DVD duplication is the process by which material on a master DVD is transferred onto a large number of recordable DVDs (DVD-Rs) without any loss of quality or functionality.
The technology is suitable for the production of a relatively small number of discs from a master and is cost-effective, and many unsigned artists and musicians use it for that reason, as well as corporate clients that might wish to associate the content of the discs with a particular promotion or product. They are also used by educational establishments, amateur musical and drama societies and individuals. The process can also be used for large volume reproduction but where larger volumes are required, there are more suitable alternative methods, such as replication.
Duplication is very different from replication, where information is added by a completely different manufacturing process and is more suitable for very large quantities of DVD-Rs.
Whilst it is possible to duplicate DVDs on a personal computer or laptop, for larger volumes, duplication facilities are more suitable. A duplication facility provides multiple towers, each with multiple drives and all the towers are networked together so a DVD master played from a source can be transferred to large numbers of discs at once, following which they are all checked against the master simultaneously. The material is transferred by laser technology allowing every copy to retain the quality of the master, irrespective of how many are made.
The process has both advantages and disadvantages like any other. The advantages are that the production does not take a long time and turnaround therefore happens faster, that it is well suited to relatively small quantities, and that it is easy to print full colour labels on the front of each DVD. The disadvantages are that it is not as cost-effective as replication for very large numbers of copies, and that each standard DVD-R can only contain a single layer of information. Some commercial DVDs are designated as, for example DVD-9 because they contain more than one layer of functionality on one side of the same disc but these are produced using a different method.
It should be remembered that only a certain amount of data can be fitted onto a disc, the standard DVD-R holding 4.7GB. A double-layered DVD-R will hold around 8.5GB. An additional consideration is whether the material on the copies requires protection from unlawful “ripping” whereby a purchaser can put the contents onto their computer and make further copies, usually with the intent of selling them, or supplying their friends with free copies. This could mean that fewer people buy the product from the rights holder, negatively affecting income. Discs copied and distributed unlawfully are often called “pirate DVDs.” Technology exists that embeds protection from further copying onto the finished DVD in such a way that neither playback nor quality are affected.
DVD duplication towers on a smaller scale are available for purchase should there be a preference for self-production rather than using a facility, some of which do not require connection to a computer.
Martin Jonson is director of the UK’s leading DVD/Blu-ray/CD duplication company providing exceptional quality at the lowest UK prices. He offers next day delivery anywhere in the UK and will complete your job quickly with the greatest care. You can connect with him on Google+.
