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Formats List
The Format Field
| Format field | Abbreviated Format | Comments |
| Vinyl |
Vinyl |
|
| Acetate |
Acetate |
Only to be used for production runs, not for one offs. |
| Flexi-disc |
Flexi |
Also known as sound-sheets (sono shito) in Japan |
| Lathe Cut |
Lathe |
Only to be used for production runs, not for one offs. |
| Shellac |
Shellac |
|
| Cylinder |
Cyl |
|
| CD |
CD |
Compact Disc |
| CDr |
CDr |
Recordable Compact Disc |
| CDV |
CDV |
CD Video, a hybrid format. LaserDisc-format video with CD-format audio on the same side of a single 8cm disc. Not the same as Video CD! |
| DVD |
DVD |
|
| DVDr |
DVDr |
Recordable DVD |
| HD DVD |
HD DVD |
The HD DVD disc was designed to be the successor to the standard DVD format. It can store about three times as much data as its predecessor (15 GB per layer instead of 4.7 GB) |
| HD DVD-R |
HD DVD-R |
|
| Blu-ray |
Blu-ray |
The name Blu-ray Disc is derived from the blue-violet laser used to read and write this type of disc. Because of its shorter wavelength, substantially more data can be stored on a Blu-ray Disc than on the DVD format. A Blu-ray Disc can store 25 GB on each layer, as opposed to a DVD's 4.7 GB. |
| Blu-ray-R |
Blu-ray-R |
See Blu-ray |
| 8-Track Cartridge |
8-Trk |
|
| Cassette |
Cass |
Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, or simply cassette, the most widespread and successful magnetic tape sound recording format. 0.15" wide, plays at 1 7/8 ips. Has two sets of stereo tracks, the tape is turned over to access the second side. |
| DAT |
DAT |
Digital Audio Tape |
| DCC |
DCC |
Digital Compact Cassette |
| Microcassette |
M/cass |
|
| Reel-To-Reel |
Reel |
|
| Betamax |
Beta |
|
| VHS |
VHS |
|
| Video 2000 |
V2000 |
|
| Laserdisc |
Laserdisc |
|
| SelectaVision |
S/Vision |
A video playback system developed by RCA using specialized Capacitance Electronic Disc (CED) media, in which video and audio could be played back on a TV using a special analog needle and high-density groove system similar to phonograph records. The format was commonly known as "videodisc", leading to much confusion with Laserdisc format, which is mutually incompatible with this format. |
| DualDisc |
DualDisc |
|
| Minidisc |
MD |
|
| MVD |
MVD |
Multimedia Versatile Disc. Short lived optical disc format launched in Korea around 2002. |
| UMD |
UMD |
Universal Media Disc. An optical disc medium developed by Sony for use on the PlayStation Portable. It can hold up to 1.8 gigabytes of data, which can include games, movies, music, or a combination thereof. |
| Datassette |
Datassette |
Data cassette, as used on older home computers |
| Floppy Disk |
Floppy |
|
| File |
File |
For any computer file based format. A number in front of the File format should not be used to describe how many files there are. The only accepted file formats are AAC, MP3, ogg-vorbis, and WMA at the moment. |
| Memory Stick |
M/Stick |
Used at Discogs as a generic term, mostly found as USB 'flash drive'. |
| All Media |
|
Used to add further descriptions to a multi-media release, for example:
CD
2 x 12"
All Media, Promo
This tag is not needed when 'Box Set' is used, as the descriptions can be added to the 'Box Set' format in this instance. |
| Box Set |
Box |
To note that all media are enclosed in extra packaging. |
The Description Field
| Description field | Abbreviated Description | Comments |
|
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| LP |
LP |
Used by itself, denotes a 12" (30 cm) 33 rpm long-playing (LP) record. Other non-standard size descriptions can be added if needed i.e. LP, 10". Technically, LP describes the use of micro-grooves on the record to lengthen the playing time, not to mark the release as an album (although most LP's ARE Albums). Please read this for how to distinguish an LP from a 12" |
| 12" |
12" |
Please read this for how to distinguish an LP from a 12" |
| 11" |
11" |
|
| 10" |
10" |
|
| 9" |
9" |
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| 8" |
8" |
|
| 7" |
7" |
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| 6" |
6" |
|
| 5" |
5" |
|
| 4" |
4" |
|
| 16 ⅔ RPM |
|
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| 33 ⅓ RPM |
|
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| 45 RPM |
|
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| 78 RPM |
|
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| 1 ⅞ ips |
|
ips stands for inches per second. |
| 3 ¾ ips |
|
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| 7 ½ ips |
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| 15 ips |
|
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| 30 ips |
|
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| ⅛" |
|
|
| ¼" |
|
The most popular open reel to reel tape size |
| ½" |
|
|
| 2 Minute |
2min |
Oldest type of wax cylinder, with 100 threads per inch, about 4" (10 cm) long, 2¼" diameter |
| 4 Minute |
4min |
Development of the original cylinder with longer playing time, due to doubling of the number of grooves to 200 threads per inch |
| Concert |
Concert |
5" diameter cylinder |
| Salon |
Salon |
3 ½" x 4" cylinder from French company Pathé |
| Mini |
Mini |
A disc with a diameter of 8cm (80mm), or approx 3", can apply to CDs or DVDs. |
| Mini |
Mini |
A disc with a diameter of 8cm (80mm), or approx 3", can apply to CDs or DVDs. |
| Business Card |
B/card |
A business card shaped CD |
| Shape |
Shape |
A disc that is shaped differently from the standard circular. |
| Shape |
Shape |
|
| Minimax |
Minimax |
A Miniture CD single with a (usually transparent) built-in 12cm adaptor, which makes it look like a CD equivalent of a "clear vinyl" record, design-wise. Plays on all CD players, like a normal CD. Also called Fan Disc, AB-CD, and Semi-Substrate disc. |
| CD-ROM |
CD-ROM |
|
| CDi |
CDi |
Interactive |
| CD+G |
CD+G |
Also known as CD+Graphics, a special audio compact disc that contains graphics data in addition to the audio data on the disc. The disc can be played on a regular audio CD player, but when played on a special CD+G player, can output a graphics signal (typically, the CD+G player is hooked up to a television set or a computer monitor). |
| SACD |
SACD |
Super Audio CD |
| VCD |
VCD |
Video CD or VCD, or Compact Disc digital video, is a standard digital format for storing video. View CDs, as VCDs are sometimes referred to, are playable in dedicated players, personal computers, and many DVD players. Not the same as CDV (CD Video)! |
| AVCD |
AVCD |
Audio Video CD. Audio tracks are playable on the regular CD player, the video tracks are playable on a VCD player, DVD player, or PC. |
| SVCD |
SVCD |
Super Video CD, a format used for storing video on standard compact discs. SVCD falls between Video CD and DVD in terms of technical capability and picture quality. |
| DVD-Audio |
DVD-A |
|
| DVD-Data |
DVD-D |
|
| DVD-Video |
DVD-V |
|
| AAC |
AAC |
Advanced Audio Coding, was designed as an improved-performance codec relative to MP3 |
| FLAC |
FLAC |
Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) is a popular file format for audio data compression. Being a lossless compression format, FLAC does not remove information from the audio stream, as do lossy compression formats such as MP3 and AAC. |
| MP3 |
MP3 |
|
| ogg-vorbis |
ogg |
|
| WAV |
WAV |
A Microsoft and IBM audio file format standard for storing audio. WAVs are compatible with Windows and Macintosh operating systems. |
| WMA |
WMA |
Windows Media Audio (WMA) is a proprietary compressed audio file format developed by Microsoft. It was initially a competitor to the MP3 format, but with the introduction of Apple's iTunes Music Store, it has positioned itself as a competitor to the Advanced Audio Coding format used by Apple. |
| MP3 Surround |
MP3Sur |
|
| 3.5" |
3,5" |
3.5" Floppy Disk |
| 5.25" |
5.25" |
5.25" Floppy Disk |
| Etched |
Etch |
A record that has artwork or writing etched onto it in an artistic manner. Not to be used for the standard catalog number, matrix number, pressing plant's name, mastering engineers name, and other basic run out groove etches. |
| Picture Disc |
Pic |
|
| Single Sided |
S/Sided |
For media that is usually two sided |
| Single Sided |
S/Sided |
|
| Album |
Album |
Only to be used where it is clear the item was released as such, Please see this section of the guidelines |
| Mini-Album |
MiniAlbum |
Only to be used where it is clear the item was released as such, Please see this section of the guidelines |
| EP |
EP |
Only to be used where it is clear the item was released as such, Please see this section of the guidelines |
| Maxi-Single |
Maxi |
Only to be used where it is clear the item was released as such, Please see this section of the guidelines |
| Single |
Single |
Only to be used where it is clear the item was released as such, Please see this section of the guidelines |
| Stereo |
|
Most music formats are stereo, this tag shouldn't be used unless the item was released in stereo and mono formats, or is otherwise necessary to point out. |
| Mono |
Mono |
|
| Quadraphonic |
Quad |
A four speaker surround format. It had a number of different encoding methods, some of which were incompatible with each other. CD-4 / Compatible Discrete 4 / Quadradisc, UD-4 / UMX, Q4, Quad-8 / Quadraphonic 8-Track, SQ / Surround Quadraphonic / Stereo Quadraphonic, QS / Quadraphonic Stereo, EV / Stereo-4, DY / Dynaquad, Matrix H, Passive Pseudo Quad, Pseudo-surround sound. |
| Ambisonic |
Amb |
|
| Enhanced |
Enh |
This includes formats sometimes known as "Enhanced CD", "Mixed Mode", and "CD Extra" where the music carrier (CD, vinyl, cassette, etc) also contains computer data in the form of software programs, videos, screen savers, music (tracker files, MP3s, etc), text, web links, games, and so forth). |
| Limited Edition |
Ltd |
Only items that have this printed on them somewhere (stickers etc), or were originally marketed by the label as such, should be tagged as 'Limited Edition'. |
| Mispress |
MP |
|
| Reissue |
RE |
|
| Remastered |
RM |
|
| Repress |
RP |
|
| Test Pressing |
TP |
|
| Promo |
Promo |
Promotional copy. Only add this tag if it is explicitly mentioned on the release. |
| White Label |
W/Lbl |
Center labels on a vinyl release without proper print on both sides. Additional marks with a rubber stamp, small printed sticker, or handwritten on an otherwise blank (but not necessarily white) label would still generally be considered a White Label release. |
| Mixed |
Mixed |
Continuous mix, DJ mix, segued audio. Use this tag if all of the tracks are mixed together into one continuous flow, for example DJ Mix CDs. Most of the time, using this tag calls for a |
| Partially Mixed |
P/Mixed |
For releases that only have a part of them segued. |
| Unofficial Release |
|
|
| Partially Unofficial |
|
To indicate that only some tracks on the release are unofficial. Use the notes to give further explanation. |
| Compilation |
Comp |
This tag should only be used where it is clear the item was released as such, for example it is explicitly mentioned on the release, or by the label, artist, or other reliable source. |
| Sampler |
Smplr |
In English, "sampler" has a different meaning from 'Compilation', a sampler is a free or low-priced preview of a larger release(s). Although in other languages the two words may mean the same thing, in Discogs they should not be confused. |
| Copy Protected |
Copy Prot. |
|
| Copy Protected |
Copy Prot. |
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| Copy Protected |
Copy Prot. |
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| Multichannel |
Multichannel |
Used to note any digital surround type format, use the free text to give specifics if possible. |
| Multichannel |
Multichannel |
|
| Multichannel |
Multichannel |
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| Multichannel |
Multichannel |
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| Multichannel |
Multichannel |
|
| Multichannel |
Multichannel |
|
| Multichannel |
Multichannel |
|
| Multichannel |
Multichannel |
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| NTSC |
NTSC |
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| NTSC |
NTSC |
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| NTSC |
NTSC |
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| NTSC |
NTSC |
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| NTSC |
NTSC |
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| NTSC |
NTSC |
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| PAL |
PAL |
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| PAL |
PAL |
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| PAL |
PAL |
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| PAL |
PAL |
|
| PAL |
PAL |
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| PAL |
PAL |
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| SECAM |
SECAM |
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| SECAM |
SECAM |
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| SECAM |
SECAM |
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| SECAM |
SECAM |
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| SECAM |
SECAM |
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| SECAM |
SECAM |
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