The downloader will locate these files using the NZB, download them, put them all back together, repair the resulting file, and even decompress it, if necessary. SuperNZB is an NZB-file downloader for Windows and Mac OS X. It will open your NZB files, download from your Usenet server, and automatically run PAR and RAR to extract the files. A real set-and-forget download application: add a NZB and NZBVortex will take care of the rest. Reviews on MacUpdate Version 3.3.10 released – January 29th, 2017. Jun 03, 2021 nzbget-21.1-bin-android.run. Android 5.0 and later, x86 (32 Bit), ARM (32 or 64 Bit). Use installer and frontend app to install the daemon automatically. See manual below for details. SuperNZB is an NZB-file downloader for Windows and Mac OS X. It will open your NZB files, download from your Usenet server, and automatically run PAR and RAR to extract the files. Torrent Downloader For Mac Os; Torrent Downloader For Mac; Download SuperNZB for Windows 10 Download SuperNZB for macOS. Make sure to have an NZB file on hand!
NZB files work the same way on all computers. So, whether you use Windows or Macintosh, the first thing you need is an NZB client app.
Step 1 – Download and Install
NZB Client Software
SuperNZB imports an NZB file, and then downloads the files listed within the NZB:
Download SuperNZB for Windows
Download SuperNZB for Macintosh
(SuperNZB runs on Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP, and all versions of Mac OSX.)
Step 2 – Find NZB Files
You can find NZB files in various ways, but the primary method is with an NZB-Indexing web site. Most of these sites are free, or charge a very small fee. NZB files are standard text files, so they can be used on any kind of computer. If you are on a Mac, you don’t need to find special NZB files, or a special NZB site.
Click here for a list of NZB-Indexing Sites
Step 3 – Find Usenet Newsgroup Server Info
NZB files contain a list of pointers to files that live on Usenet, the most-ancient part of the internet. All NZB programs require that you enter information for at least one Usenet “newsgroup” server such as Easynews. Usenet servers can be accessed by any kind of computer, and the information below is identical no matter what kind of computer you are using.
Just about every ISP used to provide a free newsgroup server for their subscribers. However, many no longer do so. Check with your ISP, and if they provide a server, get this information from them:
- The server URL – Example: news.yourisp.com
- Username/password – if required.
- Port Number – which is almost always 119.
- Number of simultaneous connections allowed – The more connections a program like SuperNZB can make to the server the faster it can download files.
While you are talking to your ISP, you can ask them about how much data you are allowed to download, and if there is a speed limit on the server. If there are strict limitations, don’t worry about it now. Once you have learned the basics, you can use the information in Step 9 to find a faster server.
If your ISP does not provide Usenet access, or blocks access to the “binary newsgroups” then go to Step 9.
Step 4 – Handle PAR files
NZB files will usually contain PAR files. This is because Usenet does not have automatic error-correction. But don’t panic! This turns out to be only a small inconvenience. The PAR files contain error-correction data and are used to check, and if needed, repair the files you download. Most NZB clients like SuperNZB have automatic unPARing built in.
Step 5 – Handle RAR files
NZB files often contain RAR files. RAR is popular because it is a very good compression method. In most cases, the PAR files from Step 4 are used to check/repair the RAR files. Then you extract the files contained within the RAR archive.
RAR archives often come in sets of files. That is, a large file will be chopped up and stored in dozens of RAR files. So, once you are done downloading the NZB, you will have a folder full of PARs and RARs. Once you have extracted the files contained within the RAR, you can throw way the PARs and RARs. Keep in mind that if you are working on such a “segmented” RAR archive, you need to obtain all the segments before you can extract the files within. If you are missing one or two segments, you can usually have the PAR files magically recreate them, but in general, you want to make sure to collect all the segments.
SuperNZB has automatic unRARing built in, and contains a RAR decoder that you can use on RAR files that you find by other means. SuperNZB makes the entire PAR-and-RAR process very easy.
Step 6 – Download Codecs to Play Files
Many of the people who create the files that you will download via the NZB method are audiophiles and videophiles who are very exacting about the files they create. They will use any technology that makes their files better and smaller, and use a wide array of methods. They often “encode” their files with “codecs” that don’t come with your computer. You will need to install these codecs, but they are free and easy to use.
At a minimum, you will want to install the DIVX video codec, and the AC3 audio codec. If you play a video file and only get audio, then that is a sign that you don’t have the right video codec installed. If you play an audio or video file, and can barely hear it, then that is a sign that you don’t have the right audio codec installed. See our Fix Videos page for further information.
Step 7 – Handle the Files Found Within RAR Archives
A RAR archive may contain any sort of file, and there is usually no way to tell in advance what you will find when you are selecting the NZB file. Sometimes you will get a simple file such as an MPEG that you can just double-click on to play. Other times, you will get files that you never heard of before and your computer will be baffled when you double-click on them. Not to worry. Suppose you get some “.ts” files – just go to this page, find “ts” in the table, and click the link.
This may seem very confusing and elaborate, but there are a limited number of variations, and it doesn’t really take that long to learn them all.
Step 8 – Burn Large Files to CD and DVD
Some of the files you find inside a RAR can’t be played directly on your computer and have to be burned to a CD or DVD first. Also, if the file was created in a different country, it may not work on your DVD player. See this page for further info, and for a link to a cheap DVD player that can play just about anything.
Step 9 – Subscribe to a Premium Newsgroup Server
Many ISP’s do not offer free Usenet newsgroup servers anymore, and most that do put speed and/or download limits on their servers. And worst of all for NZB downloading, most ISP’s only allow a small number of simultaneous connections to their server; usually just two. If you are not satisfied with what your ISP offers, you can sign up with a “third party” news-service-provider or “NSP” such as Easynews. You connect to your NSP’s server over your current internet connection, and you use the information (Step 3) provided by your NSP in your NZB client software (Step 1).
Step 10 – Deal With the Limitations of the NZB Method
If you are fanatical about acquiring certain types of files, you won’t want to rely upon the NZB method exclusively. You will want to plunge directly into Usenet itself. Take a look at The Limitations of NZB Files.
This article is part of larger collection on various subjects about the installation of my Mac Mini as a mediacenter to replace my PopcornHour C200 and Plex server PC. You can find the index here
One thing I loved about my previous networked media tank was its ability to function as an allround hassle free downloader. Upload your NZB’s or torrents and forget all about it. Few hours later, it’s done. Downloaded, PAR checked, unrarred and already residing on the main media hard drive. I had to at least match this with my new setup.
NZB (usenet)
I prefer usenet downloading over all other forms. It’s fast and private. My old PopcornHour C200 used NZBGet as its out-of-the-box usenet client. NZBGet is a lightweight package with a pretty complete feature set. Multiple servers, watch folder, par check and unrar. Despite of the Popcorn’s limited processor and memory, it always maxed out my ISP’s download speed. But it looks like crap! Now having the advantage of a full fledged PC, I could pick whatever I want, but it was a no-brainer: SABnzbd. Free, fast, skinnable, open source and very feature rich. It also allows access to its API’s in order to communicate with other programs like Sickbeard, Couch Potato and the likes.
I’d like to highlight one very simple but much used feature, the watch folder. When working with multiple NZB files, it can be a pain to upload them all separately to SABnzbd. SABnzbd can monitor a given folder every few seconds for new NZB files and once detected, they are added to the cue. Very effective. As with all folders, the watch folder can be shared over the network for added functionality. I configured my MacBook and Windows PC to mount the shared watch folder on startup. I can now use the same watch folder on any system I like, while the Mac Mini is the one doing all the work.
Torrents
As I stated above, I like downloading via usenet. I’m not that big a fan of BitTorrent. Anti piracy foundations got their eye on it, it’s less private compared to usenet and bad quality modem-routers tend to crash with large torrent streams. But every now and then, certain files are not offered on usenet. The BitTorrent community is just better suited for the more obscure and hard to find files and media. So I installed a torrent client anyway.
Nzb Download Software
The PopcornHour C200 came with Transmission and ANSI front end. I like transmission on OS X, but it crashed constantly on the C200. Transmission is also not available for Windows, my mediacenter OS, so I had to look elsewhere. I found μTorrent. It’s an effective and free torrent client with a very small footprint. It can run in the background, waiting for torrent files and magnetic links, without using any significant amount of memory or other resources. All settings are there, folder setup, bandwidth management, up/download restriction, you name it. Perfect for instant once-in-a-while usage
Web interfaces
My Mac Mini’s only display is a TV set, which is also used for… watching TV. And although I’m able to manage everything through Teamviewer, it’s not ideal. So for the frequently used tasks like usenet- and torrent downloading, I like to have an alternative. Both programs come with a web interface option. Once enabled, they can be reached by connecting to the system’s IP address (setting a static IP address is advised) and pre set port number (http://192.168.1.111:8886 for example). The port number can be set to anything you like, as long as it doesn’t interfere with other programs or standardized functions like 25 & 110 for mail, 119 for NNTP, 449 for https, et cetera. This way, you can manage your downloads by just using an internet browser instead of Teamviewer or other remote desktop solution. Another advantage is the ability to connect to the download clients from outside the house. You just have to know your WAN IP address, provided by your ISP, and configure port forwarding in your router. Port forwarding detects requests at pre set port numbers and passes the ones allowed to the coupled LAN IP address. DON’T forget to set a username/password in every program reachable from the internet, or anybody could potentially connect to you computer or worse.
Sickbeard, Couch Potato and HeadPhones
Respectivly automated TV series, movies and music download. One misconception is that these programs actually download the content. That’s not the case. They just keep track of a personalized watchlist and automatically download the corresponding NZB file when a new item is posted on Usenet. They integrate very well with e.g. SABnzbd which in turn does the actual downloading.
I wanted to mention these kind of programs to get a full picture, but I’m not going to use them. I’ve played around with Sickbeard for a while. I do appreciate the functionality but like to manage my downloads manually. Here’s why. I like to download older series too. Something that can be quite tricky with Sickbeard. First of all, most of the essential index sites don’t backtrack, which means no history. So only newly posted episodes are available. Second, when backtracking, Sickbeard tends to pick the newest post if several exist. In practice however, newer post are usually password protected for some reason, or come with hardcoded subs. The older original postings are clean of tampering by other parties, but are ignored
Nzb Grabber
Another reason is the fact I’ve got other sites to keep track of new episodes and movies. I’ve used them for a long time now and they give me suggestions based on the series I follow in return. Downloading manually also has the advantage of keeping track what’s new in your library, instead of stumbling upon a new item. So I’ll keep using the hands-on approach… for now.