Duplicated and replicated discs deliver content the same way to CD and DVD players and computers. However, they are different in their structure. They have different process and production times as well. It is good to know the differences as it can be advantageous to use CD duplication vs. CD replication (or DVD Duplication vs DVD Replication for that matter) and vice versa depending upon needs. Timing and quantity are the two big factors while deciding whether to go for CD duplication or replication for a particular job.
Here are the key characteristics:
CD duplication is the process of burning your information into a blank CDR or DVDR and is for short (50-500) fast turnaround runs. When burning, the copies verify with the master. This is same as burning a CD or DVD on your computer, with the difference being the number of copies that are produced. There are number of towers with numerous blank CDs/DVDs in them used for duplication. Each copy is verified with the master copy.
Features of CD Duplication:
The CDs and DVDs are usually thermal or digitally printed.
They can be silk-screened or offset printed at higher quantities 500+.
Turn time is typically 24 to 48 hours and is much faster than replication.
Higher cost per unit when compared with replication.
CD replication is the process of pressing information into the disc’s plastic. Aluminum is then injected, so a laser can reflect and read the plastic’s information. This is a manufacturing level process. The music CDs and movie DVDs you buy in stores are produced using CD replication. The quality of a replicated CD or DVD depends on the original glass master. During each step of replication, the service provider has to verify the quality with the master.
Features of CD replication:
After replication, the CDs and DVDs are offset printed or screen printed.
Normally CD Replication is done for quantities over a 1000.
The costs are lower per unit than duplication, but the minimum order is generally higher (often for orders over 1000 numbers).
Turnaround time is longer (often 8-12 business days).
The other option a lot of corporates choose to go for these days is Business Card CDs or Mini CDs and Mini DVDs.
Business Card CDs are small form-factor cousins of normal CD and DVDs. Their most prominent use of them is in a shape and size of Business Cards (hence the name). Corporates have been following this trend of creating digital presentations, brochures and other form of information and putting it on Mini CDs to distribute among their clients. Why is this better? Well, for one, this is still a cost-effective solution. Two, in stead of giving your clients a just names and designations of your representatives, you are actually giving out some meaningful information that the client can use. It makes a lot of marketing sense for lot of purposes.
Other big domain that uses this is musicians. Lot of musicians use mini CDs for distributing singles, and/or promotional creations. They can opt for non-traditional shapes like star to look different from a business card CD. The CD-DVD media produced can be labeled making personalization is possible for the labels too.
