newsbin.com

Trying to fetch alt.binaries.tv from giganews, which claims 1300+ days of article retention for binary newsgroups.

newsbin gets me just 30 days, and the Groups/Download Special sub menu items are all grayed out.

So: am I doing something wrong, or do I need to contact giganews to see what happened to the retention?

There are so many different filters that could break this locally that no, I'm not sure I'm doing everything right, so point me to what I should be watching out for. Or just tell me the 3 or 4 things to set or clear that will display every header that was downloaded, and what I'd need to do to make sure everything was downloaded.

I already did execute a second "get all headers" which seemed to blow away the first batch of headers, replacing it with the same 1 month of headers.

Thank you for your help.

What tier of service do you have? Jade only works for files 30 days old or less. They probably limit header downloads too.

If you're not Jade check:

1 - Storage Age

2 - Download age

I do have Jade, so that is the cause. Good call!

I just spent 15 minutes trying to dig up the info about account types at giganews. I had no idea - rarely use newsgroups, actually, and in the past had access to full binary history, so I don't know where this limit came from. Did they impose this limit sometime over the last year or two?

I can't actually find anything at giganews that compares their plans or mentions that Jade has a 30 day retention. All they talk about is their 1300+ retention, there isn't even fine print that says "only for diamond accounts."

The only place I see the info is by clicking the Upgrade button in my Usenet control panel - FINALLY it says I have 30 day retention - plus a bunch of other confusing things.

Current Account Includes:

Usenet Access - 3 GB
20 connections
30 days of retention

New Account Includes:

VyprVPN Personal VPN
SSL-encrypted Usenet browsing
Mimo Usenet Browser
Golden Frog Usenet Search
Unlimited Usenet
50 connections
1321 days of retention

You now get:

VyprVPN Personal VPN
SSL-encrypted Usenet browsing
Mimo Usenet Browser
Golden Frog Usenet Search
Unlimited Usenet
30 connections
1291 days of retention

Huh? "You now get" either should match my current account, or my "new account" - but no, it doesn't match either. Oh - by "you now get" they mean "On top of what you've already got, here's the extra you'll also get." Why don't they say so? Or, even better, why say this at all? All it proves is they can do arithmetic but have no idea how to express themselves in English!

The pricing makes even less sense:

Your next 3 full billing cycle(s) will be $24.99
Your new monthly price will be $34.99

Okaaaaay. Right. Got it. HUH?

Is that 24.99 per month, downgrade back to jade at the next cycle?
Is that 24.99/3 per month?
Is that 34.99/month?

Are the cycles minimum 3 month? Why are they telling me something about "next 3 full billing cycles?"

Are they offering me $10 off for each of the first 3 months? If this is a 3-month discount WHY NOT SAY SO?

I suppose if I upgrade I won't need newsbin again unless I revert back to Jade. That is - assuming they LET me revert to Jade. Who knows? They don't explain their account types anywhere.

Sorry for my tirade - thank you for being so quick and helpful. No idea how you actually came to have insight into giganews, as this is turning out to be the most obscure and badly explained service I've encountered in a long time!

I eventually found the right page through the site map to the FAQ. The plan infromation is buried here:

https://www.giganews.com/signup/

Not a place an existing customer would have any reason to visit! But it's the only place the plans are all listed and compared.

The upgrade button on my account ONLY offered to upgrade me straight to their MOST EXPENSIVE PLAN by far, Diamond, which is 34.99 after a 3 month introductory period where it is discounted to 24.99.

(And while they don't say anything about it, what happens if you cancel or downgrade during the first 3 month discounted intro period? Do they charge you the $10 as a penalty? Or do they lock you into 3 month minimum to start?)

The Bronze for $9.99 has the same retention as does Silver for $14.99, but they are not offered when upgrading, and there is no way to upgrade to them except, presumably, by calling them.

Or, I can create a new account and cancel the old one... weird company.

https://www.giganews.com/signup/

I don't even see jade anymore. Pearl list 30 days retention.

At one point, Giga offered a bunch of extra's but, only for the Diamond accounts. It looks like they're offering them to the lesser accounts now too.

You might want to check out Supernews same reliability as Giganews, much cheaper price.

Thanks, I will check that provider out. I am very disappointed by Giganew's upselling and the way they misrepresent retention time everywhere but on the signup page, and would like to move on.