Format Definitions
All content in the DAB Media Group library is sourced at the highest available specification. This section explains the various format designations and quality indicators you will see throughout the library.
Aspect ratios and exact resolutions may differ between titles. Media is sorted into the resolution category of which it is closest. Some titles may include letterboxing from the source material.
Resolution
| Badge | Resolution | Also Known As | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4K | 3840 × 2160 | UHD · 2160p | Ultra High Definition — 8.3 megapixels, four times the pixel count of FHD. Sourced from UHD Blu-ray disc or a 4K digital master. Encoded in HEVC/H.265. Supports HDR (HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision). |
| FHD | 1920 × 1080 | Full HD · 1080p | Full High Definition — 2.1 megapixels, the standard resolution of commercial Blu-ray. Sourced from Blu-ray disc or a 1080p digital master. Encoded in H.264/AVC or HEVC/H.265. May include HDR where the source carries it. |
| HD | 1280 × 720 | HD · 720p | High Definition — 0.9 megapixels, approximately half the resolution of FHD. Used for older titles where a 1080p master is unavailable or where the source is a high-quality 720p broadcast or web release. Encoded in H.264/AVC. |
| SD | 720 × 480 720 × 576 |
NTSC · 480p PAL · 576p |
Standard Definition — DVD-era resolution. 480 lines for NTSC (North American) content, 576 lines for PAL (European). Used only where no higher-resolution master exists. Encoded in MPEG-2 or H.264/AVC. |
HDR Formats
| Badge | Developer | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolby Vision | Dolby Laboratories | Dolby's proprietary dynamic HDR format using per-scene or per-frame metadata. Supports up to 12-bit colour and 10,000 nits peak brightness. Backward compatible with HDR10. | |
| HDR10+ | Samsung / Amazon | Open dynamic HDR standard developed by Samsung and Amazon. Uses scene-by-scene metadata for improved tone-mapping over static HDR10, with no licensing fees. | |
| HDR10 | CTA / Open Standard | The baseline open HDR standard using static metadata. 10-bit colour depth, up to 1,000 nits peak brightness. Widely supported across all HDR-capable displays. | |
| HLG | BBC / NHK | Hybrid Log-Gamma. A broadcast-oriented HDR format developed by BBC and NHK. Backward compatible with SDR displays without requiring separate metadata streams. | |
| SDR | Open Standard | Standard Dynamic Range. No HDR enhancement. Compatible with all displays. Used for legacy content or titles without an HDR master available. | |
Audio Formats
| Badge | Developer | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| TrueHD Atmos | Dolby Laboratories | Dolby's lossless object-based surround format with immersive overhead audio. Found on UHD Blu-ray. Supports up to 7.1.4 channels and is bit-for-bit identical to the studio master. | |
| DD+ Atmos | Dolby Laboratories | Dolby Digital Plus with Atmos spatial metadata. Lossy but efficient; delivers immersive audio on streaming platforms and select disc releases. Widely compatible. | |
| DTS-HA MA | DTS / Xperi | DTS-HD Master Audio. Lossless surround format that is bit-for-bit identical to the studio master. Supports up to 7.1 channels. Standard lossless track on Blu-ray. | |
| TrueHD | Dolby Laboratories | Dolby's lossless surround format without Atmos object metadata. Lossless encoding supporting up to 7.1 channels. Standard lossless track on Blu-ray. | |
| DTS | DTS / Xperi | Core DTS lossy surround. 5.1 channels at up to 1,509 kbps. Backward compatible with all DTS decoders; typically included as a compatibility or legacy track. | |
| DD+ | Dolby Laboratories | Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3). Lossy format with improved compression efficiency over standard Dolby Digital. Supports up to 7.1 channels. Used on streaming and some disc releases. | |
| DD | Dolby Laboratories | Dolby Digital (AC-3). Classic lossy surround format supporting up to 5.1 channels at 640 kbps. Universally compatible; often included as a backward-compatibility track. | |
| AAC | ISO / IEC MPEG | Advanced Audio Coding. Lossy format and successor to MP3. Common on streaming content and web video. Efficient compression with broad device support. | |
| FLAC | Xiph.Org Foundation | Free Lossless Audio Codec. Open-source lossless format providing bit-for-bit reproduction of the source. Used for music releases and high-fidelity audio archives. | |
| PCM | Open Standard | Pulse-Code Modulation. Uncompressed digital audio — the raw format used in recording studios. Highest possible fidelity at the cost of larger file size. Found on Blu-ray and digital masters. | |
Physical Media
DAB produces physical media on 3 main types of optical discs. Read below for information regarding the recordable media and formats used for releases.
CD-R
DAB's standard format for music releases. Mastered to the Red Book standard (IEC 60908) and identical in specification to a commercially pressed CD — uncompressed PCM audio with no lossy encoding at any stage.
- Format: CD-DA (Compact Disc Digital Audio) — Red Book / IEC 60908
- Audio: 16-bit / 44.1 kHz stereo PCM — uncompressed lossless
- Capacity: 74 min (650 MB) or 80 min (700 MB)
- CD-Text embedded on all releases — artist, album, and track titles
- Compatible with all CD, DVD, and Blu-ray players
DVD-R / DVD+R
Used for DVD-Video releases and DVD-Audio high-resolution music titles. DVD-Video carries standard-definition video in the VIDEO_TS structure; DVD-Audio carries high-resolution audio in AUDIO_TS and requires a DVD-Audio compatible player.
- DVD-Video: MPEG-2 video — 720×480 (NTSC) or 720×576 (PAL) in VIDEO_TS/VOB
- DVD-Video audio: Dolby Digital (AC-3), DTS, or LPCM up to 5.1ch
- DVD-Audio: LPCM or MLP (Meridian Lossless Packing) in AUDIO_TS
- DVD-Audio stereo: up to 24-bit / 192 kHz; multichannel: up to 24-bit / 96 kHz (5.1)
- DVD-Video compatible with all DVD and Blu-ray players; DVD-Audio requires a DVD-Audio or universal disc player
BD-R / BD-R XL
DAB's highest-quality physical release format. All video titles are authored as BDMV (Blu-ray Disc Movie) — the same structure used on commercially pressed discs, with a BDMV folder containing .m2ts streams and full menu support.
- Format: BDMV — BDMV/STREAM/*.m2ts with index.bdmv and MovieObject.bdmv
- Full HD (1080p): H.264/AVC, VC-1, or MPEG-2 — BD-R 25 GB (SL) or 50 GB (DL)
- 4K UHD: HEVC/H.265 with HDR10, HDR10+, or Dolby Vision — BD-R XL 100 GB (TL)
- Lossless audio: Dolby TrueHD (incl. Atmos), DTS-HD Master Audio, or LPCM up to 7.1ch
- UHD content requires an Ultra HD Blu-ray player; standard Blu-ray players support 1080p BDMV only
Playback Requirements
CD-R releases play on any CD player, DVD player, Blu-ray player, or computer with an optical drive — including most game consoles. DVD-R and DVD+R releases require a DVD or Blu-ray player; they will not play on standalone CD players. All Blu-ray players are backward compatible with DVD and CD.
BD-R releases require a Blu-ray player, a modern game console with Blu-ray support, or a computer fitted with a Blu-ray drive and compatible software. BD-R XL releases containing 4K UHD content additionally require an Ultra HD Blu-ray player or a compatible UHD game console — standard Blu-ray players cannot read UHD Blu-ray content. Ensure player firmware is up to date for best compatibility with newer HDR formats.
Quality Assurance
Every product is inspected for quality, function, and finish before dispatch. We maintain the same standards across both the content of each release and its physical manufacture.
Warranty and repair information is provided separately.
Playback Issues
If a disc fails to play, first confirm your player supports the format (DVD, Blu-ray, or UHD Blu-ray). Check that your player's firmware is current — HDR format support in particular is often added via updates. HDCP-compliant HDMI cables and displays are required for Blu-ray and UHD playback. If audio is absent or incorrect, verify your receiver or TV's audio input settings match the disc's output format.
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Useful Links
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DAB Records Store
Trusted physical media manufacturerDAB Records is a pseudonym for the trusted manufacturer behind all DAB Physical Media releases. Physical media orders are fulfilled through the DAB Records Etsy storefront.