Thursday, 15 January 2009

What's the difference between your CD-ROM and CD-R duplication services?

A CD-R disc is manufactured to allow data to be copied (recorded) by a special device called a CD-R writer. The CD-R has a recording surface that uses a special dye that can be ablated by the laser in the writer. When writing to the CD-R disc, the laser burns the pattern of data into the dye on the recording side of the CD-R. There is a special grooved, spiral track that the laser follows when writing the data.

A replicated CD-ROM is manufactured using an injection moulding process that stamps the spiral track and data into the polycarbonate material at the same time. A reflective layer of aluminium is then spin coated onto the disc to allow for the laser in a standard reader to identify the spiral track and data layout. Once copied the CD-R disc functions exactly like a replicated CD-ROM disc.
CD-ROM is for projects that require replication or pressing and generally over 500 units upwards to many, many millions. They are inexpensive to produce, especially in quantities of 1,000 plus.

CD-R duplication or ‘print and burn’ is for quantities from 100 upwards. As there is no glass mastering or “stamper” production required, the smaller quantities are cheaper to produce and offer much quicker turnaround times.

We often produce 1,000 or 2,000 discs as CD-R production and not CD-ROM production because of the lead time restrictions, even though they are more expensive.

CD Duplication - HDC Media
Share/Save/Bookmark

0 comments:

Post a Comment