How does short run DVD duplication operate?

May 31, 2011 5:43 AM

Can somebody give me a in-a-nutshell overview of how small-run DVD duplication works? I'm looking for 50-300 discs and want professional results that aren't simply DVD-Rs with labels stuck on top. Is this possible? I'm in the UK.
posted by deeper red to computers & internet (5 answers total)

small runs are usually DVD-Rs burned / written individually then printed direct on disc (or using stickers). Some of the On disc printing these days is pretty high quality though and will look almost indistinguishable from a pressed DVD/CD.

usually I believe you need to go to 500 + to get pressed DVDs from a glass master.
posted by mary8nne at 6:18 AM on May 31, 2011

What mary8nne said. Duplication is running off DVD-Rs, regardless of how you visually present it. Replication is a factory process done from a glass master of your DVD. The cost of creating that glass master alone is usually a few hundred (or perhaps over a thousand) dollars, so it is prohibitive to do when you are only trying to run 50 or so DVDs.

There are companies out there who will do a low-cost duplication process with good labeling, though. I can't recommend any specific ones but Google DVD duplication.
posted by meadowlark lime at 7:23 AM on May 31, 2011

Your neighborhood Kinkos can do it. You design the label, they print it on top. They may have DVD cases available, too.
posted by jander03 at 9:10 AM on May 31, 2011

I recently used http://www.duplicationcentre.co.uk/prices.html for a short run in the UK and the results were fine - the on disk printing looks like any commercial DVD and they have a quick pricing tool which will give you a ballpark figure for various options. Their prices are about average. The difference in practical terms for a short run between duplication and replication as explained by meadowlark is that the readable surface of a duplicated disk will be purple and a replicated disk will be silver. I have had glass masters prepared for short runs and from memory I think it added about £200 to costs.
posted by gravelshoes at 10:25 AM on May 31, 2011

Not sure if you're looking to create a consumer product, but take a look at createspace when you get a chance. It's affiliated with Amazon and works on a print-on-demand basis.
posted by chrisinseoul at 2:29 AM on June 1, 2011