1

I don't like downloading movies before playing them. I usually decide to play a movie and I want to see it immediately.

What is the best way to do it?

I need to do it on both Ubuntu and Windows 7. In windows one of the problem is that firefox stores partially downloaded file with to file with .part extension which is later renamed. This problem can be overcome by using Opera browser which stores partially downloaded file right way from the beginning and it doesn't rename it later.

Second problem is choosing right movie player program. I usually used KMplayer which asked me some question about when to make index and I had to click "Play now and build index later" button or something like that. And that worked perfectly and I could watch movie. This stopped working for me. I guess some update removed this feature. The movie stops playing when reaching the time to which it was downloaded when I had stared playing it. This way I am interupted several times during watching the movie which is still downloading although smart movie player could realize that during playing was another part of the video downloaded.

On the ubuntu machine I don't have any problems with file extension and I can double click file which is named with .part extension and any movie player I have knows that it is video. But the problem with the sensless interupting me during playing remains.

How do you do it?

4
  • Windows can't I think, on Linux, just use vlc.
    – terdon
    Jun 2, 2013 at 18:10
  • I guess it depends on the file and where you're downloading it from. Try dragging and dropping the .part file to your favorite video player. I think it used to work with VLC (which is multi-plataform), just remember to click Dont't repair if you're asked.
    – Alex
    Jun 2, 2013 at 18:10
  • 2
    VLC is on Windows, too
    – yosh m
    Jun 2, 2013 at 20:50
  • When some of the file's done, copy/paste it, remove the .part and play with VLC.
    – Karan
    Jun 4, 2013 at 21:20

3 Answers 3

1

In VLC, you can add the URL of the movie directly and VLC will take care of the downloading. This is really nice if you have an http link because you can seek through the file.

1
  • 1
    +1 it also allows handling of authentication which is helpful
    – James
    Jun 2, 2013 at 21:27
0

VLC is able to play even partially downloaded files - just open the .part file using VLC and possibly other players. Seeking might be problematic / not precise (mkv) or impossible (avi)

-1

You can use wget command in ubuntu terminal. You can play video while downloading it. https://www.computerhope.com/unix/wget.htm

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .