To create multiple copies of a wide range of media, CD or DVD duplication can be done most efficiently with state of the art equipment. Not every company or individual with special needs has the budget for the top-of-the-line equipment, but luckily there are several cheap CD duplication technologies and services around that can create multiple, high quality copies of your media. Cheap DVD duplication is often used in the corporate sector to create internal marketing, product catalogues or instructional videos and there are a wide range of other applications for this kind of product or service.
In order to understand how cheap CD duplication works, a brief primer of the terminology needs to be learned. Here is a very brief overview of the basics. One thing you will also need to be able to distinguish between is the difference between replication and duplication. Cheap DVD duplication is the process whereby you copy data onto an existing pre-made DVD disc, a process also widely known as “burning”. Duplicated data is done using DVD media discs knowns as DVD-R – short for DVD “recordable”.
The basic process requires that your DVD-R media is loaded into a DVD burner where information is extracted via digital means from the “master source” disk. Data is etched a DVD-R disk via a small laser that is part of the burner or duplicator machine. Once burned, the information is then verified and accepted or rejected. Once it has been verified, the printing stage begins if required. In this phase of the process, a thermal printer prints onto the top surface of the CD-R or DVD-R disk, which creates a nice, easily identified graphical image onto the disk. This step is not usually supported in cheaper burners, however it is standard in more professional business machines.
Replication on the other hand is a process known as “pressing” which is used when large quantities of copied media are required. It is a more professional method of creating media for mass distribution, whereby raw materials flow through disc moulding machines to produce the basic DVD first. The first step in the process is the creation of the glass master from the media to be copied. Data is physically stamped (or “pressed’) onto the remaining blank discs and then coated with a polycarbonate plastic for protection.
While you may balk at the cost of creating mass copies of media, cheap DVD replication services can be found, and most charge a cheaper unit price for larger quantities. If your unit media size is not great, then a cheap cd replication can often be cheaper than making copies of larger sized DVDs. The main drawback of a replication service is that the delivery time is much greater, usually taking up to a couple of weeks or more, but if you require mass distribution one of the many replication services will be the quickest and cheapest ways of doing it, but you should be aware of the cost and price parameters before planning a mass data reproduction order.
The cheapest cd duplication will entirely depend on your needs and the first step is to understand the difference between the two methods. DVD duplication can be carried out by purchasing the DVD-R discs and a DVD printer that has the ability to burn a copy and print a label if necessary. If you are on an ultra tight budget, do not need too many copies, are not in a hurry and are willing to forgo the printing of the label, then a DVD player/burner that can be used in a PC may be all you need and will hardly cost you anything. A cheap DVD duplicator machine can be used for a quicker copying time and will generally start at around $200 USD, with the ability to burn about 3 discs simultaneously. From there on up the price you pay will determine the number of simultaneous burns.
There is generally no difference in terms of data quality in cheap DVD duplicators vs more expensive ones or a data replication service. The quality of data consistency between a replicated or duplicated disk are the same. If you’re considering the purchase of a cheap CD duplicator, to save on price, you should be aware that DVD media can hold significantly more data than cheap cd duplications, with new generation optical DVD data disks having capacities of 4.7GB (single layer), 8.5GB and even 9.4 GB (double layer). But if you do not expect to exceed the 700 MB limit of a standard CD size and have budget restrictions, then a cheap CD duplicator will help to reduce your overall expenses.
Most inexpensive DVD duplicators also support the CD media format so a can be considered a cheap CD DVD duplicator rather than one that is simply limited to the production of DVD copies. DVD replicators that feature the ability to print onto discs are considerably more expensive than cheap CD/DVD duplication machines that do not print. These machines will often cost over $1000 USD and you may need to make a strategic decision between the benefits of a cheap cd duplication machine with no printer and a fully fledged machine that can produce a professional looking media copy. If you are not copying media on an ongoing basis, it may be worth taking your job to a professional service, even if the number of units you require is not large.