Videos Quick, Easy and Automatic
By Katie Dean | Also by this reporter Page 1 of 1
02:00 AM Jan. 11, 2005 PT
Locating video content on the web can be cumbersome and
time-consuming, especially for the not-too-tech-savvy tinkerer. But
a new application combining BitTorrent and RSS could make it easy
for video fans to automatically locate files and download them to
their computers.
Sajeeth Cherian, a 20-year-old communications engineering student
at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, got the idea for Videora
after watching the trouble his roommate went through to find and
download anime off the internet. He thought there ought to be an
easier way.
While the idea to combine BitTorrent and RSS isn't new, Cherian
said his program is less complicated than others and doesn't
"demand computer enthusiasts' knowledge."
"I thought I could make an easier version," Cherian said.
"Something that anyone off the street could use. You don't need to
know anything about BitTorrent or RSS."
BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer file-sharing application that enables
fast downloads of large data files. When a person downloads a
video, for instance, the data arrives in chunks from different
users, resulting in a faster download. RSS, or Really Simple
Syndication, is a mechanism used by sites to automatically
distribute their content -- like headlines, links or video -- to
subscribers' computers. RSS subscribers choose what kind of
information they would like to receive.
Videora puts together an easy-to-use interface so users don't have
to worry about such details. Once a person downloads the
application, the program automatically installs BitTorrent and
downloads the RSS feeds, Cherian said. Then, users simply type in
the title or keyword for a "series" they want to record, like
amateur tsunami videos, for instance. The request can be added to a
"want list," and the user can download any tsunami videos located
by double-clicking the file. Or, a person can add the tsunami
request to "season tickets" and the program will automatically
download any tsunami video.
"We extract the BitTorrent link from the RSS feed, and if the title
matches what you are looking for, we start downloading the
BitTorrent file from the RSS link," Cherian said.
When the search is submitted, the request goes to the open-source
Videora server, which includes an index of "tracker" websites --
which point users to locations where digital music and movie files
can be found -- with RSS feeds. Anyone can contribute to the
database, Cherian said. Cherian developed the source code and then
set it free; he has no control over the content.
The site launched at the end of December. Users can download a free
trial of the Videora application or pay $23 for a version with more
features.
The Motion Picture Association of America recently sued several
tracker sites, like LokiTorrent and SuprNova.org. The MPAA alleges
that the sites are violating copyright.
The MPAA did not return calls for comment on Videora.
"There (are) a lot of programs out there that can be used for good
and bad," Cherian said. "I think it's the responsibility of the
copyright provider to make sure people aren't misusing their
content.... I definitely don't condone piracy."
So far, Cherian hasn't heard from the MPAA. However, he did run
into trouble when TiVo objected to the use of the phrases "season
passes," which was originally used to describe Videora's automatic
download feature, and "wish lists." Cherian renamed the features
"season tickets" and "want lists." He's also heard from a few
people interested in investing in the technology, he said.
One digital rights attorney said the program appears to be on the
right side of the law, according to the description on its
website.
"It looks like they don't control any of the sites that offer the
RSS feeds or the BitTorrent tracker sites," said Jason Schultz, an
attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation. "They are not
suggesting any particular content and they aren't supervising what
people are doing on the network."
That supervision was a key part of the downfall of the original
Napster. The court ruled that Napster could supervise what its
users were doing, he said.
Schultz compared Videora to another file-sharing service: "Grokster
doesn't tell you where to go looking for the content and it doesn't
have prepackaged content for you," he said. "It's just a tool you
can use to find things. It's that lack of suggestion and lack of
control over what you do that keeps it on the right side of the
law."
"As long as he's not operating those trackers, it shouldn't be a
legal problem," said Andrew Grumet, a programmer who also developed
software that combines BitTorrent and RSS. "Although it could be a
problem of finding content, ultimately, if these trackers get shut
down."