Format Preferences

Format Preferences This is how we want our stuff packaged

We only accept complete, Anime/manga-related Series/Movies/OVAs/printed materials. We also allow Live Action adaptations (of anime/manga and related games/eroge/visual novels).

The Torrent Content Upload Guidelines cover what content is allowed to be uploaded here. In this section, we describe in detail how we want this content to be packaged.

General Preferences

In general, we accept only:

Media:	Preferred:	Try not to offer:	Comments:
Video	Codecs: Xvid, H.264/AVC Containers: AVI, MKV, MP4 Subtitles: Softsubs	Codecs: WMV, RM, QT, etc Containers: MPG, OGM, RM, etc Subtitles: hardsubs	Containers picked for support and acceptance for anime-viewing. Codec selection is balanced for compression efficiency and community acceptance. Softsubs are preferred for flexibility.
Audio	Lossy: MP3 Lossless: FLAC	OGG, APE, TTA	Widespread support & acceptance preferred. Secondarily, open-source formats preferred.
Scans	Images: PNG, JPG Archives: ZIP, RAR	Images: GIF, BMP, TIFF Archives: 7z, GZip	PNG and JPG preferred for good compression and quality. GIF generally discouraged unless scans are poor. Archives selected for widespread use and compatibility. Refer to the offer-making walkthrough for manga archival.
Light Novels	Images: PNG, JPG Documents: PDF	Images: GIF, BMP, TIFF Documents: DOC, DOCX, WRI, RTF, TXT, etc.	Still experimental.

Preferences are further detailed below. There are some exceptions to these guidelines.

Video

In selecting accepted formats for release, we go for the best quality possible, but we also try to accomodate lower-spec machines that might not be able to handle high-bitrate content.

Video Groupings

There is no group for 2160p because anime is not yet produced in this resolution.

• (Group A) 1080p (1920 wide by 1080 tall at 16:9) releases (HD)
• (Group B) 720p (1280 wide x 720 tall at 16:9) releases (also HD)
• (Group C) SD: 576p (704 tall x 576 wide) and below, including:

• ED: 480p (640 tall x 480 wide at 4:3 or 720x480 at 16:9) or LDs:
• 360p 640×360 at 16:9
• 360p 480×360 at 4:3
• 240p 320×240 at 4:3

• (Group D) Staff-approved exceptions
  • Groups A, B and C have 2 slots each, for the best available single-audio and multi-audio releases.
  • If the best available release* happens to be multi-audio, only one slot will be used.

* Releases are judged on video, audio and subtitles. A multi-audio release that is, in all three aspects, comparable to or better than a single-audio release will displace it.

Accepted releases

Each video group will hold no more than 2 releases, one per slot (single-audio/multi-audio). Under certain circumstances listed below, we may grant some releases under video group D:

• Very high bitrate content in Group B with no accepted releases in Group C
  • A lower-bitrate option may be granted in Group D for lower-spec machines.
• A release with lower video quality, but has better subtitles than existing releases.
• Other notable exceptions, to be decided by staff.
  • E.g. PSNR's HDTV release of GitS movie, which has video quite different from the filtered Blurays.

Note: Offers for a release might not be accepted if a better/preferred version is on the way.

Exceptions to Guidelines

The following exceptions apply:

Exception 1

HDTV/DVD rips are temporarily allowed if complete Bluray rips are more than a month away. These will be replaced once the Bluray release is uploaded.

Exception 2

We're still thinking.

Other Guidelines

Re-muxing of audio and subtitle tracks from other groups is generally discouraged. Keep group releases intact as far as possible.

Exception 1

We will accept remuxes if the available releases all fail terribly in one or more aspects (video, audio, subtitling, etc). We will not approve releases with audio from one group and video from another, just because "the audio track from one is somewhat better than the other".

Exception 2

Remuxes that combine a HD video quality release with the english audio track of a lower video quality release will be considered only if there is no sign of a dual audio HD release appearing any time soon. The timing of the audio and subs must be spot on, we do not want some demux, remux, release crap.
If any HD dual audio alternative exists (either 720p or higher) a remux will not be considered just because it is not available in all HD resolutions.

Exception 3

Remuxes that combine the best tracks from different, but otherwise complete releases or leave a release as-is BUT add a significant improvement to it (addition of relevant notes or QCing the script) will be considered on a case-to-case basis.

NOTE: If allowed all remuxed releases must have 'Remux' keyword and credit the groups used in suggested format:

• [Groups] [Title] [Episode number] [CRC] - source of the video (TV, DVD or Bluray) may be added as well, but is optional.
• [BBT-RMX] [Groups] [Title] [Episode number] [CRC] - alternative naming if the remux is intended specifically for BakaBT.

NOTE 2: To keep better track of our files even upon removal please update them in our AniDB entry.

Manga & Printed Material

• We allow up to 2 manga releases (best scanlation version and possibly an industry scan) for each manga series.
• We only allow 1 release (best quality version) for artbooks and/or other printed material. Exceptions may apply on a case-by-case basis.
• We will consider allowing incomplete manga up to the end of the latest story arc if the manga is at least 10 volumes long OR 5 years old.
• Exceptions may be granted for completely serialised manga that are not completely scanlated and have no active scanlators working on it.
• (Group-based classification is not used for manga.)

Soundtracks

We only allow 2 versions of any OST album/compilation:

• (Group B) 1 lossless release, in FLAC format
  • All other lossless formats should be converted to FLAC before uploading.
  • FLAC offers must be in one-file-per-track format.
• When editing the torrent, lossless torrents should be set to Group B, and lossy should be set to Group C.
• (Group C) 1 lossy release, in MP3 format
  • Best quality possible, i.e. 320kbps CBR or v0 VBR
• (Group A and D classifications are not used for soundtracks.)

Other

If in doubt, remember our mantra: Quality over quantity

Do read the walkthrough to making a torrent offer if it is your first time making one.

Extra Files

Files with the following extensions should be added as extra files:

• .nfo
• .txt
• .log
• .sfv
• .md5

The following files may be added as part of the main torrent (moderator's decisions will override these rules):

• Translation notes (for certain anime series or manga)
• Timed subtitles (.ass/.srt/,sub), in English only. Subtitle files for other languages should be attached as extra files if so desired.
• Album cover scans (for soundtrack/single albums)

Where in doubt, ask in the Uploader's Forum.