DVD Duplication: A Buyer's Guide

DVD Duplication Quotes are provided by up to 8 top companies in the UK. They include:

What does DVD Duplication entail?

You've probably heard the term "burning" before. Well, duplication is commonly referred to as "burning", this is the process of copying the contents of one DVD to another disc using a drive with writes capabilities. The PC or duplication equipment etches the data onto a recordable DVD disc with a laser small enough to be integrated into a normal PC drive bay. Note that DVD burners and media have been a runaway success due to their portability, convenience, and economy.

This method is best for producing limited quantities of copies, more than one, but less than a large commercial run. For quantities less than 1,000, many businesses "burn" their manuals, parts lists, and training videos in-house using either PCs with multiple burners or dedicated duplication machines ("duplication towers"). Of course there are clued up professional DVD duplication companies that can do the job for you. We list some of the best.

Why would you need to consider a DVD duplication service?

Most duplication companies also offer mail services for your completed project, leaving you to focus on your business and not delivery issues. Perhaps, your reasons are purely economical or you're an owner of a lucrative business and you're not willing to part will valuable information. For many businesses, the best choice is duplication. Few businesses need to make 1,000 or more copies at a time, the minimum needed to make replication cost-effective. And many businesses need more flexibility than one-offs provide.

CD and DVD duplication, therefore, represents a good middle ground. For these clients, a dedicated duplication machine makes good sense. These boxes, also known as "duplicator towers", house up to 21 target drives, a hard disk on which to maintain the original source files, and the hardware and software to control it all. Duplication towers also offer good compatibility across a vast field of drives and systems. What's more, they can be set to repeatedly copy an image until the total number of copies desired is reached. Some towers even include robotic arms with magazines of 25, 50, or 100 blank discs so they can operate unattended.

Here's an outline of a typical duplication job flow

It's probably your wisest move to first review the most common steps involved in the DVD duplication process. Here's what to look out for when hiring a DVD duplication company.

Prepare your DVD master

This is probably one of the most important things to do. To ensure the duplication company can read your master, you either need to create a DVD±R/RW or Mini DVD±R master, or output your project to a DLT (Digital Linear Tape). Keep in mind that the DLT has been around for years and used to be the only way to create a viable mastering source for DVD duplication. Fortunately, DVD±R technology has advanced so much over the past few years that a pair of DVD±R masters is normally all that is required when working on a standard DVD5 project. A pair of DVD±R masters is needed just in case one of the masters gets damaged in transit. This means that you won't have to waste time looking for another good master.

Create your artwork

In most instances you are required to design your artwork for the DVD face. This is mainly the outside of the case (commonly called an insert, entrapment, or wrap), and, if desired, an insert for the inside of the case (postcard, or booklet). Normally a DVD duplication company will have templates on their respective websites that you can download and use to assist in layout of your art. Be sure to download the correct template for your project.

You won't want to waste time with the wrong size or layout. It's also important to decide if your project needs a barcode (commonly called a UPC, or the black-and-white dashes inside a box on many products). This depends on how and to whom you plan to sell your product. For example; if your DVD will be sold through retailers, you should have a UPC issued. This is because many retailers won't stock an item without one. You should also decide on outside protective wrapping for your finished DVD, which is referred to as poly, cigarette, or shrinkwrap depending on the process that the duplication company offers.

Approve check discs and/or artwork proofs.

Once you've settled on a specific DVD duplication company, you will be asked to send in your masters, artwork, and payment. Most companies want their money up-front, as they start burning materials as soon as the project lands. You'll find that some duplication companies only require 50% up-front to get your project started, and then will collect the remaining balance once your order is ready to ship. There are other options such as Flexible payment options that make it much easier to manage for those on a tight budget.

Do it yourself, or leave it up to the experts?

Sure enough, doing the job on your own steam can save tons of money. This is especially true since you won't have to fork out added costs on manual labour. The more you do yourself, the less incurred, right? Yet, can you really afford a practice run? Perhaps the best way to save money is to actually hire the experts to do the job - to do what they do almost everyday of their lives. Moreover, to do what they do best. So, it's your prerogative as to whether you'd like to try your hand at duplicating DVDs all by your lonesome. That's if you're absolutely sure that you can afford to take a gamble and subject yourself to trial and error. The choice is yours really. What decision will suit you best and what will be more beneficial to you?

The most effective way to make the choice that'll suit you most comfortably is to evaluate every possible option. Gain as much insight until you're thoroughly satisfied

Finding a DVD duplication Service

There are literally dozens of DVD duplication companies out there but not all DVD duplication companies are created equal. There are all kinds of pricing models that will do nothing more than confuse and frustrate you. Your best bet is to look for a partner who offers good pricing and does their best to simplify the process. Establish what the company's policies are before making a deal. Also, avoid and watch out for hidden extras, like overage (where the duplication company makes an extra bunch of discs and then expects you to pay for the extras). Ensure that you know exactly the costs are for setup fees, mastering fees, extra costs for offset-printed discs, and extra costs for 3-color vs. 5-color artwork.

What to look out for when choosing a DVD duplication company

When you've finalised everything else, within a few days of delivering your masters you should see either email proofs of your artwork. These are simple digital prints (PDFs or JPEGs) showing you how your art elements will line up when printed. If you ordered a hard proof, the DVD duplication company will ship you a print proof printed from the actual printing equipment earmarked to print your job.

Make sure you know what you're getting

Once you've received your hard proof, you know exactly what you're getting before you print hundreds or thousands of them. Needless to say, this is an imperative stage in the process. Most importantly, if for whatever reason a duplication company mentions fees for "printer setup" or other bogus charges, you're most likely not dealing with a reputable duplicator. There are key attributes to determine a reputable company. For example; a professional duplication company will offer up-front pricing on their website broken down into quantity levels, and in order to simplify things don't charge setup fees or hidden costs. It is therefore very important to ask a duplication company for the firm, "out the door" price when getting a quote and before starting any job. Look out for duplication companies that require you to purchase hard proofs instead of making it an option. One-off proofs are not necessary for most duplication jobs.

Sign the emailed digital proof

The final straw is to sign on the dotted line. When everything checks out and you send back your approvals in a timely manner, within a couple of weeks you should your own professionally duplicated, retail-packaged DVDs.

In the long haul, it'll be in your best interest to get to grips with absolutely every aspect of DVD duplication industry before you take the plunge. The greater your insight into the process, the more clued up you'll be, and the greater the chance you won't make a ball's up. Perhaps, it's best you leave it up to the professionals?

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