Preparation of the Master Disc for Duplication Projects

When you are preparing a CD/DVD project for duplication or replication, it's important that you prepare the master disc correctly to eliminate any problems or delays. Your master disc should be an exact copy of what you want produced. Make sure you have tested the copy you're going to send on several different players to assure they play as expected. Sometimes older burning software is used and the master will not play across a variety of players due to the software so make sure your disc plays in systems other than the one it was burned on before you send it in. Below are the basic rules you need to follow to assure your project goes smoothly:

Quality media like Mitsui, Maxell, Taiyo Yuden and Verbatim should be used for the mastering process. If you try to save money and use one of the many brands of very cheap discs that are on the market, you risk the quality of your copies. Your project is going to be an exact copy of the master and if you used cheap media there is the chance your audio and or video quality will not be as good. Spend a few extra cents and get the good media for producing your master.

After you have completed the master, it's important that you clearly mark it with either a label or marker that is approved for writing on the surface of a disc. Duplication houses work with many different customers that send master on a daily basis. It's important your master is clearly marked to avoid a delay or worse some sort of mix up with another project.

Duplication houses will not test your master on various players. They instead will use a bit by bit verification system and test the copies to the master to assure that they are an exact copy of the master. This is why it's important for you to test your master in several different players to assure it plays as expected. Don't just test it in the system that you burned it on. In some older burners, they can produce a master that will only play well in the system it was created on. If you test it other systems, you will assure it has no playability issues.

Vendors are in the business to perform a service for you and if you have any questions about the mastering process, ask them. Taking a few extra moments to produce and test the master correctly will assure that your project is as trouble free as possible.

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