MP3 Fiend Help

MP3 Fiend v3.0 Help

What is MP3 Fiend?

MP3 Fiend Configuration

Frequently Asked Questions

Help with Finding Valid MP3s

File Verification Routines

Disclaimer

MP3 Fiend (c) 1999 Eternal Software


What is MP3 Fiend?

MP3 Fiend is a metasearch engine for Windows.  A "metasearch" engine is one which encompasses other engines.  In doing so, you can find more results and can find these results faster.  With exporting to browsers, download utilities, and the clipboard, plus file verificaton routines, MP3 Fiend makes it much easier to download than with traditional, web-based metasearch engines.

MP3 Fiend has been freeware from the start, and will remain that way.  It is written by Eternal Software, which in reality is a one-man operation.


MP3 Fiend Configuration

What is "Timeout"?

The timeout box is used to kill the request after a certain amount of seconds have elapsed.  For example, if the timeout box is set for 30 seconds, and the search engine hasn't sent any data in the last 30 seconds, MP3 Fiend will stop the search from that engine.  Note that if the engine sends data before 30 seconds are up, a new count is started.  So if an engine sends a small packet of data every 29 seconds, it may not timeout and will seem very slow.

What is "Chunk Size"?

Chunk Size refers to the size of the packet that is retreived from the remote machine.  The default is 1024 bytes (not KB).  This means 1.024k requested from an engine at one time.  Keeping this number small is usually sufficient for people on modem connections.  If you have a faster connection, or are curious, you can try changing the value to a higher number.

What are the checkboxes next to the engines for?

These checkboxes will enable or disable particular engines.  This is useful for people on slower connections (reducing the number of engines improves performance).  It is also good if one or more engines are not responding, so you can remove them from further searches.  Rechecking the box will return the engines to normal.


MP3 Fiend FAQ

Why can't I download the MP3s it finds?

If you are having problems downloading files, there are many possible problems. First of all, download with browsers is a very bad idea (practically impossible), due to the ups and downs of these MP3 servers.  Many browser results, such as "File not Found", "The Server Returned Extended Information", and "Host Unreachable" all indicate bad servers.  The most obvious problem downloading the MP3s is that the file no longer exists. This is because MP3 Fiend takes results from search engines on the web, but it does not check to see if the files actually exist. Since servers are constantly going up and down, many results may not be valid. Please note, however, that it is NOT a problem with MP3 Fiend.  I get many e-mails daily saying my program is awful because it shows "fake", "bogus", or "invalid" links in order to show more hits (or something along those lines).  My program is at the mercy of the search engines, if they return bad results, you'll see bad results.  More information on downloading is available depending on what type of file you are downloading:

HTTP Files

HTTP files are usually easier to deal with than FTP files. If you get an error with these files, it's probably because they don't exist. In this case, simply try another file.

FTP Files

FTP files cause more problems than HTTP files due to the nature of FTP servers. In addition to files simply not existing on the server, other problems may arise:

                   User Limit - First of all, most FTP servers have a user limit. When too

                   many people try to get a file, the FTP server will not allow any more

                   people in. This causes an error message to be returned.

                   File Ratios - Many sites don't want you wasting their bandwith by simply

                   taking a file and not giving them anything back. Sites that require you to

                   upload a file before downloading one have a "ratio". For example, a ratio

                   of "2:1" means you can download 2 bytes for every 1 byte you upload.

I strongly suggest either using GetRight or using the "Copy to Clipboard" option to paste the path to the MP3 into a good FTP client, such as CuteFTP, WarFTP, WS_FTP, LeechFTP, or BulletProofFTP.

Why don't any of these clickable internet links work?

In order for web links to work, you must have "http://" and "ftp://" associated with a browser on your system.  This is usually the case by default, but on some machines these associations may be lost.  If they are not working, try temporarily changing browsers.  When it asks you if you want to make it your default browser, select YES.  This should transfer these extensions to your new browser.  Then reverse the process to go back to your original browser.

How do I use Go!Zilla with MP3 Fiend?

The methods used for GetRight and Go!Zilla are very similar.  To find a song you want, send a whole bunch of different links for that same song to Go!Zilla.  Send as many as your system can handle.  Chances are, at least one of those links will start to download.   Then all you have to do is go back and pause the others or delete them altogether.   If you follow this method you should have the song you want downloading in seconds.

How do I use GetRight with MP3 Fiend?

Please see the Help with Finding Valid MP3s section.

Why can't I add my own engines?

Unfortunatly, this will never be a feature of MP3 Fiend.  Each engine returns results in different way, and the code has to be compatible with the return.  Some engines, because of the way they return results, will never be included in MP3 Fiend (i.e. Scour.net and, unfortunatly, AudioGalaxy).  If you know of any good MP3 engines that are NOT included in the program, please send them to submission@eternalsoft.hypermart.net.


File Verification Routines

How does MP3 Fiend verify a file?

MP3 Fiend connects to the FTP server using the username and password as supplied in the URL (i.e. ftp://username:password@server:port/directory/file).  It then changes to the directory specified and attempts to download the file.  If the sever begins a send, the file is verified and the transfer is aborted.  If the server does not allow the download of the file, but the file exists, the site is marked as a ratio site.

What is a "Ratio" site?

Many sites don't want you wasting their bandwith by simply taking a file and not giving them anything back. Sites that require you to upload a file before downloading one have a "ratio". For example, a ratio of "2:1" means you can download 2 bytes for every 1 byte you upload.  MP3 Fiend does not have anyway of knowing the exact ratio, only that the site has one.  To find out more, you can connect to the site yourself.  Any FTP client will work, and some of the better ones include WS_FTP and CuteFTP.


Help with Finding Valid MP3s

First, the new and improved verification routines in v3.0 help dramatically with finding valid downloads.  Any file that is flagged as "VERIFIED!" should download without trouble.

In addition, using any download manager will help drastically when download MP3s from FTP sites.  I'm going to talk specifically about GetRight (because that's what I use) but Go!Zilla, NetVampire, and others will work similarly (the configuration will be slightly different).  First, go into GetRight's configuration and on the "Save To" tab make sure "use default name and do not prompt for file name" is checked.  Then go to the "limits" tab and set downloading up to 20 files at the same time (or more).  Finally, on the "advanced" tab, make sure it's set to "start downloading files immediatly".  You're set.  Now just have MP3 Fiend send out a lot of results for the same song to GetRight (make sure they are all on different FTP servers).  It should start trying to download many at the same time (depending on what you set).  When you see one of the "Total" column results change to a filesize, you're on your way!  You can now pause/delete all the other mirror files and let it download that one.  If it prompts to remove songs from the list, just press "yes" (this happens a lot).


Disclaimer

This is a free information location tool provided by Eternal Software.  When accessing MP3 files on the Internet, you are accessing content over which Eternal Software has no control. The content in those files is determined entirely by other parties who make those files available on the Internet and those other parties are solely responsible for such content. Eternal Software has no control over that content and have NO responsibility for such content. Rather, Eternal Software is merely providing access to such content as a service to you.   Eternal Software expects all who use the Internet to abide by all laws, including all copyright and other intellectual property laws.