This application might have been discontinued
TED might have been discontinued. Try finding TED alternatives

TED
TED is a torrent client designed specifically for automatically downloading your favorite TV shows as soon as new episodes are released. It streamlines the process of keeping up with your television series library.
About TED
Overview
TED, while discontinued, served as a dedicated solution for television enthusiasts who relied on torrents to acquire new episodes. Its primary function was to automate the laborious process of manually finding, downloading, and managing new episodes of subscribed TV shows. By monitoring RSS feeds or other defined sources, TED aimed to fetch torrent files for new episodes as soon as they became available.
Key Functionality
The core of TED's offering was its ability to act as a
Centralized Management Tool: Users could subscribe to their desired TV shows within the application.
Automatic Download Initiation: Once a new episode was detected for a subscribed show, TED would automatically initiate the torrent download.
Integration with Torrent Clients: While TED itself managed the detection and initiation, it would typically pass the torrent file to your preferred, separate torrent client for the actual download process.
Beyond Downloading
TED also attempted to provide some level of media library management, though this was a more basic feature compared to its core downloading functionality. The goal was to not just download, but also to help organize the downloaded files.
Being configurable meant users had some control over how the application behaved, such as defining download locations, though the depth of configuration options might have been limited compared to general-purpose torrent clients.
The multi-language support indicated an effort to make the tool accessible to a wider international audience.
Technical Foundation
The mention of Ruby suggests the programming language used for its development, which might be relevant for those interested in the technical underpinnings or potential for community modifications (though with it being discontinued, this is less likely now).
In summary, TED was a niche tool serving a specific purpose: simplifying the acquisition of TV show episodes via torrents through automation. While no longer actively developed, its design principles highlight the demand for specialized tools in managing digital media libraries.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Automated downloading of new TV show episodes
- Simplifies tracking multiple TV series
- Dedicated focus on TV show content
Cons
- Project is discontinued and no longer updated
- Functionality may degrade as detection sources become outdated
- Relies on a separate torrent client for actual downloads
- Limited features beyond core automation
What Makes TED Stand Out
Dedicated TV Show Automation
Solely focused on automating the download of TV shows, offering a streamlined experience for this specific task.
Subscription-Based Monitoring
Simplifies the process of tracking multiple series by allowing subscription within the application.
What can TED do?
Extensive configuration options via text files to customize emulation speed, memory, hardware device...
New transactions are automatically downloaded and categorized from your linked financial institution...
Allows users to subscribe to their favorite television series within the application for automated m...
Supports and integrates with a wide variety of popular external download managers for improved downl...
Provides some basic functionality for managing and organizing the downloaded TV show files.
Review
Software Review: TED (The Episode Downloader)
TED, known as The Episode Downloader, was a specialized piece of software designed with a singular purpose: to automate the often-tedious process of downloading new episodes of television shows via torrents. In an era where manual searching and downloading were the norm for some users acquiring TV content, TED aimed to provide a hands-free solution, promising to keep users' digital TV libraries up-to-date with minimal effort.
Core Functionality and User Experience
At its heart, TED functioned as a smart feed reader and download initiator for TV show torrents. Users would add their desired TV series to a watch list or subscription list within the application. TED would then periodically check predefined sources (likely RSS feeds from torrent indexing sites, although the specific mechanisms could vary) for new episodes corresponding to the subscribed shows. Upon detecting a new episode, TED would automatically grab the relevant torrent file and, rather than downloading the content itself entirely, it would typically hand off the .torrent file to a separate, full-featured torrent client that the user had configured. This reliance on an external torrent client was a key aspect of its design, focusing TED's development on the detection and initiation phase rather than building a robust torrent engine from scratch.
The user interface, based on available information and typical applications of its time, was likely functional rather than visually elaborate. The emphasis would have been on clearly displaying the subscribed shows, indicating which episodes were new or pending download, and providing basic controls for adding or removing shows.
Automation Capabilities
The primary draw of TED was its automation. This feature significantly differentiated it from simply using a standard torrent client. Instead of manually searching for each new episode every week, users could set up their subscriptions once and let TED handle the monitoring and downloading. This hands-off approach was particularly appealing for users following multiple series, saving considerable time and effort. The effectiveness of this automation, however, would heavily rely on the reliability and timeliness of the sources TED used to detect new episodes.
Added Features
Beyond its core automation, TED included features such as a basic media library function. This suggests an attempt to help users not just download, but also organize their acquired content. While likely not as sophisticated as dedicated media management software, it would have provided a convenient central location within the application to view or perhaps even launch recently downloaded episodes. The configurability mentioned implies users had some control over directory structure for saved files or perhaps filtering criteria for torrents, adding a layer of personalization to the automated process.
Technical Considerations and Discontinuation
The note about TED being written in Ruby is relevant from a development perspective. It indicates the technology stack used, which could have implications for performance, cross-platform compatibility (depending on how it was implemented), and the ease with which developers could potentially contribute or modify the software (though again, discontinuation limits this). The fact that TED is discontinued is a significant factor. This means no further updates, bug fixes, or security patches are being released. The sources it used for detecting new episodes may also become outdated or cease to function over time, potentially rendering the core automation feature ineffective.
Comparison and Current Landscape
In the current landscape, the need for standalone, dedicated TV episode downloaders like TED has been somewhat superseded by more integrated solutions or different content acquisition methods. Many modern media server applications (like Plex or Emby with plugins) offer similar automation capabilities, integrating detection, downloading (often via integrated or external clients), and media organization within a single platform. Furthermore, the legal landscape and availability of streaming services have changed significantly, impacting how many users acquire TV content.
Conclusion
TED represented a valuable tool for its time, addressing a specific need for automating TV show torrent downloads. Its subscription model and automatic fetching capabilities were its main strengths, providing a convenient solution for managing a large number of watched series. However, its reliance on external torrent clients, potentially basic media library features, and most importantly, its discontinuation, mean that while it served a purpose historically, it is unlikely to be a reliable or recommended solution for users seeking TV show automation today. The lack of ongoing support poses risks regarding functionality and security, and more modern, actively maintained alternatives or integrated media solutions are generally more suitable.
Similar Software

FlexGet is a multipurpose automation tool for all of your media. Support for torrents, nzbs, podcasts, comics, TV, movies, RSS, HTML, CSV, and more.

Sonarr is a smart PVR for newsgroup and BitTorrent users.

TVShows is the easiest way to download your favorite shows automatically in your Mac.
Help others by voting if you like this software.
Compare with Similar Apps
Select any similar app below to compare it with TED side by side.