There are hundreds of movies available for download on the web. Most of them are available in AVI/DivX format, and according to their compression factor, they are “labeled” with some abbreviations next to the name and the year of the file.
The conversions made from the original file are cleverly described in the title of the film we are downloading, but it is very complicated to get to the bottom of it as there are so many acronyms or tags that are used.
For example the film Posti.In.Piedi.In.Paradiso.(C.Verdone-M.Ramazzotti).DvdRip.Caly-AsTrA.avi indicates that the film Posti in Piedi in Paradiso is compressed in DVD quality (DvdRip) while The .Way.Back.2010.iTALiAN.MD. DVDRip.XviD-BmA.avi indicates that the audio was taken from the microphone (MD), and BDRip indicates that it is made by compressing a Blu-ray Disc.
What do the abbreviations LD, CAM, BDRip, TS mean that we find on the films we download
Video acronyms
- CAM: the film was taken from the cinema with a hidden camera, low (indeed very low) quality. Italian films are usually of this quality.
- TS (TeleSync): This shooting method (also called telesync) is slightly better than CAM. The camera used to film is fixed on a tripod. Sufficient quality.
- TC (TeleCine): Good quality compared to TS and CAM. The shooting method (also called telecine) of the film is a bit complex: in the transfer studios, there is a machine capable of transferring Super-8. When the movie reels are dispensed, the machine spills them.
- R5 (Region 5): Tag known as (Russian region): Theatrically released films have long been marketed in Russia and also in other Asian countries. In Italian P2P releases, the LINE.ITALIAN tag indicates that the audio comes from an Italian source. The video quality of an R5 is equal to that of a DVD, and it can also contain subtitles.
- FS (FullSCreen): “full screen” video
- WS (WideScreen): “half screen” video
- DVD RIP: for this tag, the quality of the movie is that of a DVD.
- SCREENER/VHS SCR: The video source is from a videotape (VHS) made for critics only. The quality is fair, comparable to a VideoCD except that, like DVDSCR, some copyright subtitles appear and some scenes are in Black and White.
- DVD SCR: This is a DVD made by film companies for critics and censors. The quality is good even if some scenes are in b/w or there are subtitles indicating copyrights.
- HDTV RIP: movie recorded from TV in high definition, excellent quality.
- PD TV/SAT RIP: the film was recorded from satellite TV, and the quality is excellent.
- TV RIP: Ripping similar to SAT RIP, only the quality may vary depending on some factors.
- VHS RIP: Movie ripped from videotape (VHS). Variable quality depends on the codec used in ripping.
- WP: workprint, it is a copy of a film in a non-final version, in the editing phase and with scenes that will perhaps be cut in the final version
- DVDMux: This abbreviation is found as an alternative to the word DVDRip to indicate that the video comes from a DVD, the audio from another source. It is used exclusively for TV Series and corresponds to the “LD.DVDRip” tag used in movie rips.
- HD or HDRip: This quality is mainly found in American or foreign TV series, taken from high-definition channels, encoded with the h264 codec. They have high video quality. Pixels are also indicated, for example, 720p-1080p
- BDRip / BDMux: It is a DivX made by compressing an original BluRay Disc through the use of suitable software and codecs. They have high video quality and are similar to HD. Very often they are also characterized by the fact that they are contained in Matroska (MKV) files.
- BRRip / BRMux: It is a DivX made by compressing a release usually 1080p or 720p and in MKV format, taken from the original Blu-Ray, through the use of suitable software and codecs. They have high video quality and are similar to HD.
- WEB-DL / WEB-DLMux: This is a 720p or 1080p source from American I-tunes. The quality is comparable to that of a BlueRayRip as it has no TV channel logos or watermarks. Its diffusion has increased in recent times and allows a high quality without logos immediately after the TV broadcast.
- WEB-DLRip / WEB-DLMux: This is a rip from WEB-DL which also allows high quality, this time in XviD/DivX, without TV logos.
- WMV: These videos are medium/low quality usually ripped using Microsoft software, which owns the format, such as Windows Movie Maker.
- RM: These videos are low-quality videos, usually playable using Real Player. They take up little space and still have an appreciable quality. They are usually used for anime or cartoons.
- 3gp: These videos are compatible with cell phones and iPods. They are very small in size and quality designed for mobile phones and iPods.
- DVD-1 or mini DVD: 1.4GB Single-sided and single layer, less than 120mm in diameter
- DVD-3: 2.8 GB Double layer Single-sided and double layer, less than 120 mm in diameter
- DVD-5: 4.7GB Single-sided and single layer – The classic DVD
- DVD-9: 8.5GB Single-sided and double layered
- DVD-10: 9.4GB Double-sided and single layer
- DVD-18: 17 GB Two sides and double layer
- PAL: Encoding used in Europe (TVs, DVD players, and Video recorders, read only the Pal format. The more modern ones are also able to read NTSC encoding)
- NTSC: Encoding used in the USA and the Orient
Audio Themes
- MD: Audio was taken via microphone (called mic dubbed). The quality is sufficient but may vary depending on some factors.
- LD: a method called line dubbed. The audio was taken via a jack connected to the camera. Very good quality.
- DTS: Audio taken from DTS2 cinema discs.
- DD (Digital Dubbed): Audio taken from DTS cinema discs. With the advent of new generation dts2 discs, producing this type of audio is no longer possible.
- AC3: Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. Taken from a commercial DVD.
- AC3 merged: Foreign ac3 audio with voice channel source from LD or MD
- Mp3 merged: Italian audio with double channel from LD or MD
Ripping theme song
- UNRATED: The ripped movie is uncensored and the scene cuts uncensored..
- LIMITED: the film is ripped to DVD, long before its release date in stores.
- READNFO: some ripping notes of a film are inserted in a .NFO file that can be edited with a normal txt (windows notepad page)
- STV: ”tv only” the ripped movie has never been shown in theaters, so it is specific for Home Video.
- REPACK: tag that is inserted when the film has been republished, because it is corrected for any imperfections.
- INTERNAL: tag that indicates the presence of audio imperfection in the ripped movie.
- PROPER: when a crew doesn’t guarantee a correct ripping of a film, insert this tag. So the film may contain various imperfections such as: lack of audio in some scenes, desynchronization, etc. Tag similar to Internal.
- SUBBED: the film is subtitled in a specific language. (example Moviename.SUBBED.iTALIAN)
- REMASTERED: The film has been digitally remastered. Tag is present in classic movies like Gone with the Wind, etc.
- MUX: A report containing audio/video material from a Season of a TV Series, whose episodes have audio and video streams not coming from the same source, but from different sources and among whose audio tracks there is mandatory dubbing in Italian, thus making each file (episode) understandable, independently, by everyone. In order to obtain the above, it is very probable that the episodes have been MUXED (joined), i.e. composed of several files (usually one for the video track, and one for the audio one). Any additional files (subtitles, extras, …) are allowed.
- DirFix: Indicates a fix in the directory.
- NFOFix: Indicates a fix in the NFO file
- Samplefix: Indicates a fix in the missing or corrupted sample
- Readnfo: Indicates notes in the NFO
