BitTorrent client added to the 'Ten Foot' products

[Andy Henderson]

I have added a BitTorrent client to Version 3 of the Ten Foot products.

Bit Torrent is a widely-used protocol for downloading large files (and collections of files) from the Internet. For example, you can get films, TV programs and music that are published as BitTorrents.

The client allows people interested in the same file to work together to get much faster download rates than a single server could reasonably provide. It integrates with the Ten Foot Browser (and other browsers) so clicking a link to a torrent starts the download automatically. You control how and when torrents are queued and run.

Like the other Ten Foot Products:
- Ten Foot Browser
- Ten Foot Launcher
- Ten Foot Mail Reader
- Ten Foot File Manager
- Ten Foot Program Manager...

... the BitTorrent client makes the best use of low resolution television displays by using simple screens with high resolution colours. The screens automatically resize to fit your display. You can control the client using just your remote.

The Launcher allows the Ten Foot Products to work with all PC-based media centre software by defining hot buttons. Double-pressing a hot button brings up the Launcher so you can run any of the Products, or any other program you add to the Launcher.

If you don't have Windows MCE installed, you can ask the Launcher to run GBPVR whenever you press the Big Green Button on your remote. Alternatively, you can assign GBPVR to any other remote button.

You can see some ways to integrate GBPVR and the Ten Foot Products here.

It comes with online help, supporting documentation and support pages to help you make the most of BitTorrent.

We have made several other improvements to the Ten Foot Products in this new version that you can read about here.

The products are free and do not contain any adware or malware

You can out more, download the Products and get the documentation from here.

I hope you find them useful.

Andy Henderson
Constructive IT Advice

[Ted the Penguin]

interesting set of products, (nice that they are free and not competing with GB-PVR, so noone will get mad :p) but your UI is a bit... well, not pretty. it is very functional, but could do with a graphical makeover, maybe even user skins, if only in the form of selectable text colors and button images.

other than that, it looks pretty useful, could definitely add some value to some people's HTPC setup.

[Andy Henderson]

Thanks for the feedback. If I achieve 'functional', I'm happy. I certainly make no claims for design skills.

The button colours make sense if you have a remote with the coloured teletext buttons at the bottom (am I right in thinking you don't have those in the US?).

There is some scope for tailoring aspects of the UI (including all the fixed text). That's described in the accompanying 'Tailoring and regionalisation guide'. Happy to implement further tailoring along those lines, but skinning is probably a step too far.

I'm interested, though, in switching the UI to WPF which is a new Microsoft UI technology. If anyone out there has design skills I'd love to develop something cooperatively.

Andy