></b>.</p>