Sell Retro Glossory
Here’s a helpful glossary that covers technical terms for: Vinyl Records, Cassette Tapes, VHS Tapes, MiniDiscs, CDs, Video Games, 8-Track Cartridges, Memorabilia and Vintage Coins:
Vinyl Records
- 33 1/3 RPM / 45 RPM / 78 RPM: Speeds at which vinyl records are played. 33 1/3 is standard for LPs, 45 for singles, and 78 for older records.
- LP: “Long Play” record, typically 12 inches in diameter, with a standard capacity of about 20-25 minutes per side.
- EP: “Extended Play” record, shorter than an LP but longer than a single, usually containing 3-5 songs.
- Groove: The spiral track on the record’s surface that holds the audio information.
- Reissue: A re-release of a previously issued album, often remastered or released with additional content.
- Skipping: When the needle on a record player jumps forward, often caused by dust, scratches, or warping on the record.
- Crackle: The popping or static sound that can sometimes be heard on vinyl, often due to dust, wear, or imperfections in the grooves.
- Warped: When a record’s shape becomes uneven or bent, typically due to heat or improper storage, causing playback issues or distortion.
Cassette Tapes
- Compact Cassette: The standard audio cassette, with two miniature spools holding magnetic tape.
- Type I / Type II / Type IV: Different tape types used in cassettes, with varying magnetic coatings for sound quality.
- Dolby Noise Reduction: A feature that reduces background hiss, improving sound clarity on cassette tapes.
- Rewinding: The process of winding the tape back to the beginning to replay content.
- Wobble: An audio fluctuation in pitch, usually caused by uneven tape speed or mechanical issues with the cassette player.
VHS Tapes
- SP / LP / EP Modes: Playback speeds for VHS tapes; SP (Standard Play) offers the best quality, LP (Long Play) doubles recording time, and EP (Extended Play) triples it.
- Tracking: Adjustment to correct picture quality issues, like static or skipping, in VHS playback.
- VCR: “Video Cassette Recorder,” the device used to play and record on VHS tapes.
MiniDiscs
- MiniDisc (MD): A small, optical disc format developed by Sony for audio storage.
- ATRAC: “Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding,” the compression technology used in MiniDiscs to store music.
- MDLP: “MiniDisc Long Play,” which extends recording capacity by compressing audio further, with options for 2x or 4x the length.
CDs
- CD-R: “CD-Recordable,” a type of CD that allows one-time recording.
- CD-RW: “CD-Rewritable,” which can be erased and recorded over multiple times.
- Track: Each individual song or piece of audio on a CD, with most CDs holding up to 80 minutes of audio.
- Digital Remastering: The process of enhancing audio quality, often used for reissues on CD.
Video Games
- 8-bit / 16-bit / 32-bit: Terms that describe the processing power of gaming consoles or computers; higher bits generally allow for better graphics and complexity.
- ROM: “Read-Only Memory,” the game data stored on cartridges or discs.
- FPS: “First-Person Shooter,” a game genre where players experience the game from the protagonist’s viewpoint.
- RPG: “Role-Playing Game,” a genre focused on character development and story progression.
8-Track Cartridges
- 8-Track: A magnetic tape audio format, popular from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s, that uses a continuous loop of tape within a plastic cartridge.
- Program: Each 8-track cartridge is divided into multiple “programs” or tracks, usually four, which play continuously in a loop.
- Track Change: The automatic switching between programs; users could switch to different programs, though there’s no way to skip songs.
- Wow and Flutter: Describes slight speed variations in playback that can affect audio quality; common with magnetic tape formats like 8-tracks.
- Head Alignment: The positioning of the playback head to ensure clear, balanced sound across programs. Misalignment can cause issues like poor sound quality or bleed-through from other tracks.
Memorabilia
- Autograph: A signature, typically from a celebrity, athlete, or historical figure, collected on items like photographs, sports equipment, or personal objects.
- Provenance: The documented history or origin of a collectible item, proving its authenticity and increasing its value.
- Limited Edition: Items produced in limited quantities, often numbered, to increase collectibility and perceived value.
- Mint Condition: Refers to an item in perfect or near-perfect state, showing no signs of wear, damage, or usage.
- Ephemera: Collectible items made from paper, like posters, tickets, or flyers, intended to be temporary but preserved by collectors for their historical value.
Coins
- Obverse / Reverse: The “obverse” is the front side of the coin (usually displaying the main image or profile), while the “reverse” is the back side.
- Mint Mark: A small letter on a coin indicating the mint location where it was produced, such as “D” for Denver or “S” for San Francisco.
- Numismatics: The study or collection of currency, including coins, paper money, and tokens.
- Bullion: Precious metal coins, typically gold or silver, valued for their metal content rather than their face value or historical significance.
- Proof Coin: A coin struck with special dies and polished to a mirror-like finish, often highly collectible due to its quality and finish.
This glossary offers a helpful reference for enthusiasts and collectors to understand the unique language associated with these media formats.
EXCELLENT Based on 5 reviews Nigel Howard2025-02-15Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Pleasant and easy transaction selling some VHS tapes. Great comms.Very happy with outcome. I would highly recommend! Matthew Young2025-02-09Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I had an old box of cassette tapes and some minidiscs so I emailed Sell Retro and they asked for some pictures which I provided. They offered me a fair price which was paid upon delivery. Would recommend this company Julie Hobern2025-02-09Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Brilliant service. I got a good deal on my old records and the whole process went through so quickly and smoothly Robbi Rose2025-02-09Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great guys. Really happy to help. I really couldn't have asked for more. Simon Quartermain2025-01-14Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Really good business Everything was done quickly and easily Gave me a great price on my records and arranging postage was quick and easy Recommend themVerified by TrustindexTrustindex verified badge is the Universal Symbol of Trust. Only the greatest companies can get the verified badge who has a review score above 4.5, based on customer reviews over the past 12 months. Read more