Safe D/Ling in BitComet?

[Afullrecovery]

My family just changed our ISP to Yahoo! DSL (about two days ago) and I've downloaded around 20 albums. I'm kind of getting paranoid about getting caught by the RIAA, especially since uploading a file while downloading it is basically required in order to download at good speeds in BitComet.

Could someone realistically tell me the chances of me getting caught downloading, the possible outcomes if I am caught (hopefully not immediately being sued), and if the required uploading counts as "sharing?"

Also, is the album being shared only AFTER the album is done being downloaded, or during also?

Thanks.

[MoonMan]

In bittorrent, you are sharing as you are downloading. This is why torrents are so fast. Now, if you take your file off after finishing download (which is essentially leeching and frowned upon by elitist file sharers), your risk of being "caught" is lowered exponentially. In reality though, the risk is there regardless because of the nature of the system.

Some files are more watched than others I would assume. For instance, downloading the latest Britney Spears album 10 days before it's supposed to be released is probably not a good idea. In that same regard, downloading a Beatles album (provided it wasn't some repackaged album released recently) that was recorded 30 years ago is probably void of any risk.

Use your best judgement, but remember that as long as you use something like bittorrent (which is ultimately the most unsafe way to download copyrighted material) you run risk when you download things that are sold in stores.

[DigitalJunkie]

Also, if you have dynamic ip address instead of static ip address which changes weekly. So, like MoonMan said to use your best judgement, the less likely **AA will find you right away! :)

[shawners]

You wont get caught or in trouble from downloading an album with bit torrent. People getting sued are people downloading or sharing 1000's of songs, your downloading essentialy 10-15 songs on each torrent.. You can encrypt the header so the ISP wont know what your downloading, or you can join private sites that are more safe since your not broadcasting an album through tons of untrusted peers or that any entity can not log into you to get your IP.

[.:sp00ky:.]

Also, if you have dynamic ip address instead of static ip address which changes weekly.

Iv seen a few people say that now and I just wanna say its not true they record your ip and the time when they catch you, then simpley ask your isp who had that ip at that time which your isp will know.

also most of it is done by bots its not like theirs a guy sat there thinking hey iv seen that ip a few times now I think il get them today.

[Afullrecovery]

In bittorrent, you are sharing as you are downloading. This is why torrents are so fast. Now, if you take your file off after finishing download (which is essentially leeching and frowned upon by elitist file sharers), your risk of being "caught" is lowered exponentially. In reality though, the risk is there regardless because of the nature of the system.

Some files are more watched than others I would assume. For instance, downloading the latest Britney Spears album 10 days before it's supposed to be released is probably not a good idea. In that same regard, downloading a Beatles album (provided it wasn't some repackaged album released recently) that was recorded 30 years ago is probably void of any risk.

Use your best judgement, but remember that as long as you use something like bittorrent (which is ultimately the most unsafe way to download copyrighted material) you run risk when you download things that are sold in stores.

Well, from what I've been doing I guess I have been leeching :-/
But also, I've only been downloading really indie stuff on public torrent sites like TorrentSpy. (Although it's popular indie, like the Arcade Fire).
What do you recommend as a safer alternative?
I've been using Soulseek also, but I can't get great download speeds with that.

[Afullrecovery]

You wont get caught or in trouble from downloading an album with bit torrent. People getting sued are people downloading or sharing 1000's of songs, your downloading essentialy 10-15 songs on each torrent.. You can encrypt the header so the ISP wont know what your downloading, or you can join private sites that are more safe since your not broadcasting an album through tons of untrusted peers or that any entity can not log into you to get your IP.

How do I incrypt the header or join a private site?

[thepuzzler]

But also, I've only been downloading really indie stuff. What do you recommend as a safer alternative?

Try to get an invite to indie torrents http://www.indietorrents.com/ (Don't ask here).

I guess this partly answers this questions too:

How do I incrypt the header or join a private site?

[Afullrecovery]

Try to get an invite to indie torrents http://www.indietorrents.com/ (Don't ask here).

I guess this partly answers this questions too:

I need an invite...would you happen to know what the IRC channel is?

[thepuzzler]

It explains it in the faq here.

[Afullrecovery]

It explains it in the faq here.

Ah, thanks

[DigitalJunkie]

@sp00ky

As far as I know at this time, ISPs does not keep your logs for long unless they changed the law. Which would be quite expensive for ISPs due to recordkeepings!

[boogiedan]

im using bitcomet.61
n have to say- its very fast n effecient

however 1 problem

example.
downloading more than say 10 torrent's
every hour or so ish
my connection justs DIES(have 2 turn poer off-reboot)
I have had this problem for months now
comet06 did it 0.61 doing it
BitLord did it
im with NTL in the uk

one point-uTorrent NEVER killed my connection(just 2 many updates)
also no other p2p app kills my connection
just comet n lord

[Wrong]

My family just changed our ISP to Yahoo! DSL (about two days ago) and I've downloaded around 20 albums. I'm kind of getting paranoid about getting caught by the RIAA, especially since uploading a file while downloading it is basically required in order to download at good speeds in BitComet.

I think you may be being uneccesarily paranoid. Has anyone been done by the RIAA for using Bittorrent? Everytime I've read anything about "file sharers" being prosecuted in the paper, it turns out to be about people running FTP sites with thousands of files on, not people using P2P.