Bsh: /* Notes */

===Apollo is an MP3 player for audiophiles===

''[http://koti.welho.com/hylinen/apollo/ Apollo 37]'' only decodes [[MP3]] and [[WAV]] files. But it does it extremely well so that Apollo is almost certainly the best existing [[MP3]] player - thought to provide the best possible decoding quality for audiophiles. It features extremely optimized [[MP3]]-decoding routines. Because of its high quality, many radio stations use this freely available program as well as owners of high-end HiFi equipment. ''Special note: enable 32-bit or 24-bit output if possible (via the configuration options of the mp3-decoder plugin)''.

The playback with such a program requires high quality [[MP3]]-files. The author of Apollo recommends the use of the [[LAME]] encoder for the creation of suitable [[MP3]]-files with the "-V 0 --vbr-new" switches set.

There are several plugins for Apollo, which add support for other file types, such as FLAC, Ogg-Vorbis, MOD, etc.

===Why does Apollo sound so good?===

The sound quality has always been an important factor when making decisions in the Apollo decoder code. Recent addition of 32-bit and 24-bit output has resulted in further improvements in the quality. To prove this, the difference of Apollo 37 24-bit output to the MPEG-1 audio layer 3 ([[MP3]])compliance test reference signal (ISO/IEC 11172-4) has been measured. The results for Apollo 37zm 24-bit output are RMS level 7.169×10−10 and maximum difference 1.192×10−7.

For comparison, the same values for the latest MAD decoder (MPEG Audio Decoder 0.15.1b) built with accuracy optimizations enabled and 24-bit output without dithering are RMS level 8.804×10−8 and maximum difference 4.768×10−7. The difference is quite obvious and favorable to Apollo: RMS level is over a hundred times the one produced by Apollo 37 and the maximum difference is four times the one by Apollo (interestingly the results for MAD 0.11.4b seem to be somewhat better than for the latest one but they are still worse than Apollo's). Actually, the maximum difference of Apollo's output is the smallest possible deviation in 24-bit data, the only smaller possible value would be zero. ''This means that at any time, Apollo's output is either exactly the same as the reference output or differs from it by the smallest unit expressible in 24-bit data.'' Of course, this only goes for the provided test signal, but it should give some picture about the sound quality.

===Notes===

Apollo's motto: "Sound quality is not skinnable". This means, in contrast with Winamp, apollo does not have skins support, instead of this it concentrates on the best possible audio quality. You may expect a very simple GUI, which is still fully functional.
Apollo supports Winamp visualization plugins, but i couldn't get to run any of them properly.
The original Apollo versions had no support for VBR MP3s, but since the development restarted, it has many improvements, and now it plays back most VBR files, but still quits unexpectedly on some special VBRs, and seeking does not always work.
Strangely, when you run Apollo, you may notice that some other applications are crashing randomly and behaving strangely. Like if Apollo was interfering with them. Don't understand how is that possible under Windows XP, but it still seems to be the case.
With all these small bugs in Apollo, i don't want to discourage you to use it. It's still my one and only media player!

===External Link===

[http://koti.welho.com/hylinen/apollo/ Apollo homepage - current version]

[[Category:Media Players]]

Apollo

2006-12-18T07:34:45Z

Bsh:

===Apollo is an MP3 player for audiophiles===

''[http://koti.welho.com/hylinen/apollo/ Apollo 37]'' only decodes [[MP3]] and [[WAV]] files. But it does it extremely well so that Apollo is almost certainly the best existing [[MP3]] player - thought to provide the best possible decoding quality for audiophiles. It features extremely optimized [[MP3]]-decoding routines. Because of its high quality, many radio stations use this freely available program as well as owners of high-end HiFi equipment. ''Special note: enable 32-bit or 24-bit output if possible (via the configuration options of the mp3-decoder plugin)''.

The playback with such a program requires high quality [[MP3]]-files. The author of Apollo recommends the use of the [[LAME]] encoder for the creation of suitable [[MP3]]-files with the "-V 0 --vbr-new" switches set.

There are several plugins for Apollo, which add support for other file types, such as FLAC, Ogg-Vorbis, MOD, etc.

===Why does Apollo sound so good?===

The sound quality has always been an important factor when making decisions in the Apollo decoder code. Recent addition of 32-bit and 24-bit output has resulted in further improvements in the quality. To prove this, the difference of Apollo 37 24-bit output to the MPEG-1 audio layer 3 ([[MP3]])compliance test reference signal (ISO/IEC 11172-4) has been measured. The results for Apollo 37zm 24-bit output are RMS level 7.169×10−10 and maximum difference 1.192×10−7.

For comparison, the same values for the latest MAD decoder (MPEG Audio Decoder 0.15.1b) built with accuracy optimizations enabled and 24-bit output without dithering are RMS level 8.804×10−8 and maximum difference 4.768×10−7. The difference is quite obvious and favorable to Apollo: RMS level is over a hundred times the one produced by Apollo 37 and the maximum difference is four times the one by Apollo (interestingly the results for MAD 0.11.4b seem to be somewhat better than for the latest one but they are still worse than Apollo's). Actually, the maximum difference of Apollo's output is the smallest possible deviation in 24-bit data, the only smaller possible value would be zero. ''This means that at any time, Apollo's output is either exactly the same as the reference output or differs from it by the smallest unit expressible in 24-bit data.'' Of course, this only goes for the provided test signal, but it should give some picture about the sound quality.

===Notes===

Apollo's motto: "Sound quality is not skinnable". This means, in contrast with Winamp, apollo does not have skins support, instead of this it concentrates on the best possible audio quality. You may expect a very simple GUI, which is still fully functional.
Apollo supports Winamp visualization plugins, but i couldn't get to run any of them properly.
The original Apollo versions had no support for VBR MP3s, but since the development restarted, it has many improvements, and now it plays back most VBR files, but still quits unexpectedly on some special VBRs, and seeking does not always work.

===External Link===

[http://koti.welho.com/hylinen/apollo/ Apollo homepage - current version]

[[Category:Media Players]]

Azureus

2006-11-16T11:47:36Z

Bsh: /* How to create a torrent */

{{Infobox BitTorrent clients|name=Azureus
|latest_stable_release=2.5.0.0 (August, 2006)
|operating_system=Cross-platform
|url=http://azureus.sourceforge.net/}}

__FORCETOC__

==How to create a torrent==

1. Put the file you want to torrent into a folder. Make sure you name all files and folders neatly and tidy up the file's tags with a program such as mp3tag --> [http://www.mp3tag.de/en]

2. Before attempting to create the torrent, search themixingbowl.org '''very thoroughly''' to check that the mix or show hasn't already been uploaded - use the search function, making sure to tick the 'including dead torrents' box. Duplicates are only allowed where every attempt has been made to find a seeder for a dead torrent but none have appeared after a reasonable amount of time.

3. IMPORTANT - You must make sure this folder includes the mixing bowl .nfo, found here --> [http://www.themixingbowl.org/www.themixingbowl.org.nfo] - Click File --> Save As then save the .nfo file in the folder that you are making into a torrent. Also try to include in the folder :-

- A tracklist, written in Notepad or Word.
- Any .cue files that the file may have.
- Any other relevant information. The more detail about the file's source you can include, the better.

4. Open Azureus

5. Click File --> New Torrent...

6. Enter the following in the 'Announce URL' box: "http://tracker.themixingbowl.org/announce.php" (copy and paste link)

7. Click --> Directory

8. Enter the following in the 'Comment:' box: "www.themixingbowl.org". Your 'Make a Torrent' window should now match the following image:

[[Image:AzTutorial01.gif|thumb|center|500px|Double check you have entered the Announce URL correctly and click Next]]

9. On the next screen browse to the location of the folder created in Step 1

[[Image:AzTutorial02.gif|thumb|center|500px|Once you have found the correct folder select OK and click Next]]

10. This screen asks for the name of the torrent to be created, leave it the same as the folder you have created. It also asks for piece size, leave this as auto. Select the "private torrent - only except peers from tracker" this will keep your ratio up to date with the tracker. Pressing finish creates the torrent.

[[Image:AzTutorial03.gif|thumb|center|500px|Select --> "private torrent - only except peers from the tracker"]]

Well done you're half way there!

11. Next you need to go to the [http://www.themixingbowl.org/upload.php upload page]

12. Fill in all the details '''''very carefully'''''

13. Click 'Do it!'

14. Go to your TMB profile page, find the 'Last 10 uploaded' window and download the correct .torrent file opening it up in Azureus. In the 'Location to save data:' window point it to the location of the folder created in Step 1

15. Azureus should then check that the folder is there and complete, then after a few seconds it will drop to the bottom window and begin seeding.

16. Sit back, watch everyone uploading from you and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

==How do I set up Azureus to auto download torrents via RSS feed?==

I've compiled this little walkthrough from a few of my other posts for anybody interested in using the RSSFeed Scanner plugin with Azureus to automate the downloading of certain types of torrents. I use this to grab every Breezeblock that is uploaded, but you could equally well use it to grab everthing that's upped by a particular artist.

==='''Installation'''=== :-
- Grab the RSSFeed Scanner plugin from [http://azureus.sourceforge.net/plugin_list.php/ here]
- Install plugin
- Exit Azureus if it's running
- Make a new folder in your Azureus plugins folder (C:\program files\azureus\plugins is the usual location) and call it RSSFeed
- Extract the zip file you downloaded into the new folder
- Restart Azureus, it should autodetect the new plugin, although I can't remember if it actually tells you it has

==='''Configuration'''=== :-
- Select RSSFeed from the Plugins menu at the top
- A new tab should open in Azureus with the title RSSFeed Scanner, select the options sub-tab
- Top left where it says RSS Feed URLs: click the + sign
- The right side should now say Options: and show a few text boxes and tick boxes
- Give the feed a name, e.g. Mixing Bowl...
- In the URL box type "http://themixingbowl.org/rss.php?user=username&pass=password" without the quotes and remembering to replace username and password with your own
- You can set a default download location using the Directory box, but it's not compulsory
- Leave everything else as it is, but make sure you tick the Active: box so the feed is enabled
- Go back to the Status sub-tab, it should now be showing "Mixing Bowl" under Feed/Title. You may need to right click and Refresh Feed to see the items

What you need to do next is setup filters that tell the plugin what you want to download.

==='''Setting Up Filters'''=== :-
- On the Options sub-tab of the RSSFeed Scanner tab, click on the + next to the Filters section, bottom left

That will open up a whole load of text boxes on the right half of your screen for you to input the details of your new filter. As an example I'll use the filter I set up to grab all the Breezeblocks that come up on here :

- '''Name :''' Breezeblocks
- '''Directory :''' ''Designate the folder that you want the torrents to download to''
- '''Filter :''' breeze (this is the important bit - the plugin will search all the torrents for any occurance of "breeze")
- '''Options :''' Make sure Filter searches title and Filter searches link are both ticked
- '''Feed :''' Mixing Bowl (''select the feed you have just created'')
- '''Type :''' Not important for this situation, leave it on None
- '''Active :''' ''Make sure Enabled is selected!''
- '''Mode :''' Pass!

Click on the save button and you're done. You should now have a filter named Breezeblocks showing in the list on the left side with a tick in the box next to it. If so, you're up and running and can now leave it to get on with downloading anything that is uploaded that matches the filter.

==External links==

*http://azureus.sourceforge.net/

[[Category:Bittorrent Client Guide]]

UTorrent

2006-09-12T13:36:39Z

Bsh: /* How to Create a Torrent */

{{lowercase|title=uTorrent}}

==Summary==

µTorrent is a very small and fast bittorrent client. It needs very little memory and can run on almost any computer, fast or slow. Unlike Azureus, it does not rely on external software to run. It's is recommended for users that want enough control over their torrents but also want to use their computer for other things simultaneosly.

µTorrent (pronounced as 'micro-torrent') can be downloaded here [http://www.utorrent.com http://www.utorrent.com].

'''NB. atm this wiki is currently out of date as a new version has been released. i will sort it out as soon as possible ~Sir~'''

==How to Change your port==

You will need to do this if you receive an error message: "rejected by tracker - Port xxxx is blacklisted" when trying to download.

go Preferences > Network and you will see a range of options.

'''Port Used For Incoming Connections''' This is what you need to change. it can be anything other than the ports 6881 - 6889, and its up to you what you choose.

'''Enable UPnP port mapping(Windows XP or later Only)''' This should be ticked. This may save you having to do any port forwarding if you're on a router

'''Add uTorrent to windows firewall exceptions''' This should be ticked. You don't want a firewall blocking your downloads!

Once thats been done, you can test your connection to see if it's workign properly.

go Options > Speed Guide and click the 'Test if port is forwarded correctly' button. It will run a little test and tell you if it is. You can do a quick visual check to see if everything is working correctly by looking at the Network Status light at the bottom of the uTorrent window.

'''Red''' Something's wrong. run the connection test

'''Yellow''' Means at the moment there are no imcoming connections. If this never turns green, run the connection test to check if it's ok

'''Green''' Everything is Good!

==How to Create a Torrent==

1. Put the file you want to torrent into a folder. Make sure you name all files and folders neatly and tidy up the file's tags with a program such as mp3tag --> [http://www.mp3tag.de/en]

2. Before attempting to create the torrent, search themixingbowl.org '''very thoroughly''' to check that the mix or show hasn't already been uploaded - use the search function, making sure to tick the 'including dead torrents' box. Duplicates are only allowed where every attempt has been made to find a seeder for a dead torrent but none have appeared after a reasonable amount of time.

3. IMPORTANT - You must make sure this folder includes the mixing bowl .nfo, found here --> [http://www.themixingbowl.org/www.themixingbowl.org.nfo] - Click File --> Save As then save the .nfo file in the folder that you are making into a torrent. Also try to include in the folder :-

- A tracklist, written in Notepad or Word.
- Any .cue files that the file may have.
- Any other relevant information. The more detail about the file's source you can
include, the better.

4. Open µTorrent

5. Click File --> Create New Torrent

6. Click 'Add Directory' --> find the folder you're torrenting and select it.

7. In 'Trackers', put this --> "http://tracker.themixingbowl.org/announce.php" (copy and paste link)

8. In 'Comments', put this --> "www.themixingbowl.org"

9. Check 'Private Torrent'

10. Click 'Create and Save As'

11. Once it's torrented, save the .torrent file to your hard drive

12. On themixingbowl.org, click 'Upload' in the 'Torrents' menu

13. Fill in all the details '''''very carefully'''''

14. Click 'Do it!'

15. Redownload the new .torrent file, opening it up in µTorrent - make sure you point it to save exactly where the folder '''''already is'''''

16. µTorrent should then check that the folder is there and complete, then after a few seconds, begin seeding.

17. Bingo!

==How to Setup auto-downloading via RSS==

===Install===

The first thing to note is you don't need to download any RSS program - µTorrent has one In built!

===Configuration===

1) Click on the RSS icon (1 in from the end on the right of the toolbar) or go Options > RSS. Shorcut key is Ctrl + R

2) You now add a feed. This tells it which site to check for new torrents. Click the 'Feeds' tab and then 'Add' in bottom right

3) Add this URL in the bar replacing 'username' and 'password' with your username and password: <nowiki>http://themixingbowl.org/rss.php?user=username&pass=password</nowiki> and click ok

N.B. Changes are automatically saved

===Setting Up Filters===

1) Click favourites tab > add (bottom left) and name the feed (for example EM or Breezeblock)

'''Filter:''' '' This does not understand normal text. use these wildcards: ?|* to set up the filter. E.G. *breeze* or *EM* This will then automatically download any new torrents added with EM or breeze in their name''

'''Not:''' ''This is for entering values so that the RSS will ignore a torrent. Probably more useful on other sites with proper scene release names, but if you dont want something in the AC3 codec, then enter *AC3* and any torrent with AC3 in the name will be ignored''

'''Save in:''' ''Designate the folder that you want the torrents to download to''

'''Feed:''' ''Click the drop down menu and select the feed you have just created''

'''Everything else:''' ''You can ignore them. I dont use them and it works fine''

The History tab show you what's been download via RSS in the past, and the releases tab seems to show every torrent as its added.

'''NB.''' You must tick the box's nex to the feed names and favorite's to enable them! no tick = disabled !

'''NB.#2:''' Make sure preferences > start "new torrents in stopped mode" isn't ticked. Otherwise it will download but not start the torrents!

And to make sure here's a screen shot of what it could look like:
[[Image:RSSdownloaderfavoritesscreen.jpg]]

==How to setup a TMB search feed==

This will allow you to search all of TMB's torrents from uTorrent's interface!

Options > preferences > apperance

search 'strings' work the the following way : 'your name for search/site' | 'the search url'

paste this into the box to have a search named TMB:

<nowiki>TMB|http://www.themixingbowl.org/browse.php?search=</nowiki>

You should now see this: [[Image:Searchstring.jpg]]

now go click and select it in the top corner!

Like This:[[Image:SearchTMB.jpg]]

==Can uTorrent Be Skinned??==

Yes! download skins here:[[http://www.utorrent.com/skins.php]]. FAQ is also included!

==At a glance...==

The current version (1.5) contains:
* Multiple simultaneous downloads
* Configurable bandwidth scheduler
* Global and per-torrent speed limiting
* Quick-resumes interrupted transfers
* RSS Downloader
* Trackerless support (Mainline DHT)

==Changelog (version 1.5)==

* 2006-03-08: Version 1.5 (build 437)
* Change: Lower # of pieces started at the same time
* Fix: Fix issue when compact allocation getting enabled even though it's off
* Fix: Tab icons now transparent

* 2006-03-07: Version 1.5 (build 436)
* Feature: Setting to determine the number of µTorrent users.
* Feature: Use icons instead of network ok/nat error
* Feature: Auto detect read cache size
* Feature: Language file can be auto updated
* Feature: Keys can be used in main listview to move to the right item
* Feature: New easter egg
* Feature: RSS Help button
* Feature: Reorder RSS favorites
* Feature: If user is running from temporary internet files, prompt to install it.
* Feature: Added popup menu to easily change if the scheduler/dht is enabled.
* Feature: Added log-to-file option in logger.
* Feature: Option to always prioritize the rarest pieces.
* Feature: Added active/inactive categories in category list
* Feature: DEL key works in RSS history, and the last item is selected
* Feature: RSS history remembers only 500-600 items
* Feature: XML parser supports # tags
* Feature: Determine the values to show in the speed popup list automatically.
* Feature: Category list to filter main torrent list.
* Feature: Propagate encryption support through PEX
* Feature: Choose what happens on double click in torrent list
* Feature: Show a special message if utorrent crashes while NOD32 is active.
* Feature: Added scheduler mode to seed only (hold Shift button)
* Feature: Support min_interval key
* Feature: Ctrl Up/Down to move up/down a torrent
* Feature: Show average up/down speed since start.
* Feature: Show encryption status in Flags field
* Feature: Copy hosts from peer list
* Feature: Peer Exchange (only with µT peers for now)
* Feature: Protocol Encryption
* Feature: Bypass Windows XP Firewall
* Feature: Make torrent prioritized from add torrent window
* Feature: RSS toolbar button
* Feature: Smart RSS episode filtering - avoids downloading the same ep twice.
* Feature: ESC minimizes
* Change: Rearranged settings dialog
* Change: Default to priorizing rarest pieces
* Change: Switch default theme
* Change: Skip hidden/system files when creating torrent.
* Change: Right align some columns.
* Change: Remove spaces from urls in RSS feeds
* Change: DHT binds UDP socket to net.bind_ip
* Change: Smarter block hashing, tries to avoid re-reading from the file if possible.
* Change: Tracker connections obey max_halfopen/max_connections
* Change: Switching folder in the Add window tries to detect if you point at an already downloaded folder.
* Change: Added support for " in XML parser
* Change: Optimized disk-io
* Change: coalesce_writes defaults to true
* Change: &Exit to E&xit
* Change: Show up/down arrows in listview headers
* Change: Rearranged some stuff in the settings dialog
* Change: Add FAQ to the help menu
* Change: Use UTF-8 instead of utf-8 in created torrents.
* Change: Min autodetected piecesize is now 64k.
* Change: Remember last active RSS page.
* Change: Don't increase counters while paused.
* Change: Auto detect if RSS feed uses latin1 or utf8.
* Change: Sort by scrape peers instead of connected peers
* Change: Relevance rounds up instead of down.
* Change: Rename langpack to utorrent.lng.
* Change: If langpack is in the exedir, it gets installed to APPDATA.
* Change: Remember if torrents have errored when you restart
* Change: Optimizations to piecepicker algorithm
* Change: Fast/Slow pieces
* Change: Simplified encryption settings
* Change: Support langpack.zip with translations.
* Change: Don't download first/last piece of a file first. Can be re-enabled.
* Change: Added a black down image to the spyglass icon
* Change: Protect webui with a password
* Change: Include beta build # in http requests.
* Change: Show <Search Here> in the search box.
* Change: Open partfile in read only mode if read/write fails.
* Change: Read cache uses less CPU
* Change: Support paths >260 chars.
* Change: Icons in RSS Releases (thanks TVTAD)
* Change: RSS Not filtering matches full release name
* Change: RSS Reader supports more date formats
* Change: Adjusted some lazy bitfield parameters
* Change: Renamed to RSS Downloader
* Change: Allow deleting multiple history lines at the same time
* Change: Improvements to RSS parser
* Change: Pause button toggles
* Change: net.low_cpu defaults to false.
* Change: Reworked network code for faster speeds.
* Change: Add torrent dialog defaults to whatever folder entered in settings
* Change: Added some qualities to rss reader
* Change: Changed date format
* Fix: Work better when large fonts are used.
* Fix: Prevent windows from going above pixel 0.
* Fix: Ratio on generals tab wasn't computed exactly like the main list.
* Fix: Crash bug with columns
* Fix: Better support for adjusted computer clock.
* Fix: Don't behave incorrectly if 0-byte files are deleted by the user.
* Fix: If the torrent storage path hasn't been created, create it.
* Fix: Fix a crash related to language packs.
* Fix: Superseeding works better
* Fix: RSS feeds are utf8-decoded
* Fix: Deleting from RSS history forgot about sorting
* Fix: Disallow some more characters from filenames
* Fix: Crash when deleting multiple items from RSS history
* Fix: RSS parser parsed month bad for some timestamps.
* Fix: Fixed crash in torrent creator
* Fix: Ipfilter memory leak
* Fix: Support mixes of name and name.utf8
* Fix: Sorting reverse by name didn't work
* Fix: Improved autoload so it waits a bit if the file hasn't fully been written to disk yet.
* Fix: Stop ALL torrents when scheduler is active.
* Fix: When moving a complete download, use the name entered in the add dialog instead of the default.

==External links==
*[http://www.utorrent.com Official Site]
*[irc://irc.p2p-network.net/utorrent Official IRC Channel]

[[Category:Bittorrent Client Guide]]