Bit Torrent Questions

[steelerfan]

I know there are several IT profesionals who frequent this board, and while I work on a computer about 80% of the time I am not very familar with the deeper technical issues involved with them. I was hoping someone would be able to advise me as to how risky it is to have bit torrent software running on my main comptuer, or whether I should place it on a stand alone that I have done a destructive restore on (or possibly this is still not safe as it would still be on the network with my other computers). I am basically just trying to get TV shows off the net to watch on my iPod. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[steelerfan]

Thanks, Nanuq. That's my take on it as well, I wanted to see if any of the IT gurus, knew of any safe way to do it. I'm so paranoid these days, I just might have to pony up the $2 a show on iTunes.

[Corgi]

I have been using Bittorrent to download television, films, music, and software for over the past two years. In fact, I've become so good at it, I have a little system where every 2-3 days I leave the machine on over night, load up a bunch of torrents and let them download, so the next morning I have a whole bunch of new things to watch, and so on.

I definitely recommend it, although you may want to install a program called PEERGUARDIAN if you live in the USA, this will block your IP from being viewed by third parties.

I am yet to find one virus embedded in a video file. This is just not possible as far as I know.

Another good idea is to buy a .avi-compatible DVD player, because you can burn whole TV-series to a disc and then play it on your tv. These things you can get at your local wal-mart for about $60, so its a huge savings when you discover one legitimate DVD season of baywatch is about the same price.

Watching video on your ipod is much harder, though, because you have to convert the .avi into the ipod format... there are a few shows available to get in ipod already, but they are rarely the latest releases.

Anyway... good luck and trust me, you won't regret it once you get it.

Addendum: EMule works best for music. This is peer to peer, not bittorrent. utorrent works best for bitorrent.

[Everythingape]

yeah.. and it's not the bitorrent client software that's illegal.. it's the stuff you download. Use an external harddrive and put it all there if you're worried.

..I'd be more worried about being caught for the replica watches than the torrents you download.

[POTR]

You can always do what I did... put the potentially dangerous stuff on a separate service...

After years of trying to keep the kids away from 'hazardous behaviour' in their browsing, I finally broke down and added a third broadband service to the house...

yup cable, dsl and clearwire...

My network on cable with dsl backup, and them on a DMZ on secondary router in a low priority DMZ on the DSL router + clearwire... so they can enjoy the slow goodness of too large downloads and begin to understand how their voracious, messy d/l and browsing habits cause congestion and failures...

[rgriffith24]

A word of advice, there is a LOT of interest in torrent file transfers recently. As long as what you're doing is legitimate you have nothing to fear, right?

Thats a funny comment for a forum thats centered on counterfeit watches! Anyway your right you need to be careful and scan the download after its complete to make sure theres no viruses. Even with that though its still like unprotected sex.

[Victoria]

I definitely recommend it, although you may want to install a program called PEERGUARDIAN if you live in the USA, this will block your IP from being viewed by third parties.

Just about to suggest that too, Corgi!

hxxp://phoenixlabs.org/pg2/

My boyfriend is extremely savvy in terms of internet downloads and taught me the barebones last year. Utorrent, Peerguardian, and TorrentFinder extension installed on the browser (Firefox).

I used to download British telly programmes frequently, but it's been about a year now that I did so (recently UB7 told me of a Top Gear episode which I would love to see, since it mentions PAMs!). Since I started reviewing films, I receive free screener copies here and there, so it was no longer necessary.

EDIT: As I was composing this, he called, and I told him what I was about to write. He suggested to download Dark Side of The Moon in quadraphonic sound. It's about 3 gigs. ...heh, didn't know he liked Pink Floyd.

I am yet to find one virus embedded in a video file. This is just not possible as far as I know.

I am no expert in this, but apparently, one can download virii, but only if you click on a media viewer they ask you to download to watch their particular .rar'ed files.

Also, I heard to stay away from "Denis Stalker" trackers, easily visible in Piratebay.org (the best place to find torrents, I thought, a year ago).

So, to recap, you are VERY safe not to get a virus embedded in a torrented file, but be careful not to click on links to download viewers. Also, "Force Re-check" if you get a .rar corrupt file notice. You have to re-download the missing parts, usually a few kbs worth. Then "Extract Here" using WinRar, and you'll get the .avi or similar to view.

I used Videolan's "VLC" player back in the day. It played literally everything you could throw at it. And to burn it, either NERO or ConvertXtoDVD.

Please check with others, just in case any of this is outdated though, Steelerfan!

[8o8]

problem with bit torrent is that it is "peer to peer" meaning that if you can download piece of the torrent from someone, then that someone can also identify your IP# and associate that with the file you are trying to download.

This is how RIAA and MPAA are notifying ISPs and organisations of copyright infringments.

If you want the safest option, IMO, subscribe to a premium news provider and download what you want off the news groups. Its a one way street so no one except your news provider knows what you are downloading. And if you read their privacy policy you'll find most dont keep track of what people downlaod (unless its really dodgy stuff that pedo bear likes). You also get the added benefit that you are almost guaranteed to max out your bandwidth every time you use this.

have a look at the contents on www.newzbin.com, its a paid site that "tracks" whats on the news groups with a group of editors adding new "posts" all the time. You dont need to subscribe to that site to keep up with whats out there.. there are plent other resources.

you can sign up to a premium news provider here http://www.giganews.com/?a=dvdrcom that includes a referal code for http://www.binaryinvasion.com which "spots" the DVD posts, and is a free site (donations welcome). I hope the admins here dont mind, i'm just a member on that site. giganews offers a free 1gb trial.

then you can use either grabit from http://www.shemes.com/ or http://www.altbinz.com/ for Alt.Binz (which I use)

then use a nzb search engine like http://www.binsearch.info/ to find something you are interested in. for example, Heroes Season 2 episode 9, http://www.binsearch.info/?q=heroes+s02e09 ... i woudl pick one of the 400MB options.

if you are really interested I can help you with more details.

[a german in denmark]

I used to get torrents too, but mostly it takes ages to download. And I never really felt safe with others peeking around on my PC. I've been using a news service in Germany for a year now. They do charge, but download is lightening fast, you're anonymous (sort of, anyway) and you can get whatever you fancy. Download is pr. PAR/RAR files, so you can reconstruct missed data, you can preview before you download (and read other users comments on the quality) and you don't have to upload anything. You might want to give it a try: www.usenext.de

Cheers,

Volker

[piratedzeus]

Using BT for years now. When I used tools to measure my traffic I had about 300-700GB / month traffic. Sick.

[Jumbie]

Although I use it, by no means does PeerGuardian make you completely safe*.

I hope no one is using this program and under that impression. It's one more layer of security but there is no way that all the "dangerous IPs" are going to be listed in that program.

*If you are downloading copyrighted material.

As far as virii, etc. exercise some common sense and use a good antivirus such as Kaspersky or Nod32 and you should be good. I've been surfing the "darker side of the web" for 10+ years now (warez applications, music and porn) and have yet to get a virus/spyware. *knocks on wood*

[Pugwash]

I run a bittorrent client on my Mac 24/7 and have a regex (script) that automatically queues TV shows I like. Whenever I look at my server, I see new shows downloaded.

There's a small risk of someone finding out, of course, but it's a balance of risk vs reward.

I have never seen a virus in a video file. If you're just downloading TV shows, you're never going to get a virus.

[hyster]

I gave up on bitorrent a while ago,I found it painfully slow, I have a (paid for) rapidshare account and use forums to get the links.

Much faster, well worth the small outlay to me.

[Pugwash]

I gave up on bitorrent a while ago,I found it painfully slow, I have a (paid for) rapidshare account and use forums to get the links.

Much faster, well worth the small outlay to me.

Pay? Forums? Sounds like a bit too much effort for me.

I like my BitTorrent method because it's no effort. I can go on holiday and come back to all the TV I would have missed otherwise. Kind of like a piracy Tivo.

[Guest carlsbadrolex]

2 years and almost a 500gigabytes later... not a single issue. I have collected entire discographies, entire television series', a great number of feature films and enough porn to keep the entire USMC busy for years (better idea than starting another war...)

Now would someone please make Hitman available tonight????

[hyster]

Pay? Forums? Sounds like a bit too much effort for me.

I like my BitTorrent method because it's no effort. I can go on holiday and come back to all the TV I would have missed otherwise. Kind of like a piracy Tivo.

BitTorrent's big plus is its free, for that it cant be beat but I can pull down a movie in 20mins-30mins with rapidshare, it took a lot longer (sometimes days) with bitorrent.

If you don't mind the wait though, you are right, bitTorrent is ace and there is loads of content.

[Victoria]

If you don't mind the wait though, you are right, bitTorrent is ace and there is loads of content.

I updated my uTorrent client yesterday and got that Top Gear episode mentioned, with the Ferrari and the PAMs. Yay!

BTW, my boyfriend got a scary notice from his ISP: he had downloaded Tiger Woods' video game, so we could play online together, and they had caught him.

So he just laid low for a while, got Peerguardian (though as mentioned by a member, it's not foolproof) and he's been fine for a year.

I think ISPs in the US target some people to make examples of them, but like US Customs, they are not overzealous about such stuff, as in other countries.

[8o8]

use news groups, fast and low risk

[Victoria]

Small update:

"A Chinese anti-virus company has warned against free downloads of Ang Lee’s steamy spy thriller, “Lust, Caution” (Se, jie), saying several hundred sites offering the service were embedded with viruses.

And Chinese doctors have warned moviegoers not to try some of the more ambitious sexual positions featured in the uncut version of the film."

LOL. Now I want to see that film BAD.

[steelerfan]

Thanks to all who replied. As I figured, many are far more versed than I in this area. Hell, I didn't even completely understand some of stuff you guys dumbed down to explain to me. Thanks again to everybody.