When it comes to downloading content, it's rare to see a user abandon their favorite clients, unless very serious problems appear in the latest versions. This has given the market a certain tranquility, but it never hurts to explore new projects like TotalD, which proposes a fusion between BitTorrent downloads and direct downloads, managed under a single interface.
I've always thought that P2P networks are a superior option to direct downloads, but I can't deny that the average user doesn't really like the idea of configuring clients or opening ports on a router. Direct downloads, beyond their apparent instability (links can disappear within hours), brought a beneficial simplicity that many users don't want to give up. So why not combine the best of both worlds under a single application? That brings us to TotalD, a new download manager capable of handling direct links, BitTorrent content (.torrent and magnet), and video stored on services like YouTube and Vimeo.
Interface and Configuration
The interface adopts a Spartan profile, without too many items on the screen at once, and with four different themes to change its colors. In its configuration options we find parameters such as the destination folder, file associations, and language (Spanish is on the list), but it's the dedicated sections that interest us most. The direct downloads section controls aspects like speed limits and simultaneous downloads, while the menu dedicated to premium accounts allows us to enter details about services like BitShare, EasyShare, MediaFire, and Sendspace, among others. In the BitTorrent section we'll see much more advanced values (DHT, uPnP, manual port, connection limits, etc.), and in the part dedicated to video there are only three active options: high quality, medium, or ask each time.
Performance and Limitations
Despite being a new client, I must admit that TotalD works quite well. BitTorrent downloads didn't present any problems, and the client was able to intercept magnet links immediately. Now, the big asterisk in TotalD's file is that its free version carries some limits. For example, video downloads seem to be restricted to medium quality, and it doesn't process premium direct download accounts. The interface doesn't show ads at any point, however, the price of the unlimited version is 12.90 euros, and although there's nothing wrong with TotalD's commercial vision, the truth is it competes with very robust free alternatives.
