Figure 16-0 Primera Bravo DVD Duplicator in Software

Print Code 3 of 9 in Software Figure 16-0 Primera Bravo DVD Duplicator

By the end of this chapter, you should know: The difference between Duplication and Replication How to converse with a Duplicator or Replicator How to intelligently place an order for either one Which method to choose to fill your needs

Around 1455 AD, the Gutenberg printing press brought a revolution to the world publishing the ability to mass produce written works, which previously had been produced by hand This method of distributing printed material has been a mainstay of what became the publishing industry ever since

Here are the options for copying and distributing DVD discs you create:

Duplication is simple take your original DVD, burn another identical copy Presto! Duplication! This technique works fine for many DVD Producers, especially if your target goal is less than 100 discs While the disadvantages are slow production time (even the newest 4x drives takes 7 8 minutes to burn a complete DVD), the advantages are a minimal investment in Mastering costs (your original DVDR), and the ability to have your finished product immediately When you need to duplicate dozens of discs with professional quality, there are even automated desktop DVD duplication systems available If you need Professional graphics, some can even produce fullcolor printed DVDs by the dozens or hundreds, with little or no human intervention For a few thousand dollars, you can be your own DVD Publisher

Burning a single DVD is what I like to call personal publishing Today, almost nothing stands in the way of documenting personal milestones and achievements with startling digital clarity, and creating a personal DVD experience from that content It s so amazingly affordable, it s practically unbelievable Yet, it s here, and Mac programs like iMovie and iDVD are the proof of that pudding DVD Studio Pro 2 takes this personal publishing one giant step further, bringing professional DVD authoring features to thousands of small businesses and advanced hobbyists Creating one DVD today is a piece of cake creating 10 of them just takes a little bit longer Advances in high-speed (4x) DVD writers and media have reduced the time required to burn a full DVD-5 from one hour to a mere 15 minutes The next revolution in write speed (8x) will cut that in half again Imagine a complete DVD burned in less than 8 minutes! The only real difficulty with one-offs is that they are very time-intensive (even at 15 minutes per disc); they tie up the host system completely while burning (or you run the risk of buffer under-run, turning out a very nice drink coaster or Christmas tree ornament), and they usually demand personal attention yours Someone has to remove the burned disc and feed a new blank into the burner; guess who For more than a few discs, duplication is a better solution!

Replication is a bit more complex in order to create hundreds or thousands of identical manufactured DVDs, a certain procedure must be followed precisely This procedure consists of preparing a finished DVD Pre-Master (usually on DLT, but today it can be delivered on DVD-R), converting that data to a Glass Master through precision laser burning, and then manufacturing the production materials (stampers) that will actually be used to turn simple polycarbonate beads into thousands of identical finished DVDs through injection molding The equipment required to build a single replication line starts at around USD $1 million, and that doesn t take into account the thousands of dollars of additional equipment required for Glass Mastering, plating, QC, and other operations, which are integral to good replication

An excellent question! The factors that will make you choose between Duplication and Replication are actually pretty simple: Cost, Complexity, and Compatibility With DVD Studio Pro 2, you will find there s only a little extra work involved in making a Replication Master

Ideally, you should receive boxes of finished goods ready to ship to your retail clients You can select a different delivery configuration; just speak with your replicator You don t have to have them shrinkwrapped and boxed if you are using them for promo handouts, for example However, in most cases, this is the standard method Replicators usually like to produce at least 1,000 copies of your DVD, and you may find that the prices they quote you for quantities below that level are prohibitive, to say the least At first glance, this might seem to be another deterrent to choosing Replication, but when you look around at duplication costs, you may not think so Don t forget that when opting for Replication, you will be liable for the entire manufacturing cost upon completion of manufacture, and usually prior to delivery! When evaluating the total cost of replication, be sure you factor in any external hidden costs, like graphics design fees and printing costs for the packaging covers