I've used LibriVox several times and now I've registered. I live in a rural area with low bandwidth, metered internet, the kind you only turn on when you need to use it. I have always downloaded mp3 files for later listening. After reading your discussions and wikis over a couple days I wonder if Bit Torrent consumes less bandwidth than zipped mp3 files. If so, I find tons of information on your site about how to create torrents, and can't find how to use them. I downloaded a torrent from LibriVox but Windows 10 wants me to tell it what application I want to open it with. Advice please?
Thanks, MEG
Hello from Nebraska [Q about Downloading Torrents]
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TriciaG
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No idea. I never use torrents myself.
I suspect, though, that since MP3s are already compressed, both Zips and torrents will not be much smaller than individual MP3s. You could go to the Archive page and download the Variable Bit Rate MP3s. I think they're smallest of all, but check the file sizes to be sure. At the very least, use the 64 kbps MP3s.
Moving this thread to "Need Help?" to hopefully get more advice.
I suspect, though, that since MP3s are already compressed, both Zips and torrents will not be much smaller than individual MP3s. You could go to the Archive page and download the Variable Bit Rate MP3s. I think they're smallest of all, but check the file sizes to be sure. At the very least, use the 64 kbps MP3s.
Moving this thread to "Need Help?" to hopefully get more advice.
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Exploration: The First Four Voyages of Amerigo Vespucci
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Exploration: The First Four Voyages of Amerigo Vespucci
Serial novel: The Wandering Jew
Medieval England meets Civil War Americans: Centuries Apart
Humor: My Lady Nicotine
To download a torrent, you need to install a torrent client. I suggest qbittorrent:
https://www.qbittorrent.org/
That's what I use on my mac, and I see that it is cross-platform so should work for you as well. No ads, no spyware.
I don't think torrenting will use less bandwidth for YOU, though -- you're getting the same files, just in tiny pieces that your torrent client will then stitch back together. Torrenting makes it easier on the server, because the upload is spread across many different computers.
If you're curious: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitTorrent
https://www.qbittorrent.org/
That's what I use on my mac, and I see that it is cross-platform so should work for you as well. No ads, no spyware.
I don't think torrenting will use less bandwidth for YOU, though -- you're getting the same files, just in tiny pieces that your torrent client will then stitch back together. Torrenting makes it easier on the server, because the upload is spread across many different computers.
If you're curious: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitTorrent
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"Mary wished to say something very sensible into her Zoom H2 Handy Recorder, but knew not how." -- Jane Austen (& Kara)
for future readers;
BitTorrent does NOT consume less bandwidth, it actually uses more but it has the potential to transfer data faster.
BitTorrent is a system that allows multiple hosts(people) to share the same file. If you want that file rather than get it from one host(person), you download small parts of that file from lots of hosts(people) at the same time. This is faster for you as the upload from a host(person) is normally slower than your download speed, so multiple people sharing to you can utilise all of your download speed.
Analogy: It's like filling a swimming pool from a single bucket yourself (it would take hours), or getting all your friends to bring their buckets and help you fill it.
Bittorrent works best when people that download (also known as 'leech') a file then share that file with others (also known as 'seeding'). This in turn uses more of your bandwidth (not a problem if you're on an unmetered connection).
I've noticed the bittorrent files shared for librevox also include all versions of the audio files, you get mp3 in 64kbps and 128kbps, and other formats too.
So if you are looking to use less bandwidth the bittorrent file is not the right option for you. Select the audio files you want to download directly from the librivox page.
BitTorrent does NOT consume less bandwidth, it actually uses more but it has the potential to transfer data faster.
BitTorrent is a system that allows multiple hosts(people) to share the same file. If you want that file rather than get it from one host(person), you download small parts of that file from lots of hosts(people) at the same time. This is faster for you as the upload from a host(person) is normally slower than your download speed, so multiple people sharing to you can utilise all of your download speed.
Analogy: It's like filling a swimming pool from a single bucket yourself (it would take hours), or getting all your friends to bring their buckets and help you fill it.
Bittorrent works best when people that download (also known as 'leech') a file then share that file with others (also known as 'seeding'). This in turn uses more of your bandwidth (not a problem if you're on an unmetered connection).
I've noticed the bittorrent files shared for librevox also include all versions of the audio files, you get mp3 in 64kbps and 128kbps, and other formats too.
So if you are looking to use less bandwidth the bittorrent file is not the right option for you. Select the audio files you want to download directly from the librivox page.