Many people don’t really know the difference between replication and duplication within the CD / DVD industry. Media replication vs duplication each one has it’s advantages and disadvantages. To comprehend what you should choose for your requirements lets explain the difference:
Replication
Starting with a glass master, your discs are replicated by “stamping” your computer data into melted polycarbonate because they are molded.
- Just the thing for large volumes
- Playable on all readable devices
Applying a glass master which contains your data to the disc, a metal stamper is formed. The stamper is loaded right into a molding machine and polycarbonate is injected to the mold thereby manufacturing the disc using the data “stamped” in the disc. The mastered information is then protected by layers of polycarbonate plastic. This will make it lacquered, usually screened, and ultimately packaged. Since the majority of of the process is automated, the cost per unit becomes factored in and extremely affordable on orders generally more than 1000 pieces. Normally, your data side of the DVD replication disc is prismatic shiny aluminum without any color inside plastic like recordable discs have.
Duplication
You start with blank recordable discs, your discs are duplicated by “burning” crucial computer data onto them.
- Ideal for smaller quantities
- Quickest turn times
You start with pre-manufactured blank recordable discs, your data is “burned” on the discs one by one. When quantities between 25 and 900 are required, a “duplicator” is employed. The information you have is digitally obtained from your master source (often a master CD-R or DVD-R) and used in the blank discs. The information you have is usually verified and also the copy then accepted or rejected. Your data side of an recordable disc commonly has a slight color for it, (yellow, green, blue, or purple, with regards to the kind of media.)
There is little difference from each one of these methods for the finished product. Both processes extract the information in the exact same method. The biggest factor on choosing weather to CD duplication or replicate is the quantity you would like to make. Replication is generally used by quantities over 1,000 and dvd duplicator can be used for anything less then that. When you have another questions about which method to use please call us