Xtreme Download Manager is an open source download accelerator for Windows, macOS and Linux
Most people prefer to use their browser's built-in download manager. Whether you're using Firefox, Edge, Chrome, or something else, a basic tool to manage downloads is always included.
The built-in download manager works but it lacks features that full-blown download managers offer. Let's say you download a large file; if the download completes without errors, great, but if you run into any errors (server-side issue, or your internet connection), your browser will simply stop the download with a failed tag next to the filename. There may be no way to resume the download and you've to start it from scratch.
This is where having a download manager can be of great help. It can attempt to resume the download, speed downloads up, and provide better manageability and organization options.
Tip: you may also want to use a download manager if you download from China.
Xtreme Download Manager is an open source download accelerator
Xtreme Download Manager is a download manager, and it is available for Windows, macOS and Linux and works with all major browsers.
The official page for the program says it can accelerate the download speed by up to 500%. I'm just going to say this here, the only way to increase your internet speed is by getting a better (more expensive) connection and use a wired connection instead of Wi-Fi. That being said, when I tried XDM, the speeds were indeed a bit faster than Firefox's (or any other browser's) download manager. For the price of free, it is quite impressive.
Let's test that claim
For testing purposes I downloaded several files and videos in Firefox and XDM. My laptop's wireless adapter is shoddy, so the downloads were averaging at about 3MB/sec and the peak speed was just over 4 MB/sec in the browser.
When I tried it on XDM the result was slightly better; the average speed was around 4MB/sec while the peak speed was around 5.5MB/sec. The difference in the speed was about 22% but mileage varies as multiple factors such as the server load and speed, and the speed of the Internet connection.
Wired LAN is usually faster, so here are the XDM test results from the wired connection. Peak Speed - About 36 MB/sec averaging in the 18-20 range. Internet Download Manager delivered slightly higher average speeds at 22MB/s, while Firefox disappointingly averaged at 12MB/s.
Forget the peak speeds, the average speed is what's important. So, does using XDM make a difference? Yes, it is better than the speed that you get from your browser, and if you don't have a download manager I'd definitely recommend XDM. Again, mileage varies and you don't know how beneficial (or not) a download manager is until you gave it a try.
XDM Browser Monitor
When you install Xtreme Download Manager and run it, you will see some options to install the browser add-on which is called XDM Browser Monitor. The extension is available on Mozilla's repository and the Chrome Web Store which means you can install it on any Firefox based or Chromium based browser. XDM uses the Browser Monitor to capture the URLs to download the file.
XDM Interface
The GUI of Xtreme Download Manager has a dark theme with flat icons similar to Metro UI. The interface comprises a menu bar, a tab bar, a search box, a side bar and a toolbar.
Download options in XDM
The easiest way to download files using Xtreme Download Manager is obviously to use the web browser and selecting the download option. But, the File menu has a few other options. You can manually add a URL to download a file or add one from the clipboard. There is even a batch download option which you can use for downloading multiple files at once.
Managing Downloads
The Downloads menu in XDM can be used to pause, resume or restart a download. It also has a task scheduler, which allows you to set the URLs in a queue and start/stop it at a time and date of your choice.
Tip: The Queue menu is rather long and the toolbar on the bottom overlaps the menu. Either use XDM in maximized mode or use the vertical scroll-bar to navigate to the settings in the menu.
Options
You can configure the Xtreme Download Manager settings from the Tools menu. This includes selecting the download folder, maximum number of simultaneous downloads, overwrite existing files option and a few other Network, Scheduler, Password Manager options. You can also set XDM to make your antivirus scan each downloaded file and define exceptions from the Advanced Settings.
XDM places the downloaded files in different folders (Documents, Compressed, Music, Video and Programs) based on the file's extension. For e.g TXT or DOCX are saved to documents, MP3 or FLAC to the music folder, and so on. This is exactly how IDM handles downloads too. You can change the folders for each category from the Tools> Options menu.
Tools
Xtreme Download Manager can refresh the link for a download, just like IDM. This is useful for resuming time-limited downloads and otherwise downloads that don't support resume. You can set a speed limit for the downloads if you don't want the program to use all your bandwidth.
The toolbar on the bottom can be used to
- Start a new download
- Delete downloaded files
- Pause/Resume downloads
- Access the settings
- Run the built-in video downloader and video converter
Video Downloader
Downloading a video using XDM is simple. Go to the web page which contains the video and you will see an option to download the video provided that you have installed the extension. Click it and pick a resolution from the list and XDM does the rest. You can also manually start the built-in video downloader in XDM and paste a video's URL.
If you have an account/subscription with the service you are downloading the video from, you can enter your credentials in the program. This step is only necessary in case the streaming service prevents unregistered users from accessing the videos.
Video Converter
The video converter didn't work for me when I clicked it. Perhaps it is designed to only work when downloading videos through the program. Go to a video's page and click download, a pop-up should appear prompting you to select where to save the file. It also has an option to "Convert" the video. The formats which XDM can covert to are: 3GP, 3G2, MP4, MP4 HQ and MP3. When I tested this, the resultant videos were fine.
I was slightly surprised that Xtreme Download Manager does everything that IDM can do. Sure there are a few bugs here and there, but for the price of free, I have no complaints. A portable version of XDM is available on SourceForge.
As a long time user of Internet Download Manager (I paid for two licenses about 5 years ago), I have no regrets about my decision. It still is the best, in my opinion. I might still keep XDM on the laptop.
Now You: Which download manager do you use?
I love auto-playing videos. It saves me a thousand clicks a day.
And probably costs your a good amount of data, if you don’t have a good plan. Better would be an opt-in than opt-out.
I hate auto-playing videos. Never click on them. Never watch them. Just one more manic marketing/advertising ploy that is rampant on the internet, to grab your attention intrusively, greedily, and glaringly obnoxiously. Second worst is those stupid timed pop-ups to get you to sign-up for something. No wonder so many people have screwed up attention spans.
Telegram is introducing Telepathic Videos, they play in your head and can’t be stopped unless you turn off the app, put the device in your freezer (no signal, batteries die quickly) then go outside into reality. Scary proposition but definitely worth trying.
I appreciate the tip, Ashwin — thanks!
i fucking hate autoplaying videos
YESSSS! :))))
Thanks!
Quick, concise and effective instructions!
Thank you so much!
You saved my life. Thank you! =)
Thanks a lot for the tip!
Unfortunately there’s still no way to stop an autoplaying video once you’ve started it. So you get to choose; either don’t watch it at all… or watch it looping for all eternity.
More great UI design from your friendly neighbourhood Telegram devs. The people who brought you “no scrollbars on OSX” and “allowing other people to remotely delete data on your devices”
Not true, at least not on my Telegram desktop PC setup; I started playing a video that I couldn’t find a way to stop playing in a loop over and over again, which led me to find this article.
I followed the article’s instructions and toggled off the autoplay for videos and GIFs for all three categories, Private, Group and Channel, and once I did that and saved the settings the previously perma-looping video stopped and the UI was replaced with a blank window and a ‘Play’ symbol.
Thanks a lot!
Thank you, someone posting some disturbing surgery stuff in a group and I’m not keen on having it replay over and over.
Thank you! They really went out of their way to hide this setting, didn’t they. I wonder if that was just incompetence, or outright malice.
Hmm, on the website it states: “There’s no shady stuff as 100% of the website is open source.” No, it required some scripts for the basic website to even load… It can be classified as untrustworthy and poor quality design.
Martin, where do you predict this post will be sent today, will it reach the correct thread or be redirected to some random thread on AI, Social media fads, or be tapped onto a long debate on browser bug comments. Your visitor comments database is kaput! :-/
Martin, the [#comment-4572556] post did weirdly redirect to: [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/08/14/is-beeper-safe/] and now it seems to be back in the correct “.sexy” thread. Maybe it’s a homing pigeon.
However, the last (currently) visible response to the “Wi-Fi” thread, instead nested in the “beeper” one. It also looks like the other posts people made in that “wireless” thread, migrated south and flew into others threads. It’s like Russian roulette with replies trying to reach the right destination nowadays – around here.
privacy.sexy may not be a great resource – for example, one of the scripts in the ‘configure programs’ scripts for Firefox enables ‘privacy.firstparty.isolate’ – FPI is obsolete and has been replaced with dFPI which can be enabled in ‘preferences > privacy & security > enhanced tracking protection’ by selecting the ‘strict’ option
another script disables WebRTC to prevent IP leakage (VPN, etc.) – this is apparently no longer necessary (see ‘[SECTION 2000]’ of the arkenfox js)
Somebody should really do something about the comments chaos. Random dates and topics. Is AI running gHACKS?
Yet another topic with unsynced responses. I sure hope a solution is found soon.
Martin, if this website is really yours, perthaps, we need some “command decisions” from you to get it back on track??
I have reached out to Martin personally and to his credit he replied very quickly. He has informed me that they are aware of the problems and are attempting to fix it.
Martin is no longer involved in the technical management of the site so I imagine if we want to ask someone then our comments would perhaps be better directed towards Softonic.
Love stuff like this.
PORTMASTER
I stopped using this because it doesn’t prevent DNSAPI.dll from allowing the PC to make sneaky connections to Micro$oft. I put my Acrylic M$ blocklist into the Custom Filter option but it Micro$oft URLs would still bypass it (and of course the regular Hosts file).
Back to Acryllic and Tinywall! Most people don’t care about M$ spying on them, but some of us still do. So even though Portmaster ‘owns’ port 52, it still let’s DNSAPI.dll over-ride one’s privacy options.
Oh, the irony!
*Sorry- Port 53 of course, and Acrylic!!
@Martin Brinkmann,
I am the first posted to this (2023/09/09: Notepad++ 8.5.7 fixes 4 security issues) article.
All of the existing comments are about other articles unrelated to “This article published on 2023/09/09: Notepad++ 8.5.7 fixes 4 security issues.”
Should relink them all properly.
@Martin Brinkmann,
You mentioned that comment associations have been “fixed”. but The actual situations are still associated with other articles.
Below is my case,
Posted to:
Notepad++ 8.5.7 fixes 4 security issues: 2023/09/09:
>> ghacks.net/2023/09/09/notepad-8-5-7-fixes-4-security-issues/#comment-4573427
Linked to:
How to disable autoplay videos in Telegram Desktop: 2020/01/02
>> ghacks.net/2020/01/02/how-to-disable-autoplay-videos-in-telegram-desktop/#comment-4573427
Disheartening news for me, as I really rely on SUMO for the updates for the last 5 years or so.
Others I tried–even ones with big brand names–are junks compared to how extensive and useful SUMO’s features are.
Anyone can recommend a list of 2-3 softwares at par with SUMO? Thank you.
That’s very sad news.
I’ve always been a fan of SUMO and DUMO but I’ve not used any of their other applications.
I purchased a lifetime license of Sumo in 2018 and I was very satisfied with this program.
There are not many alternatives and those that exist are not as effective.
See alternatives here : https://alternativeto.net/software/sumo/
Secunia was also abandoned some time ago.
Odd . . . many of their programs were updated within 2023:
https://www.kcsoftwares.com/?download
I haven’t used any of their products, but I have a bookmark to the site. Chances are good that Major Geeks will archive all the products, a sort of repository for KC Software.
Bummer!
There in no alternative to SUMo which scans for software on all drives and support portable apps.
There are many alternatives to SUMO.
https://alternativeto.net/software/sumo/
Whether they cover as many programs is the problem.
Patch My PC Home Updater: https://hiberhernandez.com/descargas/patch-my-pc-updater/
Zero Install: https://hiberhernandez.com/descargas/zero-install/
Sad news indeed. Been using SUMo for a long time.
As mentioned, an article about alternatives would be welcome.
Kaspersky will be happy, they’ve been flagging SUMo as “incompatible software” for years, only because it competes with their KIS’s Software Updater junk. No “Ignore” option for their blatant anti-competitive deceit. Of course.
—
What’s with all the old unrelated posts crap? @Martin Brinkmann can you please get rid of that time-wasting nonsense, it makes reading and finding genuine comments a serious PITA!
Very sad news indeed.
Before SUMo I was using WebMon, a free software which was monitoring web sites for changes and it was very good, but the software was discontinued and stopped working correctly on https sites for which it was not programmed.
I think that I will return to this kind of software, I am actually trying the free version of “WebSite-Watcher” which is a shareware, and I’ll try to find some other softwares of this kind.
Actually this is the only kind of software which would be able to “find” new versions for installed softwares but also for portable softwares.
Under: https://www.ghacks.net/2023/09/11/kc-softwares-maker-of-sumo-and-other-apps-is-shutting-down/
to:Sputnik
>Before SUMo I was using WebMon, a free software which was monitoring web sites for changes and it was very good, but the software was discontinued and stopped working correctly on https sites for which it was not programmed.
There is modern recreation of WebMon, which support https (and a number of other additional features), called WebChangeMonitor:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/webchangemon/
Also, in addition, I can recommend a somewhat similar program Ketarin (HP: ketarin org) – it has not been updated for quite a while (but not as long as WebMon), but is fully functional. Its plus is that it can also download files (in fact, this is its main function – after detecting changes, like WebMon, download a given updated file). Everything must be configured manually, as in WebMon, so as an alternative to SUMO may not be for everyone, but for someone who used WebMon – very much so.
@Lemegeton
Thank you very much for this info, I will check both of these programs !
I prefer alert of new versions rather than manual updating so the installer/portable app can be scanned via VirusTotal before installation. SUMO gave the alert and a right-click option to open the app folder, which was all I ever used.
Wingetui is an alternative to SUMO but it is not as comprehensive. It misses seeing some of my software. The article above mentions ‘several good alternatives’. Alternativeto lists a lot but lacks https://alternativeto.net/software/sumo/ but does not give thorough reviews.
Has anyone experience with the free version of IObit Software Updater?
(Yes I know that IO does everything to overwhelm your PC, and Malwarebytes is still very angry/aggressive towards IO, but they have some very good (free) programs, and you can rely on that they are not one-man-projects).
I have tried it. It sneaky installs a brunch of other programs which causes an almost uncontrollable chaos. So not advisable (through the updater program itself seems to be very functional).
Sad to see this. I enjoyed using SUMO over the years! Thank you KC Softwares for all the great applications.
I prefer alert of new versions rather than manual updating so the installer/portable app can be scanned via VirusTotal before installation. SUMO gave the alert and a right-click option to open the app folder, which was all I ever used.
Wingetui is an alternative to SUMO but it is not as comprehensive.
Ketarin (https://ketarin.org/index.php) looks interesting and I just downloaded this morning to start tinkering. It takes a bit of work to configure each piece of software. When first run it downloads the software on each link. Subsequently, it downloads new versions. It is portable, so you could load it plus downloads onto a USB stick and use it to install the same apps on different (compatible) computers.
https://www.ghacks.net/2008/11/22/keep-software-installers-up-to-date/
Sorry to hear about SUMO.
Patch My PC is another alternative.
Plus winget, or WingetUI
The new version (10) of uCheck now allows mentioning custom locations.
I did a test with installer and portable version, but without success.
I asked their support if this option is reserved for the paid version.
Their answer:
“Hi,
Thanks for your message.
Yes it should be scanned in the Free version as well. However, it’s just client capability for now.
We are in the process of adding portable links in our database right now, so it’s normal if there’s very few (or not) software found in these locations.”
?
Sad, SUMP was by far the best program for finding the latest updates, even for obscure apps. Would like to see them open source their entire line up, so someone else can take up the torch! Would be sad to see it go down to no good end! Thank you SUMO for all the good work you’ve done for the public good!
Just used SUMo, Patch My PC, and winget.
SUMo found 9 major, and 16 minor updates
Patch My PC found 8 updates
winget found 11
False negatives: determines there was no update, when in fact there is an update
False positive: determines there is an update, when in fact there is no update
winget has a lot of issues.
False negative: it didn’t list updates for Chrome, and Thunderbird
Also had one false positive, i.e., there was an update when in fact it doesn’t exist.
The Microsoft C++ Redistributable updates leave old ones behind, so winget reports then out of date.
There was a false positive for Patch My PC.
SUMo is the most comprehensive and accurate of the three products tested.
I did not find any false positives or false negatives.
I originally used Secunia to check for updates until is was discontinued.
Just ran SUMo, Patch My PC, and winget.
Both SUMo and Patch My PC found an update for LibreOffice, but the winget upgrade command missed it.
The winget list command shows LibreOffice, but no update.