Wednesday, October 5, 2011

An Essential Introduction to CD Replication

These days, one often gets to hear about various digital optical media duplication processes, such as DVD replication, CD replication, DVD duplication, CD duplication and more. In spite of this, there is a lot of misunderstanding about the true nature of these different methods. There are some very important differences and one should be aware of them in order to be able to pick the best service for his or her specific requirements.
A good place to start is with CD replication. While many of us will typically confuse it with CD duplication, it is actually a very different process. In the latter, the data is laser-written onto CD-R media in commercially available multiple CD burners (much like the ones you get to see in personal desktop computers or laptops).
In the case of CD replication, the data is transferred first to a glass master, and then used to create a metal stamp, which presses the data into plastic injection moulds. Finally, they are coated with a reflective layer of aluminum so that the CD player’s laser can read it.
This process is very helpful when you want a large number of copies to be made. That’s why it is widely used in the music industry. For smaller quantities, direct duplication method is the better choice. Remember, CD and DVD replication requires longer than duplication because it involves more steps and extensive preparation. However, it is the more economical alternative when you wish to make a large number of copies of an optical disc.

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