keep reading about astraweb glitches and vs Usenetnow??

[shakezilla]

is this really still a issue or is it pretty uncommon to see...?? id like to buy a year and dont want to have a year of issues? otherwise Usenetnow looked like a possible option.. again sorry for being a noob i think i have this mostly figured out i just dont want to waste this money if astra is that bad service wise..

but i see astra block accounts are higher..

am i missing any real good alternatives to astra or Usenetnow without getting something from giga or highwinds??

thank you again i hope to not have many more questions like this (im trying)

edit: some of you mentioned a blocknews 9$ 100gb account i cant find that all the prices i see are 14.95? any way to get the 9$ one? otherwise newsdemon has 200gb for 19$if blocknews is really 15$ for 100gb is it worth 19$ for 200gb

[hdjunky]

Newsdemon is highwinds. Plus the price you quoted does not include ssl. If you click that checkbox you will see it adds 2 bucks more to the price. More highwinds hijinks CHARGING for ssl. Lmao

Are you sure you wanna pay a year if you are just getting started? I've been using usenet for 15 plus years and refuse to pay long term to each there own though.

I like usenetnow and frugal usenet personally. Better support that astraweb. I was left hanging by astra a few years ago because no support on the weekends. Up to you if that matters to you.

I don't know where that blocknews price is you mentioned. I know I got that price for my account around the holidays so maybe that's why it is gone.

[shakezilla]

ahh thanks for the info on newsdemon.... still torn on astra vs usenetnow i guess. how is usenetnow with dmca stuff?

[cola]

they don't seem to be too quick to do takedowns if any. Plus most people use BlockNews (usenetnow reseller) for backup servers anyways.

[shakezilla]

but if im correct as someone else here said i dont want to use both blocknews AND usenetnow together correct? as it would just be redundant..? so im i understand correct if something is missing from usenetnow it would be missing also from blocknews which is why i would want astra and blocknews? or would i better spending a bit more on a astra block account and using usenetnow for unlimited...

[cola]

Yeah, blocknews & usenetnow are the same servers, just different types of accounts.

Astra + Blocknews is popular because it would be the cheapest option. Blocknews is pretty cheap. Astra's block accounts aren't really as cheap.

[shakezilla]

is the astra glitches and retention issues still really problems or are they kind of old news now? and thanks for the responses

[cola]

They crop up from time to time. It's random, but I would set the US server as your primary and the EU as your backup. Plus getting a block account elsewhere really helps.

Even a 5GB blocknews account could last a year or more.

[Hypatia]

s the astra glitches and retention issues
they dont have retention issues.
however _at the moment_ there is a certain range(which is hard to pinpoint now because its moving back in time) where files are corrupted to a certain %. it is somewhere around 200 days ago +- (90+) days
but id say having corrupted files is better than 100% removal( which supernews\highwinds do on many console games)


I would set the US server as your primary and the EU as your backup. Plus getting a block account elsewhere really helps.
it depends on where he lives. for instance im in europe and i have shitty speed with US server

so i have Eu as a promary, US as an optional 1, xsusenet as an optional 2 and blocknews a sa backup
sabnzbd cant set preferences for servers so if you set up AW US and blocknews as backup both it might download missing articles at first from blocknews.


Ive been using this setup (http://filesharingtalk.com/threads/444148-Proper-Servers-Setup-VS-Incompletes) for several weeks now and i dont have any problems with completion whatsoever except for slower speed when downloading from the infamous "bad range" on AW.

[shakezilla]

im in the us..and okay i think i get what you mean about the time frame thing now so it was a certain batch or set or incompletes that are slowing going away.. anything since then?

should i be at all concerned about being in the us and using a us server as far as laws etc..

[Funkin']

Thanks for bringing up that Newsdemon block account, TC. Even with the $2 extra for SSL that's pretty cheap it looks like for 200GB. Astra charges $25 for 180GB. For paid services I've really only ever used Astra, and have always been happy with them. But maybe I'll give this Newsdemon package a try.

[cola]

Using the US primary and EU as backup (or vice versa depending on location) is only because sometimes one server will have missing articles that the other server won't have.

[sandman_1]

I have been using Astra over the years and other than a few speed hiccups, I haven't had any issues with getting a "complete" file and I don't even have a block account. There have been some instances where I had to do repairs but all were repairable. I use all 3 of Astra's SSL server addresses and spread my connections across all and maxes out my 30Mbps connection 99% of the time, even get 34Mbps sometimes. The most complaints I have seen have been about Astra's support and speed. Some people, apparently, have issues with speed, some get really bad speed drops to like under 100Kbps. I haven't experienced it but I have had it drop to around 10Mbps with my line for a little bit. All in all though, I am happy with the service and I have pulled articles from all kinds of date ranges including on the edge of their retention age.

My setup includes all 3 of their SSL server addresses + a free XSUsenet account, like a "block" account sort of. XSUsenet only has about half the retention as Astra though and it is only 1Mbps. It works fine with me; although getting a blocknews account, is also a good way to go too.

Good luck with whomever you decide to go with...

[Hypatia]

sandman_1

on the edge of their retention age.

well, the main complaint is not about the edge of their retention. I download stuff posted there at 6MB.
Its all about the "bad range" Files posted around 200 days ago (http://nzbindex.nl/search/?q=efnet&age=250&max=25&minage=200&sort=agedesc&minsize=3000&maxsize=&dq=&poster=&nfo=&hidespam=0&hidespam=1&more=1) +-100 days or so.

[sandman_1]

I didn't say it was.

[Hypatia]

It is really scary. =)

One of the first releases i grabbed from the link above:

swehd.fifa2011.wwc.qf.swe.vs.aus.x264, Completion: 80% 3323 of 4112 (US & EU )



We are still working on the completion issue within the ranged that you have mentioned. The missing files are still in the process of being recovered <==== that was 18 january 2012



PS Btw Newsbin Pro has a nice feature now.
It can check if files are available on the servers.
And if you have "fill" servers active NB will try to fill missing parts from them.
So it gives a clear picture whether one will be able to download a particular release with all those backup servers active or not.
Its pretty neat

[cola]

Is that on the beta version? They had it in a previous beta, but then took it out. Hoped they'd bring it back.

[Hypatia]

Newsbin 6.30 Beta 3 has it(the last beta)

Though i suppose you could use for this purpose nzb download checker. Just check all the servers u want to be active
as for nzb completion checker it supports only one server setup

[hdjunky]

Thanks for bringing up that Newsdemon block account, TC. Even with the $2 extra for SSL that's pretty cheap it looks like for 200GB. Astra charges $25 for 180GB. For paid services I've really only ever used Astra, and have always been happy with them. But maybe I'll give this Newsdemon package a try.

Just be careful since it is highwinds you may need another backup account to fill in there holes. I read some people have there accounts showing the GBs expire after a year or even rebill so make sureyou double checkb your online account after sign up. Newsdemon likes to......promise the world and under deliver. Lol

[Funkin']

Oh really...I haven't been keeping up to date with other providers so I didn't know if Newsdemon was sketchy or not. Guess I'll just stick with what I'm used to and don't have problems with. Thanks for the info.

Unless there are any other good providers that offer similar sized block accounts for similar prices?

[zsinyoz]

I am use usenet is good, fast, and reliable services.

[MultiForce]

I am use usenet is good, fast, and reliable services.

I agree.

You should use my avatar :)

[rapidfire]

Oh really...I haven't been keeping up to date with other providers so I didn't know if Newsdemon was sketchy or not. Guess I'll just stick with what I'm used to and don't have problems with. Thanks for the info.

Unless there are any other good providers that offer similar sized block accounts for similar prices?

thecubenet ain't bad for the pricing, i have it paired with a unlimited account from usenetnow good cheap combo