Torrent files, Macs, Clear internet... help?

[thrihyrne]

This is a totally non-sexy post about wondering why on earth I've not ever been able to get a torrent file to finish up an actual avi file or any type of file on my computer. I have a Mac Mini running OS 10.4.11, I now have Clear internet with a box plugged into my ethernet port. I don't think I have firewalls, and I thought if I changed my system prefs not to go to sleep, it would be downloading through the night, or the day, whatever, but that's never worked. Am I missing something? I'm desperate now to see the earlier episodes in season 4 of Battlestar Galactica, and I admit it: I don't want to go to Blockbuster and pay $5 to see 2 or 3 episodes since it's considered a new release. The more current episodes are on the sci fi channel website, and I started watching one of them, but realized I was lost and really wanted to start at the beginning of season four. I'm trying again with my program BitTorrent (recommend by my man wolfiekins who knows this stuff well), and hoping it'll work. In the meantime, for you Mac users, do you have any recommendations? The other option is to do a much more direct download via one of a couple of companies like baydownloads.com and pay $4.87 for the privilege. I dunno.

Help? From those who understand this stuff better than I do? I also don't know how slow my internet is; when I worked at Rosetta Stone, they had a handy program that I had access to see to see my upload and download speed- I had a satellite dish at the time since I was waaaaaaay out in the country, and the speed was, unsurprisingly, pathetic. But it'd be nice to know the speed here. My torrent I'm trying to get of the first 10 episodes of season 4 BSG says it will take… 146 days. I think I'll axe that one. :P Maybe I really should try them one at a time.

Comments

[camile-sinensis.livejournal.com]

Which BitTorrent client are you using? Does it show you the number of seeds and peers, and how many of each you are connected to, and what the download speed is? The most likely cause of a torrent starting but not finishing is that you're not connected to any seeds (people with the full file, as opposed to just part of it). Does it start off downloading at a good speed, then stop before it finishes, or does it just fail to start at all?

The site you downloaded the torrent file from should also give you information on the numbers of seeds and peers in the swarm.

Sometimes what looks like a large and active swarm with many seeds and peers produces no connections at all. The reason for this is that organisations such as the RIAA, and the legal owners of the material, put out fake torrents to try to frustrate people so much that they give up. Try not going for the the torrent that comes up top of the list, or has the biggest swarm. Look down the list a bit, and check the comments, if there are any, to see if it's confirmed as a real download or not.

I use Azureus (it's now called Vuze for some unknown reason) which shows all the swarm details It works well in both Windows and Linux and there's a Mac version too. Some ISP's block the default ports that P2P or Bittorrent clients use. Azureus lets you choose any port you like.

http://azureus.sourceforge.net/howto_osx.php

There are many other clients available too, with various features.

To check what sort of speed your getting in general, Google Speed Test, and you'll get a list of sites which will test both your upload and download speeds.

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

You're marvelous!! I like Vuze already. Downloaded it, found an episode I wanted, and I'll see how it goes. I also did the speed test and found that information out as well. Thank you so very much!! :D

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

You've changed my torrent life!! I love Vuze!!! I even downloaded "A Brief History of Time" about Stephen Hawking, one of my favorite movies. ♥ ♥ :D :D :D

[camile-sinensis.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear it's doing the business :-) I'm still using an older version, before they changed the name (yes, I get stroppy about things like that - they've recently changed the name of the paper kitchen towels I use, and I'm thinking of boycotting them!)

I've got the first couple of series of BSG on the computer somewhere - we started watching, but gave up after about seven or eight episodes. Might have another go at it...

I remember the original series... *shudder*

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

I may have to watch at least part of one of the original episodes, just to see how tremendously it's been overhauled. ;)

[camile-sinensis.livejournal.com]

If you've never seen the original series, then you're in for a horrible shock bit of a surprise ;-)

[elfscribe5.livejournal.com]

Hi hon,
Wow, tech talk. Erm. I don't bother to download stuff for a variety of reasons, including it takes FOREVER. I just watch it on surfthechannel. Works. Here: http://www.surfthechannel.com/show/16.html

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

Well, cool! I hadn't found that site as a way to watch them. Yay!! I've also downloaded the other torrent program per Camile, and I'll see how it goes. Thank you so much!!!

[leboyfriend.livejournal.com]

This is a good and free speed tester: http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/

As to Torrents, bear in mind that they are built for size and not speed i.e you can download huge files (the sort of thing you have in mind) but they take a long time. I downloaded some Dylan and and it took a day and a half! I use Bit Torrent and find it quite reliable.

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

Thanks for that! The program Camile recommended has been fabulous for me; I'm now in second heaven. :D Oh, and I'm going to post about this separately, but Trinity Cathedral where I'm now a chorister is singing the Duruflé Requiem as part of the Ash Wednesday service this Wednesday the 25th at 7:00. I think it'll be really great! I can't remember the name of the guest organist, but I'll look it up and list it on my post.

[eccequambonum.livejournal.com]

ugh, do not use BitTorrent on a Mac -- it is notoriously wonky and never finishes a download. i switched to Transmission (http://www.transmissionbt.com/ and have never had a problem.

i tend to pick up most of my torrents at mininova.org -- very easy to ready the strength (seeders/leechers) on a torrent.

[thrihyrne.livejournal.com]

Yeah, BitTorrent just sucked out loud. The Vuze program Camile recommended has been beyond fabulous. I love it!! And I've used minimova as well; Wolfie has recommended them from the beginning. Thanks for your personal messages, too!!