Finding files on Usenet can be a difficult task if you're simply downloading headers. Some of the most popular groups have millions of posts and can take you hours to simply download all the headers before you can search for what you need. To make matters worse, many posts aren't labeled what they are so chances are once you've downloaded the headers you still won't find whatever it is you want. Thankfully thats why NZB files were created. NZB files can be downloaded from various websites and they basically are links to whatever has been posted on Usenet. For example, say you want an Ubuntu ISO but you have no clue where to locate it on Usenet. You would simply goto a site that provides NZB's, search for Ubuntu, download the given NZB, and finally open it in your favorite Usenet client. It'll automatically start downloading from there!
By now you're probably wondering what websites provide NZB downloads. While a simple google search will show you plenty there are a few you'll want to definitely bookmark. Let's go over the most popular websites I've come across:
Newzbin is where NZB's all started. That's right, Newzbin invented the NZB file. This site manually organizes all posts in an easily readable format and you can search back as far as 240 days. You can search by title, type of file, file size, etc. (There is really no limit to what you can search for here.) Another great feature is the comment section for each and every manually edited post on Newzbin which is used for users to provide helpful information regarding the post. For example, "The post has a password" or "This has a virus!" If you can't find what you're looking for you can still do a raw search for files on Usenet too. The only negative about Newzbin is that it often is invite only and even then it costs about $1 a month. However, If you don't mind paying, and you're able to get an invite, this is by far the best place to find almost anything on Usenet quickly.
YabSearch is a free NZB search engine. It's a newcomer yet after using it for awhile I've come to love it. It's fast and offers 250 days of retention which should be enough for most Usenet providers out there with the exception of Giganews. Although it's not organized as well Newzbin it's free and fast. If you don't want to pay for your NZB's YABSearch will feed your NZB appetite nicely.
Prettyboo is a forum that organizes posts on Usenet and provides NZB's for such posts. While they offer NZB's files on just about anything their specialty is HD video, specifically WMV-HD. WMV-HD is great because it can be played natively on the Xbox 360. Another great thing about Prettyboo is its community. The owner is very helpful and takes pride in the site. You can even chat with him, and many other Prettyboo users on IRC on EFNet #wmv-hd. The site is free but donations are welcome.
NZBMatrix is another great site for NZB files. You can download a ton of NZB's for free but if you donate $10 you'll get access to a ton of features like 240+ days retention, no ads, no download limits, NFO Database, etc. I personally haven't tried it but it gets a lot of good reviews.
