okay, downloading buffy episodes: this is done through a newsgroup called
alt.binaries.multimedia.buffy-v-slayerfirst of all, you must know what newsgroups (also referred to as USEnet) are
and how to use them. if you already know that, then skip this part.
newsgroups: what are they, and how can they help me score some buffy?
newsgroups are slightly different than websites - they're sort of like a
cross between email and a message board. you access a news server and
download all the message that people post to a particular newsgroup using
special software (many email programs, such as outlook express, will do this
for you). to access newsgroups, you need to have access to a news server.
if you're paying an ISP for internet access, chances are they have a news
server that you can access as well. you should contact your ISP and ask
them about newsgroups.
if you're using free internet access, the following link will automatically
configure Outlook Express to download newsgroups using a free news server: news://news.sheltonbbs.com/alt.binaries ... y-v-slayer. outlook express
is a free email/newsgroup program made by microsoft, and if you don't have
it you can download it at www.microsoft.com. this free news server has worked for some people, but is generally less reliable than one than you pay for (sort of like free ISPs). so be warned – it could get frustrating.
once you know about newsgroups:
here are the instructions for how to download buffy eps from alt.binaries.multimedia.buffy-v-slayer using outlook express. many thanks to bbovenguy from the kitten board for providing them. for instructions on how to download them using other news readers, go to the FAQ for alt.binaries.multimedia.buffy-v-slayer, located at http://www.geocities.com/btvsfaq/abmbvs-faq.html
instructions for outlook express:
First you must go to the newsgroup you want. We'll assume it's alt.binaries.multimedia.buffy-v-slayer
Binary files are typically posted in segments. You can recognize them because they appear as a long list of headers that look identical except for some numbers at the end. For example:
Promos for this week - buffy-family-promo1.mpg (01/11)
Promos for this week - buffy-family-promo1.mpg (02/11)
Promos for this week - buffy-family-promo1.mpg (03/11)
... and so on, until...
Promos for this week - buffy-family-promo1.mpg (11/11)
All the parts need to be there, or the download won't work.
Take your cursor and click it on the first posting - (01/11) in this example.
Next, scroll down to the last posting - (11/11) in the example. Hold down the "Ctrl" and the "Shift" keys together while at the same time you click on the last posting. All the posts between the first and the last will now be highlighted.
Wait a few seconds (or a couple of minutes if your connection is slow). Eventually, a bunch of gibberish will appear in the content window of your screen. Don't panic! This is a good thing.
When you're looking at the post headers from the newsgroup, make sure they're arranged alphabetically before you start trying to download. That will give you the best chance of having the segments in the right order, and it will keep other posts from getting between the segments.
Go to the "Message" pull-down menu. Pull it down and click "Combine and Decode..". (This feature is also available as a button on the toolbar, but you can worry about that later.)
A dialogue box will pop up asking you to arrange the segments in the proper order. Usually you won't need to do anything but click "OK," but it might be prudent to scroll through the list and make sure all the pieces are there and are arranged properly. When you're ready, click "OK."
The computer will automatically download all the pieces and put them together for you. Beware, though - Outlook Express will be completely locked out while this is going on. You won't be able to check your email or browse through another newsgroup until the download is done. It's a small price to pay, but one you should know about or you'll think something's wrong.
When the download is done, Outlook Express will present you with a spiffy little message that looks like an email with an attached file. Save the attachment to your hard drive, just like you'd do with an attached file in an email.
it helps to have a fast connection when trying to download buffy eps off of
alt.binaries.multimedia.buffy-v-slayer, because the files are big and it takes a long time...
that’s about the best I can do in terms of instructions for downloading buffy eps. if you have any questions about this, or tried it and got stuck, feel free to drop me a line at cyber_apple@hotmail.com. I can’t promise that I’ll be able to make it work for you, but I’ll certainly try.
