Dvd/Cd Duplicators
CD DVD duplication technology involves the use of different machines, components, and software to make error free copies of prerecorded CDs or DVDs. The main technology used in disk duplication is called disk ‘burn’ in which high intensity lasers are used to burn small ‘pits’ or ‘bumps’ on the surface of a CD or DVD that represent data in the form of 0’s and 1’s.
This technology is used in burners installed in desktops and laptops in conjunction with disk burn software to copy prerecorded CDs or DVDs. Disk burn software is also available on the Internet in the form of freeware but they are inefficient and perform at a slow speed. A user can buy customized software for this purpose on the Internet.
Duplication firms use the same basic technology for duplicating CDs or DVDs on a large scale. Autoloader machines use this technology to duplicate disks on a commercial scale. Autoloader machines require PC connection for operation, which is made via a ‘firewire’ adapter or SCSI adapter on a host PC running a Microsoft operating system. It is used for low to mid volume disk burning and can burn around 500 disks per day.
Another disk duplication device that uses this technology is a tower duplicator that comes with inbuilt hard drives and does not require a PC to duplicate CDs or DVDs. Blank disks are automatically loaded into the machine using automated disk loading mechanism. It is used for low to high volume disk duplication and can burn around 2500 disks per day.
Duplication technology is used mainly for catering to the immediate copying requirements of an organization. For processing large copying orders exceeding one thousand disks, it is better to opt for replication technology, which is relatively cheap and provides better quality. Scientific research work is underway to increase disk burn speed that will enable healthy competition between duplication and replication technology.