a) I didn’t fully understand how to use it and, more importantly
b) I didn’t want to pay to use it when torrents are free.
However, as no torrent was forthcoming until just recently (thanks for remedying that, by the way, negative1), I decided to explore the realm of Usenet a little further. Ultimately, I was able to download the DVD9 from Usenet without paying a cent, and so, for those of you who wish to do the same, here’s what I did:
1. I went to Giganews.com and, using my credit card, bought the “Silver” (25 GB) monthly package for $12.99 US. What results in this being free, however, is that Giganews currently offers a 3-day, 10 GB free trial. In other words, if you download the DVD9 in less than 3 days, and download less than 10 GB (the DVD9 is only slightly above 8 GB), then as long as you go back and cancel your subscription, you don’t have to pay anything.
2. I then downloaded NewsBin Pro in order to access Usenet. I’m sure there are better newsreaders out there, but this one worked fine for me (plus, it’s free… although, as far as I know, maybe all newsreaders are free).
3. I then launched NewsBin Pro, added Giganews.com as a newsgroup (the name you have to input, I believe, is “news.giganews.com”), and then I simply searched for the alt.binaries.starwars thread.
4. Once I downloaded the headers for the thread (which are basically like a list of subject lines in an email window), I located all the DVD9 files for the version I wanted (in my case, all the subject lines having to do with the “DVD9 NTSC” version). I then created a folder to save the files in, clicked on all the appropriate files, and NewsBin Pro queued them all for download (the download took only a few hours over a cable connection… went to bed at about 12:30 am and they were done by the time I left for work the next morning at 7:00 am).
5. Once all the files were downloaded, I had a folder full of .rar files, .par2 files, and an .nfo file. I then downloaded the program QuickPar, which I used to check all the .par2 files (essentially, the program uses the .par2 files to verify that everything was downloaded correctly).
6. Once QuickPar verified everything was okay, I unpacked the .rar files using WinRAR, which resulted in an image (.iso) file being created, which is what you ultimately burn onto the DVD using your software of choice (I myself used Nero).
Note: if you want to verify the file works properly before burning, or if you don’t yet have a dual layer DVD burner or disc, you can use DAEMON tools to virtually “mount” the image (basically, it makes your computer think you have an additional disc drive with a disc loaded in it). Once mounted, you can then use your preferred media software to open and view the movie.
7. Finally, once everything had been downloaded and I saw that the movie was working properly, I went back to Giganews and discontinued my service. The whole process took less than a day, and, best of all, was free.
All said and done, I can see why Usenet is so appealing – it’s very quick and relatively easy. On the downside, unless there are a lot of other things you’re looking to download, or if you can’t take advantage of any free trials, I still sympathize with those who’d rather go the slower (but free) torrent route.
Hope this helps some of you fellow Usenet newbies out. Thanks, too, to all the forum members who posted similar tutorials and/or who pointed me towards the appropriate literature so I could learn more (such as Slyck's guide to newsgroups).