Quick Start to Usenet
This is the bare minimum software you need to get stuff from the Usenet and be able to use, view or listen to it. Further instructions underneath the table.
| Required Functionality |
Recommended Software
|
| Newsreader - the newsreader is the software that retrieves the usenet posts and then translates them into the files you want to download. | |
| PAR Recovery - this is software that you use in combination with PAR files to recover incomplete or corrupted files. | |
| Extract file from RARs - this software is used to extract the software from its compressed format also often large files are split up and then compressed and this software puts the parts back together into the file you want. | |
| Read SFV files - this software is used to get the list or menu or catalogue of pieces that make up a split up and compressed file. The author will put the SFV file in for you to refer to. |
QuickSFV
(can also just use Notepad) |
| Extract MPEG from Image files such as *.iso, *.bin files - this software converts and extracts the actual video or audio from a bin or iso file which is the format of file that is burned to a CD, DVD or to your computer hard drive. | |
| Get help playing MPEG, AVI, VCD, SVCD, DVD including finding the right Codec - this software is used to view or listen to the video or audio file that you just downloaded. Often these video or audio files are in a format that can only be used with special codecs. |
What to do with the software above:
- Use newsreader to view, find and download the files you want from a newsgroup.
- If necessary, use QuickPAR to recover/repair missing/damaged files (usually individual RAR files belonging to a set of RAR files). Use the SFV file and/or NFO file to learn how many and what file names are in RAR set.
- Then use WinRAR, if necessary, to extract the files you want from the RAR set.
- Occassionally, the file(s) contained in the RAR set will be an image file (eg, bin, iso) which you can extract using ISO Buster.
- If your file is a media file such as avi, you may need to get the codec in order to play it. Generally, only the video portion of the media file will be encoded in a different format (than you can play with your OS pre-installed codecs) however, it is not unusual that audio will be encoded differently too.
Good luck and have fun!!
