Thread: x264 (x264) Review

Brief Description
x264.me is a x264-only tracker, with a huge variety of torrents. Files range from 1.4GiB DVDRips to 13GiB 1080P rips.
Allowing only 5000 users this site has a large amount of exclusivity associated with it. Consider yourself lucky if you have an account.

Categories:
Movies&TV/DVDR
Movies/x264 576p
Movies/x264 HD
Movies/x264 SD
Movies/XVID
TV/x264 576p
TV/x264 HD
TV/x264 SD
TV/XVID

As of writing XViD is now banned from the site.

Statistics:

Code:

Registered Users:     5,000
Max Users:            5,000
Unconfirmed Users;    10
Most Active Users:    265
Male Users:           4,814
Female Users:         176

Users:                1,733
Elite:                593
Power Users:          2,462
Donors:               131

Forum Topics:         3,329
Active Torrents:      3,390
Forum Posts:          40,086
New Torrents/24 hrs:  10
Requests/Filled:      134/14
Total Offers:         77

Peers:                25,430
Seeders:              24,197
Unconnectable Peers:  5,613
Leechers:             1,233
Unconnectables Ratio: 20%
Seed/leech ratio:     1962%

Screenshots

Index
The main page of x264.me
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Torrents/Browse
Torrent listing.
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Requests
Power Users & Elite users can make requests in this section.
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Offers
Here encoders and uploaders post offers of files.
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Upcoming
Encoders post what they are planning to do, this bars any other uploader from using the same file and size.
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Bonus
Bonus points, 0.5 points are given per seeding hour.
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Forums
Well... forums.
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Chat
Ways that you can get in contact with the x264 team.
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Links
Links to crap that may help people.
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Donations
Donation page.
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FAQ

What are the different user classes?

Peasant
Users with a ratio below .50 & who downloaded more than 2 GB for 1 week (7 days) will be warned to correct their ratio. They will be able to seed/leech 5 torrents. If they don't fix their ratio after 2 weeks they will be automatically demoted to peasant and limited to 2 torrents max. Peasants will have 2 weeks to increase their ratio or their account will be deleted. Peasants can only download torrents that they have uploaded or have previously leeched.
User
The default class of new members. If you have downloaded less than a 2 GB you will only be able seed/leech 5 torrents at a time. After you have downloaded 2 GB and your ratio is above .5 you will be able to seed/leech 20 torrents at a time.
Power User
Will get access to the Log, Requests, 100 slots, and more.
Elite
Will get bragging rights.

Has donated to keep x264.me alive and are immune to automatic demotion. VIP
Similar privileges to Power User and is considered an Important member of x264, a Very important member. Immune to automatic demotion. Other
Customised title for VIP/Donor+ or given at staff discretion. Donor
See Here
Uploader
Being that all users are allowed to upload here, the Uploader class consists of users who have consistently proven to be an asset to the site and shown dedication to supplying quality releases.
Forum Mod
Can edit posts, torrents, and comments.
Moderator
Can edit and delete any uploaded torrents. Can also moderate user comments and disable accounts.
Administrator
Can do just about anything.

How do promotions work?

Power User
Must have been be a member for at least 4 weeks, have uploaded at least 25GB (real 25GB - used bonus doesn't count) and have a ratio at or above 1.05.
Note that you will be automatically demoted from this status if your ratio drops below 0.95 at any time.
Elite
Must have been be a member for at least 12 weeks, have uploaded at least 300GB (total, bonus usage does count on this one) and have a ratio at or above 2.00.
Note that you will be automatically demoted from this status if your ratio drops below 1.95 at any time.
VIP
Assigned by mods at their discretion to users they feel contribute something special to the site.
(Anyone begging for VIP status will be automatically disqualified.) Other
Conferred by mods at their discretion (not available to Users or Power Users).
Uploader
Appointed by Administrators (see the 'Uploading' section for conditions). Forum Mod
You don't ask us, we'll ask you!
Moderator
You don't ask us, we'll ask you!

When are accounts auto-pruned [and invites open up]?

• Accounts are pruned when 28 days have elapsed since the last recorded activity for regular Users. Accounts are pruned when 48 days have elapsed since the last recorded activity for Power Users. Also note that we regularly clean out accounts with very low share ratios.
• Peasant accounts are pruned after 4 weeks
• Accounts with nothing uploaded/ downloaded are pruned after 4 weeks

My Summary

Fantastic community, the zero tolerance for unwanted members helps this.
Being there is a privilege, and should be treated as such.
There is a lot of internal encoders, which means you get a lot of unique content.

General rules - Breaking these rules can and will get you banned!

• Do not defy a staff members expressed wishes, and do not disrespect staff or argue with staff.
• Accounts with nothing uploaded/ downloaded will be deleted after 4 weeks.
• Do not upload our releases to other trackers! Anyone caught uploading x264.me releases (encodes by our members) elsewhere without getting permission will be banned without warning (See the FAQ for details.)
• Disruptive behaviour in the forums or on IRC will result in a warning ( ).
  You will only get one warning! After that it's bye bye Kansas!
• Invites are only to be offered on other private tracker forums (where allowed) and the site must be primarily invite only. We actively scan public forums and private invite forums and we will ban anybody caught breaking this rule. No selling or trading of invites is allowed. Invites are the property of x264.me.
• Keep x264.me private. Do not take, post, or host any screenshots which show any pages of this site. Do not post any link leading to x264.me outside of this site, except on other private trackers.
• One account per user per lifetime. No sharing accounts if you have been previously banned! Holding multiple accounts can and will lead to all of them being disabled. If you have an old account that was disabled for inactivity, please contact a staff member and we will sort you out.
• No cheating the ratio system. Cheaters are banned and are NOT given a second chance. Cheaters will also have their account details shared with other private trackers.

Uploading rules for members - Torrents violating these rules may be deleted without notice.

• Once you have been a member for 24 hours, you can start uploading.
• You are allowed (and encouraged!) to upload non 0-Day movies (0-Day movies are still allowed of course).
• RARs are not allowed. All RAR releases must be unRARed.
• Do not alter scene or p2p group releases in any way, other than unRARing them (this includes leaving out the nfo and/or sample).
• Make sure your torrents are well-seeded before you stop seeding.
• Do not delete group names from the torrents (Group names usually appear after a hyphen - ).
• You must have legal rights to the file you are uploading.
• If there is not a category for it, then it is not allowed.
• Films with Black & White sections (like DVDScr), time counters, or watermarks (like "property of" messages) are not allowed. TV caps or HDTV caps with TV network logos are allowed.
• Hard coded subtitles (encoded into the picture) are not allowed, unless they are present in the original film source.
• No upscales.
• No TLF releases are allowed.
• No DEViSE releases are allowed.
• No BD5 or BD9 releases are allowed (Ex: Chakra)

Uploading Quality Requirements:

• Every upload must contain a proper description (See below).
• Every upload must contain full sized screen shots (the same as the display resolution of the video).
• Every upload must adhere to the naming guidelines.
  Uploads may be deleted at a moderator's discretion when there are clear errors in the release (including, but not limited to: incorrect aspect ratio, bad cropping, bad IVTC and other errors). This means cropping mistakes of more than just a pixel or two, a framerate of 29.97fps for encodes from telecined sources, or an aspect ratio error of more than 3% may mean an upload will be deleted without warning.
  
  If it is not listed as allowed, then it is not allowed.
• Allowed Movie Types:
  
  • x264 Encodes
  • DVD-r (No DivX/XviD/x264 to DVD conversions)
  
  
• Allowed Movie Sources:
  
  • R5 / R5.LiNE
  • DVDScr (no VHS->DVDR sources, true DVDScr only)
  • Retail DVD
  • DVD-r (untouched video/audio only, and list the release name)
  • HDTV transport stream (.ts)
  • HD-DVD
  • Blu-Ray
  
  
• Allowed TV "types":
  
  • Single complete season packs.
  • Multiple complete season packs
  • "Half season" Packs.
    - Defined as: If a TV series takes a break of 30 days or more during the natural run of the televised season, it may be uploaded as a half season pack made of the available episodes. Also if you feel that your internet connection will not allow a timely delivery of content, you may break a full season into two packs. The second must be uploaded as soon as the first is out and seeded.
  
  
• Prohibited TV "types":
  
  • Single episodes (this includes random eps, 0-day eps, single HD episodes, etc.).
  • Incomplete season or incomplete "Half Season" packs (those with missing episodes).
  
  
• Allowed Containers/Extensions:
  
  • .MKV
  • .MP4 (no AC3 in mp4 container due to compatibility issues)
  • .ISO
  • .IMG
  • .VOB (see below)
  
  
  .VOB files can ONLY be uploaded as full and complete VIDEO_TS folders. They must be made from retail DVDs only. No leaving out any files. No unpacking scene releases to a VIDEO_TS folder. Please follow one of the DVD ripping guides located here in the forums: DVD Ripping Guides
• Required Description Information:
  
  • Source of encode
  • Video Codec and Bitrate
  • Audio Codec, Bitrate and Number of Channels
  • Resolution (If anamorphic, state display resolution)
  • Aspect Ratio
  • Frame Rate
  • Runtime
  • If there is no English audio track, state the audio language and state what language subtitles are included (English subs are required on films with no English audio)
  • If you have an encode that is 29.97fps, please provide a short source sample in the description to show that the source is not telecined and that it was properly deinterlaced.
  
  If you need to find out the information above, use AVInaptic. You can also use the newest MediaInfo, but itwill not display the bitrate for AAC audio.
• Minimum File Size and Length Rules:
  
  • Minimum size for a full length movie encode = 600 MB
  • Minimum length for a full length movie encode = 60 minutes (1 hour)
  • This means no shorts, "extras", or anything else that falls below the minimum size and length rule!
  • Minimum size for a Half Hour episode = 130 MB
  • Minimum size for a Full Hour episode = 330 MB
  • The movie categories are for movies only.
  • Minimum size for a DVD-r = 3.5 GB
  
  
  If you have something interesting that somehow violates these rules, ask a mod and we might make an exception.

Downloading rules - By not following these rules you will lose download privileges!

• Users with a ratio below .50 & who downloaded more than 2 GB for 1 week (7 days) will be warned to correct their ratio. They wll be able to seed/leech 5 torrents. If they don't fix their ratio after 2 weeks they will be automatically demoted to peasant and limited to 2 torrents max. Peasants will have 2 weeks to increase their ratio or their account will be deleted.
• Moderators and Administrators may disable you at any point if it is clear that you have no intentions of keeping a good ratio. If this happens, do not ask for your account back as it will not happen!
• If you have downloaded less than 2 GB you will not have to worry about automatic demotion but will only be able seed/leech 5 torrents at a time. After you have downloaded 2 GB and your ratio is above .5 you will be able to seed/leech 20 torrents at a time. (please also bear in mind the above)
• Users will be able to seed/leech 5 torrents at a time.
• Power Users/ Uploaders will be able to seed/leech 100 torrents at a time.
• If you are warned to fix your ratio, do not ask what your ratio must be to have the warning removed. Anyone with a ratio below 1.0 is not being fair and may be deleted in extreme cases.
• You must have legal rights to the file you are downloading.
• You must seed all torrents for a minimum of 72hours, or to a 1:1 ratio (whichever comes first). Once you reach either 72hours, or a 1:1 ratio, you can stop the torrent. Please note: The 72hours can be off and on over the course of a week or more if necessary. It does not need to be 72 uninterrupted hours.

General Torrent Comments Guidelines - Please follow these guidelines or else you might end up with a warning!

• Always respect the uploader! (Don't bite the hand that feeds you)
• Please limit your torrent comments to the specific upload in question.
• Please keep all critical comments regarding the encode constructive, offer advice and suggestions, but do not flame the encoder.
• Do not request a particular torrent be made free or ask if it will be free.
• No language other than English in the Comments.
• No systematic foul language.
• No aggressive behavior or flaming.
• No links to warez or crack sites.
• No requesting or posting of serials, CD keys, passwords or cracks.
• Remember our releases are not subject to your own taste, If you don't like a release, stay away from it.

I recently got in here, and I gotta say I'm pretty disappointed after reading and hearing a lot of positive stuff about it from various sources. First of all I was expecting that x264 meant that it would be all 720p/other HD stuff, but actually MOST of the content is not HD. I fail to see the point of encoding video into x264 at a resolution lower than 720p-in that case you might as well just get an xvid dvdrip or whatever (which it also doesn't have of course).

Added to that, it seems like only a few torrents per day get added, and activity on all but the latest torrents seems to die out pretty quickly, making it extremely difficult to seed. I've been using my seedbox on it for the past week and I'm still only a bit above 1.0 ratio (starting from almost zero download & upload), while on other HD sites I've uploaded more on a single torrent during this past week than I have on like 5 simultaneous torrents at x264.

All in all it seems like this is really a niche tracker and most people shouldn't bother with it.

Forget to say, they have quiet good invite forum for Power User and above

Originally Posted by OrangeArmy

All in all it seems like this is really a niche tracker and most people shouldn't bother with it.

I absolutely agree.

If you can't tell the difference between a scene xvid and a properly encoded x264, then you really don't belong here. It's difficult to build a ratio unless you're willing to upload your own content, non-scene, user-created content is encouraged. Luckily, there are a lot of resources available that make creating your encodes very easy. I, personally, love any site that encourages user-created content. This has also ensured that x264 has a ton of rips unique to the site.