Monday, September 16, 2013

DVD Replication - Analyzed



DVD Replication services involve production of DVDs in high volumes – usually upwards of 1,000. Producing the same quantity using Duplication technique is more often than not, likely to cost more. Replication orders in volumes higher than 1,000 results in hedging off the overheads and reduction in per DVD costs.

Processing Of DVD Replication

DVD Replication process begins with the shaping of glass master of the original data – music / movie / computer based training material, marketing, promotions etc and steel stamper – a process that clones the original. Such mastering processes engage time-intensive procedure and therefore may take up to 3 days and thereby increase costs and manufacturing lead times with turnaround times hovering around 7 to 10 days. The glass master is used in producing or pressing or stamping out over 1,000 DVDs – each DVD being uniquely processed to guarantee durability as well as quality. The master DVDs are used to produce the glass master which in turn are used to build the moulds. Once ready, these moulds are placed in the injection machines. The outcome is replicas in form of plastic discs. The next stage sees bonding of the discs followed by layering with thin aluminum that produces a reflective surface. The replication concludes by the hardening stages wherein ultraviolet rays are applied followed by protecting the disc with lacquer.


One can clearly see that the precision involved requires trained and experienced technicians to manage the production process. Although DVD Duplication, if done properly and carefully, is known to produce quality as good as Replication however Replication works out cheaper and is recommended when one has time and needs DVDs – as indicated earlier - in quantities higher than 1,000. It is not surprising that people tend to use the terms Replication and Duplication without being able to distinguish between the two.

Usability Of Replicated DVD

Most players and Computing Devices are capable to play replicated discs which may not be true in the case of duplicated DVDs. One really does not need to bother with replicated or duplicated discs when playing them on newer players as these are made more versatile in terms of compatibility with variety media.

Quality And Customer Demand


With due diligence applied, it would be easy to select a reliable replication company without which one can never be sure about the quality, durability and precision in the product. The portfolio of the company generally is considered to be the starting point in one’s quest for such a company. Next comes the stage wherein you make enquiries with its customers, soliciting feedback on parameters that concerns one most – batch sizes, turnaround times, pricing, quality of the media, condition of its equipment – all are bound to give one a fair idea of the outcome that one may expect. Turn-time for some would be most dominant of the factors. The time between when the master is delivered and the whole bulk ready for shipping is the Turn time. You certainly do not wish to play with a crucial deadline. All said and done, one cannot expect to reduce the turnaround time with the current technologies in place. A standard varies between 7 and 10 days. In order to economize you may want to consider thermal instead of silkscreen printing; packaging considerations can too bring down the costs.

Lately, many businesses have been suffering adversely as their business is threatened seriously due to innumerable replication companies – most of which use poor resources and equipment – supplying recent releases - in order to cater to public looking for cheap products – who do not mind compromising on quality or durability. In the course, businesses dealing with original discs make significant losses. One of the fallouts due to unchecked growth of such companies is video piracy originating in far off distant countries.

Copyright Of Replicated DVD


As a result, reputed and multinational video companies have begun developing strategies that can provide standard quality at prices customers have got used to and thereby kill the piracy industry. Such strategy would focus on supplying the originals as well as replicated ones. All while legally reserving all copyrights and flooding the high consumption markets with quality products. There are other strategies and technologies being tried and researched to overcome the challenges of the current day. We certainly do not have to wait for long!


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