NZB Sites with Open Registration

May 2013 update – watch closely for DOGnzb open registration.  They took us all by surprise earlier this week by opening up 1,000 accounts via reddit.  Hopefully they’ll do so again in the near future.

I know a lot of Usenet fans have been looking around for new NZB sites and search engines since Newzbin2 and NZBMatrix closed in December.  You’ll be happy to know there are several new options.  Obviously they aren’t as complete as the big dogs of the past but give them time.  Better yet each of the sites we’re about to list is open to new registrations so you won’t need an invite.  The sites are free to join and use.  Some of them offer premium accounts or VIP status based on donations.  Check them all out and see what you think.

nzbX

From what we’ve seen so far it seems like there are a few new NZB sites and Usenet search engines that have a shot of being the next NZBMatrix.  Their are several contenders and our favorite is nzbX.  Again though registration is open at all these sites as we’re writing so we recommend you sign up for each and try them all out.  Find the best fit for you.  Several of them are built off Newznab so you’ll notice similarities.

Here’s a list of the top 10 new NZB sites sorted by Alexa traffic ranking:

  1. nzbXNzbx.co
  2. Nznindex.inNzbindex.in
  3. NZBFriendsNzbfriends.com
  4. NZBidNzbid.org
  5. NZB Matrix EUNzb-matrix.eu (no relation to the original NZBMatrix)
  6. NzbplanetNzbplanet.net
  7. NZBGeekNzbgeek.info
  8. NZBZombieNzbzombie.com
  9. NZB FinderNzbfinder.ws
  10. pwnZBPwnzb.com

Remember to sign up for the new sites while they’re open for registration.  We’d like to wish each of the new NZB sites and search engines the best in building an active community of Usenet fans.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet.  Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest deals.

Enjoy nzbX Premium for Free

nzbX is one of the new Usenet indexing sites that launched late last year.  Around the time that Newzbin2 and NzbMatrix closed down.  We’ve enjoyed watching the growth of the new players in search.  Including nzbX and Usenet-Crawler.  There are several NZB sites with open registration if you’re looking for options.  We were excited to see that nzbX.co is now offering their premium features for free to all members.

nzbX

Lemon, the developer of nzbX and nuPlay, explains the change from premium memberships to a donation drive in a related post on their blog.  In the post he let’s members know that he doesn’t like premium status.  Actually he hates it.  He would rather let everyone have access to all the features on the site.  Regardless of whether or not they contribute financially.  A stance that is sure to help the site grow even faster.

Lemon goes on to explain the costs of running nzbX.  They will still accept and welcome donations to help with the ongoing costs of hosting the site.  Though any help will now be voluntary and not tied to whether or not you have premium status on the site.  Those who donated to achieve premium features in the past won’t lose anything of course.  They will almost certainly see the community grow as a result.

A large and active community is key to sites like nzbX and Usenet-Crawler.  Not only for posting but also for commenting and ranking indexed content.  Something that popular search sites like Binsearch and Nzbindex just don’t offer.  Comments made NZBMatrix a great resource for years.  The next site to build that kind of active audience will really be a benefit to Usenet fans.  We’ll continue to share updates on all the new sites.

Cheers to Lemon for deciding to make all the nzbX.co features free for members.  All you have to do to enjoy the site is register.  From there you can search, comment, and rate content.  Viewing what others have to say as well of course.  You can do all these things whether you donate to the project or not.  We still encourage you to help the project if you enjoy using the site.  I’m sure Lemon and the rest of the nzbX team would be grateful.

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Tips for Building a Usenet Indexer

Since the fall of Nzbmatrix and Newzbin2 there have been several new NZB sites launch and some close.  There are still a lot of people interested in building their own Usenet indexer.  Whether you want to index groups to share with friends or for personal use.  You have a few options.  Our favorite is Newznab.  Regardless of whether you use Newznab, Spotweb or something else we’ll share some helpful resources to get you started.

There are a number of options still available for finding Usenet content.  From clients with built-in search to NZB sites and search engines.  You can visit our main site – Newsgroup Reviews – to learn more about the latest software and websites available for searching newsgroups.  With that said the rest of this post will focus on doing it yourself.  With free source code and resources for getting everything set up.

Newznab Usenet Indexer

We suggest you start by taking a look at Newznab.  You can use Newznab’s free open-source code to build your own Usenet indexer.  They offer both a free version and a premium Newznab Plus release that adds some additional features for around $20.  Most the new NZB sites are built on the Newznab engine.  For that reason you’ll notice a lot of similarities between the Newznab screenshots and some popular NZB communities.

How to Geek Guide

If you decide to give Newznab a try then @taybgibb has written a great guide on the How-To Geek site.  Taylor walks you step-by-step through how to build a Usenet indexer using Newznab on a system running Ubuntu.  You will also need a Usenet provider with long retention and good completion to build the index.  The guide is very informative.  We noticed that both Taylor and Newznab have responded to users comments.

See how others are going about creating their own Usenet indexer.  Here are some additional resources:

Regardless of whether you choose Newznab, Spotweb or something else to build your Usenet index we hope you enjoy the outcome of having your own private newsgroup index.  If that doesn’t work you can always fall back on the old school method of downloading and searching your way through the headers for lost treasure.

Binsearch Database Maintenance

Binsearch will have some downtime today as they work to free up disk space.  After the database maintenance is complete you’ll notice that Binsearch will support 1,000 days of binary retention.  That’s a reduction from the current number of days but should allow for improved performance.  As you might imagine the popular site is even more in demand now a days.  Freeing up resources will help them serve an ever growing fan base.

Binsearch maintenance

Binsearch is one of best Usenet search engines around.  It has been a favorite site of ours for years now and continues to impress.  With other projects closing down the need for Binsearch has only increased.  Putting more strain on their resources.  Check the site out after the maintenance to search some 1,100+ days of retention.  The user interface makes Binsearch very easy to use.  Not to mention it’s always free to use.

In the past we’ve recommended temporary alternatives when sites like Binsearch go down.  If you need a quick fix during the maintenance period feel free to visit our Usenet search area for recommendations.  Binsearch is our top pick.  Their sister site NZB.cc is another excellent choice.

Head over to Binsearch after the update to find the latest Usenet content along with posts from over two years ago.  Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet and join us @NewsgroupRevs for news and deals.

NZBMatrix Closed : Find Alternatives

The last thing we expected to see on NZBMatrix this morning was a notice titled “The End” explaining that NZBMatrix is calling it quits.   They closed the site for a number of reasons outlined in the announcement.  We wish their team the best in any future endeavors.  Just a few days ago we wrote about Newzbin2 closing and recommended some alternatives for searching Usenet.  Now we’ll share the same list for fans of NZBMatrix.

With the closure of so many Usenet indexing sites we’re starting to favor newsreaders with built-in search engines.  Newshosting is our favorite since they have a search feature built into their free client.  The client is available for Windows, Mac and Linux.  Newshosting offers unlimited Usenet access along with the free client for $9,99 a month or $99 a yearEasynews is another provider that offers all-in-one service..  Members use their web interface to search, preview and download.  Easynews offers new users a 14 day free trial.

You can also look to leading premium Usenet clients that offer search engines.  There’s some added cost for the software and search but they are convenient and easy to use.  Newsbin Pro and Newsleecher are two of our favorites.  Each has good Usenet search features with a cost of around $4 to $5 a month.

There are still some free search engines and indexing sites out there.  The list continues to shorten as more and more sites like NZBMatrix and Newzbin2 close.  You can still access Binsearch, Nzb.cc and Nzbindex.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet.  Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest news.

Newzbin2 Closed : Finding Alternatives

Earlier today we noticed a message on the Newzbin2 site.  It appears that Mr. White and the Newzbin2 team are calling it quits.  We’re sorry to see the site close and wish them the best with any future projects.  The site mentions the possibility of launching a blog in the future.  For now I’m sure there are a lot of Newzbin users seeking alternatives.   A topic we recently wrote about when Mysterbin closed earlier this month.

With the closure of so many indexing sites lately we’re starting to favor Usenet clients with built-in search capabilities.  Newshosting is our favorite since they have a search feature built into their free newsreader.  You’ll need to be a member to use it.  The service is quite affordable though with unlimited access for $9,99 a month or $99 a yearEasynews is another option for those seeking an all-in-one Usenet service.  Members use their web interface to search, preview and download.  Easynews offers all new users a 14 day free trial.

There are also some really good premium Usenet clients on the market.  We call them premium clients because they do cost money in addition to your newsgroup service.  Newsbin Pro and Newsleecher are two of our favorites.  Each offers strong Usenet search features at a cost of around $4 to $5 a month.

There are still some free search engines and indexing sites as well.  The list continues to dwindle as more and more sites like Newzbin2 and Mysterbin close.  You can still check out Binsearch, Nzbmatrix and Nzbindex.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet.  Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest news.

Mysterbin Down : Help Finding Alternatives

You may have noticed recently that the Mysterbin site is down.  We’re sorry to report that the Mysterbin team has decided to shut down the site permanently.  On November 19th they posted “Mysterbin is ending today” on Twitter.  Without Mysterbin a number of visitors have asked about alternatives.  We’ll list several options in a moment.  We always enjoyed the site and wish it’s developers the best in their future endeavors.

More and more we are favoring Usenet clients with built-in search features.  Our favorite is Newshosting.  You may know them for their popular Usenet service but they also offer a nice newsreader.  Compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux.  Along with downloading newsgroup posts, the Newshoting client will allow you to search Usenet and even preview content.  You can enjoy unlimited access for $9.99 a month or $99 a year.

We also enjoy the search capabilities of Easynews.  You may know this Usenet service as well.  If not let us catch you up real quick.  Easynews is a web-based Usenet service.  You can use their web interface to search for Usenet content, preview and download from newsgroups.  All without the need for any newsreader software.  Easynews offers all new users a 14 day free trial.  They also offer unlimited NNTP access for $9.95 a month.

Along with Newshosting and Easynews, there are some other quality newsreaders that offer Usenet search as a premium option.  We like the search features offered by Newsbin Pro and NewsLeecher.  Each of which cost around $4 to $5 a month in addition to the cost of the client.  Both offer free trials to test the search feature.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet.  Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest news.

Four Years of Binary Retention

This week some leading Usenet providers including UseNetServer, Newshosting, NewsDemon and Astraweb will achieve a new milestone.  Passing four years of binary retention.  That’s over 1,460 days of binary posts.  Dating back to August of 2008.  Back then we were counting retention in days rather than years.  Now we’re steadily increasing retention each day.  Cheers to all the providers who are crossing the four year mark.

Today there are 1,460 bottles of beer on the wall.  Tomorrow there will be 1,461 bottles…..err days of binary retention.  The day after that…you get the picture.  Leading Usenet providers continue to spool retention on a daily basis.  Which means their members are getting access to more and more content each day.

Having over four years of binary retention is great but you still need a way to find content.  With 1,460+ days of retention you have a lot of newsgroup posts to search through.  Headers would be a challenge.  Luckily there are some popular Usenet clients and indexing sites that can help you easily find topics of interest.

Our first choice for finding Usenet content is the Newshosting client.  The newsreader is included free along with unlimited Usenet access for $9.99 a month or $99 a year.  Easily search across newsgroups and filter by content type.  Once you find what you’re looking for the Newshosting client will take care of the rest.

We’re also fond of some third-party newsreaders with search options.  Our favorite choices in that category include Newsbin Pro Internet Search and NewsLeecher SuperSearch.  Both are premium offerings that can be added as a subscription.  It’s convenient having Usenet search embedded in the newsreader.

While you’ll need a Usenet account for downloading, you don’t have to pay to find newsgroup content.  There are a number of free Usenet search engines and nzb sites out there.  Among our favorites are sites like Binsearch, Nzbindex, Nzb.cc and Mysterbin.  There are also paid options including Newzbin and Nzbmatrix.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet and follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest offers.

Newzbin Editor Admin Goes Rogue

Mr. White from Newzbin2 recently posted a news item to let members know their user data (email addresses) have been stolen.  A group of Newzbin editors along with an editor admin went rogue.  Stealing user data including member email addresses to start a new rival site.  Those who have read about the transition from Newzbin know much of the original code was procured to launch Newzbin2.  This is a different situation.

Mr. White recently updated the post to mention that no passwords were taken.  It sounds like the group responsible was more interested in the financial gain of acquiring Newzbin2 users for their new project.

Here’s the full news post from the Newzbin2 site:

A couple of our ex-editors and a Editor admin have decided to start up a rival site. fine so far, we don’t have an issue with having rivals. They hope to make a lot of money, so they say. Again, fine: an honest business that succeeds deserves its profit.

Alas, the rival site is not honest.

These rogue colleagues abused our, and your, trust by scraping your email addresses from admin pages accessible only to them. We have not, and would not, disclose your email to a third party without your prior consent.

We apologise to those of you who have had these emails but please be assured that we were not responsible and it is only (so far as we can tell) your email address that they have stolen. We hope that if you are spammed by them you will treat their email in the way traditionally reserved for spam.

We hope you won’t join them and reward their theft but if you are tempted to just consider this: if they would screw us when we’ve befriended them & given them rewards, would you be happy giving them your email address and credit card details? And what would people like this do if the MPA/RIAA demanded your details from them?

Please don’t disclose the name of the rival site in comments as we don’t want to give them link juice.

Update: no passwords were taken either.

The purpose of this post isn’t to pass judgement on the rogue Newzbin2 staff.  Although it would be easy to do given their actions.  We suggest you ignore any spam emails received from sites you haven’t registered to access.  Since it appears no passwords were stolen the incident should be limited to email.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet search.  Follow @NewsgroupRevs for the latest news.

Merlins Portal Alternatives for Searching Usenet

Earlier this month Merlins Portal closed indefinitely.  You can visit merlins-portal.net to read the latest owners closing remarks.  In case the site goes completely dark here’s a link to the Merlins Portal closing letter.  In the last week we’ve received some emails asking us to recommend alternatives to Merlins Portal.  There are several options to choose from.  Visit our Usenet search section for a full list or read below for our top picks.

Top 5 Merlins Portal Alternatives

Here is our list of favorite Usenet search options:

1. Newshosting Usenet Client

Newshosting members can rely on the built-in Usenet search engine inside their popular Usenet client to find content.  The newsreader is available for Windows, Mac and Linux.  Search for content, preview videos before downloading, automatically repair files and unRAR.  The client is free to all Newshosting subscribers.  Enjoy unlimited Usenet access for $9.99 a month or $99 a  year.

2. Newsbin Pro Search

Newsbin Pro newsreader has an optional Internet search feature.  The Usenet search engine finds the best results from over 1,000 days of binary newsgroup content.  With an excellent user interface and filtering options.  The prices ranges from $2.50 to $5 a month.  Visit the Newsbin search page to learn more.  You can also download a free trial to test the client and search features.

3. Binsearch

Binsearch is our favorite website for conducting Usenet searches.  Their engine is built into the Newshosting client.  Those who aren’t Newshsoting members can also visit binsearch.info to search 1,100 days of binary posts across 400+ newsgroups.  You can also browse newsgroups, search contents of nfo files and filter results using Binsearch.

4. NZB.cc

NZB.cc is operated by the same folks as Binsearch.  The difference is that the site is setup to provide the most relevant results across 800 days of binary retention.  Visit nzb.cc and try it out for yourself.  The engine looks at factors like file set size, PAR files and .NFO file inclusion to help determine relevance.  With the best search matches listed first.

5. NZBMatrix

NZBMatrix is one of our favorites.  They had some technical issues in months past but seem to be back at 100% now.  Visit nzbmatrix.com to sign up for an account.  While you can use the site for free the real value comes in having a premium membership.  Search from 1,500 days of binaries.  Though at the time of writing this post Usenet providers only support around 1,350 days.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet.  Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest deals.