by Morris Anderson
As you begin looking for CD DVD replication or duplication services, you
will likely be asked many questions concerning your project and the type of
media you need. You may wonder to yourself, "Aren't all burnable discs the
same?” - but as you’ll come to find out - there IS a difference between the
media used to manufacture CD DVD duplication orders and the media used to
manufacture CD DVD replication orders.
Using a reputable full service CD DVD Replication / Duplication company
like PacificDisc, Inc. to partner with is certainly a helpful option to ensure
a professional end result, but here is a simple explanation of some of the
differences, answer some of the questions you may have, and set aside some
misconceptions about DVD replication and DVD duplication.
CD DVD Replication
CD DVD Replication is the standard used to make mass quantities of CD's
or DVD's. A “glass master” of your information is made which in turn producers
“stampers” which are used for injection molding the information onto foil.
Layers of polycarbonate plastic then protect the mastered information. It is
then lacquered, usually screened, and ultimately packaged. Because most of
this process is automated, the cost per unit becomes factored in and very
affordable on orders generally greater than 1000 pieces. Until recently,
almost all DVD CD duplication companies replicated their discs and would only
offer service of larger volume CD DVD replication runs to their customers.
CD DVD Duplication
DVD Duplication is the standard in which smaller quantities of CD’s or
DVD's are usually manufactured. CD-R and DVD-R media is loaded into burners.
Your information is digitally extracted from your master source (usually a
master CD-R or DVD-R) and transferred to the blank discs. Your information is
typically verified and the copy then accepted or rejected. With the advent,
popularity, and reduced cost of writeable media, it is now possible to offer
the same level of CD DVD duplication services to customers that need smaller
quantity orders as well as customers which need larger quantities.
What's the difference?
There is no data difference between a processed CD DVD duplication and a
glass mastered CD DVD replication disc. In fact, both processes extract the
information from your master source in EXACTLY THE SAME WAY. Other than the
way your disc is manufactured, the biggest noticeable difference between a
replicated CD / DVD disc and a duplicated CD / DVD disc may be the way the
surface is marked. This is usually due to the cost restraints associated with
the method chosen to process the order.
True or False:
CD or DVD duplication is not as reliable as CD or DVD Replication?
It may surprise you to find out that in most cases the answer to this
question is FALSE.
Writeable media was invented for the storage of data. Audio CD-Rs and
subsequently video DVD-R's were an offspring of the data disk. As with any new
technology, there are bugs and glitches to iron out when trying to
mass-produce writable media. In an effort to get product into the market
place, many disc manufactures produced sub-par product, which had trouble
loading audio and video, and thus would keep your disc from “spinning up” in
your player.
Today’s writeable media are manufactured under much stricter guidelines.
It is true that there are still many inferior brands of discs saturating the
market place, but by choosing a reputable CD DVD duplication company like
PacificDisc Inc. - which uses only professional equipment and high quality
media, you should be assured of receiving a quality product.
In Conclusion:
CD DVD Duplication and CD DVD Replication both have their cost and
quality advantages. Ultimately, it is the consumer/customer that will choose
the best method to manufacture the replication project. The CD DVD replication
company you partner with will help you put a project together that both meets
your quality demands and budget restrictions. Learning all you can about your
CD DVD Replication project will help you make an informed decision about your
project and the way you will manufacture it.
About the author
Morris Anderson is the co-Founder and CEO of PacificDisc Inc. - a smaller,
more boutique replication company that specializes in helping first-timers
through the CD or DVD replication process. Morris has over 20 years experience
in the production field, having run three Television stations and an
Independent Production Film company, prior to founding PacificDisc, Inc. To
learn more about PacificDisc's DVD / CD Replication, visit
http://www.pacificdisc.com/CDPricing.html.