
1. Version Description:
1. CAM (Camera Shot Version)
CAM is typically recorded from movie theaters using a digital camera. Sometimes a small tripod is used, but most of the time it is not possible, so the camera shakes. As a result, we often see dark and distorted images, with subtitles appearing tilted at the bottom. Since the audio is recorded from the camera’s built-in microphone, it often captures audience laughter and other sounds. Due to these factors, both the image and sound quality are usually poor.
2. TS (Pro version)
TS is short for Telesync. The standard for TS is the same as the CAM version. However, it uses an external audio source (usually a headphone jack installed on cinema seats for people with hearing difficulties). This audio source cannot guarantee good quality because it is susceptible to background noise interference. TS is recorded in an empty cinema or in a projection room using a professional camera, so the image quality may be better than CAM. However, the picture may have significant fluctuations. Common versions found on forums include regular TS versions and TS versions that have been repaired for clarity.
3. TC (Film Version)
TC is an abbreviation for Telecine. TC uses a television film camera to make a direct digital copy of the film. The picture quality is good, but the brightness is insufficient and some scenes may appear dim. Many times, the audio source used to create a TC comes from a TS, so the sound quality is poor, but the picture quality is much better than TS. If you’re not too picky, TC versions are still a good choice.
4. DVDSCR (Pre-release version)
SCR is short for SCREENER. DVDSCR is a preview or test version of a DVD, which is an unofficial release. It is obtained from a preview DVD and is compressed using MPEG-4 technology for high-quality video. It can be released earlier than DVDRip, but the video quality is slightly lower. (There are often scrolling messages at the bottom of the screen, including copyright and anti-piracy phone numbers, which may affect viewing.) If not strictly defined, its video quality should be similar to TC version.
5. R5, R6 edition
R5 and R6 are DVD region codes. The Russian version of DVD in region 5, because it is dubbed in Russian, requires finding an English audio track. The R5 version is a composite version (Russian DVD video from region 5 + English audio track obtained through other channels). The picture quality of R5 versions is generally good, but the audio quality may vary depending on the source of the audio track. Some R5 movies come with the original English audio. To differentiate, movies with original audio are usually labeled as [R5], while movies with composite audio are labeled as [R5.LINE].
Regarding DVD region codes, the world is currently divided into six regions. The United States belongs to the first region, while mainland China belongs to the sixth region. The details are as follows:
1th District: United States, Canada (also known as DVDRip below)
2th District: Western Europe, Japan, South Africa
3th District: Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan
4th District: Australia, Latin American Spanish
5th District: Russia, Eastern Europe, Africa
6th District: Mainland China
6. HD RIP (High Definition Version) (Official DVD Version)
HDRip is the abbreviation for HDTVRip (High Definition TV resource compression). It is a video format that uses MPEG4 compression technologies such as DivX/XviD/x264 to compress the video image of HDTV with high quality. The video and audio parts are then packaged into an .avi or .mkv file, and finally, external subtitle files are added to form the video format. It provides higher image clarity.
7. BD (Blu-ray Edition)
BD is short for Blue Disk, which translates to “蓝光影碟” in Chinese. It refers to videos and audios recorded from Blu-ray discs, which have high picture quality.
8. DVD, HDVD, DVD5, DVD9
The English full name for DVD is Digital Video Disk, which stands for Digital Video Disc. It is also known as a digital video disc or digital optical disc. It utilizes MPEG2 compression technology to store video images.
9. HDVD (Compressed Disc or Economy Edition DVD)
HDVD, commonly known as compressed disc or economy edition DVD, typically uses DVD-5 (4.7GB capacity) or DVD-9 (8.5GB capacity) as the medium. It adopts MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 encoding. Due to its lower bit rate, each disc can accommodate up to 7 hours of video content, with slightly higher or equivalent video quality compared to VCD. It is most cost-effective for watching TV series.
10. VHSRip
VHSRip is a conversion from the retail version of VHS tape, mainly for the release of figure skating/sports content.
11. TVRip
From TV shows captured from digital cable/satellite TV (preferably), or receiving pre-broadcast programs sent by satellite a few days in advance to TV networks (excluding encrypted but sometimes with static interference). Some programs, like WWF RAW IS WAR, contain extra parts; “DARK MATCHES” and CAMERA/COMMENTARY tests are included in the TVRip. PDTV is captured from PCI digital TV cards, usually with the best quality; cracking groups tend to use SVCD for releases. VCD/SVCD/DivX/XviD rips are also used for TVRip releases.
12. WORKPRINT (WP)
WORKPRINT (WP) is a copy of a film that is incomplete, and may have missing scenes and music. The quality can range from excellent to very poor. Some WPs may differ significantly from the final version. (For example, the WP of MEN IN BLACK replaces all the aliens with actors.) Others may include extra footage (like Jay and Silent Bob). WPs can be seen as additional collectibles after obtaining a high-quality final version.
13. DivX Re-Enc
DivXRe-Enc is a smaller file encoded with DivX from the original VCD release. They can usually be found on file-sharing networks. They are typically named in the format Film.Name.Group(1of2). Common release groups include SMR and TND. These versions are usually not worth downloading unless you are unsure about a particular movie and only want a 200MB version. It is generally recommended to avoid them.
14. Watermarks
Many movies that come from Asian Silvers/PDVD (see below) have markings from the producers. Usually, it is a letter, an abbreviation, or an icon, located in one corner of the screen. The most famous ones are “Z”, “A”, and “Globe”.
15. Asian Silvers / PDVD
Asian Silvers / PDVD is a term used to describe pirated movies released by Asian piracy groups, which are often purchased by some release organizations to be passed off as their own releases. Silvers are inexpensive and easily accessible in many countries. It is easy to release Silvers, so there are now many releases, mainly by small organizations; these organizations often disappear after a few releases. PDVD is similar to Silver, but it is compressed onto a DVD. PDVD usually has external subtitles and better quality than Silvers. PDVD is encoded like a regular DVD but is often released in VCD format, which is a characteristic of Scene Tags used to label released files.
16. PROPER
According to the release rules, the organization that first releases a Telesync (TS) wins the competition (for the TS release). However, if this release version is of poor quality and another organization has another TS version (or a better quality version of the same source), the label PROPER is added to the directory to avoid duplication. PROPER is a highly subjective label, and many people argue whether PROPER is better than the original release version. Many release organizations simply release PROPER because they lost the release competition. The reasons for releasing PROPER should always be included in the NFO file.
17. SUBBED
For VCD releases, SUBBED typically means that the subtitles have been embedded into the movie. They are usually in Malay/Chinese/Thai, sometimes in two languages. They may take up a significant portion of the screen. SVCD supports external subtitles, so DVDRips are released with external subtitles. This information can be found in the NFO file.
18. UNSUBBED
When a movie has previously been released with a SUBBED version that includes subtitles, an UNSUBBED version without subtitles may also be released.
19. LIMITED
LIMITED films refer to movies that are only shown in a limited number of theaters, usually fewer than 250. The distribution of smaller films, such as art films, is typically labeled as LIMITED.
20. INTERNAL
INTERNAL releases have several reasons. Classic DVD organizations have many INTERNAL release versions, so as not to cause confusion. At the same time, low-quality releases are marked as INTERNAL, so as not to diminish the reputation of the release organization or due to the quantity already released. INTERNAL releases can be obtained normally on the organization’s member website, but without other website administrators requesting them not to be exchanged on other websites. Some INTERNAL releases still flow to IRC/NEWSGROUP, which usually depends on the popularity of the movie. Earlier this year, CENTROPY was done as an INTERNAL release. This means that the release organization only distributes it to its members and website administrators. This is different from its usual meaning.
21. STV
STV stands for straight-to-video, which means the movie is released without being shown in theaters. As a result, many streaming websites do not allow STV movies.
22. ASPECT RATIO TAGS
Aspect Ratio describes how the image appears on the screen. Taking 4:3 as an example, 4 refers to the width and 3 refers to the height. ws represents widescreen, FS represents fullscreen.
23. RECODE
RECODE is a previously released version, typically encoded with TMPGenc to remove subtitles, correct colors, etc. While they may look better, this is generally not considered good practice as release groups should source their own materials.
24. REPACK
If the publishing organization releases a faulty version, they will release a REPACK to address these issues.
25. NUKED
A release can be nuked for various reasons. Some websites may nuke a release for violating their rules (such as not allowing the release of TS versions). However, if a release has significant issues (like 20 minutes of no sound, CD2 being the wrong movie or game), then all websites will nuke that release. People who exchange nuked versions on these websites will lose their reputation. But nuked releases can still be propagated through P2P/USENET, so it is always advisable to first find out the reason for the nuke, just in case. If a release group realizes that their release has problems, they can request a nuke.
26. HC
HC is an abbreviation for Hard Core, which means that the video contains hard subtitles, not external subtitles, but subtitles that are integrated into the video itself.
2. Other Supplementary Version Notes:
1. PROPER
Perfect version, the previously released movie had poor quality, while this one is considered to be better.
2. REPACK
Reproduce and release, the previous version needs to be recalled.
3. LIMITED
In the United States, these are films that have limited releases and are shown in fewer than 500 theaters.
4. DUPE
With other organizations, there is duplication of the Release.
5. IMAX
IMAX screens come in various sizes, with the standard IMAX screen being 22 meters wide and 16 meters high.
6. UNRATE
Unrated version.
7. R-RATE
There are abridgements Edition.
8. SE
DVD Special Edition.
9. DC
Director’s Cut.
10. WITH EXTRAS
Bring the highlights.
11. RERIP
Similarly, the movie needs to be ripped again.
12. SUBBED
There are hardcoded subtitles.
3. Explanation about HD movies:
Usually, resolutions above 720P from sources such as HDTV, HDDVD, and BluRay are considered high-definition resources, excluding formats like RMVB. DVD sources, miniSD formats, and all RMVB resources are considered non-high-definition resources.
Regarding resolution: I guess many people think that 720P resources are high definition, but in reality, resolution does not determine whether it is high definition or not. The source of the film is the key. Generally, encoding groups do not convert DVD, CAM, or TS versions into 1280×720 resolution. However, there are now too many unscrupulous websites that mislead people with titles like DVDScr-720P, HDTS-720P, HDCAM-720P, deceiving those who are not familiar with high definition. Therefore, before downloading resources, it is important to pay attention to the source of the film, and then consider the resolution.
Regarding bitrate: Some BD-720P resources have a size of only 1GB, while others are 3GB, and some even 8GB. What is the difference? The main reason lies in the movie duration and bitrate. The higher the bitrate, the larger the file size. The video bitrate for mobile videos is around 1500kbps. A 90-minute mobile video movie has a size of about 1.5GB. On the other hand, CMCT, CnSCG, and other compression groups’ 720P movies have a size of around 3GB, with a video bitrate of approximately 3000kbps. CHD, HDW, Wiki, and other high-definition compression groups’ 720P movies have a very high bitrate, hence larger file sizes. The high-bitrate versions are more valuable for collectors.
4. The difference between rmvb and mkv:
The reason why RMVB movies have small file sizes is because of low video and audio bitrates. In other words, the amount of data in the video is reduced, which comes at the expense of video quality and audio effects.
MKV is a video container format, which generally uses x264 encoding for its videos. The advantage of this encoding format is that it provides better video quality than RMVB at the same file size. However, why are common MKV videos usually large in size? This is because these MKV videos have high parameters, such as high video bitrate and the use of lossless next-generation audio tracks (such as DTS-HD at around 4GB). Such videos have extremely high value for viewing and collecting! In other words, using MKV and x264 can make videos very small, just like RMVB, but this behavior is too wasteful. It is done for the sake of better video quality, which is why MKV is often associated with high definition.
If you are only pursuing image quality, then choose high bit rate and high parameter BD-1080P, 720P, such as those compressed by HDW and CHD; if your network is not good enough and your hard drive is not large enough, then you can choose videos with low bit rate, such as those compressed by CMCT, around 3G; if you think 3G is still too big, then choose semi-HD videos, around 1.5G; if you still can’t accept it, don’t worry, there are also TLF’s MiniSD works, around 700MB, with acceptable image quality.