Duplication Centre

Red Book specification as outlined by Philips, ensures that audio CD playback is compatible in all CD players. In many ways it is essential that an audio master CD is burnt to Red Book standards. If a master is not red book compliant any duplicated or replicated discs may not playback reliably on all CD players, especially those that were manufactured before CD-R became popular.

For example, duration of the audio is importance. Although most CD-R’s that are widely available can store 80mins of audio, Red book standards specify a maximum duration of 74min 44secs. In order to ensure that any duplicated or replicated CD plays reliably on all CD players, it is wise that the master CD or pre-master CD (PMCD) never exceeds this specification. Therefore correct PMCD pre-mastering is essential for successful CD duplication and CD replication of audio CDs.

Pre-mastering involves compiling audio tracks onto a playlist, and programming the correct PQ codes. PQ codes are the table of contents, as well as timing information of tracks including start, end, duration, pause and offsets. Other information such as ISRC codes, CD text and product codes can also be added at the pre-mastering stage.

An increasing number of CD players have an integrated CD text facility which display information such as artist name, album name and track titles. If a CD has this information added at the pre-mastering stage then any CD text compatible  audio players will display this information. Many CD burning applications now automatically burn CD text from the names of the audio tracks in your playlist.  As these names may appear on your CD copies as CD text, it is important to name the audio tracks accordingly, and not use working names or abbreviations.

Before having your music CD copied by CD Duplication or CD Replication it is advisable to produce a red book compliant pre master CD or PMCD. If you do not have a PQ printout with your master then it probably isn’t a red book standard. If you are unsure whether your master has been burnt to red book standard it is advisable you contact a company who provide this service for help and advice.

CD and DVD technology has moved on quite a bit from when the first compact disc was produced nearly 30 years ago in a factory in Germany after years of development by Philips and Sony.

In May of 1994, Sony and Philips announced that they would be cooperatively developing a new high-density medium known popularly as Digital Video Disk. The DVD; a disk the same size as a CD but with five to ten times the data capacity. This infant technology was to be the successor to compact disks (CD-ROM) for computers, and replace VHS tapes and laserdiscs in the entertainment industry.

Then in 2006 came the Blu-ray revolution. The format was developed to enable recording, rewriting and playback of high-definition video (HD), as well as storing large amounts of data, five times more then traditional DVDs

Now it seems there is a DVD being developed based on Nano Technology.

Currently, Blue-ray dual-layer disks that hold 50GB are not even close to projected capacity of these ultra DVDs. Researchers at Australia, have developed a new DVD technology that could possibly boost disc capacity by 10,000 times beyond today’s standard 4.7GB DVDs, according to a study published in the journal Nature.  Researchers have already designed a five dimensional DVD that can store 1.6 TB of data on a standard size DVD. That is as much as 30 Blue-ray disks!  Even a 1TB disc created with the technology would provide enough capacity to hold 300 feature length films or 250,000 songs.

Unlike normal DVDs that have two layers of stacked data, these disk have an additional 3 layers- one data & two for reading wave length & polarization. The layers are made of thin glass films and are coated with gold nano rods of three different sizes. To record data on the disc a laser is focused on the nano rods. Each nano rod melts at different wavelengths into spheres.

The challenge is that since the data is so densely packed, reading it at high speeds will pose a problem.  At the moment a very large and expensive titanium-sapphire femto-second laser is being used in the study. A cheaper laser will have to be developed.

The researches are currently working with Samsung to make the technology commercially viable but this could take anywhere between 5 to 10 years.

Creating 3D content is a complex process and care needs to be taken that the viewing experience does not cause discomfort.  However the 3D content is created, the technical and physiological aspects need to be considered, as it is very easy for technical issues to exist in 3D material which may possibly result in an unpleasant experience for the viewer.

In order to facilitate and speed the adoption of 3D technology in the home, it is of paramount importance that the viewing experience is of the highest order. The early adopters of 3D in the home will view it and share their opinions – bad as well as good – with their friends. These early adopters should receive the best possible 3D experience, and it is up to the industry to ensure that the 3D content delivered during these early stages and beyond is of the highest possible quality – and that can only be achieved by a detailed understanding of the obstacles and pitfalls which will allow these to be avoided.

The biggest problem is that we are trying to create the illusion of 3D from a flat source, whereas in nature, our 3D perception is the result of viewing truly 3-Dimensional material, and our senses are optimized for that.  It is not just a case of presenting a slightly different image to each eye and leaving the rest to the brain’s processing: there are issues of focus and convergence which can upset the viewing experience and, in a significant number of people, lead to unpleasant side effects which persist beyond the viewing.

‘Cardboarding’
This occurs a lot with movies that have been converted from 2D to 3D – objects on the screen appear to be at different depths, but are themselves totally flat, just like a series of cardboard cutouts.

Extreme Divergence
Divergence is the turning of the eyes inward or outward together to look at close or distant objects.  Objects which appear to be well behind the screen require the eyes to turn outwards, which is normally accompanied by distance focusing, but because the image is still at the same distance (the screen), this can make it difficult or impossible to focus on the object.  This is especially significant with children whose eyes are closer together, and often results in eye-strain and / or an uncomfortable viewing experience.

Extreme negative parallax
This is the opposite condition where the object appears well in front of the screen, causing the eyes to turn inwards and the brain to assume that it needs to focus closer – which is at odds with the image still being at the same distance from the viewer.  Again, an uncomfortable experience can result, and the effects on children’s eyesight development are still by no means fully understood.

Abrupt depth changes
When there are abrupt scene changes and the accompanying depth change is significant, the viewer’s eyes must quickly converge or diverge while at the same time resisting the natural reflex to refocus, again leading to an abrupt and uncomfortable experience.

Multiple reference points
This occurs when additional objects, such as titles, burned-in text, menu buttons, scores, statistics etc. and the depth of these does not correspond with the video content which is playing. It is then very tiring for the viewer to constantly select and change what he is focusing on.

These are only the major pitfalls from a much longer list, and highlight just how difficult it can be to create the optimum 3D experience for the viewer. Even with all of the planning and attention to both creative and technical details, issues can still arise which can negatively impact the 3D experience for the viewer, and it is in this respect that there is sill a fair way to go.
Avoiding and correcting these issues as much and as soon as possible is paramount in ensuring the quickest adoption of 3D technology in the homes of consumers.

CD Duplication is still a cost-effective way to impress your fans and clients. Show them how much you care about your product by producing a well put-together CD package. Disc duplication is still a great way for a musician, corporation, or individual to create multiple copies of digitized media effectively. When CD duplication is needed, choosing quality media duplication and replication services is imperative. Trusting your project to a knowledgeable service provider is essential to acquiring a successful end product.

Looking to woo your fans? Consider rising above the competition with a fresh idea like eco-friendly packaging. A CD completed with recycled materials and attractive case-art can give you the edge needed to one-up your competition. Professional CD packaging will leave a lasting impression, giving the artist a chance to shine. A quality CD does wonders for a band’s reputation. Make a lasting impression. One that will keep them coming back for more.

Thinking of doing this from home? Think again! A home computer can take a lot of time and be less cost-effective than hiring a CD duplication company to offer quick turnaround, short run product. You want your project to look professional? Take it to a professional to duplicate it. Indie artists can definitely make it in today’s music scene with the right marketing and quality CD duplication services. After spending a lot of money on studio sessions to get the perfect tracks, sending out less than optimally duplicated discs is a definite mistake. Sending out premium duplicated discs to radio stations and fans is the only way. Always put your best foot forward!

Indie artists, writers, software programmers, businesses, and graphics developers often require manufactured CDs and trend-setting packaging. Professional CD manufacturing need not be a method open only to big name record companies and software manufacturers. Unfortunately, some CD manufacturing companies still require a large minimum quantity to place an order or only deal with lengthy and detailed contracts, leaving individuals who need these sorts of services with few choices. Luckily, here at DuplicationCentre, even the smallest jobs are important to us, and are very affordably priced.

When it comes to CD Duplication and printing, leave it to the pros. You’ve created the content, we can take it from here. Here at DuplicationCentre, we offer personal attention to even the smallest order, and we will take the time to explain the processes, options, and provide you with excellent customer service from start to finish.

Optical disc media have traditionally been associated with entertainment content delivery: music; film; games; software etc., and that is by far where their major applications lie, but with the costs of mass duplication / replication tumbling, many other exciting uses are presenting themselves:

One case in point is promotion / marketing: for a business wanting to promote and present themselves, their products and the services they offer in a unique way, there is little to compete with the style, appeal and simplicity of a promotional CD-ROM, DVD etc…

Sending out a mailshot of promotional discs to a carefully-targeted list of potential clients and existing customers alike is a very effective way of generating interest – holding attractively-packaged physical media in the hand encourages viewing of the contents in a way that browsing online can never compete with. Instead of waiting for potential clients to stumble on your website, a promotional disc can present your product or services right on their desks and also then direct traffic to your website.

Promotional discs (whether CD-ROM; DVD or even Blu-ray) offer an ideal way for a company to circulate their corporate information on a once-off or regular basis.  The format will allow for the electronic reproduction of a complete catalogue if required, and could even be used as a replacement for a printed brochure, with a large saving on printing and postage costs.

Free from the limitations if the internet, such promotional discs can contain video documentaries, animated and musical introductions and other “bandwidth-hungry” forms of visual entertainment.

It is now easy and cheap to produce the material with interactive and animated menus, attractive sleeve artwork, and duplicating costs are very cheap – small wonder that so many businesses and institutions are taking advantage of the edge that promotional discs can give their businesses:

University / school prospectuses;

Charity promotion and awareness;

High-value Property marketing;

Religious;

Advertising;

Fashion…

Duplicationcentre can help with all aspects of design / production, so give us a call now to see how easily your business could get the edge.

Over the past six years, the music sector has undergone a huge transformation – 94.8% of all singles are sold digitally, though 85% of albums are still sold in a packaged physical format.

But, specialist record shops are disappearing fast, and the large distributors such as Amazon are offering more and more titles as downloads only.

It’s obvious that many minority-appeal CDs will only be available as discs for as long as already pressed batches last.

Impulse buys

But, downloads are generally the result of a conscious online search for a specific title, and offering downloads only would kill the very significant Impulse-Buy market.

A survey in the UK in September 2010 found DVDs to be women’s second-favourite impulse buy, after shoes.  The demise of UK home entertainment chains Woolworths and Zavvi at the beginning of 2009 was acutely felt by the video industry, and it has struggled to regain those missing impulse buyers who made up a significant proportion of the £30 million of lost video sales that year.

Other attractions of packaged media

Packaged media are so much more than the core-product which is being sold – the packaging itself is a desireable item.  The artwork and accompanying booklets are still very important to customers, and it would be unwise to underestimate the “hold-in-your-hand” factor which is so important in impulse buying.  If people can see a large display of different titles, pick them up and handle them, they are far more likely to buy than if looking to download something from an online distributor.  Similarly, giving films / games / music as a gift can only be done with a packaged product.

Until the price of downloads becomes significantly cheaper than buying the physical product, the demand for packaged media will remain strong and reliable, as customers are happy to pay extra for the convenience of being able to pick up a product which they can use instantly, and swap or share as they wish.

Digital media like Blu-ray are ideal for long - term archiving and retrieval

Data storage and its security is not a new problem. It is as old as the human race.Nowadays the speed with wich information is generated and processed is overwhelming. Second factor is its variety, including text documents, office documents, images, video, sound,databases etc.Many organizations and companies face the challenge to keep their digital history safe and easily accessed and identified for longer than five, twenty or even fifty years.

What is important while adopting storage solution? To clarify current and future needs, to consider the long – term disadvantages and maintainance costs, but most of all – to not be locked into one particular solution only. It must be able to daily evolve with our business.

An ideal archiving technology should also be an open standard, have a good existing base of machines that can read the data format,be fully storable in a normal office space and easy to duplicate. That is why CDs and DVDs are more frequently chosen as storage solution than RAID systems (Redundant Array of Independent Disks ) which are very energy – consuming and require permanent monitoring to prevent data loss. On top of this, it will face the problem of spare discs availability in 20 years.

But even optical disc media leave the problem of capacity.What evolved from CD/DVD and thus is backward compatible is Blu-Ray. This plus the huge installed base makes it a viable technology for future storage. To give the full picture, a 50GB Blu-ray discs holds: 76.9 CDs of 650MB capacity,10.6 DVDs of 4.7GB capacity,4.33 hours of video at 25 mbps,3.33 hours of video at 32 mbps,2.16 hours of video at 50 mbps,1.23 hours of video at 90 mbps,1.11 hours of video at 100 mbps HD and 4.16 minutes of uncompressed HD at 1600 mbps.Up to100 GB of information (scheduled for 2011) can be written on a single- sided disk, its super-tough coating prevents corrosion and the medium estimated archive life is 50 + year. Data can be written in UDF (universal data format) and any machine with Blu- Ray drive can read the format. Comparing to tiered archiving solutions like RAID, optical storage is also the most economic.

No matter which archive solution you choose, bear in mind that the quality of media is more important than the device. So you must always use only branded media to ensure the sustainability for a long term.