VIDEO / TORRENT / SUBTITLE FAQ - Read This Before You Post!

[jholic]

** Video / Torrent / Subtitle Related FAQ **

This FAQ thread answers technical questions about torrents, videos, audio, subtitles, encoding, etc. we gathered from our Support Forum and from various other places.

Most browsers support the "FIND" command. Go to EDIT in your browser menu, choose FIND, and type in the keyword you're looking for. You can repeat this process until you find your answer. If you want to know more about what each section of the d-addicts forum covers, read our Mega-FAQ. If you've never used a forum before, visit our Forum FAQ.
If your question is not listed here, feel free to post in the Support section of our forum. If you include enough information and describe your problem in detail, someone should eventually answer your question.

Downloading Questions
Q1. I just tried to download a file but it downloaded really fast and when I tried to play it I get a "failed to open file" error.
Answer:
You didn't download the actual video file you just downloaded a "torrent" file. See the next section on what a "torrent" is.

General Questions
Q1. What is bittorrent? What is a torrent? What is a tracker? What is a bt client? Why do I need a client? What is seeding? How do I seed? What is leeching? How do I download / upload?
Q2. What is D-Addicts about? What kind of files can I expect or request here? How do I sign-up / register? Where can I find the files / tracker?
Q3. What is the shoutbox? Where is the shoutbox? What can I do in the shoutbox?
Q4. Does D-Addicts have an IRC channel? Can I download files from there? Does it support fserves?
Q5. What are the guidelines for uploading torrents onto the D-Addicts' tracker? Can I upload anime, movies, films, porn, etc?
Q6. Who is Jem? I see many JEM torrents, where can I learn more about them?

Torrent Related Questions
Q1. How do I create / upload / name a torrent for the D-Addicts' tracker?
Q2. How do I delete or edit a torrent that I created?
Q3. What is a "batch" torrent? How do I download them? What if I only need a few files from the batch? How can I help seed a batch torrent?
Q4. Is there a policy or guideline for batch torrents? May I upload a batch torrent for dramas previously released here or elsewhere?
Q5. Why is my download so slow? Why am I not downloading faster? There's many seeds and peers, but why is the torrent is moving slow?
Q6. I can't seem to download the ".torrent" file. What can I do?
Q7. Can I upload torrents that do not use D-Addicts Tracker?
Q8. How do I reseed a torrent? What is reseeding?

Video Related Questions
Q1. Why doesn't the video play on my computer? Why do I hear sound, but there's no video? Why does the video play upside down?
Q2. What is a codec? Which codec will I need? Where do I get codecs? How many codecs should I use? Can I use them all?
Q3. What video player do I need? Which one should I use? What's the most popular one?
Q4. What's wrong? I've tried EVERYTHING, and the video still doesn't play.
Q5. How do I convert or re-encode AVI / MPG / MPEG / SVCD / VCD / DVD / DIVX / XVID / WMV / MKV / OGM / etc? How do I re-encode videos so that I can watch them on my tv?

Audio Related Questions
Q1. Why isn't there any sound playing? I see video, but where's the audio?
Q2. What is dual-audio? Is there multiple languages coming out from the audio? Why is there different language tracks coming out from my speakers? What do I need to clarify the sound?

Subtitle Related Questions
Q1. What are RAWs? What are hardsubs? What are softsubs? What are the differences?
Q2. How do I view subtitles with the video? What program do I need to view subtitles?
Q3. When I play the video, why is there multiple subtitles displaying? How do I get rid of one of the subtitles?
Q4. Can I see what's actually inside a soft subtitle file? Am I able to edit a softsub?
Q5. How do I convert, re-encode or burn softsubs with a video to hardsubs on a VCD/SVCD?
Q6. Why doesn't my Japanese subtitles display properly?
.

[jholic]

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Q1. What is bittorrent? What is a torrent? What is a tracker? What is a bt client? Why do I need a client? What is seeding? How do I seed? What is leeching? How do I download / upload?
ANSWER:
Bittorrent is a peer-to-peer (p2p) filesharing program. A torrent is any file that is downloaded via bt, and is located on a webpage often referred to as the tracker. A BT client is a software program that is needed to download these files. In bittorrent, the term 'seeding' is similar to uploading, and the term 'leeching' is similar to downloading. Unlike some other p2p programs, in bittorrent, you are uploading at the same time you are downloading.

Though it may take some time to read through this, it will definitely make your bittorrent experience more enjoyable and less frustrating:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bittorrent
http://dessent.net/btfaq/
http://www.bittorrent.com/FAQ.html

In order to download, you need a Bittorrent client. We recommend utorrent but there are plenty of alternatives out there.

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Q2. What is D-Addicts about? What kind of files can I expect or request here? How do I sign-up / register? Where can I find the files / tracker?
ANSWER:
For our mission statement, purpose and login/registration/membership issues, please visit our D-Addicts' Mega-FAQ.

Our tracker page which lists all our shared files is located at: http://www.d-addicts.com/forum/torrents.php
If you click on the name of the torrent, it will take you to the Torrent Comments of that torrent.
If you click on the "download" on the tracker, it will probably auto-start any bt client that you have installed. You can begin downloading.
If you right-click on the "download", and choose 'save as', you can save the the torrent file itself, and can double-click on it to start or resume w/o the tracker (you still need a bt client).

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Q3. What is the shoutbox? Where is the shoutbox? What can I do in the shoutbox?
ANSWER:
The shoutbox is similar to an instant-message interface. You can leave messages to other community members by typing in your text and hitting ENTER. The shoutbox is located at the very bottom of the torrent page. You will need to login (or register) in the forum before you can use the shoutbox. Some people choose to use the shoutbox for seed requests or questions, while others like to use it to chat. There is also a HELP function near the top of the shoutbox.

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Q4. Does D-Addicts have an IRC channel? Can I download files from there? Does it support fserves?
ANSWER:
Yes, we do. We welcome you to come and chat about asian tv drama series, artists, songs or just hang out to have some chitchat with us.

You can reach our channel at the following address:
#d-addicts @ irc.rizon.net

If you are new to IRC it is recommended to read the IRC tutorial.

fserves are NOT allowed on the #d-addicts channel because we use Bittorrent as distribution method solely

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Q5. What are the guidelines for uploading torrents onto the D-Addicts' tracker? Can I upload movies, anime, porn, etc?
ANSWER:
D-Addicts is for asian dramas or specials aired on television, or related soundtracks / theme songs. Anime, porn, and movies in general are absolutely NOT allowed on the tracker!

Refer to this post for a more detail description of rules on uploading to D-Addicts http://www.d-addicts.com/forums/viewtop ... 466#266466

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Q6. Who is Jem? I see many [jem] torrents, where can I learn more about them?
ANSWER:
Jem is a person who captures asian dramas on tv and encodes and shares them with many people. Jem uses his own tracker, but will sometimes also post torrents on the D-Addicts' tracker. DO NOT EVER post torrents from Jem on any tracker. Jem will either do it himself, or will have someone do it for him. You will not be helping him by uploading his torrents on other trackers.

At the time of this writing, Jem does not have his own forum, so you are welcome to post Seed Req's for his torrents in the appropriate thread in the Seed Req section of the D-Addicts' forum. Jem does visit d-addicts on occasion, but do NOT pm him or e-mail him with seed requests. He will not answer them.

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MoerkJ

[jholic]

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Q1. How do I create / upload / name a torrent for the D-Addicts' tracker?
ANSWER:
Please refer to the Creating / Uploading Torrents and Making Proper Torrent Comments thread.

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Q2. How do I delete or edit a torrent that I created?
ANSWER:
1.Go to the "Torrent Comments" section of the D-Addicts forum:

2. Search for your thread (that was automatically created when you uploaded the torrent). The thread name should be the same as the filename you entered.

3. Make sure you are logged in to the forum. If you're logged on you'll be able to see the EDIT and "X" buttons on the upper right-hand corner of the "Torrent Info" (see picture)

4. You may click EDIT to edit your torrent, or click "X" to delete your torrent. The torrent will be deleted from the tracker, but the thread will still remain on the forum (without the torrent file).



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Q3. What is a "batch" torrent? How do I download them? What if I only need a few files from the batch? How can I help seed a batch torrent?
ANSWER:
A batch torrent is usually a rather large torrent that contains multiple files (in one folder). When you see the Torrent Name of a batch torrent, it will probably look like any other (though it might say "batch" or "ep 1-24" or "complete"). Downloading or seeding a batch torrent is similar to any other torrent. However, you will need to make sure that the names of the files in the folder match the filenames given inside the torrent file.

If you are just trying to download the entire batch torrent, and you do not have ANY of the files completed or partially completed, then just start the torrent with your bt client normally, and let downloading proceed.

If you only WANT certain specific files from the batch torrent (and not everything in the batch itself), then you will need a bt client (such as bittornado, azureus, etc) that is capable of performing the following:
1. Start the batch torrent with your bt client and choose the location you want the file to download to.
2. Using your bt client, find DETAILS on the torrent (so that you can look at all the files in the batch torrent).
3. Right-click (or similar) to set the priority or order that the files will be downloaded. In this case, you want to set the files that you WANT to something like "download first", and the files that you DON'T WANT to "download never" (or similar).
4. Please be sure to seed to a 1:1 share ratio.
(If you do not know if your bt client is capable of this procedure, post in the Support section, or go to your client's website and check their documentation.)

What if you already HAVE some of the files in a batch torrent, but you need some of the others?

(This method works best if you are 100% sure that the files you have are the same ones that are in the batch torrent.)
1. Start the batch torrent with your bt client, and let it create the folder with all the files in it. Let it run for about a minute or two.
2. Stop your client. If your client likes to remember the hash of a torrent and doesn't do another check (ie Azureus) then it's best to remove the torrent from the client BUT don't select the option to delete the files.
3. Now go into the folder that has been created for the series and look at all the files. If the names are different from the file that you have then rename your file(s) to match the ones in the folder.

For example, the "Strawberry_on_the_Shortcake_complete" torrent might create a folder named Strawberry on the Shortcake Complete

Inside the folder are the files:
Strawberry on the Shortcake 07.avi
strawberry_on_the_shortcake_09.avi
strawberry_on_the_shortcake_10.avi
strawberry_on_the_shortcake_ep_#01_[jdrama@efnet].avi
strawberry_on_the_shortcake_ep_#02_[jdrama@efnet].avi
strawberry_on_the_shortcake_ep_#03_[jdrama@efnet].avi
strawberry_on_the_shortcake_ep_#04_[jdrama@efnet].avi
strawberry_on_the_shortcake_ep_#05_[jdrama@efnet].avi
strawberry_on_the_shortcake_ep_#06_[jdrama@efnet].avi
strawberry_on_the_shortcake_ep_#08_[jdrama@efnet].avi

Now, let's suppose you had already downloaded episode 01, 03 and 04 from somewhere else but you're pretty sure that they're the same file (because of the size or what's stated in the torrent comments), but the ones you have are named:
strawberry_on_the_shortcake_01.avi
strawberry_on_the_shortcake_03.avi
strawberry_on_the_shortcake_04.avi

Then you need to rename them EXACTLY to the same filenames as they are listed in the torrent:
strawberry_on_the_shortcake_ep_#01_[jdrama@efnet].avi
strawberry_on_the_shortcake_ep_#03_[jdrama@efnet].avi
strawberry_on_the_shortcake_ep_#04_[jdrama@efnet].avi

4. Copy your renamed files into the Strawberry on the Shortcake Complete directory, overwriting the existing ones there.

5. Start the torrent up again and let your client hash-check the folder again. If you've done things right, you should have more than 0% of the torrent done thanks to the files you already had that was placed in there. Continue downloading to 100%. Remember to seed to a 1:1 share ratio.

6. If the filenames do not match OR the files that you have are not the exact same ones as the ones in the batch torrent, then you will need to remove those files from the folder. Or, you will have to correct the filename(s) and repeat the process.

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Q4. Is there a policy or guideline for batch torrents? May I upload a batch torrent for dramas previously released here or elsewhere?
ANSWER:
D-Addicts invites you to upload batch torrents as long as the files are not shared already on the d-addicts tracker through individual torrents or if they are then you have obtained permission from the original uploader. Furthermore, if you are the original uploader/creator of the already existing individual torrents, you may re-upload them in a batch, but be sure to DELETE your old (single) torrents first. Although we appreciate your eagerness to share, please do not upload a batch torrent if you are not the original uploader of the existing single torrents without getting permission from the original uploader. If you have tried to obtain permission but have received no reply within a week then this is generally regarded as a "don't care" response from the original uploader so go ahead and upload away

here are some guidelines for batch torrents:

1. batch creator (BC) should send a request to the original uploader (OU) notifying them of the intention to batch OU's series.

2. BC should inform a moderator that BC sent OU a request, and that BC will wait for a response.

3. if BC does not get a response after several weeks, notify the mod of what the situation is. given the time frame, whether the OU signs in or not, etc., the mod will probably allow BC to batch the series.

4. if BC receives permission, go ahead and batch the series (preferably using d-addicts as the tracker).

5. in the new batch Torrent Comments, the BC should do the following:
..... give credit to the original uploader
..... mention who gave BC permission (original uploader or mod, etc.) - this protects BC from having another mod delete the new batch torrent
..... include good comments about the series (or copy/paste it from the original uploads)
..... provide links to the original, single Torrent Comments
..... provide link to HOW TO USE BATCH TORRENTS
..... (a great example of good comments in a new batch torrent)

6. DO NOT include softsubs in your batch. instead, include a LINK to the softsubs thread. if the subs are ever edited in the thread, they cannot be edited in your batch. leave the RAWs as is, and include the softsub link in your Torrent Comments

7. after BC posts the batch, BC should use the REPORT button to notify mods that the single torrents should be removed ... and the original comments locked.

8. mods/admins: create a post with a link to the new batch torrent / comments / howtobatch. copy/paste this link to all of the old, single torrent comments. delete all the single torrents.

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Q5. Why is my download so slow? Why am I not downloading faster? There's many seeds and peers, but why is the torrent is moving slow?
ANSWER:
****SLOW SPEED****
if you're wondering why it's taking so long for you to complete (downloading so slow), there may be several reasons:

==MISCONFIGURED ROUTER/FIREWALL==
is the light (or text) on your BT client YELLOW? did you 'forward the ports' on your router or 'open the ports' on your firewall?
help yourself complete faster (and make life easier on the seeder) by going to the SUPPORT section and reading TWEAKING BITTORRENT. it may take you a few hours to configure, but it'll save you DAYS of downloading time later!
not sure if you're configured right? see if you pass the nat check: http://btfaq.com/natcheck.pl


==TOO MANY TORRENTS OPEN==
many people make the mistake of trying to dl/seed too many torrents at one time. be PATIENT and not GREEDY. you will find that your speeds will probably improve if you limit yourself to 2-3 torrents at a time, rather than trying to dl four or more.


==ADJUSTING UPLOAD SPEED==
make sure you are not using 100% of your upload speed (we recommend using about 80-90% of your max upload speed). also, make sure you're not choking it down to a minimum 3kB either! i've noticed that on most torrents, the higher i set my ul speed, the greater my dl speed.

example: let's say your max upload is 96kB.
if you set your torrent upload at 96kB (100%), you computer would not be able to perform other small network functions such as sending/receiving acknowledgement packets, etc.
if you set it too low (like 3kB), you may not get much in return. (bittorrent rewards SHARING.)

not sure what your max upload speed should be?
...1) you can call your isp and ask them what your ul speed should be. divide this number by eight and you will get your BT speed (example: 768kb = 96kB) (kb stands for kilobits; kB stands for kilobytes. 8 bits = 1 byte. Your bittorrent client measures speed in bytes while your ISP usually advertises speed in bits.)
...2) google for 'bandwidth speed test' and see if you can find a test for your UPLOAD speed. i know that www.dslreports.com has one.
...3) test it w/ your BT client. after you complete a torrent, turn off ALL other dl/ul's. set your client to 'SEED = UNLIMITED'. see how high your ul speed goes. try this with several torrents, and you will eventually figure out what your max BT ul speed is.


==UPLOAD RATE vs MAX UPLOADS==
many users think the best method of sharing is to spread it among the MOST amount of peers. (example: you set upload at 40kB; and set max uploads to 20 peers. each peer gets 2kB per second.) this is actually a poor method and inefficient use of BT.

BT chops a torrent up into "pieces". you cannot share a piece until you have COMPLETED that piece. therefore, if you have a 500MB torrent, it may chop it up into one hundred 5MB pieces.
if each peer is getting only 2kB per second, it will take a looooong time before a peer completes a 5MB piece to share.
instead, the better method is to set the amount of peers as LOW as possible. this way, each peer gets more kB per second. peers COMPLETE pieces faster, and thus, SHARE pieces faster.


==SUPER-SEED ON?==
some people think the word 'super' is pretty cool, so they always turn super-seed on. the super-seed option is not to be turned on unless you are the ONLY seeder on the torrent. otherwise, DO NOT turn it on.
more super-seed info: http://www.bittornado.com/docs/superseed.txt


==FRAGMENTED HARD DRIVE==
sometimes a highly fragmented hard drive can actually cause your computer to run slower.
right-click on your C: drive (or your dl drive) and choose 'properties'. click on the 'tools' tab and choose 'defragment now'.
click 'analyze', and repeat for every drive that you have. are your drives highly fragmented? stop everything and take the time to defrag and reboot.
you'll find that a UNfragmented drive will allow you to allocate a file faster and may improve speed.


==BOT OR ZOMBIE COMPUTER==
i recently added this one, since this is becoming more common. there is a lot of malicious code and viruses that turns your computer into a zombie, or bot. the purpose is to harness the power of your bandwidth. usually, your computer will still run normally as a bot, except when the controller decides to use your bw (and other computers') to attack someone else. if you notice weird bw activity on your computer, you may want to google to research ways to find out if your computer is a zombie, or part of a botnet.


==OTHER MISCELLANEOUS FACTORS THAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT==
* your ISP is throttling/limiting BT traffic (or p2p traffic, in general). if you're brave, you can call them and ask them if they have this policy.
* the peers you are connected to are very slow uploaders. they might have a very low upload speed or are setting their upload speed too low.
* the peers that are on the torrent have not configured their router/computer correctly for BT (you may have yours set up properly, but they may not).
* there is something wrong with the connection(s) between you and the other peers. you could try dropping off and connecting later, or wait for the situation to improve.

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Q6. I can't seem to download the ".torrent" file. What can I do?
ANSWER:
First check to see if others can download the ".torrent" file, you can do this by either asking in the shoutbox on the torrent page or in the support forum.
If nobody else can download either then its likely a problem with on the server end, there's nothing you can do but wait for the administrator to fix it, however if there are others who can download then its possible that you maybe experiencing some network routing issues.

Follow the procedure below:

1. Browse to http://d-addicts.net
Does a page come up with the message "Move along, nothing to see here."?
* If so then you can reach the server hosting the .torrent file and should be able to download the .torrent files so something strange is wrong. Post your problem here http://www.d-addicts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=11793
* If you cannot then proceed to the next step.

2. Browse to http://217.172.47.150/~ruroshin/
Does a page come up with the message "Move along, nothing to see here."?
* If so then its likely you have a DNS problem, ring your ISP to see if they can reach http://d-addicts.net. In the meanwhile you can download a torrent file by manually constructing the url by replacing d-addicts.net with 217.172.47.150/~ruroshin in the torrent url. e.g. http://d-addicts.net/torrents/drama.torrent will become http://217.172.47.150/~ruroshin/torrents/drama.torrent
* If you cannot then proceed to the next step.

3. Do a trace to d-addicts.net. If you are using Windows open a command prompt by going to start->Run and type in cmd and hit enter.
At the prompt type in: tracert 217.172.47.150
Copy and paste your result here http://www.d-addicts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=11793 and somebody will try and help you

Alternatively there is another way to download which you could try
1. Go to the torrent's topic.
2. Below the Torrent Info table and advertising there should be a link "hide/show torrent stats" click on that to expand some stats on the torrent.
3. In the expanded page there should also be a link "DOWNLOAD TORRENT" click on that. That will download the torrent directly from the tracker itself and not the fileserver.
e.g.

Code: Select all

BNBT File Info

File Information

    * Name: Yasha - 05.avi
    * Info Hash: cd60970298495eaa848d9fb256e76aea1fcb6d91
    * Added: 2005-06-29 23:34:31
    * Size: 519.71 MB
    * Files: 1

File Comment

DOWNLOAD TORRENT [b]<----- CLICK HERE[/b]

Seeders (1)

Note that this will only work for torrents that are using d-addicts's tracker i.e. torrents with the announce http://d-addicts.net:7979/announce

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Q7. Can I upload torrents that do not use D-Addicts Tracker?
ANSWER:
Yes, as long as they still follow the D-Addicts' Rules for Uploading. However, be aware that the system regularly cleans up and deletes such torrents after a certain time has passed. Typically, the torrent will last at least 30 days before it is removed from the torrent listing.

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[jholic]

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Q1. Why doesn't the video play on my computer? Why do I hear sound, but there's no video? Why does the video play upside down?
ANSWER:
First and foremost, make sure you have completed the file. You can try resuming your download with your client to verify. A torrent is only completely downloaded if the bt-client reports it as "complete" or "finished". "100%" is not "finished", it is just a little more than "99.9%".

Secondly, most videos played on computers need certain "codecs" in order to play. If you don't know what a codec is, or you're not sure which one you need, then read the next section about CODECS.

Sometimes the video may play "upside down". Don't worry this is a well-known issue due to incompatibilities between certain graphic card drivers and video codecs. One solution is given by Microsoft is:

Why is my video upside down?

If the video image is upside down, try increasing the video hardware acceleration. There are two video hardware acceleration settings—one in the Player, and one in the Windows operating system. You must change both settings.

To change the setting in the Player, on the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Performance tab. Move the Video acceleration slider to Full.

To change the setting in Windows, click Start, click Control Panel, double-click Display, click the Settings tab, click Advanced, and then click the Troubleshoot tab. Move the Hardware acceleration slider to Full.

Additionally many players and codecs offer work-arounds and can "flip" the picture for you.

- If you use the ffdshow filter right-click the ffdshow icon ("FF") in the task tray and select "Flip".
- If you your player loaded the DirectVobsub filter then right-click the green arrow in the task tray and select "Flipped Picture".
- (other players and codecs may offer further work-arounds)

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Q2. What is a codec? Which codec will I need? Where do I get codecs? How many codecs should I use? Can I use them all?
ANSWER:
A codec is just a small "program" that helps code/decode/decipher the video that you are trying to play. Nowadays, codecs are needed to play almost any kind of video on your computer.

There is also a very popular, freeware program that helps determine which codec you will need to play a certain video. Download and install GSPOT. Right-click the video file, and "open-with" gspot. What codec is listed for the video? For the audio? (For further troubleshooting, enable "interactions with codecs" in the settings, and try to "render" the loaded video.)

Most codecs are freeware, and you can either google for them, or go to this site: http://www.free-codecs.com

The more popular codecs are: ffdshow, divx, xvid, mkv, ogg/ogm, real (alternative), quicktime (alternative), etc. But do NOT try to install them ALL. Some codecs do not work well with other codecs. Some will need to be uninstalled before you can install the next one, etc. You may need to do some reading to determine compatibility.

Our resident expert, MoerkJ, recommends installing the following:

here are some filters I use:
ffdshow filter handles all MPEG4 compressions and many audio formats
AC3 filter for AC3 sound
VobSub for subtitles

additional codecs/filters: (some of them are not needed if you use Media Player Classic)
XviD codec for encoding
OggDS filter for .ogg audio and .ogm files
Matroska filter pack for .mkv files
DivX 3.11 codec pack for the contained legacy audio filters (it contains illegally hacked codecs)

All this stuff (except the DivX 3.11 codec pack) is Open Source software and free of adware and other bad surprises.

If you do not want to bother with figuring out compatibility and issues, jholic recommends a "codec pack". Codec packs are just a bunch of codecs packaged into one folder (and usually has been tested for compatibility). It will only take one installation, but this also means it'll be difficult to customize individual codecs. Codec packs do tend to take up more room, and is not guaranteed to be free of adware, spyware, etc. Nevertheless, many people use codec packs because they give peace-of-mind.

Here are some of the more popular codec packs (all currently available at http://www.free-codecs.com):

• Combined Community Codec Pack (CCCP) (recommended by MoerkJ)
• Matrosha Codec Pack (discontinued, Matrosha team now supports CCCP)
• K-Lite Codec Pack (jholic recommends the standard version. You will still need vobsub for subtitles, and the real and quicktime alternatives).
• Ace Mega-Codec Pack
• Codec Pack All in 1

* Before installing new codecs or packs, be sure to uninstall all your existing codecs to avoid compatibility issues.
** Some codec packs will come with video/media players such as MPC (Media Player Classic)

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Q3. What video player do I need? Which one should I use? What's the most popular one?
ANSWER:
There are various video/media players, and some will work for you better than others. In alphabetical order, the more popular ones include:
BS Player, Media Player Classic (MPC), VideoLAN (VLC), Windows Media Player, and Zoomplayer

Or check out our "Best Media Player Around" thread.

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Q4. What's wrong? I've tried EVERYTHING, and the video still doesn't play.
ANSWER:
Double-check to see if there is anything wrong with your video card. Check to see if your drivers are updated and working correctly (in your Device Manager).
Are you sure that the file is completed? Move the file to another folder, and try to force your bt client to hash-check it. Is it 100% complete?
Not an issue with codec compatibility? Not an issue with your player?

Post in the Support section of our forum, and someone may be able to assist you. Provide as much information/details as you can, and post screenshots if possible.

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Q5. How do I convert or re-encode AVI / MPG / MPEG / SVCD / VCD / DVD / DIVX / XVID / WMV / MKV / OGM / etc? How do I re-encode videos so that I can watch them on my tv?
ANSWER:
There are many good guides on the internet which describe how to convert or re-encode various types of media. Use google and search for "guides" or "tutorials", and include the type of media you are converting to and from.

The following sites contain numerous, step-by-step guides (often with pictures and the needed tools):

http://www.videohelp.com
http://www.doom9.org

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[jholic]

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Q1. Why isn't there any sound playing? I see video, but where's the audio?
ANSWER:
Since certain videos require special codecs to play, you might be missing the proper audio codec to hear the sound.

There is a very popular, freeware program that will help determine which audio codec you will need in order to hear sound on a certain video. Download and install gspot.exe. Right-click the video file, and "open-with" gspot. What codec is listed for the audio? For the video?

Most torrents uploaded on this tracker uses the AC3 audio stream. You can hear the AC3 audio stream once you install the AC3Filter. If you have this installed, but still have problems, try uninstalling it, restarting your computer and re-installing it. If you are still having problems, please provide as much information as possible and post in the Support section.

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Q2. What is dual-audio? Is there multiple languages coming out from the audio? Why is there different language tracks coming out from my speakers? What do I need to clarify the sound?
ANSWER:
Some video files are encoded with two (or more) audio tracks. At times, these audio tracks are set to play at the same time. This is common with Chinese language tracks, in which Mandarin will play from one speaker, and Cantonese will play from the other.

The simplest way to resolve this issue is to adjust the sound from your speakers to come out from only ONE speaker (toggle Balance left or right). If you do not have stereo speakers, then you will need to use the Volume Control in Windows.

1. Find the Volume icon on the bottom right-hand corner of your taskbar and double-click. (Or, open Control Panel, and double-click Sound/Volume)
2. Find the setting in which you can adjust the Balance left or right.
3. Be sure to remember this process so you can un-do it when you are done with viewing your video.

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[jholic]

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Q1. What are RAWs? What are hardsubs? What are softsubs? What are the differences?
ANSWER:
When you see a torrent file that has been uploaded to the tracker accompanied with the comment, "RAW", this means that the video has absolutely NO subtitles.

A video with hardsubs means that the subtitles have been rasterized and burned into the video. When you play the file, the subtitles will show up, regardless of whether you want them to or not. The subtitles are essentially part of the video.

A video with softsubs means that the video itself is a RAW file, but there is another (text) file in the folder that contains the subtitles. In some cases the subtitle file is not included in the torrent but available in our Subtitles Forum. Some media players will recognize the softsubs directly (or through a plug-in like DirectVobsub) and automatically play the subtitles along with the video file. Read below to find out exactly how it is done.

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Q2. How do I view subtitles with the video? What program do I need to view subtitles?
ANSWER:
See this

Taken from "howto4dummies.com"

How to view softsub

There are generally 2 ways to view a softsub with a video file:

1. Using a subtitle plug-in/filter software
2. Using a softsub aware media player


Using a subtitle plug-in/filter software

The first step is to download and install vobsub (see the how to guide for installing vobsub). After the installation you generally don't need to worry about it ever again as its a DirectX filter which runs automatically when it detects an available subtitle. In order for it to automatically detect a subtitle the subtitle file must have the same name as the video file and is located in the same folder.


For example, let say we have a video file "Hello! Morning.avi" and there is a subtitle file in the SRT format that we want to play along with the video, the name of it should be "Hello! Morning.srt" and it should be in the same folder like so:



Then all you have to do is play the video file and the subtitles from the subtitle file should automatically appear as well. If your subtitle file does not have the same name as the video file then you can rename it so that it is. In Windows you can do this by right clicking on the file and selecting Rename then type in the new name and press enter.


Note that some video software player may not use DirectX so vobsub won't run with it, for example the DivX Player does not seem to work with vobsub. The Window Media Player that comes with Windows XP should have no troubles working with vobsub.



EXPERT SETTING FOR MULTIPLE LANGUAGES

You can also have multiple soft subtitles, for example in different languages, at the same time if you use Vobsub, the files would be named this way:





You can select the language you want through a menu by right-clicking on the green arrow in your windows task-tray (the green arrow will appear once you start playing the video and you have vobsub already installed). The menu would look something like this:




Using a softsub aware media player

Some video player software can load a subtitle file without needing plug-in or filter like vobsub. You can see a list of players comparison and what (if any) subtitle format they support on wikipedia. The way each player loads up a subtitle can be different but some (such as Media Player Classic) can automatically detect a subtitle and loads it when playing the video just like vobsub. Also just like vobsub you will need to have the subtitle file the same name as the video file (see the picture above).



See also

* List of Video Player software on wikipedia
* weethet.nl (another guide to playing softsub)
* kaa wiki (another explanation of softsub)

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Q3. When I play the video, why is there multiple subtitles displaying? How do I get rid of one of the subtitles?
ANSWER:
Multiple subtitles usually occur when your media player AND vobsub is trying to display subtitles at the same time. Either disable subtitles in your media player, or right-click the vobsub icon (green arrow) on the bottom right-hand corner of your taskbar and select "Hide Subtitles".

Another reason could be that your video is actually hardsubbed and you still have a subtitle file in your folder that gets displayed on top. Just disable the softsubs in this case (see above).

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Q4. Can I see what's actually inside a soft subtitle file? Am I able to edit a softsub?
ANSWER:
Yes, one advantage of softsubs is the ability to edit them without having to do anything to the video. If you right-click on a subtitle file, and "open with" a program such as NotePad or WordPad, you will see the plain text layout of the subtitles and timing.
If you would like to use an advanced subtitle editor, you can check the Tools and Guides section of: http://www.videohelp.com.
A recommended editing tool is Subtitle Workshop.

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Q5. How do I convert, re-encode or burn softsubs with a video to hardsubs on a VCD/SVCD?
ANSWER:
At http://www.videohelp.com you can find numerous, step-by-step guides (often with pictures) which explain the procedure in very detail.

Tutorial: "How To Add Subtitles To A Video"

Guide 1: How to Convert All Video Formats to DVD Using WinAVI[/b]

Guide 2: How To Burn w/ Subtitles

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Q6: Why doesn't my Japanese subtitles display properly?
ANSWER: (credit given to feedmeister)
Usually this can be solved by converting the subtitle files to Unicode or configuring your computer so JAPANESE is selected as the "Language for non-Unicode programs". But first you need to make sure you have East Asian language support installed.

A) Installing East Asian language support:
go to Control Panel > Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options > Regional and Language Options > Languages Tab
Then check "Install files for East Asian languages."

B) Setting Japanese as the Language for non-Unicode programs:
go to Control Panel > Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options > Regional and Language Options > Advanced Tab
In "Language for non-Unicode programs" select Japanese.
Then you have to re-boot.

Since you might not want to keep Japanese as the Language for non-Unicode programs set permanently, here is what you can do to modify your srt files so Japanese characters will display properly while keeping English for non-unicode characters:

1) Figure out which srt's you'll want to change and then set Japanese for non-unicode as in A above. (You can always switch back when you are done changing the files.)

2) Right-click and open the srt file with WORDPAD (not notepad).

3) In WordPad, save the file as a "Unicode Text Document" (When you do this, it will change the file extention from .srt to .txt by default. Make sure you change it back to .srt before you click SAVE. You will get a warning about overwriting the original .srt. If you save under a different filename, make sure you use the correct srt file when watching your video.)

3a) If you get another warning about to saving as "text-only" and removing all formatting. Click YES.

4) Repeat this procedure for the rest of the .srt files you want to modify.

5) Once you have changed all the files you want, set your computer back to English as the language for non-unicode programs. Use the same directions in A but choose English.

To Test: If you view the srt's in NotePad before changing them, you will see garbled characters where the Japanese would be. After the change, you will not see them at all using NotePad. If you do the same comparison using WordPad, you will see garbled characters before the change and Japanese kana & kanji after the change just like you should see when the file is played.

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[MoerkJ]

Q8. How do I reseed a torrent? What is reseeding?

reseed
When there are zero seeds for a given torrent (and not enough peers to have a distributed copy), then eventually all the peers will get stuck with an incomplete file, since no one in the swarm has the missing pieces. When this happens, someone with a complete file (a seed) must connect to the swarm so that those missing pieces can be transferred. This is called reseeding. Usually a request for a reseed comes with an implicit promise that the requester will leave his or her client open for some time period after finishing (to add longevity to the torrent) in return for the kind soul reseeding the file.

A1: The Easy Way (You have downloaded the torrent before and you haven't renamed the file(s)
You simply reseed by downloading the torrent again, point the btclient to your complete file(s) if it asks you for a download destination, and it will start seeding because it is already complete. (For some clients you can just put the file in your default download folder and the client will find the file(s) by itself.)

A2: The Hard Way (You have the file(s) for the torrent but you have them renamed)
1. start downloading the torrent again from scratch.
2. stop the btclient as soon as it created an empty folder and/or file(s)
3. choose the files you want to seed if you want to reseed a folder with multiple files (a.k.a. batch torrent)
4. replace the empty files with the files you have
5. perform a manual hash check (verify the file(s) of the torrent)
6. restart downloading the torrent again (resume & seed what you have finished)
Note: If you reseed a torrent by resuming previously downloaded files, then your files will be modified/corrupted/destroyed/deleted if they don't match the file(s) of the torrent. Thus, it is always recommended to reseed copies of your files if unsure.

It is recommended to leave your client open as long as you can, or until the health status of the torrent is fine.

see also: http://dessent.net/btfaq/#seeding