Entries from December 2005 ↓

Of TCP connections, SP2 and Faster Torrents Download Speeds

Overview:
We all might have across many “Tweaks and Hacks” to make our Internet connection faster. most of them, don’t work or have very small and negligible difference in the speeds.

I really don’t believe in all this nonsense, but a thing striked me a few weeks ago when I was downloading a file which had a hell lot of Peers (Seeders + leechers).

Even with a lot of peers, the download speed wont cross more than 23kBps and I usually get around 28-31kBps with a normal and reasonably healthy torrent. Anyways, I continued with the torrent even though I got less than usual speeds. After some time realised seeing some advanced setting in BitTornado regarding limiting the maximum peer connection, so that brings me to write this guide.

SP2 and TCP connections:
All this l’affaire TCP connections is with SP2 only as Microsoft included so called enhancements limits the number of simultaneous incomplete outbound TCP connection attempts (’half-open connections’) per second to 10. This was an attempt to reduce the viruses and their “spreading”.

So what happens? The torrent client will try to establish many contacts with other peers connected to the tracker within a very short period of time. When the half-open connection limit is reached, new connections will be queued until some of the current connections are established. So we have to limit the number of peers that we are connecting irrespective of the number of peers that the torrent file may connect to.

Now we have two options before us. Either:

• Limit the Number of peer connection.
• Or Increase the simultaneous incomplete outbound TCP connection attempts

I will be dealing with the former method only. For TCP and related gyan, plz check with the link given below.

More about TCP and the software TCP Optimizer can be checked here

Limiting the Maximum Peer connections:
Just to save all the frogshit and trouble, lazy dudes can follow these steps…

Just check in the options/preference of your torrent client, and see if you can find the settings to change the max. peers per connection.
I use BitTornado and here is the screenshot to help you:

Limit the max. peer connection to 60 or less. I have tried using just 60 peers and there is no change in the speeds and even the torrents with many peers go well fine with this.

In case you use Bit Comet, then check here: Options > Preferences > Advanced > Connection > “Maximum Connections per task”

But remember, for my Internet connection and modem/router 60 peer connections works like a charm. So you will have to play with the settings and see which value works out for you.

How much ever we tweak or hack the system, screw your modem, we wont get more speeds than the allotted Bandwidth by your ISP, say you have a 256kbps connection, then at max you get an average speed of 30 kBps. The idea is to do your homework and get the best speeds possible out of your connection.

Hope this guide was useful..

As this is year close to an end and with less than 102 hr to welcome the new year, I thought of writing some Best of 2005 posts. So I came up the notion of the Dream team based on their performances in 2005 and selecting Crème de la Crème of the cricketers.

I have seleted the dream team for both tests and ODIs. It was very tough to select players and I had made some hard decisions and I have left out Sachin Tendulkar in the Test Team! Now, let’s get down to the business..

Test 11

I wanted regular openers for both batting and bowling, so I have picked Hayden,Trescothick, Mcgrath and Aktar to do the honours.
Lara, Dravid,Shane warne, Ponting,Gilchrist, Flintoff pick themselves..

That will leave with one more place, as flintoff can bowl well, we have 3 pacers, and warne as a lone spinner, so I thougth of selecting another spinner. I had 3 choices with me: Anil Kumble, Daniel Vettori and Muthiah Muralidharan. I picked Muralidharan as he will take wickets and is more consistent. Daniel Vettori is the 12th man.

• Matthew Hayden
  Marcus Trescothick
  Ricky Ponting (Cap)
  Rahul Dravid
  Brian Lara
  Andrew Flintoff
  Adam Gilchrist (Wk)
  Muthiah Muralidharan
  Shane Warne
  Shoaib Aktar
  Glenn Mcgrath

12th Man: Daniel Vettori

ODI 11

Selecting the ODI team was difficult! Sachin comes back in the team. I had to drop Murali, Akthar and the two regular openers in the test team. Irfan also comes in the team, he can bat as well. Kallis comes in the side, he can bowl as well as bat, same in the case of Flintoff. So they will give company to Mcgrath.

Daniel Vettori is a better spinner than Murali in ODI and he replaces the latter. This team may have more pacers, but even Sehwag and Tendulkar can roll their arms. Gilchrist and Sehwag will open the innings.

The selection of the 12th man was the most difficult. I was looking for someone who can field well and can fit in the team as a batsman at 6/7th spot. So Yuvraj, Symonds and Clarke were in my my mind. Yuvraj was more consistent and so he in!

• Adam Gilchrist (Wk)
  Virender Sehwag
  Sachin Tendulkar
  Ricky Ponting (Cap)
  Rahul Dravid
  Brian Lara
  Jacques Kallis
  Andrew Flintoff
  Irfan Pathan
  Daniel Vettori
  Glenn Mcgrath

12th Man: Yuvraj Singh

The order of batting will be the same as listed above. Ricky ponting is the captain for both Tests and ODIs.

What ya guys think about the team? What is your Dream team?

King Kong (2005)

Genre: Adventure / Drama / Fantasy
King Kong is directed by Peter Jackson, is a big budget movie (202 mn $), one of the best movie of this year, hyped etc… maybe all the above reason wanted me see this movie. So, I saw the movie on the Christmas day, night show at Sree, Satyam Cinemas. Myself, my brother, my cousin checked out last night and our tickets were the last to be reserved! Anyways King Kong lives up to the hype it created..

Not just Monkey Business!

If you think King Kong is all about the monkey, you are mistaken. King kong is a CGI computer animated gaint chimpanze at Skull Island. So king Kong does more than just being a monkey! It’s really humourous to watch all the antics and pranks of King Kong.

Kong fights with dinosarouses, combats with the humans and planes and still has a soft heart for Ann (Naomi Watts). Naomi Watts and King Kong have perfect on screen chemistry!The way kong play around with her, emotes, “dance” with her in the ice skate park at NY makes Kong the hero of the movie. It’s hard to explain here, one has to enjoy it in the silver screen.

It’s really wonderful as how the movie shows Kong as a monster at the beginning and gradually as the movie goes on, we all love Kong. We feel sorry for king kong at the end.

A Tribute to Titanic, Jurrasic Park, LOTR

Yeah we have glimpses of the these movies in King Kong. In fact this movie is set in 1930s and not 2005. King Kong was like The Pianist, whcih was also set in the WW 2 but is a color movie.

The way the ship venture is shown was the same as Titanic was shown. Venture also meets with an accident, this time it hits rocks… it was shown exactly the way as shown in Titanic.

The adventure of the crew members at the Skull Island and their encounter with the dinosarous reminds us of Jurrasic Park. Here along with the battle betwen the dinos,dinos and man, we have a new 3rd dimention as well. King Kong fights with the dinos! It was at this point of time, when King Kong manages to take Ann to his confidence.

When a millimeter crawls around Naomi, reminds me of the same thing that happened with the hobbits in The Fellowship of the Ring. The Skull Island sequences and the crew advenures remids us of the fellowship, the gaint doors, et all.

I am not talking about the tribute that Scary Movie, Not another teen movie gives “tribute” to other good movies.
Even the titles, starting few scenes end credits has a feel of the older movies that we used to enjoy. Jackson himself dedicates this movie to them and pays tribute to the Titanic, Jurrasic Park, LOTR.

Adrien Brody’s Errands

What did Academy award winner (The Pianist) do in King Kong? Nothing much if you ask me, he was running errands for Peter Jackson. A actor of such calibre should not have starred. He is a very good actor, I really liked him after seeing the movie: The Pianist.

Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody) falls in love with Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) and goes on searching for her when kong “kidnaps” here. Even when the crew wanted to capture kong and take him back, he was a mute spectator and could not really help Ann. Only in the end he did have some role to play.. which is diverting Kong’s attention and help him to find Ann. And coming to the Empire State Building sequences, god I can’t understand what was going on.. whether Ann loved Kong or him! All the way he comes up the in the lift and do nothing but stare at each other?

Jack Black and Naomi Watts did give good performances.. Naomi Watts did some acrobatic acts, dunno if it’s real, she was able to emote well and her chemistry with Kong was good!

Jack Black performance was the best, he was sort of a bad guy and way he showcases his shrewd character was perfect. I feel that Jack Black may get an Academy award as well.

King Kong - Master Piece

King Kong is a Master piece, no doubt. Peter Jackson deserves the credit for the same. It’s a 202 million $ movie; the sets of the 1930s, Skull Island, animations are really good. The cinematography is excellent and a treat to watch. Many complain that it’s too lengthy and can be snipped a little, but trust me there was never a dull moment in the entire 3hr 7min runtime of the movie.

If you ask me, the ending could have been made better. I felt the last one hour could be different, I dont like sad ending. But anyways it’s not an original movie and a remake of the 1933 movie, if only the climax was made more acceptable, then I would have given 10/10. I have not seen the original movie or the first remake, so I can’t compare with them as well.

It’s not the best movie this year for me, I liked Goblet of Fire more than Kong. I might like and enjoy the movie more if I see it again. Yeah Kong is King and although it has a sad ending, it’s a beautiful master piece by Peter Jackson.

8/10
IMDb Page

Hello Folks! Seasons Greetings! Christmas is around the corner,we might like to watch a few Christmas or holiday movies just to get the “feel” before Christmas eve.

Here is a list of 6 movies that is just perfect to watch over in this festive season. Of course, each one of us have favourite Christmas, but I have a list of some of the Christmas movies that I liked very much.

I have selected movies across different genres… Die Hard (Action); Home Alone, A Christmas story, Miracle on 34th street (Family); Love Actually (Romantic comedy) and It’s a wonderful life (Drama/Romance). I have given a short description for each of the movies..

6. Die Hard

Die Hard is the perfect movie for all the action movie buffs and still want to catch up with a good “Christmas” movie.

Die Hard is about a New York cop who saves the people in the 40 storey LA office building from terrorists on Christmas day eve. The plot of the movie is very good. The crisp screenplay and fast narration is a plus point in this movie.

Die Hard is a good action movie and there was not a single dull moment throughout the entire 131 min of runtime. I am yet to see the sequels for the movie, but check them soon.Die Hard is the perfect movie for all the action movie buffs and still want to catch up with a good “Christmas” movie.

7.5/10
IMDb page

5. A Christmas story

12 reasons that A Christmas Story is a modern Classic! (Taken from IMDb)

12: “Fa-Ra-Ra-Ra-Ra Ra-Ra-Ra-Ra” 11: “Don’t forget to drink your Ovaltine” 10: “Nadafinga!!” 9: Ralphie’s pink bunny outfit 8: Scut Farkus’ yellow eyes 7: “Fuuuuuuuudddggee” 6: “Randy…how do the little piggies eat?” 5: “Fra-Gi-Le…it must be Italian” 4: “Where’s the glue?” “We’re out of glue!” “You used up all the glue on purpose!!” 3: “I triple-dog dare ya!” 2: “Alright, I’ll get that kid to eat. Where’s my screw driver and my plumber’s helper? I’ll open up his mouth and I’ll shove it in” … and, of course, the #1 reason: “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!”

Ralphie has to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a Red Ryder BB gun really is the perfect gift for the 1940’s and what all the does to claim his gift. There is nothing great in the plot, but the narration and little comic touch makes this a classic Christmas movie.

There are a lot of little things that amuses you, every time you see this movie like:The music that plays when Ralphie says “Oh ‘fudge!’” and well as how the Narrator says “That’s it. I was dead.” “I did not say fudge, but the F word!”; The Chinese waiters trying to sing Christmas carols ; Ralphie’s fantasies about rescuing his family from the bad guys with his Red Ryder rifle; the boy’s little brother and what things he does!; The tongue getting stuck in the lamp post…the list can go on. Every part of the movie is worth watching all over again.

Many won’t like the movie as it may be too “childish”, but kids will love the movie. Anyways it’s worth watching during the Christmas season.

7.5/10
IMDb page

4. Home Alone

Who would have not seen the Home Alone movies? We all would have grown up watching this movie. There was a sequel to the movie which Macaulay Culkin and the original cast were part of the movie. Home Alone 3 is also a good watch but it’s not exactly a “Christmas” movie. Just a alert.. Home Alone 4 (ABC TV productions, original movie) is awful. Don’t ever watch it.

It’s about a family who are going to vacation, but leave behind a kid (Macaulay Culkin) who safeguards the house from thiefs(Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern). Macaulay Culkin and “Gangster” Joe Pesci give a good performance.

A fun movie with many funny moments. Kids will love this movie, girls will go gaga over Macaulay Culkin! Watch with your family.
8/10
IMDb page

3. Love Actually

Love Actually is my favourite Romantic Comedy movie. It’s a British movie shot in London. It was a refreshing change for me after watching so many “Hollywood” movies.

It’s about the lives of 8 couples five weeks before Christmas and the sequence of events that unfolds with happiness, gloom, success, sacrifice etc.. The movie showcases people who do all it takes to have relationship with the people they love.

It’s a entertaining movie with funny moments. There is fact eight short stories within the movie which dont get mixed with others or atleast not that much. The cast is huge and wonderful. Many of my favourite are casted: Liam Neeson (and Thomas Sangster as his son), Keira Knightley (damn cute), Hugh Grant (as Prime Minister), Billy Bob Thornton(small role but make a good impact), Rowan Atkinson (funny as ever), Alan Rickman (Severus Snape in Potter movies), and many others..
Watch with your wife/husband or Girlfriend/Boyfriend.

9/10
IMDb page

2. Miracle on 34th street

I recently saw this movie, and thought it would be like any other Christmas movie. How wrong I was! Maureen O’Hara and the small girl Natalie Wood were cute and gave a splendid performance.

Miracle on 34th Street is about a nice old man who claims to be Santa Claus is institutionalized as insane, a young lawyer decides to defend him by arguing in court that he is indeed the supreme court and he is the one and only Santa Claus in USA!!

Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn, Santa Claus in the movie) has highlighted the spirit of Chirstmas and pointed out the mistakes that people make, like the shopkeeper do to the reindeer’s, the whipping of the “bad” Santa who was drunk, etc.. He also reinforces the fact that: “Just because every child can’t get his wish that doesn’t mean there isn’t a Santa Claus.” and “Every Child needs to be happy”

We are almost made to believe whatever that was shown in the movie! There was indeed a miracle! Through out the entire 90 minutes of the movie, there was not a moment when I was bored.

Miracle On 34th Street, whose gentle message still rings true today, every year, in the waning days of December.
A good treat for the entire family.

10/10
IMDb page

1. It’s a wonderful life

It’s a wonderful life is by far the best family movie that I have seen. Shows the true spirit of Christmas : Sharing. It also showcases another important quality, that we should never ever give up in life, but shown with a negative view.

It’s about the sequence of events that unfold before the Christmas eve for a man who is frustrated and wonders why he is alive and even attempts suicide. An angel helps him to overcome the stress by showing what life would had been like if he never existed and emphasising the fact that life is to live and in a beautiful way.

It’s a wonderful life is the ultimate feel good movie. The whole sequence of events till the end may be be disturbing, but in the end I did shed “Happy” tears. I was “weeping” for the last 5 minutes of movie.

Good movie to watch with your Girlfriend or your Family this Christmas.
It’s a Wonderful Life — It’s a Wonderful Movie!

10/10
IMDb page

Here is another discussion on the Top 5 Christmas Movies at IMDb

Every year, around this time of the year, I make sure that I watch It’s a Wonderful Life or Miracle on 34th Street. It’s Christmas for me, only then! Both are Black & White movies and have certain aura around them. My mood brightens after I watch these movies.

I will add more movies to the list, in case I come to see many more such movies. Happy viewing and share your views about the Christmas movie that you liked.

Here is result of the poll which featured at IMDb about the best Christmas movie of all times..

A total of 18428 votes were collected.

More movies in here

All the 6 movies I mentioned in the top 15 movies polled!

Happy Christmas and Seasons Greetings!

Related Link: Download christmas movies iPod, DivX, DVD and PDA versions available. Download your favorite movies online!

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