Need some help choosing a provider

[Hole69]

I'm switching from DDL (very broken now) and I think I'll go for Newshosting - $100 for a year and blocknews. Opinions? I'm setting up sabnzb on Debian (squeeze) system. Do I need anything else?

[Hypatia]

Everything that is said about Supernews can be applied to Newshosting(Higwinds reseller)


Supernews:

+fast support
+great speed
+almost nonexistent technical problems


-DMCA takedowns(mostly HBO tv shows - they remove 1-3 blocks from every file so usually it can be repaired without the help of the block account; console games that are uploaded under their full titles- now this one is bad. 100% removal. Not all of course and they get reposted often but still)+ sometimes some mega popular blockbuster shite(occasinally)
- uploading is not safe( they can ban your account for posting to usenet copyrighted material if they get complaints(two strikes policy)

Astraweb:

+little to none DMCA takedowns
+generally very good speed(but sometimes you have to try direct server's ip addesses to get more juice)
+safe uploading

-somewhat slow in terms of responce support
-from time to time they have technical glitches that ruin files. ( atm they have 200 days fucked up (out of 1200 mind you, so not that large) this is where block account comes into play

The most popular combos atm are:

1) supernews($9.99/month $99/year) + blocknews account(9$/100Gb)

2) Astraweb ( $11/month $96/year) + blocknews account(9$/100Gb)

+ you can also use as backup server xsusenet(it covers 390 days and its free)

if you dont plan on
1)downloading lots of console games
2)uploading stuff

then i suppose you could go for SN or NH + xsusenetn+blocknews

NH used to have general completion problem in addition to DMCA takedowns but i have no idea if they've fixed it

PS and take with a grain of salt everything that nntpjunkie posts- he has a newshosting affiliate program running on his site and is known for promoting it =))

[MultiForce]

I'm downloading 500GB-1TB a month and use SuperNews and Astraweb + a free xsusenet account.

I'm on a 100mbps connection and use 10 connections to each server (AW EU, AW US and SN) + the 2 connections to xsusenet. A lot of connections but it's mostly to be sure I max out my connection all the time.

Never any problems with missing articles or other stuf unless the poster messed up.

I'm using Newsbin though but used sab before and I don't think there's much difference.

[shakezilla]

which would you choose if you only had to pick one to start multi?? (tv, movies, console stuff mainly)

[Hole69]

Thanks; in sabnzb do I set Newshosting as primary and blocknews as optional or backup? I mostly download films, and only PC games, so the console problem isn't an issue for me.

[MultiForce]

which would you choose if you only had to pick one to start multi?? (tv, movies, console stuff mainly)

I would go for AstraWeb since GigaNews(/SuperNews) has some problems with DMCA takedowns.

[hdjunky]

Newshosting sucks...well any highwinds sucks. Get blocknews to backup someone else. I use frugal usenet for 60 a year since I get everything as it is posted so 300 days retention is perfect.

[Hole69]

Newshosting sucks...well any highwinds sucks. Get blocknews to backup someone else. I use frugal usenet for 60 a year since I get everything as it is posted so 300 days retention is perfect.

Sucks why? Your experience or generally? And why?

[hdjunky]

Newshosting sucks...well any highwinds sucks. Get blocknews to backup someone else. I use frugal usenet for 60 a year since I get everything as it is posted so 300 days retention is perfect.

Sucks why? Your experience or generally? And why?

Many years ago they were great because they were an independent system. A big company called highwinds bought them as well as some other smaller independents over the years. I think anything highwinds touches they run into the ground. But also...since highwinds is so large they have the target on their back so they get a boatload of removal requests so they gotta take things off of all there servers. I just choose not to do business with them when there are smaller providers without the big corporation attitudes and exposure. That almost makes me sound like a corporation h
hating hippy! Lol. Oh and the highwinds troll that posts here and elsewhere takes my dislike even further

[Hole69]

what type of provider, your need?

Looking for a year account, unlimited, 20 connections or so, mostly for music and films. So, Astraweb then?