DVD Duplication--Tips and Advice to Create Affordable Multiple Copies

Thanks to smaller, more powerful and more affordable chips, technology of every variety that once was available to only the largest corporations is now within reach of nearly any size business, and many consumers for home usage. First it was computers and digital printers--now DVD duplication systems have become an affordable commodity.

DVD duplication is a awesome technology. If you want an extra copy of a movie you bought, or want to produce backup copies of your games, DVD's or VHS tapes, this is your solution. DVD duplication is similar to the process used to print information on a CD. It's a burn-and-print technology that involves very little set-up and is quite simple using some of the new software that is currently available.

The technology to reproduce DVDs, once available to productions studios and giant corporations, is now available at affordable prices for businesses and organizations both large and small. Churches, in particular, are using this new media technology. "In the past, churches recorded sermons and music on cassette," recalls Tony van Veen, Disc Makers' Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "These tapes often lacked quality and took hours, even days, to reproduce. Today, with consumer demand for quality, and the popularity of DVDs, churches must embrace this new technology or risk falling behind."

Even if you do not want to become and independent film maker, DVD duplication is useful for a multitude of reasons. Maybe you would like to create a training product demonstration, a Power Point presentation for work, or make a how-to-video to help employees understand new software. Perhaps you want to video the annual company softball game/picnic and give copies to everyone. Or you would like to provide a DVD of your wedding ceremony to each of your guests. With prices starting below $1,600, these new technical marvels are fast becoming a main stay in many businesses.

A money-saving word of advice: DVD duplication and DVD-ROM replication sound similar, but there is an important distinction. The burn-and-print duplication process is the way to go for short runs--usually fewer than 1,000 copies. However, if you are a major player and need more than 1,000 copies duplication will end up being an expensive choice. DVD-ROM replication is a more cost effective method of producing large quantities. The company you select will produce a "master" disc, then "press" copies that are perfect duplicates of your original.

Another tip: DVDs are not immortal. The thin aluminum layer that reflects the light of the player's laser, is susceptible to oxidation which causes the discs to "rot". Never use off-the-shelf markers or ball point pens to write on the discs or labels. Most markers contain chemicals which create oxidation, allows air to penetrate the aluminum, which is eaten up much like iron rusts in open air. Special pens are now sold which are made specifically for writing on media.

Whether you choose to purchase your own DVD duplication system or "farm out" your project to a professional duplication service be sure to do some comparison shopping. No matter what your project or how many copies you need, there is the precise product or service out there for you.