Torrents with TorrServer

Torrents with TorrServer

E2iPlayer can play torrent links (magnet links and .torrent files) while they download, through TorrServer (YouROK/TorrServer). TorrServer loads the torrent and hands the video to the player as a normal HTTP stream, so playback starts after a short preload instead of after the whole download.

Important

Torrents are peer-to-peer: while a torrent plays, the receiver connects to other users and your IP address is visible to them. Depending on your country, downloading or sharing copyrighted content through torrents may be illegal - you alone are responsible for what you play. Upload to other peers stays off unless you switch it on.

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1. Install TorrServer

TorrServer is not part of E2iPlayer and not in the image feeds. You install it yourself:

1. Download the Linux file for the CPU of your receiver from the TorrServer releases, e.g. TorrServer-linux-arm7, TorrServer-linux-arm64 or TorrServer-linux-mipsle. If you switch torrent playback on without TorrServer installed, E2iPlayer shows the exact file name for your box.
2. Copy it to /usr/bin/TorrServer (or to a folder on HDD/USB) and make it executable: chmod 755 /usr/bin/TorrServer.
3. Not in /usr/bin? Choose the file under TorrServer binary in the torrent configuration (OK opens a file browser).

Without a chosen file, E2iPlayer looks for TorrServer / torrserver in the PATH and in /usr/bin, /usr/local/bin, /usr/sbin, /opt/bin, /media/hdd/TorrServer and /media/usb/TorrServer. Only files whose name starts with "torrserver" are ever started.

2. Switch it on

Settings → Torrent configuration → Play torrents with TorrServer = Yes. You are asked to confirm the warning above. This also works in the web interface: the browser asks you to confirm the warning, and if TorrServer is missing, the install hint is shown as a notice.

E2iPlayer starts TorrServer by itself with the first torrent link and sends it the settings below. If a TorrServer you started yourself already runs on the port, E2iPlayer uses it and leaves its settings alone.

3. The torrent hosts

The torrent hosts are in their own group Torrent on the start screen. The group and its hosts are only shown while torrent playback is switched on.

Host	Content	Notes
TorrentDB	Movies and series (catalogue from Cinemeta: popular, featured, new, genres, years, search)	Asks several sources at once (Torrentio, PeerFlix, Popcorn Time, YTS, EZTV, The Pirate Bay, optional MediaFusion), best resolution and most seeders first. Each source can be switched off in the host settings, plus a maximum torrent size. MediaFusion only with your own addon manifest URL (empty = off). For series it picks the episode file from a season pack.
YTS	Movies (YIFY)	Official YTS API.
EZTV	TV series	Newest torrents and the torrents of one show.
TorrentGalaxy	Movies, TV, anime, documentaries	Latest, most seeded, 4K / 1080p / 720p, search.
Torrent9	French films and series	Latest, most seeded, genres, quality, VF / VOSTFR.
ArabP2P	Arabic tracker	Needs an arabp2p.net account (login / password in the host settings).

Most of them have Use proxy server and Alternative domain in their host settings. The links show quality, size and seeders/peers, e.g. 1080p - 2.1 GB - S:120 P:15.

4. Playing

Open a title and choose a link as usual. TorrServer then loads the file list of the torrent (this can take up to a minute when there are few peers):

• one video file: playback starts after the preload,
• several files (e.g. a season pack): you choose the file, sorted naturally (Episode 2 before Episode 10); "sample" clips are left out when there is something else,
• subtitle files in the torrent (.srt, .ass, .vtt, …) are offered as subtitles of the matching video.

Torrent links of other hosts (magnet / .torrent) are played the same way.

Torrent configuration

Settings → Torrent configuration (the indented options appear when torrent playback is on):

Option	Default	What it does
Play torrents with TorrServer	No	See above.
TorrServer binary	empty	Empty = search automatically. OK opens a file browser; with a value set, OK also offers Search automatically. The web interface takes the path as text (a file or a folder).
TorrServer port	8090	Port of TorrServer on the receiver. A change restarts E2iPlayer's own TorrServer.
TorrServer web interface in the home network	No	TorrServer has its own web interface at http://<box-ip>:8090 (no password by default). No: only E2iPlayer reaches it (bound to 127.0.0.1). Yes: other devices of your home network can open it; TorrServer is started right away when you save.
Cache location	RAM	RAM or Folder on HDD / USB.
Cache size in RAM	64 MB	32–512 MB. Keep it well below the free RAM of the box.
Cache folder	/media/hdd/	Disk cache only. TorrServer keeps the pieces in <folder>/TorrServer. If no drive is mounted there, you get a warning and the cache stays in RAM.
Cache size on disk	2 GB	1–32 GB.
Delete the cache when the torrent is closed	Yes	Removes the pieces of a torrent from the disk when it is closed.
Fill cache before playback	50%	How much of the cache is loaded before playback starts (off, 25–100 %). More = longer start, fewer interruptions.
Read ahead (share of the cache)	95%	Share of the cache used for the part after the play position.
Connections per torrent	25	10–200 peer connections.
Download speed limit	unlimited	512 KB/s – 10 MB/s.
Allow upload to other peers (seeding)	No	Off = nothing is sent to other users.
Upload speed limit	512 KB/s	Only with upload on.
Encrypted connections only	No	Only peers that use encryption (fewer peers).
Close an unused torrent after	30 s	When TorrServer drops a torrent nobody plays any more (30 s – 5 min).
DLNA server of TorrServer	No	TorrServer's own DLNA server for other devices.
Stop TorrServer when E2iPlayer is closed	Yes	Ends the TorrServer E2iPlayer started. No: it keeps running in the background.

Changed settings are sent to E2iPlayer's own TorrServer with the next torrent link (or right away when you save). A TorrServer you run yourself keeps its own settings.

Problems

Message	What to do
Torrent links are played with TorrServer. Switch on "Play torrents with TorrServer" …	Switch torrent playback on (see above).
TorrServer was not found on the receiver. …	Install TorrServer (step 1), or choose the file under TorrServer binary.
TorrServer could not be started (…)	Wrong file for the CPU, not executable (chmod 755), or the port is used by another program. Try the file manually on the console: /usr/bin/TorrServer --help.
TorrServer got no file list for this torrent (no peers or a dead link?).	Nobody shares this torrent any more. Choose another link (more seeders).
Playback stops often	Larger cache or cache on HDD/USB, higher Fill cache before playback, a link with more seeders.
ArabP2P shows no lists	Enter your arabp2p.net login / password in the host settings.