Opinions on switching download managers?

[Beev]

Hey folks.

Im currently using Firefox 3 with the Download Statusbar plugin for file downloads. What I find a pain is if I am using this set up to download a large file, for example an iso. I have to leave my browser running while it downloads.

Is it a better idea to switch to a proper download manager, such as Gigaget, which is the top recommendation in the download managers page. Does Gigaget really need the Flashgot plugin to integrate it fully with firefox?

Thanks in advance.

Yours,
Beev

[Jojoyee]

For downloading a large file, a standalone download manager is always helpful. If there're several download sources, Gigaget is able to speed up by concurrently downloading from the multiple sources for the same file.

Gigaget doesn't integrate with the latest version of Firefox, so it needs the Flashgot plugin for integration.

As for me, I always right-click on a link, copy download URLs and paste it to Gigaget for downloads. In this way, Flashgot plugin is not necessary.

Hope the above helps.

[MidnightCowboy]

Free Download Manager - maybe not as 'fashionable' as Gigaget but totally dependable. Automatic recognition for Firefox, IE, Netscape, Chrome, Opera & Safari - even Seamonkey (but not the Alpha) - although of course you can copy/paste this just the same.

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Interne...-Manager.shtml

[Anupam]

Standalone download managers are always helpful in downloading big files, or otherwise.

Advantage of using FlashGot extension for Firefox is that, it will intergrate your download managers with Firefox. And if you are using multiple download managers, it will integrate all of them, and while downloading a file, you can choose from the download managers that you have installed.

I have used Free Download Manager, and currently I am using Orbit Downloader. I found them both to be equally good. As Midnightcowboy pointed out, Free Download Manager has better integration with the browsers. For downloading videos from video sites like youtube, I found Orbit to be better... with its Grab++ video capture.

I haven't used Gigaget much, but it has faster downloads because it uses other mirror sites to speed up the downloads.

I must mention that DownThemAll firefox extension is a very good downloader for Firefox.