What is a NZB Mp3?
An NZB mp3 is actually an NZB file extension, which is an index file that contains pointers or links to download the contents of the NZB mp3's.
NZB files are used to download from usenet servers and are quickly becoming very popular. The main reason is that they download much faster than regular website downloads. Usenet is massive and has anything and everything under the sun, from simgle mp3's and complete compilations, to games, ebooks, do it your self plans and tutorials.
In short, usenet is a giant public messageboard organized by categories - which are commonly called newsgroups that anyone can post to or download from. The messages in the various newsgroups can also contain file attachments which is why they are so popular. Users can post an mp3, or a complete cd to a usenet newsgroup that can be downloaded by anyone. File attachments are mp3's, mpeg's, games and so on, which are split into small pieces, and then attached to actual messages. These pieces are downloaded to your computer, and then reassembled on your computer for use.
winrar is the most common program used to split and join all these pieces, just like a ZIP file for winzip.
The methods used to download usenet newsgroup mp3's are a bit more detailed, however not at all difficult. To download music from a newsgroup, you simply need a usenet newsgroup reader. You then download the messages. The messages have unique identifiers or message headers. Message headers are like a preview of the message without having to download thousands of messages, which is a issue with usenet - it is so massive that to download even the messages headers - can take days. Thus, people have developed faster and more efficient ways to download from the newsgroups. Newsbin.com developed the NZB file format.
NZB files were created to ease in downloading exactly the message headers that you want, rather than searching thousands of messages. Once you have found what you seek, you mark the messages, and then create an NZB file. The NZB file can contain anything you want to download from the newsgroups. It saves you time and bandwidth because it only downloads the exact messages you want.
The drawback to downloading Mp3's with NZB files is that you have to wait until the parts have all been downloaded, then reassemble them, and finally, open the music file itself to hear it. This is still much faster than regular P2P, and torrent downloads, however you will still have to wait to hear your MP3 files.
NZB Mp3's have now come of age and gone one step further. Many software developers are creating NZB Mp3 music players and nzb music downloaders. These programs allow you to start listening to music right after the first part of the file has downloaded to your computer. Once you have the fitsr part, the remaining parts of the music can be downloaded in the background and the music can be streamed to you. This essentially means that you can listen to the music while it is still downloading. NZB music streaming is the term used to describe this process.
