CD Duplication is a perfect solution for those who need less than 1000 discs in a short amount of time. Many CD duplication companies now offer their services online saving you even more time. Just upload your music and artwork to their site and in 1 – 2 days your order is ready to ship. By following this simple CD duplication checklist you are sure to get your project off without a hitch.

Choose the right packaging: Don’t disappoint your users by cutting corners in packaging. Great packaging helps in marketing the product successfully. The market is full of CD packaging options. Make sure your’s is memorable. Most experienced full service CD and DVD duplication companies also provide packaging services. Take the time to select one that presents your product best. Some packaging options may not be available for short run duplication so be sure to check with your CD duplication company before designing your artwork.

Due Date: If you have a specific due date make sure you discuss this with your CD duplication company. Confirm you will receive your product on time even if it’s within their standard turn times. Peek seasons may change delivery turn times so make sure your duplicator is aware of your due date.

Content: If you are uploading your content make sure your total uploaded file size does not exceed 700 MB of space. Double check your upload to ensure everything is how you wish it to be duplicated.

If you are providing a CD master for content always listen to your audio or review the data to make certain it is accurate. Check your master for scratches or visible defects before handing it over to the duplicator. It is your responsibility to check your content. Your CD master will be copied exactly as you’ve provided it.

Always keep a backup copy. Never give your CD Duplication plant your only master.

Artwork: Most CD duplication companies offer their own set of design templates. Following the CD artwork templates to spec will help to avoid any costly errors or delays to your project. Use high resolution artwork. Images taken from the internet are usually around 72dpi (low resolution files) and are not recommended for printing. Always prepare your artwork with 300dpi or higher files and images for the best CD print results. Once you’re completely satisfied with your masterpiece give it the once over and finalize it. Last minute changes to your artwork after its been given to the disc duplicator may result in delays and graphic design charges.

When ready, upload your artwork to your CD duplicator’s website or send in a disc containing your files. Remember to keep a backup copy. Never give the duplication plant the only copy of your artwork.

Allow yourself enough time for artwork approval. Most CD duplication companies will send a pdf proof of your artwork for final approval before they go to print. This is your last chance to catch and correct any possible errors so review, review, review. Once the CD plant receives your approval, your project will be ready for CD duplication, printing and packaging.

By following the checklist for your next CD duplication project your order is sure to be delivered on time and to spec.

Getting a batch of CD duplications at short notice can be a pain especially when quality is required. However, sometimes this need is essential to a vast number of people, be they in music or business or even in some kind of religious organization. The good news is that help is at hand; a quality DVD and CD duplication service could be just a phone call a way.

When a tough deadline has to be met for getting a relatively small amount of copies CD and DVD duplication is the best solution. This process involves placing the master copy into a reader which then duplicates the data to a hard drive and copies can then be run off. All this is done using CDR or DVDR media.

The essential point of this method is that no special stamper is required. The production of this stamper can take quite a long time so the whole processing time will be greatly reduced if one is not needed. This allows duplicating companies to virtually guarantee a significant amount of copies can be delivered within less than a day. If a much larger quantity is required or extras are added to the order, the turn around time will naturally be a little higher.

This method is actually quite different from the replication form of copying. Therefore if a pressing deadline has to be met, it is vital to make sure the company will be duplicating and not replicating as the latter will take much longer. The fastest and cheapest process for smaller batches is what is known as a Short Run Application. This will probably be the best choice for customers from, for example, small bands or businesses.

More good news is that apart from delivering a quality product at short notice these companies are doing their utmost to comply with the Eco-friendly demands of our times. The products will be mostly made from recycled material and that includes any special packaging that may have gone with the order.

In fact the whole process of DVD or CD duplication, from start to finish, will be a virtually headache free affair for the customer as the entire project will be dealt with by one of the companies qualified experts. Indeed they will be more than happy to provide suggestions and tips from the start to ensure that everything runs smoothly and the deadline is met.

CD replication can be a great way for a musician, corporation, or individual to create multiple copies of digitized media effectively. It is often a more cost effective, safer and more professional method than other ways of transferring and storing media or data. When CD printing is needed, choosing quality media duplication and replication services is as easy as knowing what you want and deciding who would be the best company for the job. With all the reasons CD Replication might be necessary, trusting a good service provider with the correct skills is essential to acquiring a successful end product.

Professional CD manufacturing need not be a venue utilized only by big name record companies and software manufacturers. Indie artists, writers, software programmers, businesses, and graphics developers often require bulk CD printing at a competitive cost. Unfortunately, many CD printing companies require enormous orders or only deal with lengthy and detailed contracts, leaving individuals who need these sorts of services with few choices. Luckily there are a few companies who take even the smallest orders seriously.

Generic CD duping from a home pc can take a lot of time and be less cost effective than hiring a premium CD Manufacturing Company to offer quick turn quality product that does not look homemade or lacking in quality. Often, independent musicians are the number one seekers of quality media duplication services. After spending a large chunk of cash on studio sessions to get the perfect tracks, ordering less than optimal CD duplication is a definite mistake. Indie artists can definitely make it in today’s music scene, because it is no longer a requirement to use the big record companies to get noticed, but it is not recommended to send an unprofessional looking CD to a radio station or potential producer, nor is it acceptable to drag homemade rips to your club gig.

Corporate businesses have also realized the benefits of CD printing. Meetings offering a CD accompaniment for associates to take home filled with flow charts, graphs, picture samples, contact information, and presentation details can make a lasting impression and offer a point of reference after an often too-brief meeting. The CD Packaging, disc, and content should be as professional and as formal as your business. Looking like a tech made it during a working lunch is simply unacceptable in many corporate circles. That is why many companies leave pressing CDs to the professionals. There is just something about the way a fresh, correctly manufactured CD looks and feels; it says that someone took the time to do things right and paid attention to detail with profound respect for those who might receive and utilize the media.

Looking to woo a client? Consider rising above the competition with a CD accompanied presentation complete with documentation and attractive case art. CDs are sturdier and easier to carry in a briefcase than a folder filled with loose paperwork. Professional CD printing will leave a lasting impression, giving the presenter a head above the competition. Portable and easy to distribute as well as capable of holding a myriad of compact information, a quality CD does wonders for a business reputation. It is a statement that the data contained thereon is like the conferrer: adept and conveying class.

When it is important to distribute programs, catalog information, tutorials, music samples, or any kind of information in bulk, the services of a professional CD manufacturing company are a must. Creating CDs on your own can be expensive, time consuming, and add unnecessary wear and tear to a computer’s CD rom unit, requiring an individual to spend less time on their business, craft, or music and too much on manufacturing and distribution. CDs are a very popular medium in any field; they are familiar and standard, working with most personal computers with ease.

The best CD duplication services will save time and money, require no minimum to order, and offer a wide array of services to meet a client’s individual needs. Versatility with fully customizable options makes ordering CD printing easy. With the need to offer personal yet professional attention for each project, CD replication is one of the most client-centric programs available. A pro quality CD is an excellent way to get your point across and remembered for years to come.

Call on Disc Outlet today for your next CD duplication or CD replication project. You conceive it, we’ll achieve it!

Disc Outlet now provides industry leading music, film, media, technology, and consumer brand companies with creative music download card programs, code-redemption websites and interactive printed product.

Each download card is created with your custom artwork, features a unique access code that drives users online to unlock exclusive, hidden, paid-for or complimentary digital media such as music, video, ringtones, images and more!

A cost-effective and turnkey package with trackability and metrics built right in.

Sell Digital Music at Live Gigs

One of the best times to reach your audience is when they are right in front of you. Capitalize on the proximity by selling digital downloads directly to your fans at your shows. Sell Download Cards individually or craft an intricate digital campaign. You know your fans. Let us help you give them what they want.

Promote Your Music In Style

One of the best ways to promote your music is by using Download Cards as your marketing solution. Give fans something they want: digital access to your music and content. Hand them out at shows and street events or give them away in fun promotions. Ask one of our sales representatives what unique and effective ways other musicians have used Download Cards.

Add Music To Your Merch

Combine merch with digital downloads of your music – full album downloads and exclusive tracks work great – and you get a one-two punch for your efforts. Adding our Download Tags to your clothing or other promotional items is a strategic way to add real high-perceived value to any campaign.

Give ‘em something extra… add a download card to your next CD package or DVD package with a free download to show your fans how much you appreciate them.

Not Just For Musicians

Our platform is totally flexible and infinitely customizable. Download Cards are a great solution for authors and publishers to promote books – audio, digital and even the print variety. Use Disc Outlets Download Cards to give away sample chapters, author interviews, videos of live readings and more.

Pass the Popcorn

Promote film and television shows with our cost-effective Download Cards. Load them with clips, trailers, interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, outtakes and more. Great for in-store giveaways or as a gift-with purchase, you can advertise upcoming films, DVD releases and even the soundtrack. You can use our Download Cards to publicize just about anything. With Disc Outlet you’re both the director and the star!

From Bands to Brands

A smart way to get your brand some recognition is to pair it with something really cool like a popular, cutting-edge or up-and-coming band. It’s a great way to give your brand some instant-cool. Distributing Download Cards as a gift-with-purchase is an effective and modern technique to reward your customers in a really memorable and unique approach. Keep them coming back for more…

They are ideal for:

• Promoting your band or brand at concerts, events and tradeshows
• Building fan and customer lists
• Driving fans and customers online
• Selling or promoting music and other content

Key benefits:

• Change your content anytime

• To store all of your music, photos and video, we offer 500mb of free hosting, standard to all Download Card orders. Upload your files in any format too! MP3, FLAC, WAV, and more!

• Makes a great collectible – Download Cards are the newest, coolest, and most cost effective way to get your music and content out to new listeners, fans and consumers. The card itself is a highly collectible, quality full-color plastic, card stock or eco-friendly seeded card that gives users exclusive access to your music, video and other content.

Here’s how Download Cards work… It’s as easy as 123

1. Set up your site. Once you sign up for an account, Disc Outlet gives you all tools to setup your own custom portal. There you can add 500mb of songs, bios, photos, tour dates using easy to follow online wizards.
2. Design your cards. You can design them yourselves using our handy templates.
3. Approve your artwork; your cards will ship within 5-10 working days.

Pass them out and they will come…

Disc Outlet will provide you with a download widget for your site so your fans can access your content by entering the code found on the back of their card.

Track ‘em down…

Track your success with our User Control Dashboard. This key area allows you to monitor and control all aspects of your many download card projects. You can upload and maintain your music and video files, view your cards’ redemption statistics in real-time, and see other unique data, such as collected email addresses and your users’ locations throughout the country based on their IP address. All of this is displayed in a beautiful and easy-to-use dashboard with detailed line graphs, gauges and Google Maps that really help you to see the big picture.

In addition to all of the bells and whistles included standard with every Download Card order, we also provide a number of custom services to bring your download card project to the next level.

Incorporate elements such as a contest, sweepstakes or survey data collection by commissioning a custom landing page, bulk up your retail cards with unique packaging or simply make your card stand out from the pack with a custom diecut shape, key ring or dog tag.

You conceive it, we’ll achieve it!

Turn time and quantity are the two big factors while deciding whether to replicate or duplicate your CD or DVD project. It is good to know the differences as it can be beneficial to use one versus the other depending upon your needs.

Duplication is the process for copying a CD or DVD. It is burned from your original master to recordable CD or DVD media. This is a faster method of production than replication, and is generally used for orders under 1000 units when time is of the essence to get them finished. With turn times of 1 to 5 days and no minimum order required, duplication may be the answer when you’re in a hurry or need less than 1000 discs. Disc Outlet offers a number of CD packaging and DVD packaging options to choose from for your short run CD and DVD projects.

Replication is a manufacturing process that creates CD’s or DVD’s through injection molding. A “glass master” is produced from your original master, in which a “stamper” is created. Most commonly referred to as “retail ready” CDs or DVDs, this process is most cost effective on quantities of 1000 or more with turn times of 7 to 10 business days. If you need them faster just ask. Disc Outlet can expedite your project to fit your production schedule.

The Processes

CD/DVD duplication is similar to burning a CD/DVD on your personal computer. A CD/DVD duplicator extracts data from the master disc and writes it to a blank disc. The difference between burning multiple CD/DVD-Rs at a duplication facility and burning one on your computer desktop is that the duplication facility burns hundreds at a time on towers that are linked together. Each tower contains several CD/DVD trays so that many copies can be created simultaneously. After all the data has been written unto the blank CD/DVD-R, the information is verified with the master, and the process is complete.

CD/DVD replication, on the other hand, is created during the CD manufacturing or DVD manufacturing process. Before the replication process gets underway, the client’s master is evaluated for data corruption. Then, a glass master containing data from the client’s supplied master is created. The glass master is used to develop a stamper. The stamper, in turn, is loaded into an Injection Molding machine that creates the CD/DVD replicated discs. The quality of the replication hinges upon the quality of the glass master’s data. Through each successive step, quality and accuracy is consistently monitored to insure each disc is an exact replica or clone of the original. A layer of micro-thin aluminum is applied to the polycarbonate disc. It is then lacquered for additional protection and printed before packaging.

Advantages of CD/DVD Duplication

1. The standard turn-time is 1-5 business days.
2. No minimum order required. Full color printing and packaging available.
3. Digital full color printing is available with no prepress charges.

Advantages of CD/DVD Replication

1. The unit costs are lower than duplicated discs.
2. Both offset printing and screen printing is available for replicated discs.
3. Disc Outlet’s replication facilities, as a result of our high volume run capability, can auto assemble discs into jewel cases, paper/tyvek sleeves, amaray cases, or cardboard sleeves.

Are There Noticeable Differences?

Both CD duplication / DVD duplication and DVD replication / CD replication extract data from the original in the same way. In terms of manufacturing, however, this is where the similarities end. The finished product of either process performs in the same manner, although there will be difference to the eye depending upon whether the discs are digitally, screened, or offset printed as well as the blue, green or silver tint from the bottom of the disc.

So which method is best for your project’s needs: Duplication or Replication? Call a Disc Outlet Sales Representative today at 877-916-3472 to discuss your next project.

At Disc Outlet, we are dedicated to providing the best possible quality and service in all of our endeavors, from assisting our favorite garage band to supporting fortune 500 corporations.

You will find our expertise and knowledge helpful in guiding you step-by-step through the entire process.

Our experience combined with our commitment to remain on the forefront of disc manufacturing, design and promotional products has provided our clients’ with the competitive edge needed to succeed in the marketplace.

With our wide variety of replication services you find the solutions you need. We will deliver the quality you demand at a price you’ll like, in a time frame that won’t set off any alarms.