For those who don't know Usenet, it's a peer to peer network that involves news boards and binary boards. The binary boards allow you to download the same sort of things as you'd find on BitTorrent, but with proper servers so you aren't relying on peers being online when you want to download. It's a lot faster than BT (it will simply download files at the maximum speed available), and you can get encrypted connections so your ISP can't send you threatening letters. It costs around $10+ a month for an account.
Anyway, I've recently signed up for an account at Newshosting and am trying to work out how to get the best out of it. Any tips or tricks would be great.
Anyone here use Usenet?
Posts: 1079
Don't really know why I've put off getting down with the Usenet to date. Probably something to do with ease of other piratical methods even considering Megaupload etc. fuckdowns of late.
You'll need a search engine to track down those helpful .nzb files. Newzbin's the infamous one (hell, it's their file format) but there are others.
Yeah, Newshosting offer a free browser, but t seems pretty clunky to me.
I've been hounded my a couple of acquaintances to hop on to newsgroups for years, but my laziness and sub free Torrents have prevented me so far, that and the fact I only download a few TV shows most weeks and maybe a film once or twice a year.
"Hate Filled Poster"
Easynews is all you need to know.
+1 to this. Have used it for about 7 years now.
GT: Jimmy The Lips
PSN: Jimmy_The_Lips
Another "Hate filled poster"
Easynet's pricey for unlimited downloads, three times what I'm paying with Newshosting. Is it really that much better?
I wouldn't consider anyone else. The HTTP search ability is phenomenal.
Wait, people pay to use these things?
Christ.
XBL: Dark Junglist PSN: DarkJunglist
Playing: Trials Evolution, Peggle
You pay for a much faster and more reliable connection which, with my shitty Egyptian internets, makes a real difference to how quickly I can get hold of stuff.
Ah, cept all my usual places are incredibly reliable speed wise. Maxes out my connection constantly.
XBL: Dark Junglist PSN: DarkJunglist
Playing: Trials Evolution, Peggle
There's no requirement/pressure to seed though - most of those private tracker sites are full of it.
I just nab whatever off IsoHunt and EZTV and it's done by the time I finish breakfast.
"Hate Filled Poster"
NZB files are also encrypted (is my understanding), so while your isp can tell you are downloading stuff they can't tell what.
NZBMatrix seems good for sourcing.
Not with Ratiomaster they ain't. I've rarely seeded in my life.
XBL: Dark Junglist PSN: DarkJunglist
Playing: Trials Evolution, Peggle
I assume it's a private tracker though?
the main one, no, you just have a 24hr delay unless you achieve a 1:1 ratio, which with RM is piss easy.
PtP, yup, but then it has every film since the late 1800s pretty much so its worth it, and you don't need a 1:1 ratio.
XBL: Dark Junglist PSN: DarkJunglist
Playing: Trials Evolution, Peggle
Wow, that sounds decent.
Best private tracker i've been on. I'm on a 0.72 ratio right now, never been warned.
XBL: Dark Junglist PSN: DarkJunglist
Playing: Trials Evolution, Peggle
I'd ask for details but there's no sodding PM system on here!
PM me on the old place chap, i'll take some screenshots.
XBL: Dark Junglist PSN: DarkJunglist
Playing: Trials Evolution, Peggle
How do things like this still exist? I mean, with Napster/Kazaa/Limewire etc getting the shaft as obvious piracy machines, and Megaupload and its ilk now getting it, how can anything that works around centralised servers be remotely legal?
I see how torrents can hang around because of the decentralised nature, but even the tracker sites seem to take a constant bit of legal abuse. How does Usenet sneak by?
We all live here now. Come to The Bear & Badger!
Contribute!Well, it's a right jibbidy to learn, and low-traffic in piracy terms. IRC, too.
Also, most Usenet providers offer encrypted connections so there's no way of your ISP knowing what you're downloading.
I love that Soulseek is still going, damn useful for the odd rarity that.
Fair enough, but it wouldn't be very challenging for (say) the anti-piracy police to sign up for an account with Newzbin or whoever then go "hey, look at all this!" before shutting them down?
We all live here now. Come to The Bear & Badger!
Contribute!I think they are just not as 'big' as Torrent sites, or at least not as high profile in the media.
With this kind of thing it tends to be the household names that get the old bill poking around. Napster, Kaza, limewire, Megaupload, PirateBay were all the leaders in their individual field and the greater piracy world.
Usenet groups on the other hand don't seem to have an out and out leading site and I get the impression the percentage of piracy down to news groups seems low. (purely guess work, I imagine stats would be very hard to piece together).
That and those profiteering don't buy Bentleys with "God" as the number plate and change their surname to Dotcom.
After all the huffing and puffing about the Pirate Bay, it's still there, same as it ever was.
And Bayfiles is their new swap-in for Megaupload lol
Another question, anyone used sabnzbd and/or Sickbeard? I've heard good things about them both, but can't get them to run. They're both written in Python, so I've installed that, but now I can't get the actual apps running. How's this supposed to work? Any ideas?
I've got SABNZBD running fine. Just download it then run the dmg/exe depending on operating system.
Run the application/programme.
Go to "Config", small tab toward the top left with spanner image
On the left go to the "Servers" tab
Punch in your info provided by your host (in my case newsdemon.com)
Bingo.
Then back on the main page just hit "Add NZB"
As for Sickbeard, I have used it but my old housemate set it up. If you can get it working it is well worth the effort, that for TV and couch potato for movies and you are flying.