Below, you’ll find the most common terminology that relates to CD duplication. Even if you are new to duplication, the terms below may help you learn more.

BLER
Block Error Rate. This is the raw digital error rate before any type of error correction.

CD
This the Compact Disc, a digital medium that’s formed of a 12cm polycarbonate substrate, a reflective metalized layer, and a protective lacquer coating.

CD-R
Compact Disc-Recordable. The term CD-R is used to describe the technology of recordable CD along with the equipment, software, and media that are used to make the recordable disks.

Data layer
With CD-R media, this is the organic dye that is sandwiched between the polycarbonate substrate and the metalized reflective layer of the media. CD-R disks don’t have any data on them at all until the are recorded.

Injection Molding
This is a manufacturing method where the molten material is forced into a mold, normally under high pressure, then cooled so that the material will take on the shape of a mirror image in the mold.

Media or blanks
CD-R media are the disks that are used to record digital information using a special recorder and premastering software with a computer. These discs are made of a polycarbonate substrate, a layer of organic dye, a metalized reflective layer, and a coating of lacquer for protection.

Organic dye
The data layer of CD-R media is made from a dye that is melted during the process of recording. Where the dye is melted, becomes opaque or refractive, scattering the reading laser so that it isn’t reflected back into the reading sensors.

Reflective layer
This is the metal later that sits on top of the dye that reflects the laser beam back to the reading assembly. This is normally 24k gold in CD-R disks, although it can be silver as well.

The process of writing data to a recordable CD can be a complex process, as it demands a lot from both hardware and software programs. Much of this complexity is hidden from the user by the program, although you should be aware of these factors.

Data
The total amount of data you are writing is much less important than whether or not it contains large or several small files. If there are a lot of small files, the system may have problems with locating and opening the files quickly enough to send them smoothly to the CD recording drive.

The computer
Any interruption that may occur is fatal to CD duplication, so you should ensure that your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT don’t load any TSR utilities which may interrupt operations. Screen savers, alarms and reminders, or incoming faxes may also kill disc writing. You should also turn off network sharing so no one will access the files that you are trying to write, as this could also kill your disc recording.

Hard Disk Speed
To write an image to the CD, the hard disk from which you are writing must have a transfer rate that is fast enough to keep the memory buffer full in the CD recorder. This normally means an average hard disk access time of 19 MS or better.

Defrag
If your hard drive has to search everywhere over fragmented hard drive for the data to be written, it can cause the operation to slow down or even cause a fatal error. Therefore, always be sure to fragment your hard disk drive.

Recording speed
Most new CD recorders and even some older ones, are capable of writing at two (sometimes even four) times the standard playback. It should be possible for you to select the speed; as even though fast recording is a time saver, it can also cause some bad situations.

When you copy an ISO (image file) from the hard disk to a CD, the speed is rarely a problem as the image is already one large file in which the files and structures are already in order and divided into CD-ROM sectors.

When you write from a virtual image, things can get a bit trickier. In order to copy to CD, the program must consult with the database to find where each file should go in the image and where it is actually stored on the hard disk drive.

Then, it must open the file, divide it into CD-ROM sectors, at the same time sending the data in a smooth continuous stream to the recorder. Locating and opening the file is a bit more time consuming, as writing is more difficult if you have a lot of small files.

The simple rule of thumb is that whatever you have stored as a file on any other storage medium can also be stored as a file on a CD-ROM. To the recorder, a file is a file, and an ISO doesn’t care whether or not the file contains pictures, text, or even audio sound.

There are a few special cases, as to where you would want to record a file to a CD in a special type of format. The most obvious here is CD-DA audio. If you wanted to record an audio file to CD so that you could play it back on your home stereo, you would need to write a CD-DA (or Digital Audio) disk.

When you copy data to a CD, you need to ensure that your data doesn’t exceed the capacity of the CD that you will be recording to. Due to the audio requirements of CDs, the amount of information a CD can hold is measured in minutes/seconds/sectors. Each second can contain 75 sectors, each of which are capable of holding 2,048 bytes of Mode 1 user data.

By using the CD Size command in the edit menu, you can set the capacity of the set you wish to produce, which will help you to prevent exceeding it. The status bar will show you how much space you have used, how much remains free, and the percentage of each one.

Even though this may sound a bit confusing at first, keep in mind that it may take some time if you are new to computers. Even though copying a CD is quite easy, knowing the limits and how things work is a bit more complex. Give it some time, and you’ll be copying files to CD like the pros do it.

The high demand and dramatic increase in CD media, plus the competitive pressures to squeeze out every possible cost and improve the profit margins have given rise to many manufacturers of CD related media. To help reduce the costs of increasing capacity, many of these firms have relocated their old manufacturing lines and hired staff that learn on the job.

The biggest problems with CDs occurs when discs are produced using older equipment then end up failing when you try to use them. Luckily, most of these types will fail when you first try to record on them. There is however, a likelihood that the disc will complete a burn and the media won’t play at all.

The agony of taking your photo or video treasures and putting them on CD or DVD and then deleting them from your camera or computer only to realize that the copy is corrupted is far too much to risk. The brand name company’s such as Verbatim choose to guard their reputation for quality and durability by using only advanced recording dye and other types of technology to produce high speed discs.

The stability of the recording dye is very critical as heat, humidity, oxygen, and even UV light can degrade the dye. Verbatim research has also proven there is a strong correlation between the production and bonding processes of disc quality.

For data and personal pictures that are important, you should always buy quality CD media. Then, before you go ahead and delete the source file, trying playing the disc back to ensure that it copied correctly. This way, you won’t have to worry about losing your precious files and photos when you remove the source from your computer.

Just a short while ago, the only people who had access to CD duplication were professional musicians, record company executives, and the higher end recording studios. As technology increased and became more affordable, private CD duplication companies began to pop up all over the United States and other major music centers throughout the country.

These days, CD duplication has never been more accessible or more affordable. Most home computers and laptops come with a CD-RW burner and software that is very user friendly, making CD duplication very convenient.

Even if you are new to computers, you’ll find CD duplication very easy to figure out. You don’t have to be a computer expert to use the CD-RW burner or the software, as most of it is self explanitory. All you need to do is give it a run and see easy things actually are.

Those who are needing a large quantity of CDs duplicated or simply wish to have a professional company burn their CDs, there are several out there that offer great rates, package deals, and quality recordings. You can get as many as you want, with quality that matches that of the master copy.

Most CD duplication companies offer packages that will include inserts, tray cards, and even packaging should you choose to take your duplicates to retail sale.

You can also choose to have your graphic work imprinted on the inserts or have the CD duplication company design a totally new design for your very product. If you are worried about the inventory, barcodes can be imprinted on the CD case or the sleeve by the same company.

For whatever duplication needs you may have, there are companies out there that offer duplication or you can do it yourself. Either way you choose, you’ll get the copies you need in no time at all.

The process of CD duplication has arrived in a very big way. Teenagers these days are using their CD burners to rip MP3s from their favorite artists and bands. Companies choose to use CD duplication to make backups of their software and important documents.

Federal agencies on the other hand, are scrambling to define and interpret intellectual piracy and copyright laws as they relate to CD duplication and the industry of music as a whole. The movie industry is also seeking how they can profit from using CD duplication. With so much attention being focused on CD duplication, now is the ideal time to turn your home CD duplication hardware into a very profitable side business.

Believe it or not, you may already have everything you need to get your CD duplication process going in the right direction. All you need to get your business started is a computer, CD burner, CD duplication software, and a few blank CD-R disks. Contrary to what you may think, its that easy to get going.

If you don’t have a computer or a CD burner, you really shouldn’t worry, as purchasing a CD duplication device is actually very affordable. The cost of stand alone CD duplication software has reduced quite a bit over the years.

Almost all home computers come with internal CD duplication hardware (CD burners) and some sort of duplication software as well. CD duplication media, such as blank CD-R and CD-RW are very low in price and can be purchased at almost all retail stores.

The market for your CD duplication service or company is going to local bands and musicians as well as small businesses. Local up and coming bands are often too busy perfecting their sound to deal with the tedious and time consuming task of duplicating CDs for their gigs. They also lack the money to order CDs from the big time CD duplication companies as well.

The smaller businesses are pretty much the same, as they are almost always unable to financially justify having a technical or computer staff to handle the backup and data storage aspects of their company. Many times, they will end up forgoing needed data backups simply because they forget all about it.

You can however, solve these common gaps, provide needed service, and earn some nice side money by starting your own duplication service that caters to these types of clients. By offering a reasonable price, fast rate of delivery, and a quality product, you’ll get many repeat customers and a side business that will keep busy for as long as you want it.

With the increasing amount of CD duplication options for equipment, its very important that you read the reviews for the different types of equipment you are considering before you make that final decision and choose your model.

The best CD duplication equipment for your project will all depend on the volume of CDs you plan to duplicate at a time, and the amount of money that you are planning to invest on a particular piece of equipment.

Your best source for reading reviews of CD duplication equipment is on the Internet. There are many different consumer websites out there that will allow users to post reviews of equipment, then rate them on a five or ten point scale. Anytime you are reading reviews, it’s very important that you get your information from a trusted and reliable source.

Websites that are up by the owner of the product, or those that are trying to sell you specific hardware normally aren’t the best to turn to when you need to read a review. No one who is trying to get you to buy a certain piece of hardware is going to tell you about the flaws the equipment has, or even let you know about a competitor who has a similiar item for sale at half the price.

All across the internet, you can find many different websites that offer the information you seek. There are several that offer forums, where other users will tell you honest opinions and give you feedback about the equipment they own. This can be a great way to find out about the duplication equipment your interested in and what else is available for you to purchase.

Another excellent place to look for CD duplication equipment reviews is trade magazines and even electronic magazines. Magazines will normally test equipment then share their their opinions with their readers. Always be sure when you are reading a review that it’s an article sponsored by the magazine and not a paid advertisement.

CD duplication reviews of equipment are a great resource when trying to find a piece of equipment to use. With so many on the market, its always good to have resources when you need to make an important decision. A review will also tell you everything the label and description of the product leaves out, which can help to ensure you get the best piece of duplication equipment for your hard earned money.

If you plan to produce, market, and sell your own CDs, you have the need for high quality CD duplication. If you have the need for great quality and great prices, you should thing about things before you turn to one company to do all of the duplicating for you.

No matter what you use it for, CD duplication is an expense that shouldn’t take over your budget at all. Below, you’ll find several tips on how to keep duplication within your budget.

1. Shop with comparison
All companies out there need to able to find the company that is going to give them the best possible price. If you have access to the internet, you can do this online. Look from one company to another until you find the best price that fits your budget.

2. Keep within your budget
Although this is easier said than done, it’s very important to find a company that can work within your budget or you’ll need to get a bigger budget. Even though you may not realize it now, doing these types of things on credit can hurt you later on down the road.

3. Quality
If your music or other CDs mean a lot to you, then you should put them in the hands of a reliable duplicator - and never skimp on quality. Always make sure you a guarantee of the quality of their work as well, to protect yourself.

CD duplication is a must have for the movie and music business. There’s no doubt that you need this type of service, although you should take the time to find the best company for the job. When it comes to developing your product - you’ll want to have only the best.

There has never been a better time than now to have your audio book, music project, computer data, or CD-R business card duplicated. Unlike the days gone by, these processes are cheaper than ever before - even for those on a budget.

Over the last several years, the costs of blank CDs have dropped quite a bit. The retail chains such as Office Max, Staples, and Best Buy run specials on blank CDs where you can purchase a 50 CD-R spindle for under $20. You can even find similar deals on Froogle, such as a 50 pack spindle of blank CD-R disks for less than $12.

Those interested in CD duplication at home, will find that many of the newer computers come packages with CD burner included at prices under $500. If you already own a computer and want to add an internal CD burner, several retailers have brands for under $50. You can also purchase an external CD burner for all your needs for under $100.

Making cheap duplications of CDs even more affordable are the powerhouses such as DiscMakers, Oasis, and CDman, all of whom specialize in duplicating large quantities of CDs at low prices. Not only do these powerhouses offer superior quality at great price, but they also give great deals on graphics, CD inserts, and jewel cases as well.

With cheap prices, you can get everything you need at a price you can’t argue with. If you’ve copied CDs in the past, you can quit paying high costs and save yourself a ton of money. Those who offer CD duplication at a cheap price are great at what they do - saving you a ton of money for your CD duplication needs.

Anyone who has burned CDs in the past has had to have encountered this problem - your CD doesn’t want to play in certain CD players. You’ve probably tried switching to a different brand of disks, switching the writing speed of your CD burning software, and yet nothing seems to work.

Most professional CDs that are purchased from a retail outlet such as Circuit City or Best Buy works in any type of CD player, which probably makes you wonder what they are doing that your not. All of us wonder this, especially when out duplicated CDs don’t want to play back like they should.

Much to the contrary, it’s because the music industry burns their CDs differently. Instead of simply duplicating CDs, the music industry chooses to replicate CDs. Even though the terminology may seem synonymous, the process is actually totally different.

CD replication is used for the mass production of CDs, which is normally more than 500. Instead of writing the data to a CD using a laser as with duplication, CD replication uses a glass master to stamp (or press) the data onto the disc. This helps to eliminate almost all of the issues associated with playability that are encountered when burning CDs at home. CD replication is a far superior process of burning CDs.

Important to note, is the superior quality of CDs that are pressed using replication doesn’t come cheap. Even when using independant CD duplication companies such as Absolute Disc or Oasis, there is still going to be a very high cost associated with the replication of disks.

For your next project, try having your CDs replicated rather than duplicated. This will ensure your project is very high quality, even though you’ll need to order more than 500 CDs to recive this process.