How to create a final gold master

May 6, 2008 7:43 AM

Burning a gold master - special discs? Software? Burners? Need to burn a disc that's going into multi-thousand production duplication

I'm creating a software program that's going to be distributed on DVD. Is there a special way of creating the final, master disc than just burning one in my computer's drive? Are there software, hardware and media considerations to take into account? These will need to be burned, and then shipped across the country for production.

Help me mefi's!

posted by jimmy0x52 to computers & internet (7 answers total)

How is the duplication happening?

If you're getting it pressed by professionals, they'll deal with it. If you're making copies off your dis then bits=bits.
posted by pompomtom at 7:52 AM on May 6, 2008

s/dis/disc/
posted by pompomtom at 7:52 AM on May 6, 2008

It's a pro duplication operation - it's a project I'm doing for a large broadcast company.

I need to provide them the data in some way though.
posted by jimmy0x52 at 8:18 AM on May 6, 2008

The only thing you need to worry about is getting the exact binary information (bits/bytes) to the people who are going to manufacture the discs. There is no way for them to duplicate a CDR directly, they will need to read your data and use their own tools to build new CDs from scratch. Thoeretically you could just send them the .iso file for the CD via email or by sending a hard drive through the mail.

Buy the best quality CD-Rs you can find and record at the lowest speed possible. If your CD burner has an option to verify, use it. You can also ask the manufacturer if they have any process to "proof" the master that they create before they do the full run.
posted by burnmp3s at 8:19 AM on May 6, 2008

Would it be safer to send it on a zip drive? I don't know...I'm asking.
posted by sully75 at 9:00 AM on May 6, 2008

This is exactly what cryptographic hashes are for.

Make an .iso file and compute its md5 hash. Send them the .iso on whatever medium you prefer, and email them the hash. Ask them to verify the hash before they begin production.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 9:53 AM on May 6, 2008

The highest quality CD-Rs are made by Taiyo Yuden. Google should find you a number of places that sell this brand.
posted by mattholomew at 4:37 PM on May 6, 2008