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General Audio & Data CD Duplication Info |
UnisourceMedia provides CD duplication and replication services for audio and data duplication projects.
It is important to realize that the duplication and replication process is the same regardless of content, as well as the difference between CD duplication and replication. It is important to ask cd duplication companies whether they will duplicate or replicate your discs.
Duplication refers to burned CDs -- like the CD burner that we've all seen on personal computers. Burned audio CDs have playability issues in some CD players, particularly car stereos, portable CD players, and older CD players.
Replication refers to pressed CDs. In this process, a stamper is made that literally presses the information into the molded disc. Imagine the ink stampers that are used to stamp "PAID!" on invoices -- it's kind of like that. Along a conveyor belt, molded discs have a pressing arm come down on them that stamps the data into them. Ouch.
For replication projects, the first thing our plant will do is a bit test on your master to make sure that there are no "uncorrectible errors". Your master might very well play in your CD player, but fail this test. This is one of the most frustrating experiences that can happen, and we expect that soon National Geographic will do a photo-journalistic story on this calamity. To capture on film the faces of those who must repeatedly turn in new masters because the used cheap burning software, or burned their master at 32x, would be a story of great interest to those who never experience this frustration. Please read this article about CD and DVD master submission standards.
Because there are so many potential sources of adversity in a CD replication project, we advise clients NOT to schedule CD release parties until AFTER they have their CDs! We understand that waiting for CDs to be completed is kind of like how a kid feels the day before his or her birthday. But we also know what a bummer it can become if a client gets a product with defects because the job was rushed to hit a ridiculous deadline.
Duplication has faster turn times, since a stamper does not need to be made. The duplication process can literally start as soon as a master is received, whereas the replication process doesn't begin for about 5-7 business days, during which time both a glass master and a stamper are made.
Commonly, people expect that CD, DVD, and Vinyl manufacturing jobs can be done locally, such that they can just get in their car, drive ten minutes away, and pick up the discs. This is sometimes true, but it is more the exception than the rule. In fact, customers often find that if they buy locally, they get hit with state sales tax, but save on shipping, and the inverse situation exists as well: one might not pay tax on a job done out of state, but will pay shipping.
Ground shipping on 1,000 jewel-cased CDs is about $70-80 in the continental US.
UnisourceMedia, being resourceful, creative, and either the life of the party or a terrible social liability, has manufacturing plants all over the United States, which means that a likelihood exists that we can duplicate your CDs (or DVDs) locally, so that you don't have to pay shipping OR tax (unless you are a California state resident).
If you are a California state resident, and you very much want to have UnisourceMedia do your CD or DVD duplication or replication project, we can show you how to get a resellers' license so that you do not pay sales tax with us or other vendors you use in California. Most musicians, for instance, end up manufacturing CDs, T-shirts, stickers, and other promotional items. If you plan on selling these, then you do not have to pay tax to the vendors who manufacture these products for you.
DVDs are a beast unlike any other.
Our first piece of advice is always to make sure you have your DVD professionally authored. There are SO many technical aspects to creating a DVD (since they are often used for multi-media projects, AND the technology is still evolving).
When we replicate DVDs, we prefer to receive DLTs (digital tapes), as they are less likely to have corruptions that a DVD-ROM.
Regardless of whether we are given a DLT or a DVD-ROM for a master, the first thing the plant does is check the master for corruptions.
Oddly, your master might play in your DVD player, but still have corruptions. If this is the case, we will ask for a new master, which will cause a delay in the timeline. Clients sometimes get a bit upset when this happens, because they cannot understand why the master works in their DVD player, yet the plant wants another master. The answer is simply that the answer is complex.
If you are looking for design elements, you can find stock photos at Adobe.
For more information, go to the music and data CD and DVD duplication page.