DadAgain

Torrent client I use is uTorremt and most of my content is found via a private tracker (www.xspeeds.com). I have plenty of invites and am happy to share if you send me your email address. It takes a while to build up a good positive ratio, but it can be done if you're smart and load lots of small files (ebooks or small apps are good for this) and use bonus points to 'buy' uploads.

bikeframed

The thing to remember about most torrents is that, unless you are using a private tracking site, the anti-piracy police will be watching you. Think I'm joking? Download a copy of PeerBlock (http://www.peerblock.com/), start a few downloads with your torrent client, and see who is tracking your activity. If you check out the comments for some torrents on isoHunt (isoHunt.com) you will see that people have been know to receive threatening letters from movie studios.

What PeerBlock does is use lists of Anti-p2p sites (updated each time you start the software) and blocks them from connecting to your computer. Other lists can be added from iblocklist (http://www.iblocklist.com/lists.php). Something similar can also be done using an ipfilter.dat in utorrent but it is much easier to manage with PeerBlock.

As others have pointed out, a better option may be to use a Usenet provider with an SSL (secure) connection. Sure Usenet will cost a few dollars (you can either pay a monthly subscription fee or buy multi-gigabyte blocks) but to my mind the added security, the fact that there is no need to actually share any files, and the fast download speeds are well worth it. Most popular British shows are available within a day of airing so, if I want to see the latest episode of Sherlock, I do a quick search the next day and can have a 1.5Gb file downloaded and ready to watch within minutes.

I do occasionally use torrents for things that don't show up on Usenet but, if I do, I make sure I'm running PeerBlock and close my client as soon as the download is done.

Either way, I use a WDTV Live networked to a multi-terabyte network attached storage unit for viewing. All this takes a bit of effort but I did cancel my cable television subscription a couple of years ago saving myself about $100/month and I get to see the latest British shows that I didn't have access to with cable here in Canada anyway.

Tramps_mate

Beware though, alot of torrent downloads are illegal copies I.e. piratenet is an illegal site.. Kim Dotcom 2 in waiting there..

DadAgain

Indeed - pper protected private trackers ALL the way... The only time I've received 'cease and decist' letters is when I've grabbed an episode of Dexter from thepiratebay in desperation when I havent found it listed on the private trackers.

Kinda like saying "Be aware the Pope *may* be catholic" dont ya think?

(Actually technically speaking they are 'unauthorised' copies not 'illegal'. The only law being broken is copyright law - which is a civil matter between you and the copyright owners, not something the police would ever care about.)

alexswift

pay $10 a month for a Linux based cloud server from Rackspace or AWS (much pref Rackspace)

or once you login to the linux server then..

http://magazine.redhat.com/2007/04/1...-in-5-minutes/

all done in 5min flat then you point your IE browser at the public IP address of your server on port 3128 and you are finished and downloading iplayer content with zero fuss.

Evelin

+1

simnmax

I pay £5 a month for My Expat Network, works perfectly, just watched top gear & mrs browns boys.

jacknscoob

Thanks guys for all of your info. I am downloading utorrent. Is there security risks with sharing stuff? So I take it 'a private tracker (www.xspeeds.com). ' is what you use to search for your TV etc. Is there an option not to share?

I hear what everyone is saying about the legalities, thanks.

I am happy to pay a monthly subscription to a site to be able to download stuff, however, my husband will not let us use our bank details online, as we have been compromised too many times, so thats not an option.

Alexsmith....pay $10 a month for a Linux based cloud server from Rackspace or AWS (much pref Rackspace)

or once you login to the linux server then..

http://magazine.redhat.com/2007/04/1...-in-5-minutes/

all done in 5min flat then you point your IE browser at the public IP address of your server on port 3128 and you are finished and downloading iplayer content with zero fuss.
These options you present are OR so does that mean the second option is free? Or is it still $10 a month?

Dadagain: (Actually technically speaking they are 'unauthorised' copies not 'illegal'. The only law being broken is copyright law - which is a civil matter between you and the copyright owners, not something the police would ever care about.) ...so is this like people who are not supposed to copy DVDs (I read about it somewhere ).

So bikeframed :I do occasionally use torrents for things that don't show up on Usenet but, if I do, I make sure I'm running PeerBlock and close my client as soon as the download is done. So really it can be done but like you say close the client after.

i hope that makes sense - Cheers guys

jacknscoob

Me again

I am trying to register with www.xspeeds.com, at the bottom it is asking me for an 'invite code'....any ideas???

DadAgain

PM me your email address and I'll give you an invite code... simple

As far as security risks goes - no not in the sense I think you mean. The only things you are sharing is the file you're downloading (or the parts that you have already downloaded). The main dangers are:
1) In order to maintain a good ratio of uploads/downloads you NEED to leave stuff uploading (I have about 2TB of uploads v 1TB of downloads so I'm good for a while)
2) If you're not careful you will bust your monthly dataallowance with your ISP. Make sure you're on a plan that 'throttles' your speed instead of one that bills you extra. Also make VERY sure your plan is one that meters downloads only - you dont want to pay for uploads too as it effectively means you use twice as much of your data (i.e. a 1GB file will use ~2GB of your data allowance).
3) Copyright owners are trying to stop this - so occassionaly trackers 'go offline' as they relocate to different countries)!

jacknscoob

Hi Everyone

DadAgain, thanks for the invite and info.

Luckily my ISP slows my downloads, so after the 2GBs, it's slow, really for most of the month ...lol.

I suppose my main worry about sharing files is people having access to my stuff and me downloading viruses. I do have Trend which I use frequently. Like I said is there an option to not share? But from what you said you gotta keep uploading, so uploading stuff you have just downloaded?

Are there other 'clients' (is that what they are called?) that dont involve sharing/uploading??

DadAgain

2GB? is that all? Forget sourcing your TV off the internet then.
I occasionaly use up al of my 60Gb peak downloads in a month and usualy have about 30-40Gb of off peak downloads. A 1 hour episode of a show will usually be around 1GB - so if you're on 2Gb a month you're on a hiding to nowhere.....

Assuming you find yourself with a better internet offering:

I've never heard of anyone getting virally infected via downloaded .mkv or .avi files. However, if you chose to download software and need a hack 'keygen' program to get through the registration these are often riddled with spy-ware. Best case is to run them on a spare computer that you dont mind reformatting and reinstalling the OS straight after you've got your fake licence key!

There is no bittorrent client software that doesnt do uploads - its a fundamental part of the philosophy. Most (inclusing uTorrent) however, will allow you to restrict uploads (to zero if you like) - but its considered VERY poor form to leech off the community like that (there is honour among thieves!).

bingobob777

yeh what he said, 2Gb is practically useless.

A 720p HD film is 5Gb upwards, a 1hr 720p HD Tv show is around 1.5Gb.

Why only 2Gb anyway? TPG offer unlimited for $59.99 and I probably average over 100Gb a month.

DeadVim

I've sent threatening letters to movie studios but still they make Adam Sandler fillums ...

renth

I use Hide My Ass to anonimise myself when bittorrenting -

http://www.hidemyass.com/vpn/

However, I'm researching going all kosher and getting a Netflix and Hulu plus subscription. All in that will cost about $20 a month and then I'll cancel Foxtel.

It has to be a system the wife and kids can use so I'm thinking of installing Plex: http://www.plexapp.com/ on a faily low spec Home Theatre PC.