Vuze, previously known as Azureus, is yet another great example of how a technology that has commonly been used for negative purposes can be harnessed and made safe for the benefit of content creators, distributors and consumers alike.
Recently we've discussed how peer-to-peer (P2P) technology has allowed some legitimate websites to lower distribution costs for digital media. Vuze uses a special kind of P2P protocol with which you may or may not already be fam
iliar, called BitTorrent, which allows users to download scattered pieces of a file from many fellow users at once. While you do have to download the entire file before you can play it, this kind of distribution can be very fast and quite robust.
This alternative to streaming allows Vuze to specialize in high-quality, even high-definition (HD) content. Almost 15% of the tens of thousands of available videos are HD, and Vuze sets a fairly high standard of quality for the other 85% as well.
Because of the security and speed of this platform, Vuze doesn't just offer video: music and even computer games are also available for download.
To take advantage of this technology, you do have to download Vuze's own desktop application, which is both a downloader and media player. In addition, it can be used to browse Vuze's searchable directory of media, which is also available at the website.
Unlike many sites using this technology, Vuze controls which content makes it onto the network, which minimizes piracy and unsafe activity. Because the site is secure and isn't crowded with low-quality content, Vuze has been able to sign on 150 content partners, including a number of major studios and networks.
But it's not all left to them. If you own good, quality content, you can publish it for free through Vuze, and while you can always make it available to others at no cost, there's also the option (for video and games) to monetize your content so that users either view advertising or pay directly (at whatever price you set) to gain access. Either way, you get half of the revenue that Vuze collects (well, net revenue for the advertising option). It's quite a simple process.
It's simple: Vuze is all about quality. Consumers who have become accustomed to streaming video of dubious quality may not know what they're missing; Vuze can show them.
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