i wouldnt waste my time with torrents now. it is one of those things hard to explain but once you make the jump for yourself you will just know and wish you did it long ago. if you are all in for under a $100 per year, i dont consider that expensive at all.
Here is a good list of active groups, i am sure there are more. of course plenty of binary groups are active to. if one you like isnt that active, why not try to revive it?