Virgin's Usenet?
 

Hi guys,

Has anyone else noticed that we have access to stuff as old as 400+ days now? I've been paying for astraweb but I am going to cancel it now, seeing as I get similar service for free! :D

Use this tool to check: http://members.home.nl/yencbin_poste...nload_checker/

Load the server and nzb into that and it'll check if the posts are on the servers if you don't believe me. :P

Seems VM has just paid highwinds-media to let virgin users connect to their servers, a traceroute shows news.virginmedia.com going to the exact same server that the premium hosts use (e.g. newsdemon and usenet-news) :)

Thanks,
internetguy

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

Retention is one thing, 99.99% completes is another.. You'll find that the highwinds servers can be very variable with thier completes

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

True but they are often complete enough so that they can be repaired :)

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

Not sure what I'm doing wrong? Used the app it said all the files are available but when I try and download with GrabIt, all articles could not be found?

Anyone help please?

Thanks...

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

I can confirm retention is definitely longer, but not 'complete'.

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

Over the past week or so virgins news server has been less than useless. 99% of rar's are inncomplete. some smaller files like tv rips are fixable with quickpar. however dvd size files are out of the question too many errors and missing rars.

Untill last week it was running perfect for me, full speeds allmost 24/7. i really do hope they sort this out soon.

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

Do people here mean news.virginmedia.com?

I have been trying to get a Oblivion game mod(12gig) which is 10days old and I can't get it, I am using Alt-Binz program.

So what is the retention now?

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

They haven't made a mess up like showing the server's full retention in the group list but only allowing VM customers to access posts from 7 days have they?

Not unlikely.

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

I've never been able to download anything older than 7 days - longer retention is a myth.

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

Highwinds are maybe teasing in a sort of Jim Bowen 'Look at what you could have won...' style by showing headers for their full retention but only allowing you to download articles up to 7 days :)

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

Plus they (Highwinds) have had a major problem for the last 2-3 months where binaries are corrupt and they still can't sort it out after all this time. Some people say it's ok but others still get corrupted binaries and they haven't a clue as yet as to the problem, it's just laughable. See virginmedia.support.usenet and look for posts with 'Ticket F001035570' in the headers!

If any company you bought a service from failed to fix a problem after all this time I'd be giving them a rocket and maybe looking at possible legal action.

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

I do not see any major problems. I've been grabbing TV shows that are 300+ days old fine. An incomplete now and then but these are repairable. :dozey:

Really? Then i'm proving the myth to be true. http://i49.tinypic.com/10x7bl1.png :)

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

@internetguy: As I said, 'some' people are having major problems, just read the posts in the support newsgroup to see the examples.

I've little faith in them fixing the problem 'anytime soon' for those affected!!

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

Screenshot means nothing mate - I can use my Astraweb settings and set them up called VM (HW)

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

Why would I do that??

You can see in this one the server settings: http://i50.tinypic.com/s4ylq0.png
:)

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

I have seen similar results but it is not in any way consistent.

I have seen stuff not available 10 days old but then able to download something say 60 days old. Then say something 120 days old but nothing in between.

Also the server is stalling and as others have said they are receiving incompletes but others aren't.

It's an inconsistent mess basically. I went the astraweb route. £7 a month.

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

I can only get 7 days retention :(
I hope VM rasie this a little.

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

Can anyone tell me how to set up grabbit ot newsleecher for virgins usenet - as in what address and do i need log in details for it?

Thanks

LTG

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

Under the "Manage" tab add a new usenet server and use "server name" "news.virginmedia.com" port 119. You could choose several connections to maintain maximum download speeds (depends on your Virginmedia plan, but for me on a M plan 3 connections is enough).

No need for login details since they would know that you're connecting from a Virgin IP.

Click "Subscribe to Groups" and it should download the current list of newsgroups and there you could subscribe to whichever you choose.

I could confirm that internetguy is telling the truth about downloading South Park episodes posted on alt.binaries.tv over 390days ago!! It's crazy, but like greeninferno says it's very inconsistent when I tried downloading from other groups and other periods. Maybe it is that specific posting period and/or for that specific group.

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

Brilliant, and to think I been paying for this! Mind you not all files are there retention doesn't appear great but for free!!!

Thanks guys

LTG

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

Perish the thought of paying... *laughs*

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

Hi all,

New to the forum - was actually just looking for Virgin's complete frouplist. Couldn't be arsed to fire up Agent to check it, so googled & ended up here - in this thread of all places.


Anyway, my tuppence-worth of blether:

You'll be lucky to grab anything over 7 days; if I personally miss something, I might just get away with an 8-day old item (I use NZBs & the 'Matrix'). After that, nothing is ever complete. I'd actually be happy to pay a coupla more quid for longer retention - as long as it still worked out less than Astra, et al.

As an aside, just switched from Alt.Binz to SabNZBd - how awesome is that?

;)

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

633KB/s lol i get 6120KB/s on my 50mb. Astraweb are poor left them months ago now with Newsdemon £12 for 608days.

On Sundays Astraweb i could only get 2000-3000KB/s and there was so many incompletes.

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

Supanews are good and a Giganews reseller.

zara dont be tight both Astra and Supa are only 7 measly quid a month just look at the content

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

i've noticed that the files usually have to be at least as old as 300 days for them to reappear on the servers. i have grabbed stuff as old as 600 days and its been complete - i don't know why, but the retention stops at 7 days and resumes at 300-400 days - odd!!

Re: Virgin's Usenet?
 

Heh! Joined Astra last month & happily downloading stuff over 650 days old. Best £7 I've spent in a long time. 717 days retention, 99% completion, 20 SSL connections. What's not to like? :)