Download Accelerator Manager
Description
Standard browser downloads download a file by using a single connection to the server that hosts the file. Download managers enhance that approach by opening multiple simultaneous connections to the same file and downloading different segments of the file in parallel, then reassembling the full file from all of the segments when all the connections are finished. On servers that support multiple connections per client, this parallel approach uses the available bandwidth more efficiently than if one connection were used, and the download time is reduced. Download Accelerator Manager — abbreviated as DAM — implements this multi-connection strategy in conjunction with resume capability for interrupted downloads and browser integration that automatically captures download links.
Speedbit Ltd. created DAM and has sold it for more than two decades, competing in the download manager category with Internet Download Manager and Free Download Manager. The free version includes the basic accelerated download and browser integration functionality. The Premium upgrade includes ad removal, video downloader, and priority customer support.
DAM divides a file into segments and downloads each segment via a separate connection at the same time. The number of parallel connections is configurable per download, and the connection number that the server supports is automatically applied by the application without error. On servers that limit the number of connections or serve files without range request support, DAM degrades to a standard single connection download. Acceleration works best on servers where there is no limit to the number of connections, and on internet connections where a single TCP stream doesn’t saturate the available bandwidth.
Interrupted downloads — from a connection drop, a system restart, or a manual pause — resume from the point where the interruption took place, not restarting the entire download. The resume function works if the server supports the use of the byte-range request in the http protocol, which is the case with most modern servers. Downloaded segments that have already been downloaded don’t redownload on resume, saving time and bandwidth for large files that interrupted partway through.
DAM adds browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge that intercept download links when clicked. Instead of the browser’s standard download handler taking care of the file, the extension sends the URL to DAM, which takes over the download and applies acceleration and resume capability. The extension differentiates between downloadable file types and regular page links and only intercepts file downloads, not navigation.
The scheduler queues downloads to be started at a given time — during off-peak hours on the internet, overnight, or at a given future time. The scheduler enables setting up the computer to shut down, sleep or stay on when the scheduled downloads are done. Scheduled downloading limits the effects of large downloads on daytime internet use.
DAM Premium identifies streaming video on supported websites and displays a download button that captures the streaming video for local storage. The video downloader detects available quality options and you can choose the resolution before downloading as in dedicated video downloading tools.
Multiple URLs paste into DAM’s URL input at the same time, queueing each as a separate download job. Batch downloads are sequential or parallel depending on the settings. Users who download a list of files — a set of software packages, a collection of documents — add all URLs at once rather than starting each download individually.
The download queue displays all active, paused, queued and completed downloads along with their progress, speed, estimated time remaining and file size. Individual downloads are paused, resumed, or cancelled from the queue. Priority levels are used to place important downloads ahead of others in the queue when bandwidth limitations limit the number of simultaneous active transfers.
Completed downloads go through the system’s installed antivirus scanner automatically if DAM detects a compatible antivirus product. The scan runs on the completed file before it is opened or marked as available, which adds a check between the completion of the download and the file access.
Maximum download speed limits ensure that DAM’s bandwidth use is limited to a certain value, so that downloads do not hog the connection when the internet connection is required for other operations.
