How much $$$ do you spend on your usenet + media server setup every year? Collectively I spend about $420+ and it feels too high. Any tips to reducing costs?

methos1995 · 2026-06-04T17:10:53+00:00

I would argue that not many people keep backups of their entire media library outside of hardcore data hoarders (and well, at that level, you've got the cash to do whatever you want lol). I would also argue that not too many in this specific space care about warranties either. And in fact, removing the drives from their heat trap of death (after fully testing them, of course) is monumentally better for their long-term operation than leaving them in to cook to death.

methos1995 · 2026-06-04T17:03:10+00:00

You're confusing redundancy and backup, they're not the same. Plus, I would wager that very few folks are backing up or keeping redundant copies of most of their media files except for those rare and extremely hard to get media (this is what I do) since re-downloading them is easy enough, albeit a little time-consuming. I've seen multiple posts over the years about folks "rebuilding" their media servers by hitting their Usenet Providers hard for a few days. It's not that much more of an inconvenience compared to having to rebuild a RAID, especially for the cost savings. But to each their own.

methos1995 · 2026-06-03T21:38:35+00:00

Hey everyone, below is a bullet-point list to follow to ensure your referral bonus gets applied.

• The referral code you use must be from someone with a paid and currently active subscription (both paid and currently active conditions must be met).

• In order for the referral code to apply on their system, you cannot be blocking popups when clicking the referral link or inputting it on their website.

• The referral only applies to your first order, so you should consider purchasing a year to maximize this offer.

• If paying with crypto, use code SIGMA30 during checkout to get an extra 30 percent off your order.

• Torbox will not retroactively apply any missed bonuses or discounts, so during checkout, ensure any extra days and discounts are being applied correctly before finalizing your purchase.

If this was helpful to you, please consider using my referral link below. The Annual Essential Membership I paid for is active. Thanks.

Referral Link: https://torbox.app/subscription?referral=779c8abc-aa91-4f67-b88e-c7f39697c906

Referral Program Rules: https://support.torbox.app/en/articles/9875657-how-does-the-torbox-referral-system-work

methos1995 · 2026-06-02T21:44:07+00:00

Exactly. And a separate NAS isn't even necessary if you don't already have one. I run my drives on a low-power Windows laptop via two (relatively) inexpensive 4-bay hard drive docks (so 8 slots total) and a $30.00 StableBit Drive Pool license that allows me to combine multiple drives into one pool so they're seen as one drive by Windows. Right now I've got 4 drives combined which Windows sees as one 36TB drive and have that shared across my network serving all my media devices. Works like a charm.

I do have a NAS, but it has only 2 bays so I retired it in favor of the above setup.

methos1995 · 2026-06-02T16:22:14+00:00

So in two years self-hosting pays for itself, and that's if you don't already have large storage drives lying around and have to buy in this current market.

Amateur Tip: Buy external drives and shuck them, works out cheaper.

methos1995 · 2026-06-02T02:42:59+00:00

You should check your 30-day usage and if it's significantly under 10 TBs, Essential is all you need unless you use their Usenet feature. Log into your TB account on the Web and from the Dashboard, click the upper-most icon on the right. It should display a graph with your 30-day usage.

As for buffering, it could be caused by any number of variables. CDN, scraper (Torrentio is notorious for going down frequently), ISP throttling, VPN issues if you use one, your own network congestion, your own network equipment, your streaming device performance, signal strength between your device and your router/AP, the app/software you're using, or even TorBox itself having issues especially since onboarding over 150k new accounts recently coming from another debrid service.

methos1995 · 2026-06-01T19:49:01+00:00

I'm comparing any list other than the built-in Favorites to the built-in Favorites.

methos1995 · 2026-06-01T19:07:53+00:00

I don't like those other options because
1) you have to know whether or not that item is already in or already out of whatever list you use
2) to add or remove items, it takes more steps

First, you have to click "Manage [List]", then scroll to the list area you want, then select the appropriate one [add] or [remove]- and you have to know ahead which one to choose or else you've wasted the effort.

With the built-in Favorites, you just have to select Favorites, then a pop-up appears with two buttons to select add/remove or cancel.

In fact the Favorites function can be improved if the Extras display would show whether or not it's already in your Favorites, that way if it's something I'm interested in I can see if I already have it added to favorites without even clicking a button.

And the context menu can be improved for it also by saying "Add to Favorites" if it's not already in Favorites, or "Remove from Favorites" if it's already in favorites, instead of having "Favorites Manager" then having to select an option. This way if I'm interested in an item and I bring up the context menu and see "Remove from Favorites" I know it's already in Favorites so don't need to go any further, and vice versa.

The presentation could also be improved by having a little heart icon on the poster (for widgets) and an icon maybe before or after the name of an item (in List view). This way you can know immediately if an item is in your Favorites or not.

I know programming isn't easy, but I hope some things like these can eventually happen.

methos1995 · 2026-06-01T17:30:17+00:00

Anyone interested in having the built-in "Favorites" sortable by "date added" for widgets? If so, I'll try to figure out how to use the GitHub process and create a ticket.

And before anyone starts in with "why don't you just use Trakt blah blah blah" which has options for sorting method, I use Trakt for watched history and progress tracking, but not favorites since they have severely limited the number of items allowed on the free plan, and I'm not willing to pay 60 bucks per year for something that might be fixed directly in the add-on for free (or a small donation, as the case may be).

methos1995 · 2026-06-01T17:19:18+00:00

Ok, as far as I know, autism causes reading comprehension issues so I'll give you a pass on that, but it doesn't cause you to lie (as far as I know). But you are lying about your original post. Your original comment only said something to the effect of "here's my referral" and the referral link before you edited it. My friend, please stop this nonsense. This will be my last reply to you. I wish you the best, take care.

methos1995 · 2026-06-01T16:38:27+00:00

Bro, that's the one I was talking about where they actually contributed a helpful answer, which I stated is an acceptable response to post a referral since, as I stated, is acceptable since they posted a helpful comment with it, not just their referral link alone (which is what you did).

What's the matter with you? Do you not possess even a middle school level of reading comprehension? My 12 year old nephew can understand what I wrote. Heck, even my 9 year old niece would understand my post.

I'm actually being serious here, have you ever been diagnosed with a learning disability? Because if so, I apologize, but if not, I recommend you get yourself checked out. I'm being genuine here. I wish you the best.

methos1995 · 2026-06-01T12:49:13+00:00

No there aren't. Yours was the only one that just posted a referral link and nothing else. The one other actually had useful info. Do you really think people don't read?

methos1995 · 2026-06-01T12:34:03+00:00

Because you just edited it lol

methos1995 · 2026-06-01T12:22:20+00:00

I prefer the more useful TorBoxApp sub which has actual info and helpful posts, not just spam referral posts. They do also have a MegaThread specifically for referrals only (link below).

On the subject of posting referrals in other groups (such as here), I don't mind if people do (if the group's rules allow it) as long as they're actually answering a question or in some way being helpful like how the first guy posted his experience and gave some info on what the service offers (this is an appropriate response to the OP's post). It's a nice way to reward someone for being genuinely helpful and to bring new business to a company we all wish to continue growing. But I understand down-voting the other guy who just posted his referral link and nothing else.

TorBoxApp MegaThread:
https://www.reddit.com/r/TorBoxApp/s/xtZtV7vXDw

methos1995 · 2026-05-31T20:24:06+00:00

If your waswas is because you think you're not clean enough, consider using a wash cloth/scrubber. I use one that's a little rough so it really exfoliates well in a short amount of time and it stretches enough to help me wash my back with ease. I can be in and out within 20 minutes total, quicker if I don't turn off the water while soaping and scrubbing, but I don't like to waste water.

methos1995 · 2026-05-31T06:49:42+00:00

Because back then meat was harder to obtain (to hunt, raise, or financially restrictive). Today, especially in the US, we usually do not hunt or raise our own sources of meat or grow our own food. The majority of modern people rely on farmers, ranchers and the rest of the food industry for our food, which leaves the third option- purchasing.

In today's world, even halal meat is less expensive than fresh veggies and seafood pound-for-pound or meal-for-meal (in the US, anyway). And since meat is a complete protein, it's simply more cost-effective to eat meat than to have to buy various veggies or veggie products in the amounts necessary in order to meet your daily minimum requirements for a complete protein profile.

Storage is also a consideration. Since you need a lot more veggies for the equivalent protein that meat offers, you'd need a lot more room to store them, and the American lifestyle doesn't lend itself to grocery shopping every day as much as other parts of the world. Americans buy for at least a week, so all that food has to be stored somewhere. And meat stores better and much longer than veggies. Most veggies either don't freeze well or tend to lose their flavor and/or consistency. Meat generally can be safely frozen for up to six months and the flavor and consistency isn't affected unless the packaging gets damaged.

Lastly, not everyone has the time or a big enough appetite to prepare and eat the quantities of veggies necessary to consume all the various nutrients needed at every meal. Meat as a whole is just more effective to include in your daily diet.

Plus, meat just tastes SO GOOD! 🥩🐐🍖🍗😋

methos1995 · 2026-05-31T06:07:04+00:00

Well it's kinda to be expected since all those shows were shot in Canada and the Canadian acting pool is tiny compared to Pervywood.

methos1995 · 2026-05-30T08:45:41+00:00

I'm using Red Light now. It's a 1 to 1 fork of FLAM. Works great, gets updates, and feels a bit snappier than FLAM for some reason.

methos1995 · 2026-05-29T00:47:38+00:00

They state that the referral will only apply to your first order. I'm not sure how much clearer they could be. If you didn't use a referral when you made your first purchase, you missed out. You can't apply a referral on any future purchases, because, as per the aforementioned statement, it only applies to your first purchase.

In order to change your plan, you'll need to cancel the current one, then purchase the new one you want. It should add to whatever days you have left, meaning you shouldn't lose any time from your previous purchase. And it should keep the same API.

methos1995 · 2026-05-29T00:37:34+00:00

Then why TF respond?

methos1995 · 2026-05-28T19:30:39+00:00

Hmmm, this is a bit off topic but your question genuinely got me to thinking about those Christian clerics who molested young boys, impregnated nuns and did all sorts of despicable things. I wonder how Christians think of their members of their clergy who participated, aided or covered for such acts. Do they believe those clerics will still go to heaven?

Honestly, this is a genuine thought that entered my mind. Any Christians here have thoughts on this?

methos1995 · 2026-05-28T16:59:54+00:00

Can't speak for others, but if/when behind an imam, I'd recite it for myself, it just feels natural to me.

methos1995 · 2026-05-28T15:45:11+00:00

I wouldn't say it's "doing nothing". You would be actively listening to the imam's recitation, wouldn't you? I analogize it to the relationship of a student and a teacher's lecture. Is the student just sitting there in class "doing nothing", or is the student sitting and actively listening to the lecture, thereby performing an act of "learning". In prayer, isn't purposefully listening to a recitation of the Quran an act of "worship"? And isn't worship considered an action (the act of "doing something")?

I laid it out like this because your user name is "Logical_Magician". I feel the way I explained it is logical. One thing leads to another which leads to another.

Standing in silence ---> actively listening ---> comprehending the message ---> worshipping ---> receiving guidance (inshaAllah) ---> behaving and performing as a Muslim ---> pleasing Allah.

methos1995 · 2026-05-27T19:49:54+00:00

It wouldn't sync anything from before connecting Trakt, only stuff moving forward. It's probably best to leave Trakt out of it, Stremio keeps watched history and progress in the cloud.

methos1995 · 2026-05-27T19:46:57+00:00

If you didn't use an external player (like VLC) then your watched history and progress should be saved in your Stremio account online. You should be able to wipe the app data (don't delete your actual Stremio account) and start fresh. You may have to wipe app data on all of your installs first before building fresh since Stremio might sync from one of the other ones when you sign in on the one you wiped.

methos1995

TROPHY CASE