seeding guidelines (double checking our policy)

[cicada]

First... thank you for helping me to get my first uploaded torrent last week! It was a new version of a previously inactive torrent (a reseed), but I learned a lot. 115 downloads so far!! Thanks.

The first comment in that post was a request for a similar show (not available at Trader's Den right now). My question is... If meets our seeding guidelines, am I allowed to seed here when it is "technically" active elsewhere?

It has taken me almost a week to grab it elsewhere because it is so slow (1 intermittent seeder). The other tracker appears to have no issue if I want to share elsewhere. Of course, I include all the appropriate info and files.

I want to try to give back more than I receive, but you guys have already done all the hard work. Thanks a g'zillion!

[U2Lynne]

It sounds like the torrent is about dead at the site where you got it, so go ahead and up it here and give it some new life. It is polite to thank the original seeder (if you know who it was) or the site where you got it.

[cicada]

Nice! Some older torrents seem to only have MD5's. Are the ST5's a firm requirement? I can generate them, but I won't if they are not needed.

Just to be clear... there are shn's, an info file and MD5 files that check out.

[U2Lynne]

Yes, we really do want st5s. That way, no matter what format the show turns up in - ape/shn/flac/wav/aiff - you can verify it is the exact same one that you upload since the 24-bit number generated for st5s will be the same no matter the format.

(They are just as easy to make as md5s and flac fingerprints. If you need help with them, just let us know what applications you like to use with your lossless conversions and we can let you know how to do it.)

[Five]

yes, st5 is essential for SHN format shows seeded here. its really easy, check the "checksums demystified" link in my signature or if you're on a mac just let us know and lynne can help you with that.

[cicada]

No problem. I already produce st5's for my own filesets, but I was unsure about adding them to the seed. Thanks! There are a few other projects for me to take care of before I post this one, so it will be a day of two. Is there any reason to hold off to allow the new server to be changed?

If this goes well... there are some pretty good analog recordings in my own archives that I do not see anywhere else. No fear as I would only bother with my own masters (no high generation tapes from the old days). I will be checking back to get your help about proper lineage as I convert to digital. I am still chewing on the idea of tweaking the heads on my Sony TCWA7-ES Tape Deck. Even though I grabbed detailed instructions on how this is done (and why), I admit anxiety about opening this pandora's box.

[Five]

yeah, be careful with that

start with proper cleaning and degaussing... don't use a magnetized screwdriver on the head, either!

also, some unknown gen cassettes from the old days are better than what circulates currently in digital... others, not, some have never circulated in FLAC at all. its worth looking into

[wbaetz]

Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is an st5? How can I create one on a Mac?

Thanks for any assistance..

[U2Lynne]

An st5 is an shntool md5. You can read about them here: http://www.thetradersden.org/forums/faq.php?faq=md5#faq_shntoolmd5

As for creating them on a mac. If you've got xACT, just open it up, go to the checksum tab, drag the files in to the window, hit Checksum, it will ask if you want regular ones or shntool ones, say shntool ones and save them. You can open up the file with any text editor if you need to copy/paste them into a thread.