A look at what CD and DVD duplication is, why the demand exists, and how the process works.
With advances in technology comes smarter and smaller products. Compact discs and DVDs blow away the floppy disk in terms of storage space, and because of that, are used by billions all over the globe on a daily basis. Because of this, the high demand for CD duplication and DVD duplication should come as no surprise.
Why would I want to duplicate a CD or DVD?
In the business world, it is very typical for companies to use a process known as CD replication, or mass manufacturing. This process involves creating a master glass disc and using that disc to create a stamp. This stamp is then punched into polycarbonate blanks at high speeds, and as a result, many thousands of CDs can be created in a short period of time.
However, for most people interested in making copies of their CDs or DVDs, this is overkill—it is simply too expensive of an option. For a typical consumers, using a simple CD or DVD burner is enough to duplicate a few copies of discs you own, but when you need more than five or ten done, there is a need for much more powerful duplicating hardware.
If you were in charge of a small musical group, like a high school band, and you plan to release a couple hundred CDs of the group's music, you will be unable to do this with your computer alone, unless you want to spend hundreds of hours slaving away. Instead, you will look to enlist the CD duplication and DVD duplication services provided by a professional duplication firm. This is a prime example of a consumer, not a business, that needs duplication outsourced because they are unable to do it themselves.
How does CD duplication work?
The CD duplication process is very straightforward—it uses the same methods your home computer does in order to burn a music CD. The disc that is to be duplicated is inserted into a machine that reads the data. Then, a blank disc is inserted into the same machine, and the simply copies the data from the first disc to the second one.
The main difference between doing CD duplication at home versus enlisting a company's service is the time it would take. A dedicated CD duplication company will have many different machines capable of working in unison, while most homes will typically only have one or two computers. Using CD duplication services can not only ensure a faster turn around time, but a more quality duplication as well.
How does DVD duplication work?
DVD duplication is actually almost identical to CD, however there are differences. For example, a typical CD holds around 800 megabytes of data, while a DVD can hold many gigabytes worth. Because of this, more time is required for the DVD duplication process in contrast with CD duplication, and the price duplicating DVDs may be higher. However, the price difference is usually well worth it when you consider the advantages to working with DVDs over CDs.