Reply to: Torrenting

[d000hg]

You don't need massively fast connections to stream a single HD program. You need a stable connection of a few Mbps; the issue is the infrastructure up the chain being able to cope with us all watching at once but iPlayer and YouTube have been pushing this already.

[wim121]

I've tried the Lovefilm streaming and the quality isn't even DVD let alone HD, more VCD unless they've increased the resolution/bitrates since I last looked. Maybe Netflix and the others will force the quality up, but you're still at the mercy of your connection and contention ratios at peak times.

VCD quality may be passable for watching on a laptop but don't fancy it on a big TV. So the service isn't quite ready for prime time IMO.

LoveFilm was shoddy when I tried it too. NetFlix much better and you could choose quality - to avoid caning the web usage we used low and on a 40" TV it was fine... first 5s were terrible then it smoothed out. High quality was very nice.

Not at the moment no .....

But hopefully it will get there. The push for minimum broadband speeds for all are being pushed out and there is talk/trials of analogue TV frequencies being re-used in remote areas for 3g/4g connections and in built up areas for frequencies to be auctioned off for 4g. With "internet" tax, lets hope they used the money on fibre optic costs rather than paperwork and further quangos.

We are a long way behind some european neighbours and asian countries with Gb/s internet access though ....

[alreadypacked]

I use vuze client with peerblock running in the background. Search using isohunt as people generally rate downloads so you can normally tell which ones are fake. For movies search for 'jaybob' and to a lesser extent 'axxo'.

I use the KickAssTorrents website as they group TV shows into their own pages, so if you miss a couple of shows, you can download from one page you don't have to search for each episode.

[Spacecadet]

FTFY. I doubt you're comparing HD with decent SD, but HD with crappy low-bitrate SD. Either that or you sit REALLY close to the screen

Close enough for the headphone cable to reach

[d000hg]

LoveFilm was shoddy when I tried it too. NetFlix much better and you could choose quality - to avoid caning the web usage we used low and on a 40" TV it was fine... first 5s were terrible then it smoothed out. High quality was very nice.

[PAH]

Lovefilm do cheap streaming packages but as companies like netflix diffuse in other global markets as well as other providers, it will be cheaper than violating copywright.

I've tried the Lovefilm streaming and the quality isn't even DVD let alone HD, more VCD unless they've increased the resolution/bitrates since I last looked. Maybe Netflix and the others will force the quality up, but you're still at the mercy of your connection and contention ratios at peak times.

VCD quality may be passable for watching on a laptop but don't fancy it on a big TV. So the service isn't quite ready for prime time IMO.

For now I prefer to rent (via Lovefilm, 3 titles at a time, turnaround averaging 6 a week for under £15/month ) or buy DVDs (many available used for a couple of quid on Amazon or Play.com) and Blu-rays.

No way do I fancy downloading 30gb+ blu-ray rips, even if my broadband was truly unlimited and I was confident of being able to remain anonymous and all the hassle that involves.

[ddaft]

I use vuze client with peerblock running in the background. Search using isohunt as people generally rate downloads so you can normally tell which ones are fake. For movies search for 'jaybob' and to a lesser extent 'axxo'.

[amcdonald]

Very easy to get your IP sniffed when using Torrents, had a letter from my ISP several years ago about me sharing illegal material. Shat myself and changed ISP very soon after

I do still use torrents but only if thousands sharing a file, therefore I get good d/l speed on it, restrict the upload massively and then delete the torrent as soon as the file has finished downloading.

For totally secure downloads have a look at Usenet over SSL.

You might like to try uTorrent, is a much cleaner app than Vuze, which was OK when it was Azureus but seems a bit bit bloated now.

Try using Tor, set up correctly that would help or even better use something like Demonoid

[Scrag Meister]

Cinavia is being put into the audio track of new releases and restricts the source media, and location that the product can be played in.

Dodgy on all new players and PS3s as well. Make sure you have a £30 dvd player that can handle AVI.

[d000hg]

Laptop screen is a 15.4" 1920x1200, HD looks pointless on it

FTFY. I doubt you're comparing HD with decent SD, but HD with crappy low-bitrate SD. Either that or you sit REALLY close to the screen

[wim121]

I would just feel even more conspicuous going to these lengths. I mean wouldn't people wonder what you are downloading that made you feel the need to do this?

Not at all.

In one old workplace, I had to connect to their server when working from home through the VPN, often uploading/downloading large backup files. They are very common.

FTFY. They get away with it much the same way YouTube et al do. i.e. content is user uploaded and they'll take it down when anyone complains. As each item is taken down someone else uploads it.

Lol making up a quote for me?

I stand by my point. If you download files off a site that has them uploaded, it is visible to all what you have downloaded. The only way to avoid detection reasonably is to download non tracked files, hence usenet servers. Even then, ISP's have a certain level of duty to ban those violating copywrights and since the digital bill act are seeking out offenders more.

Once you have large traffic volumes, your ISP can easily see what you are uploading or downloading. It is made much more difficult if you use a VPN.

The only way they'll stop piracy is to make content cheaper and easier to get legally. Otherwise people will always find a way.

However once NetFlix comes up in the UK, there's a much better legal alternative to torrenting.

Indeed.

Lovefilm do cheap streaming packages but as companies like netflix diffuse in other global markets as well as other providers, it will be cheaper than violating copywright.

I torrent as most countries I work in don't have much English TV.

Currently watching "Homeland", quite good.
"The good wife" is back!
The new show "Person of interest" is a bit like Equaliser, but not as good.
Terra Nova trying to be the new Lost, fail.

You should join a decent private tracker. Make friends with people that are members of certain sites

Virgin Media are awful for cutting your download speed if you torrent - I was downloading the latest Linux distro via Torrent and my speed dropped massively.

Connected through a VPN and did the same download - no problems, because they can't determine what you are doing through the connection.

I recommend iPredator.se. HMA will hand your details over to anyone who asks nicely, as the Lulz hacker will tell you.

Yep, I find no problems connecting through a VPN. Server is connected 24/7 and has scheduling for various tasks. If you dont have a VPN monitor, google vpnetmon and download. It basically closes programs automatically within a second of your VPN connection dropping, as they do from time to time, then restarting them once the connection has auto redialled.

One point on the choice of VPN companies you mentioned I must stress to others: Make sure you join a swedish VPN ISP only. Where the majority of problems exist is a VPN service to other countries like in your own country (UK and US based VPN's). The issue is legality. A swedish and to a far lesser extent, Canadian ISP's, cannot be forced legally to hand over customer logs, accounts or details unless the crime is one which holds a prison sentence within their juristiction. So murder, rape, etc, would hold a prison sentence and force a Swedish ISP to hand over a log, but copywright violation does not involve incarceration, so hence they are not obliged to hand over logs or details.

A further way to protect yourself is to give fake details to your VPN provider and mask your payment. Another more extreme way is to mask your IP when connecting to the VPN.

You are aware that spotify pay artists so little that it takes something like 10,000 plays for them to buy a first class stamp (and that's before record company admin fees). Spotify is part owned by the record companies because the business model is a Hulu based one where the record companies expect to earn their real money when some foolish company buys Spotify.

Personally with struggling artists I'll download the songs and then ensure I go and see them play live.

Spotify is just as fair to artists as recording deals.

Off the £10 purchase price of a CD, the artist is lucky if they ever receive 10% of that.

But as you say, they make most of their money off live appearances, so it helps them if the music they produce, diffuses in the mainstream as much as possible, enticing more to live concerts.

[Spacecadet]

If you're watching on laptop or whatever away from home, why do you need HD?

Laptop screen is a 15.4" 1920x1200, HD looks lovely on it

[d000hg]

download at weekends at home
Watch during the week offline when I'm away

Hmm. Live somewhere with internet or get the boxsets then

If you're watching on laptop or whatever away from home, why do you need HD?

[TimCaprica]

You are aware that spotify pay artists so little that it takes something like 10,000 plays for them to buy a first class stamp (and that's before record company admin fees). Spotify is part owned by the record companies because the business model is a Hulu based one where the record companies expect to earn their real money when some foolish company buys Spotify.

Personally with struggling artists I'll download the songs and then ensure I go and see them play live.

I am aware they get peanuts but I'm confident it is the model for the future (as it stands I'll keep giving them £10 for the rest of my life) and Apple will eventually do something similar. If 50% of the country is giving £10 to one or the other then artists will start to get decent money. I think this is the reason that record companies are backing it.

I will also go and see them live, which is where the serious money is these days.

[russell]

The best way to download stuff is using NzbMatrix and SabNZb+, you have to pay a monthly fee to a binary news host, but the download starts a full speed right away and never slows, unilke torrenting. Also its done over SSL from a server. I use Thunernews and have FTTC so an HD film is downloaded in 10 mins.