Blu-ray - Blu-ray is the name of a next-generation optical disc format that utilizes a blue laser rather than the red used in DVD and CD lasers. Blue laser operates at a shorter wavelength and information can therefore be packed more densely on a disc. The format holds up to 25GB on a single-layer disc and 50GB on a dual-layer disc. Blu-ray discs require a Blu-ray player.

Box Sets - Box sets are usually compilations. Box sets are multi-disc sets packaged in a box -- and usually those are compilations, except for a handful of exceptions.

Compact Disc (CD) - A digital audiorecording medium introduced in 1982 which is capable of storing up to 74 minutes of high-fidelity stereo sound. CDs are read by a laser beam inside a device called a CD player. Compact discs not only provide clearer sound than phonograph records and audiotape, but are capable of recording a much wider range of frequencies.

Compact Disc 5 Single (CD5 Single) - The 5" CD is the same size as the CD album disc. They are often packaged in thinner boxes to make them easily distinguishable from albums.

Digital Theater Systems (DTS) - An audio encoding format similar to Dolby Digital. DTS encoded CDs require a decoder, in the player or in an external receiver. DTS discs will work in all DVD players, but a DTS-compatible player and a DTS decoder are required to play the DTS soundtrack.

Digital Video Disc (DVD) - A type of optical disk, the same size as a compact disc but with significantly greater recording capacity. DVD is expected to supersede video CDs, laserdiscs, and videotape as the preferred medium for motion pictures for home use. DVD players can also read most CD media.

DualDisc (DD)  - A new music product that can be played anywhere. It is a two-sided disc made up of DVD recorded material on one side with digital audio material on the other side. DualDisc is similar in size to a DVD and CD. The DVD side of the DualDisc offers DVD video or DVD audio content which may include many of the features currently found in DVD discs including enhanced audio; 5.1 surround sound, music videos, artists’ interviews, behind-the-scene footage, documentary films, photo galleries, lyrics and other material produced by the recording artist or label. The audio side of the DualDisc does not meet the technical specifications to be called a “Compact Disc Digital Audio”.

DVD-Audio - An enhanced audio media requiring a DVD-Audio player. Most DVD-Audio discs include audio tracks that may be played on DVD-Video players. DVD-Audio discs cannot be played on a CD player. There is no hybrid format.

High Definition (HD-DVD) - High-Definition DVD is the name of a next-generation optical disc format that utilizes a blue laser rather than the red used in DVD and CD lasers. Blue laser operates at a shorter wavelength and information can therefore be packed more densely on a disc. The format holds up to 15GB on a single-layer disc and 30GB on a dual-layer disc. High Definition discs require a High Definition DVD player.

miniDVD - Mini-DVD’s are like standard 5 inch DVD’s however they are 3 inches in diameter. They play in specially designed Mini-DVD players and also full sized DVD players. These products will not play in a slot-loading DVD system.

MP3 - The MP3 CD delivers music in a universal format compatible with the majority of music players on the market. Instant music in minutes with no downloading or internet access required. Each MP3 CD can store as many as 100 tracks of music and will also play on all PC’s, plus MP3-compatible car stereos, DVD players and CD players.

NTSC - The National Television System Committee (NTSC) is responsible for setting television and video standards in the United States. All video products we sell are in this format unless otherwise noted.

PAL - The broadcast standard used throughout most of the world except the US. PAL format is not compatible with US systems (NTSC). The PAL image is comprised of more lines of resolution which produces a denser, and better picture than the NTSC standard.

Pan & Scan (P&S) - A process for fitting a widescreen film into a format that can be viewed on a standard television. Pan & Scan cuts off the left and right side of a frame to fit the image on a TV screen, then pans to the left or to the right to stay with the action or actors. See Widescreen.

SPARS - It stands for Society of Professional Audio Recording Services. It consists of a three letter code, and all the letters will be either an A for Analog or D for Digital. The first is the recording method, second is the mixing method, third is the mastering method.

Super Audio Compact Disc (SACDs) - The highest quality of sound available. There are two types of SACDs (SACD-SL and SACD-Hybrid).

SACD-SL - Single-layer SACDs require a SACD player.

SACD-Hybrid - SACD-Hybrid (also called Double-layer) can play on an SACD player in the highest quality, or your current CD player at normal CD quality. For additional information refer to http://www.sonymusic.com/sacd/faq/index.html.

Universal Media Disc (UM) - Universal Media Disc (UM) is a high-capacity optical medium designed for the high speed and efficient delivery of digital entertainment content, including game, movies and music. The UMD can store up to 1.8GB of digital content, making it perfect for the portable entertainment player PSP.

Video Home System (VHS) - A video recording and playback format that uses cassettes containing half-inch videotape. Introduced by JVC in 1976 to compete with Sony's Beta format, VHS has since become the industry standard for both home and commercial use. SVHS (Super VHS) was developed to improve resolution.

Vinyl LP - A thin, flat disk, usually made of vinyl, impressed on one or both sides with a continuous spiral groove in which sounds are recorded. As the disk revolves on a playback machine, the groove causes a stylus to vibrate, producing electrical impulses in a cartridge which are amplified as sound. The most common speed is 33 rpm (long-playing), but 78, 45, and 66 2/3 rpm phonograph records were also manufactured. Audio compact disks have superseded phonograph records in the retail market, but there is still a market for used records, some of which have become collectible.

Widescreen (WS) - The full image as it was filmed and as the director intended by keeping the original widescreen aspect ration. The aspect ratio is the ratio between the width and height of a screen. Standard televisions have an aspect ration of 4:3 (also called 1.33:1). Black stripes are used at the top and bottom of a standard TV screen to make up the difference in size between the aspect ratio of the program being shown and the television screen. DVDs utilize the film's original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 or 2.35:1. See Pan & Scan.

Widescreen Enhanced - DVDs that are widescreen enhanced take full advantage of the extra lines of resolution offered by high-definition television sets (HDTV) and do not require the use of black bars when played on a widescreen TV.