The copyright hawks have dealt heavy blows to the BitTorrent community, but there's a detail we've explained to the point of exhaustion: the content is still there, only now it's a little harder to reach. Users who prefer streaming solutions over downloads may have grown bored of the comings and goings associated with Popcorn Time, but VidMasta has occupied a similar position for several years.
Anyone who wants to get a movie knows that the best option is the BitTorrent network. Of course, there are many users out there who swear by direct downloads, but the sharing network has a certain additional "stability". Certainly, if we look closely at recent events related to the disappearance of certain indices, "stable" is not the first word that comes to mind. Even so, the content hasn't gone anywhere. The FBI and other similar agencies can have fun bombarding indices, but if you want to watch a movie or the entire season of a series, chances are you'll find it. For those wondering what happened to Popcorn Time, the suggestion remains the same: visit Reddit and see which is the latest build (not to say "the most reliable") that works. Alternatives? Well, the truth is that there is VidMasta…
...and if we go by its changelog, it has been with us for more than three years. VidMasta shapes up as a mix of Popcorn Time, jDownloader, and Ares. Basically, once you install the program and set up an open port on your router, the rest is reduced to searching for the desired movie, pressing one of the download buttons, and waiting for the streaming to do its job. VidMasta includes a copy of VLC Player, and there should be no problem when downloading the torrent sequentially and playing its content. VidMasta offers several options to change the quality of the movie, in case the connection or the computer aren't robust enough. Java's presence is noticeable in VidMasta, though you don't need to download anything, as the installer brings all necessary modules.
Why Isn't It More Popular?
So, if VidMasta works, why isn't it more popular? In two words: it's shareware. Even though its official page presents it as an open source project, VidMasta's binary allows a limited number of downloads before requesting an activation code, which costs $20. At this point, the user's interest dissolves; however, VidMasta's "situation" is similar to that of BitTorrent content. Complicated? Yes. Impossible? No.
