DVD Masters:

The Basics :

DVD Masters need to be submitted as an authored DVD.  This means that if you have been through editing, you need to get your edited project on an authoring platform and create your menus, compression, and final DVD.  Some common authoring platforms are: DVD Studio Pro, iDVD, Sonic Scenarist, Nero, Adobe Encore.  If you are not sure that you have authored your DVD just give us a call and we should be able to determine the state of your project.

Once your project is complete and you have an authored master, in most circumstances we recommend that you submit a fully working DVD-R master that you have thoroughly watched, have checked all menu functionality and are completely satisfied with the quality of your final master.  Once we receive your master we guarantee to give you exact copies of your project back, so be sure you are happy with your master before you end up with 2000 discs you don’t like or cannot use.

Electronic Submission of DVD Master:

Some times we have clients that would like to save a day or two of snail mail and submit their DVD disc image master electronically.  We typically discourage this as in most circumstances we would charge to create the DVD master from a disc image, then, to insure the content and integrity of the master, would typically send that master disc back to our client for final approval on the master.  Ultimately this would result in longer approval time.  The best way to ensure we do a great job on your project is to submit a hard master that has been thoroughly checked for functionality and quality.

The only caveat to this method of master delivery is if you would like CSS copy protection on your DVD video.  In this circumstance, you will need to submit your master as either a DDP master or a DLT master.  You can read the ins and outs of applying DVD CSS encryption here on this blog post.

CD Masters:

CD Audio Master Basics :

For submitting CD Audio masters, the best standard to submit you master under is the “Red Book Audio Standard”.  Particularly when replicating your disc, if you want your audio to be flawless and manufacturing to go smooth.  If you would like to address things like having the text show up on your CD, embedded metadata and ISRC codes, look up the Red Book Audio Standards, have your music mastered at a credible mastering studio with an experienced audio engineer.

If you are working on a budget and cannot afford an audio engineer, you can create you master with any number of commercially available audio programs.  This method is often very successful, particularly if you have limited requirements for you CD,…ie. do not need CD text to show, do not need metadata or ISRC codes embedded in your music.

Electronic Submission of CD Master:

On occasion we do receive requests from clients who would like to upload their tracks to us and have DVD Copycat create the master.  Again, we usually recommend that you submit a hard copy CD-R master according to Red Book Audio standards.  If you would like us to assemble your master, we can drop your tracks on a CD, but this often times is problematic, as mistakes can be made or preferences can be set not according to the expectations of our clients.  ie, time between tracks is to long or short, track order is not correct, etc.  For these reasons, when we do create audio masters, we do send that master back to the client for approval before manufacturing.

Data CDs and CD-ROMs:

In most circumstances Data CDs and CD-ROMs must be submitted as a hard master on CD-R.  Data CDs can often have auto executable files or complex software  applications, or too many files to accurately transfer over the internet.  So when submitting this type of master, we recommend sending us a fully functional CD-R.  In some circumstances we will create a master for you, but in this exception we will need to send you a copy of the master we created for your approval.

I 80 from the East (Oakland Berkeley)

US 101 From the North (Sausalito, San Rafael)

I-280 from the south (Pacifica)

Secondly, most people don’t know this, but when you burn an audio CD there is no self correction to the data writing.  This means that you have to be careful not to burn your discs while you have too many applications running.  Other applications will eat up memory and potentially cause a hiccup in you disc.  Also, you should burn your discs at 16X.  If you burn them at the default 48X or 52X you may burn them faster, but you run the risk of having a data error on you disc.

Following these simple steps should ensure that you have a robust, quality CD to play time and time again.

If you need more information on CD Duplication or DVD Duplication Services give us a call at:

DVD Copycat

300 Broadway, #23

San Francisco, CA 94133

1-866-210-8768

415-929-1581

www.dvdcopycat.com

For more information about these CDs, give us a call or look us up on the web.

Toll Free 1-866-210-8768
Local 415-929-1581
CD Duplication Services

If you would like to save some money and do the DVD Duplication yourself, there are some steps that will result in a good duplication.

Step 1: is to make sure you have a good quality DVD burner.  If you have purchased a DVD burner that is a no-name brand, you may be jeopardizing a good burn.  You do get what you pay for in burners.  A good avenue would be to locate a technical consumer review of DVD burners.  The Internet has a long list of available research on burners.

Step 2: is to make sure you use good quality media.  Inferior media will result in poor results.  Once again you get what you pay for, Sony, Verbatim, Taiyo Yuden all make a reliable burnable DVD.

Step 3: Make sure you leave your computer alone while burning your DVD.  If you are using other programs while your DVD is burning, this may cause a problem with the burn.

Step 4:  Verify your burn!  Most burning software programs have a check box that will have the DVD read after the burn and compared to the original disc image.  If they match up ok, the software will tell you that your DVD has been verified and it is a good disc.

If you need any more information on manufacturing optical media, Please contact us at:

415-929-1581

1-866-210-8768

DVD Copycat, Inc.

745 Fillmore, #101

San Francisco, CA 94117

www.dvdcopycat.com

For more information on Blu-ray Duplication, you can contact us at:

415-929-1581

DVD Copycat, Inc.
745 Fillmore, #101
San Francisco, CA 94117

Say an average filmmaker or video professional wants to make 1000 copies of their film and put it on Blu-ray(BD) Disc.   Unlike DVD, they will have to pay a mandatory up front AACS licensing fee.  Going rate is about $1500 to $2000 plus an ongoing royalty.

After paying this mandatory licensing fee, it will cost approximately $3.5 per unit to manufacture a Blu-ray package that is ready for distribution and sale.

For a typical standard definition DVD, there is no mandatory licensing fee for encryption and the cost would be approximately $1.49 per unit to manufacture.

Comparing these costs, a filmmaker  will have to pay an extra 266% over the cost of a standard DVD to publish on Blu-ray Disc.  Almost every client I have spoken to about these costs has declined to go Blu-ray.

As economies of scale take effect, the costs to manufacture Blu-ray Discs will likely come down and eventually be similar to DVD costs.  However, the real barrier to smaller companies adopting hi-def is the mandatory AACS licensing fee imposed by AACS Licensing Administrator, LLC.  This additional $1500-$2000 (plus per piece royalty), will likely be too expensive for most, and is just one more barrier to widespread adoption of Blu-ray Disc technology.

My hopes are that AACS Licensing Administrator, LLC. drops the mandatory licensing fee for smaller Blu-ray Disc orders.  If they do not, I suspect that an entire market of filmmakers and video professionals will be choosing DVD over Blu-ray Disc for the distribution of their projects.

For more information on Blu-ray Disc Duplication and Replication you can contact us directly:

Brian G Fisher

DVD Copycat

745 Fillmore, #101

San Francisco, CA 94117

www.dvdcopycat.com

415-929-1581

This is good news to the filmmaker or video professional who is shooting in Hi-def.   If the current trend continues Blu-ray Duplication for smaller runs of discs (5-500 discs) should come within a much more cost effective price range.

IF the current trend continues, we hope to see 2009 as the first year where an order of, say 50 Blu-ray discs, is financially justifiable for the high end projects, and anticipate widespread adoption in 2010.

At DVD Copycat, we are very encouraged by these cost reductions and continue to provide Blu-ray Duplication for a wide range of Hi-def video projects.

For more information regarding Blu-ray Duplication contact us at: www.dvdcopycat.com

or call toll free at 1-866-210-8768

local 415-929-1581

For more information see our website here for Blu-Ray Duplication | BD Duplication or contact us at 415-929-1581.

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