Download Torrents on PS3, iPhone and Web-Enabled Devices
Written by enigmax on June 10, 2008There are many devices available today that are technically able to run BitTorrent, but the manufacturers choose to limit the usability of their devices. TorrentFreak chats to the developer of TorrentRelay, a service that allows you to download torrents on the PS3, iPhone and many other web-enabled devices.
So you have a brand new, super-powerful, web-enabled device that could easily run 3rd party software – if only the manufacturer hadn’t spent millions locking the device down so it can’t. Luckily, there are third party services that make it possible to put these gadgets to further use.
TorrentFreak spoke with Kevin Kowalewski of TorrentRelay, which is designed to bring BitTorrent functionality to platforms that don’t support a native torrent client, such as the PlayStation 3, Wii or iPhone.
As we had an iPhone to hand, we decided to give this system a go, choosing the easy mininova option (detailed below) and downloading a single .jpg image from a wallpaper pack. In just a few seconds the image appeared in Safari as promised, but due to limitations in the current version of Safari, it wasn’t directly possible to save the image. I know there is an addon somewhere that already provides this functionality, if only I could find it…but the file transfer component worked fine.
Here is a video showing the process on PS3. We follow up with an interview with Kevin below:
TF: Please introduce yourself and tell us a little about your background.
KK: My name is Kevin Kowalewski and i’m a student at Seneca College’s Computer Systems Technology program. I’ve always been interested in computers, Perl, PHP, Python etc and wanted to make a project over the summer.
TF: Could you give tell us a bit more about history about the project?
KK: A lot of work needed to be done in reverse engineering the BitTorrent protocol – my original plans were to have it completely “stream” the download from peers into a browser. Over time the project evolved, from this simple goal to download pieces in order and to get them to the browser, to the user friendly and stable code base you see today.
Mostly written in Perl, the TorrentRelay site aims to provide any user with the ability to download torrents. Any browser that supports Javascript will do great and any other browser will still work! Desktop browsers get the most enjoyment by unchecking the ‘Load only when complete’ check box but leaving Ajax support on.
TF: What technical challenges have you faced?
KK: There were many hurdles to overcome while on this project, Perl’s handling of memory for one, interfacing with the core downloader, managing all these users requests in a timely manner and allowing it to seed as well.
TF: So how does the system work exactly?
KK: The system itself is really straightforward. Simply visit the TorrentRelay site and there you’ll be presented with three ways to get your torrent:
1.) The most common way is “Browse and select”, which allows you to choose a torrent from your local file system.
2.)The URL method which allows you to simply copy the URL of where the torrent is online.
3.)The third option, my personal favorite, is by Mininova ID. Just jot down the short 7 digit code found on Mininova torrents, and hit ‘Get ID’. You can easily find the corresponding Mininova ID from the download link, just hover over it and you’ll see it in the bottom of your browser.
Next you’ll be presented with a list of the files within the torrent.
Leaving the “Load only when complete” checkbox ensures your browser won’t timeout when downloading. The server will temporarily buffer the entire contents of the file prior to sending it to you. On desktop browsers, unchecking this produces amazing results. As the torrent downloads the data is sent to your ‘Save as’ dialog, improving overall download time to you.
Leaving the “Ajax” checkbox lets you see updates in real-time. Most browsers (including the PS3) support Ajax, so leaving it checked it recommended. On smaller browsers (like the Nokia N95), un-checking this is a good idea. The constant Ajax requests are too much for its browser to handle. You’ll get the same updates, just in a list style.
Just click on the file you want, opening it in a new tab (or window) is recommended. Here you’ll see your torrents progress.
As it downloads you’ll get regular updates. If you unchecked the ‘Load only when complete’ box, you’ll get a save as shortly after it starts to download. Otherwise you’ll get the ‘Save-as’ when its complete.
TF: What are your plans for future development?
KK: Hardware-wise, plans for the future include getting a new server! The demand has been great and we’re in the process of getting a new dual Xeon, if anyone could donate it would be great, since I’m but a poor engineering student.
From a software perspective we’re planning on allowing users to run and view their torrent progress side-by-side, in a nice list format. Also, they’d be able to come back later and use the same previously downloaded data again. This way they can setup their torrents, close their browser and can come back at a later time to get them!
TF: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us and good luck with the rest of the project!
Previously: The Pirate Bay Takes Stand Against Wiretapping Law
Next: Top 10 Most Pirated TV Shows on BitTorrent (wk23)
43 Responses
First! But what is an Iphone?
how, exactly, is this much different from the imageshack developments?
Torrentrelay stores the torrent information in their server, and so does imageshack.
I think this is awesome, but I’m just not clear on the differentiation between the two.
1) wow… you don’t know what an iphone is?
2) no one cares if you’re first
3) and just incase you didn’t know how to google, an iphone is a phone made by Apple and available currently in the US, carried by AT&T.
does this download onto the device? or what?
if so, why would you want this?
just use torrentflux or utorrent webgui.
err… the PS3 runs linux, so you can run most bittorrent clients there too, maybe with some recompiling.
@TD123
And the UK, carried by O2.
I think you’ve been trolled by Banjopicker.
Why would you want to donwload a torrent on the iPhone?
@ mr
Why would you an iPhone?
Fixed it for you.
lol @ Bawjaws.
why would you what an iphone?
n00b.
lol @ MySackOnYourFace
n00b
lol @ all you guys.
:D:D
Pretty good, seems to work fine on my N95 8GB as well…
Kudos TorrentFreak-
fools, actual comments on the news must be too hard.
“The server will temporarily buffer the entire contents of the file prior to sending it to you.”
Am I correct in assuming that this means that TorrentRelay stores the files on THEIR server for a short while?
Not to be a party-pooper, but this has lawsuit written all over it.
I just checked them out and they’re actually located in Canada. I don’t see how its illegal in comparison to ImageShack thats actually located in the U.S.
Reverse engineering the BT protocol?
Seriously?
I know the official site is a little lacking in docs, but that’s why wiki.theory.org has it’s own section on the protocol.
Oi, where did the pirate bay go? It’s not loading in my neck of the woods.
J.
so this service only lets you download 1 file in a torrent? whats the point?
ROFL omg that PS3 video was priceless hehehe. For all the people that cant afford a real machine, you can get torrents through this bloodcurdling torture method lol.
Shweet I can use this pretty much anywhere…
The tool works, to bad it has no future: nobody will offer you a free seed-box, because that’s what this really is.
It’s a trap!
resume is not supported!!!
400mb cap…. wonderful
well maybe for phones, but why would I download with a Wii/PS3? I’m certain anyone who has one (or an iPhone or N95) can afford a computer… so it’s sort of usless. And would the sheer cost of internet on moble devices make it unfeasable…
more developer time wasted … if you really need to control your torrents on the go, us utorrent webgui like pointed out above, but there’s absolutely no point in running a torrent client on any mobile device, N95, iphone, or whatever.
There is a 400 meg limit on downloads all the movies are like 700 meg…WTF
TV eps are under 400 Mb. How quick is it?
God creates man to combat boredom
man destroys god
man creates the internet to combat boredom
content downloading overtaxes the interwebs
Man creates bittorrent to redistribute the bandwidth load
Man’s handheld devices do not talk bittorent making it impossible for them to get at the bulk of available online content
TorrentRelay creates a web enabled bittorrent client allowing mans devices to get at an otherwise unavailable content resource
Instant success of torrentRelay reredistributes the bandwidth of all the torrent downloads to just one server site
…
I think next step on the list is to resurrect God right.
kudos
WTF how do you seed back?
Thanks for all the positive comments from some of the readers here at Torrent Freak!
The site AUTOMATICALLY SEEDS as the torrent downloads and provides EQUAL DOWNLINK AND UPLINK SPEEDS.
I’m a fan of torrents, so it would only be fair to have a net zero usage when joining torrents.
The 400 MB cap is in good order, a 700 MB torrent spends an outrageously long time on our servers.
Some comments aren’t deserved, this was designed specifically and does provide torrents to those who cannot download them due to platform restrictions.
Thanks guys!
Don’t know if anyone can help here but i just cant get torrent to download on my N82 anymore. It used to work fine using opera mini and symtorrent but the torrent link will either time out or say error when i go to save it… is it the telephone companies that are blocking it or a device problem?
I have updated to the most current firmware today, reset the phone and still no change…
Great work mate!!
Now I can see the kind of speed the torrents really go at, my ISP must be capping my torrents big time!
I stopped using torrents ages ago because they where so slow, but by the looks of it it’s just me, so I will start using this, and see how it goes.
Keep it up Kevin!
This post is useless the I’ve been trying to connect for days and I always get an error “The server’s too busy at the moment, please try again in a few minutes. Please consider a donation”
Yet another good idea flawed by poor execution!
Sorry to the poster above, but this site doesn’t receive any funding and is entirely funded out of pocket.
I have yet to get a single donation through the site, but perhaps that will change though the help of users!
Clearly the site has become very popular and in the near future perhaps we can afford some serious upgrades.
Donate via the link found on the main page to get rid of the ‘too busy’ message!
unsafe – relay of torrents through a centralized server system *ouch*
uneconomical – identical issue with VPS and TOR relays, cannot be operated on a free basis
http://www.h33t.com
Wish I would’ve known this LAST WEEK! I was in New York for Band Tour and I had my PDA (hotels have free WiFi, I have WiFi enabled PDA with web browser, I have a 15 hour bus-ride home where I could use some new music…you get the point).
… suckers.
TORRENTULA!
Torrenting ON my iPhone, not FROM my iPhone.
suckers …
Sorry about that CalcProgrammer, we’ve just been online for a week or two.
h33t I’m not sure how safety if of concern, please check your linux distributions MD5 after downloading, they’re the same.
Also you are just as anonymous using this as if you were using a PC client.
What many of the concerned security freaks don’t understand is they have to get the torrent file anyways and thus the ISP is still aware they’ve been downloading torrents.
This way, you need not even download the torrent file it self, you can simply use its Mininova ID or URL.
Happy Relaying!
This is a great analysis of the site. I have now written my own review over at http://www.crenk.com
I do everything thats in the video
but for some reason all i ever get is a red error sing,do i need to downlaod another program first or what. please help
your all a bunch of wankers
n00b is a battymans word shuv it up your ass!
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