I'm using TPB right now but I figured there's probably a better tracker out there, I just don't know how to find it...

    • nematoad [he/him]
      hexagon
      ·
      4 years ago

      Yeah, I really don't know the process for like even finding them. I've been using myanonamouse for ebooks/audiobooks and that has been wonderful, but it was a pretty open registration process (at least when I signed up)

      • femboi [they/them, she/her]
        ·
        edit-2
        4 years ago

        I haven’t done it myself but I know for music, redacted.ch has open registration and then once you get accepted there and you have a certain amount of reputation it becomes easier to get invites to the more exclusive ones. I hate to point you in this direction, but unfortunately 4chan has a regular private trackers thread that contains the latest info on registration opportunities. A less disgusting source of info is the private trackers wiki here

        Edit: I forgot redacted’s website doesn’t have any info, look here to learn how to apply

          • Sushi_Desires
            ·
            edit-2
            4 years ago

            Yeah I've never used a private tracker either personally, but these days one should really at the mimimum be using a non-FVEY, torrent-friendly VPN service (best paid in cash or crypto) to mask their IP if they plan on doing large-scale downloading of copyrighted works. Private trackers will absolutely facilitate connecting you with more niche content (like edu or anime specific) but large media companies definitely also have the resources to be logging all of the swarms on private trackers to copyright troll users.

            Torrentfreak publishes an annual list of VPNs and afaik have been pretty trustworthy/unbiased in the reporting for ages. Hmmmm per their own article, it looks like they might not be so unbiased anymore. Maybe it is time for a different source of VPN reviews. Not sure. I was thinking PIA had turned over logs in the past but I was misremembering and that was HideMyAss, not them. Hard to know for sure.

    • TwilightLoki [he/him,any]
      ·
      4 years ago

      MyAnonaMouse is pretty easy to get into. I'm in there so if you need books or audiobooks lmk

    • CoralMarks [he/him]
      ·
      4 years ago

      So, if I'm not into something super niche, how is a private tracker better than TPB or other public trackers?
      I just never really understood the appeal to jump through all these hoops for what I mostly can find through public sources anyways.

      • nematoad [he/him]
        hexagon
        ·
        4 years ago

        My understanding is that (a) there tends to be more/higher quality content on a private tracker, and (b) it's more difficult to get the annoying/scary letters from your ISP, as the companies holding the copyright are generally not on those trackers (and thus won't see that you're downloading "their" content)

      • femboi [they/them, she/her]
        ·
        edit-2
        4 years ago

        If you aren’t into anything niche then tbh they probably aren’t the best option. In general the effort is probably only worth it if you like niche stuff or you really want the absolute highest quality version available, and you don’t mind putting in the work to maintain a good reputation. If you’re ok with decent-quality streams on public trackers (and you use a good vpn) then you’re fine.

        • CoralMarks [he/him]
          ·
          4 years ago

          Yeah, okay that makes sense, if I would want the highest quality BR rip that would sound like a good way to go. I guess I'm too lazy, but at least I do use a VPN.