SuperNZB client mini-review

[zot]

I was just looking at an NZB downloader client called SuperNZB for the first time. It reminds me of a lot of software applications from the 1990s, when the GUI fashion was to have multiple free-floating pop-up windows - a common feature before 'tabs' became the de facto standard for juggling multiple screens. And oddly, no right-click menu items here. But it's not that being eccentric is necessarily a bad thing - I get tired of seeing all the cookie-cutter copies of software (Ultraleecher/Newsleecher comes to mind).

A few notable non-features:

* No 'age of file' listing
* No way to pause specific files (like PARs) in queue
* Downloads all PARs - needed or not
* No fill-server support
* No 'server disconnect' button (you can only wait for all currently-downloading articles to finish)
* Changing Settings requires shutting down and restarting client
* a few small bugs (like a NZB's percent completion listed as over 100%)

Most of the things on this list are just small annoyances. To take one example, there is no column listing for the file's age. When I grabbed a few old NZBs (of unknown age) I had lying around, and nothing happened, I had no easy way of knowing if this was because they were older than the server's retention, or some other reason. However, the lack of fill-server support is a real deal-breaker for me, since a lot of MP3s get posted without any pars, and completion on older (500+ day) posts is often quite poor these days.

I like the fact that the software is free without any time limits -- though the unregistered version is limited to only two connections. (I have a bad habit of installing trial software, spending a few minutes trying to figure it out, and then getting hit by the 15-day expiration before I even get a chance to go back a second time and fully try it out.)

Although OK as far as free software goes, in my opinion, there are just far too many things that SuperNZB lacks as an NZB downloader to make it a worthwhile $40 purchase - especially considering all the other free and low-priced binary-newsreaders/NZB-downloaders currently available. And some pay-newsreaders also have many additional features such as (compressed) header support, bandwidth throttle, scheduling, playing partially-downloaded xvids, extreme configurability/tweaker settings, and various other frills.

However, the one notable feature that SuperNZB has is an NZB article completion checker that (unlike most other completion checkers) works very fast with Readnews servers. That feature alone makes the free version a very worthwhile installation.

hxxp://www.techsono.com/supernzb/

[Stabber]

How would you compare it with the big names ?

newsbin and newsleecher?

[mjmacky]

Almost all of those "non-features" are pretty big deal breakers, and on top of that it still would cost $40. That feels pretty steep, and this is their final product, not beta right?

[zot]

SuperNZB has one *outstanding* feature: (rapidly) checking completion on Readnews servers. No other 'NZB checker' application (that I'm aware of) can do this.

Another feature I really like is the ability to add or subtract connections on-the-fly as a file downloads. (Most newsreaders won't let you do this, but a few will)

But other than that, I'd give it only an average rating as a free news client, but for $40 I think you could find many better things to spend your money on. Both NewsbinPro and Newsleecher are much more polished clients, and even free NZB-downloaders like Sabnzbd or Altbinz (v0.25) are more advanced.

Apparently SuperNZB has been out for 5 years, but somehow it feels more like a new-release beta software. I suspect one reason why might be because the developer has perhaps received little feedback from users (there is no user forum) and may not be an avid usenet downloader himself. I say this because some of the standard features, demanded by users, and found in virtually every mainstream news client - such as the ability to selectively pause certain files in the download queue (such as samples, pars, or extra CDs from a multi-CD set) - these "must-have" features are inexplicably missing.

I think I accidently touched the "clear all" button with my coffee cup, and everything I had in the queue - about a dozen downloading files - simply vanished! It didn't ask for verification as it should have (and no 'undo' either ) so I instantly lost it all.

To me, it's just plain common sense that ANY major irreversible changes - such as mass deletions - should require at least two separate user actions (such as 2 separate mouse-clicks separated by a "do you really want to ... " popup warning) as a safety mechanism to prevent accidents.

So in this regard SuperNZB is like having a loaded gun without a safety switch.

[Stabber]

in terms of speed ? how does it compare to newsbin or newsleecher ?

[zot]

in terms of speed ? how does it compare to newsbin or newsleecher ?

Huh?

Every multi-thread downloading client should max-out your internet connection, so 'speed' is not really a determining factor.

But rather than relying on my opinion - download it and see for yourself - it's a free software. And very good at certain functions.

www.techsono.com/supernzb/

[Stabber]

in terms of speed ? how does it compare to newsbin or newsleecher ?

Huh?

Every multi-thread downloading client should max-out your internet connection, so 'speed' is not really a determining factor.

But rather than relying on my opinion - download it and see for yourself - it's a free software. And very good at certain functions.

www.techsono.com/supernzb/

Not quite , using newsleecher , sabnzbd and newsbin pro i realised that only newsbin maximizes my speed .

[zot]

Not quite , using newsleecher , sabnzbd and newsbin pro i realised that only newsbin maximizes my speed .

That makes no sense to me. Unless perhaps you have a very old computer and a very fast internet connection (not a smart combination) But if that's the case, then the most efficiently coded software will win the race on such a mis-matched, overloaded system.

[cola]

Maybe he isn't using enough connections.

[Stabber]

btw 40$ for supernzb seems a lot !!!