Amstrad Action seems to be very popular, I've uploaded 60gb so far...
Gryzor (head honcho at www.cpcwiki.eu) posted the links on his forum, so we've had all the Arnold types on board :) I've got Amstrad Computer User queued up for OCR'ing too.
I will keep seeding Microhobby and Your Computer for as long as possible. Looking forwards for the Microhobby specials. :)
Unfortunately my leech rights to the WoS FTP have been revoked :( I have an alternative source though, so hopefully I'll have them later on this weekend. Were there only 7 issues of Especial?
I would advertise the links on Speccy.org, but if I'm not mistaken they don't allow urls pointing to torrent sites... I wonder if someone already posted all these links on c.s.s. and e.c.s.s...
I've started a (very simple) blog at http://retropdfs.wordpress.com, just to keep track of things. If it helps, feel free to pass that on.
I've also repacked some of the earlier/larger collections - they're now half the size of the previous torrents. Check the blog for the new links, I've only listed the repacked and new torrents so far.
I posted links to your torrents on css and ecss (newsgroups). Didn't see that url until now. Thanks for the link. :)
It's funny that sometimes I see IPs from California but I never hear from those people on these forums. I guess there are a lot of lurkers out there. :p
It's funny that sometimes I see IPs from California but I never hear from those people on these forums. I guess there are a lot of lurkers out there. :p
I'm surprised with all the US-based downloads too, and MicroHobby was by far the most "popular" torrent so far - who knew the Speccy nostalgia was so global? :)
Talking of MicroHobby, I've just finished repacking them, and have the Especial issues almost done too. Should be online later today, watch this space.
Great news!
About Microhobby, some people won't be able to find it because you have it uploaded as "Micro Hobby". :) Without knowing the correct url they won't be able to search and find it online.
Anyone having any success downloading these magazine OCRs? I tried a few torrents but doesnt look like anyone is sharing. Is anyone hosting? (Ken I sent a mail to you in case you was)
I'll reply here just in case anyone's having the same issues: please make sure you're using the latest torrent files from my blog (retropdfs.wordpress.com) - I've recently "repacked" most of the collections to reduce the size significantly. According to the tracker, there's currently 5 seeds for Crash, and 6 for Your Sinclair (both the new "repacks").
I'm not seeding the old Sinclair User torrent any more, as I'm just about to release the repack of that today. Again, keep an eye on the blog for more info - I'll keep announcing any new collections here too.
Thanks for the feedback - I've got to admit, not speaking much Spanish, I've not looked too closely at any of the issues in the MicroHobby repack, but they don't look TOO bad to me. Hopefully they're still legible, and the OCR has done a good enough job to enable searching (which was always my primary aim) - let me know what you think, I might go back and have another go at the original images in the future. If there's any pages/issues that are especially bad, let me know too, I can use them as a "test".
The MicroHobby scans were a bit blocky to start with - I think the original scans were stored with a fairly low JPG quality setting. As I've effectively recompressed them twice, it's aggravated the problem. However, I did the Especial issues directly from those available on the WoS FTP, and they've suffered the same problem: recompressing JPG (a lossy format) to another JPG (a lossy format) results in even more lossy :(
I've spent literally days trying to get the perfect balance between quality and file size. I'm also doing my own scans for New Computer Express, Amiga Format and Amiga Shopper, and I spent far too long trying to hit the right balance of quality, DPI, contrast settings and scan time. It's not easy being a perfectionist :razz:
I will add a link to your blog on the topics I created on css and ecss.
I was seeding Microhobby and Your Computer for weeks in a row, but one day ago my modem gave up the ghost. :( I'll start helping see all the new stuff when I get a new modem.
Just over a gigabyte (around half of which will be Mel Croucher's spurious ramblings :) ), here's Newsfield's multi-format mag. There's some new repacks on http://retropdfs.wordpress.com too.
Here's the ... er, ace ACE mag. I never read this the "first time around" but there's loads of very interesting articles buried amongst the usual reviews and adverts ...
Took me ages to get around to it, but the fixed MicroHobby collection is now available. If you just delete the broken issues 9, 11 and 12 from the folder and re-download the torrent from http://retropdfs.wordpress.com, it should just "fill" with the fixed files. Alternatively there's also a stand-alone torrent with just issues 9, 11 and 12.
Should have more mags done soon, Real Life kind of got in the way recently but I'm doing my best to ignore it :)
Still on an OCR theme, but not a magazine - I've recently OCR'd my copy of "Sinclair and the 'Sunrise' Technology". It's an odd book; very damning (sometimes unfairly, IMHO) of Uncle Clive but a fascinating look at the Sinclair companies, the ZX machines et al.
The OCR was a bit tricky, so the text isn't perfect ... would anyone like to help me proof-read it? I've hopefully got rid of most of the gremlins, but there'll be the odd OCR-induced typo and formatting mistake still in there I'd like to get rid of before making it "generally available".
If you'd like a copy, typo's and all, drop me a PM and I'll mail it over to you. Let me know what format you'd prefer (ePub, MOBI, PDF etc). I'm off on hols for a couple of weeks soon so apologies if I don't reply straight away.
Comments
Gryzor (head honcho at www.cpcwiki.eu) posted the links on his forum, so we've had all the Arnold types on board :) I've got Amstrad Computer User queued up for OCR'ing too.
Unfortunately my leech rights to the WoS FTP have been revoked :( I have an alternative source though, so hopefully I'll have them later on this weekend. Were there only 7 issues of Especial?
I've started a (very simple) blog at http://retropdfs.wordpress.com, just to keep track of things. If it helps, feel free to pass that on.
I've also repacked some of the earlier/larger collections - they're now half the size of the previous torrents. Check the blog for the new links, I've only listed the repacked and new torrents so far.
It's funny that sometimes I see IPs from California but I never hear from those people on these forums. I guess there are a lot of lurkers out there. :p
I'm surprised with all the US-based downloads too, and MicroHobby was by far the most "popular" torrent so far - who knew the Speccy nostalgia was so global? :)
Talking of MicroHobby, I've just finished repacking them, and have the Especial issues almost done too. Should be online later today, watch this space.
About Microhobby, some people won't be able to find it because you have it uploaded as "Micro Hobby". :) Without knowing the correct url they won't be able to search and find it online.
MicroHobby (repacked): Torrent - [URL="magnet:?xt=urn:btih:d0139bb456ebf2f290725f130a30a67904af5edd&dn=MicroHobby+magazine+issues+001-217+OCR%5C%27d+PDFs+%2Arepack%2A&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.openbittorrent.com%3A80%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.publicbt.com%3A80%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.ccc.de%3A80%2Fannounce"]Magnet[/URL]
MicroHobby Especial (just 167Mb!): Torrent - [URL="magnet:?xt=urn:btih:54f2ed9dfffa5e2953f9cb652957f078869d16d1&dn=MicroHobby+Especial+magazine+1-7+OCR%5C%27d+PDFs+&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.openbittorrent.com%3A80%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.publicbt.com%3A80%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.ccc.de%3A80%2Fannounce"]Magnet[/URL]
Hopefully have something else new soon, maybe The Games Machine? Keep watching my blog for extra updates :)
Would love to read them all again!
I'm not seeding the old Sinclair User torrent any more, as I'm just about to release the repack of that today. Again, keep an eye on the blog for more info - I'll keep announcing any new collections here too.
I'm not sure if that's a wise decision... The quality of the newer MicroHobby Especial magazines is noticeable lower than the rest of MicroHobbys.
(And sorry if I sound like I'm complaining, I'm very grateful of your efforts, I'd just prefer not having to sacrify the quality)
The MicroHobby scans were a bit blocky to start with - I think the original scans were stored with a fairly low JPG quality setting. As I've effectively recompressed them twice, it's aggravated the problem. However, I did the Especial issues directly from those available on the WoS FTP, and they've suffered the same problem: recompressing JPG (a lossy format) to another JPG (a lossy format) results in even more lossy :(
I've spent literally days trying to get the perfect balance between quality and file size. I'm also doing my own scans for New Computer Express, Amiga Format and Amiga Shopper, and I spent far too long trying to hit the right balance of quality, DPI, contrast settings and scan time. It's not easy being a perfectionist :razz:
I was seeding Microhobby and Your Computer for weeks in a row, but one day ago my modem gave up the ghost. :( I'll start helping see all the new stuff when I get a new modem.
Torrent:http://torrents.thepiratebay.org/6287757/The_Games_Machine_magazine_01-34_complete_OCR__d_PDFs.6287757.TPB.torrent
Magnet: [URL="magnet:?xt=urn:btih:2f106d7c62ec0160638f8c64060ec8afcfa04604&dn=The+Games+Machine+magazine+01-34+complete+OCR%5C%27d+PDFs&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.openbittorrent.com%3A80%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.publicbt.com%3A80%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.ccc.de%3A80%2Fannounce"]magnet:?xt=urn:btih:2f106d7c62ec0160638f8c64060ec8afcfa04604&dn=The+Games+Machine+magazine+01-34+complete+OCR%5C%27d+PDFs&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.openbittorrent.com%3A80%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.publicbt.com%3A80%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.ccc.de%3A80%2Fannounce[/URL]
Wow ... 6 peers on the torrent already, 5 minutes after uploading it to TPB :-o
Torrent: http://torrents.thepiratebay.org/6304829/ACE_magazine_01-55_complete_OCR__d_PDFs.6304829.TPB.torrent
Magnet:[URL="magnet:?xt=urn:btih:f470e7b02979fbce6c0e33989c464713f4e56b32&dn=ACE+magazine+01-55+complete+OCR%5C%27d+PDFs&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.openbittorrent.com%3A80%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.publicbt.com%3A80%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.ccc.de%3A80%2Fannounce"]magnet:?xt=urn:btih:f470e7b02979fbce6c0e33989c464713f4e56b32&dn=ACE+magazine+01-55+complete+OCR%5C%27d+PDFs&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.openbittorrent.com%3A80%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.publicbt.com%3A80%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.ccc.de%3A80%2Fannounce[/URL]
I put this out last night, so it's already fairly well seeded, happy leeching! :)
I've found that issues 9, 11 and 12 of the Microhobby repack are incomplete... can you fix it?
Thanks!!
Now reseeding... I'll reseed for the next seven days. Important that we keep these Torrents alive, and thank you KenD once again for your work :)
Should have more mags done soon, Real Life kind of got in the way recently but I'm doing my best to ignore it :)
The OCR was a bit tricky, so the text isn't perfect ... would anyone like to help me proof-read it? I've hopefully got rid of most of the gremlins, but there'll be the odd OCR-induced typo and formatting mistake still in there I'd like to get rid of before making it "generally available".
If you'd like a copy, typo's and all, drop me a PM and I'll mail it over to you. Let me know what format you'd prefer (ePub, MOBI, PDF etc). I'm off on hols for a couple of weeks soon so apologies if I don't reply straight away.