Burning/Priniting/Duplicating

[GamezBond]

Hey...I have some clients that I perform mastering for, and after I master the album, they have to get it sent somewhere to be pressed and wrapped ETC...very expensive...So I'm wondering if I could just do it myself...

Like is there any equipment you can hook up to the computer, burn the audio and print images on your computer to the physical disk, and print images to a booklet?

I dont need anything that makes a large amount of albums at a time, I probably wont be duplicating over 1000 albums...10,000 is the MOST...so I'm cool with a device that only does a few at a time...

 

[apl]

If you wanna do just a few, there are some inkjet printers that will print on the appropriate CD-Rs. We use an Epson at church for this and it's cool.

 

[GamezBond]

Wil it be as clear and look as good as professional CDs? So do the major artist people burn the audio on CD-R's or is it another type of CD? Because I already have a Burner that burns 3 CD-Rs at a time, but I thought for professionals the process was a little different...(as far as the materials and equipment used)

 

[apl]

Wil it be as clear and look as good as professional CDs? So do the major artist people burn the audio on CD-R's or is it another type of CD? Because I already have a Burner that burns 3 CD-Rs at a time, but I thought for professionals the process was a little different...(as far as the materials and equipment used)

They look very good, but not as good as pro.

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cd1.htm

 

[fldrummer]

http://www.discmakers.com/duplicators/

You're "burning" rebook cd's right?

 

[boardman]

Here is some good reading on replicaiton vs. duplicaiton.
http://www.mmppinc.com/cd_replication_vs_cd_duplication.htm

 

[mikedaul]

I dont need anything that makes a large amount of albums at a time, I probably wont be duplicating over 1000 albums...10,000 is the MOST...so I'm cool with a device that only does a few at a time...

Duping, printing, and wrapping 1,000 cds on a small (meaning 1 person in a garge-type setup) scale will take a very long time (at least a couple of solid days). 10,000 would take a really long time (I'm talking weeks here). It's cheaper (and faster) in the short term to pay someone else to do it. You can get 1,000 from discmakers for $1.30 each, and they are on the hi-end of the relative price scale:
http://www.discmakers.com/music/products/cd100.asp

Sure, it might be fun to be able to make your own dupes, but in my experience it's not worth the money investment, the time, or the trouble.

PS - the real hidden cost of printing your own cd's on an inkjet is the cost of the ink. It adds up VERY quickly.

 

[xstatic]

When you use a press plant, the cost per disc is WAY less than doing it at home once you factor in media, ink, and printing. Thats not even including the time it takes and the fact that glass mastered CD's are much longer lasting.

 

[GamezBond]

alright...I admit...I'm not a mastering engineer...I have no clients...

Basically I see a guy at school selling burned CDs in little thin cases, the CD just has the name of it written in permanent marker...it looks really cheap...anyways he sells them for 10$ each...I'm thinking if I could get a much professional looking product...almost close to the real thing, I take a hold over his market...(and make alot of money!!!)

So would discmackers do what i need? Take the Artwork and audio of a Major Artist album and burn/print it ETC? Would they decline?

Hmmm I see discmakers onoy does a 1 page insert....I was thinking of duplicating the whole booklet...is there anyway I can get a hold of the ink/paper at a whole sale price like the people at press plants do?

 

[apl]

Basically I see a guy at school selling burned CDs in little thin cases, the CD just has the name of it written in permanent marker...it looks really cheap...anyways he sells them for 10$ each...I'm thinking if I could get a much professional looking product...almost close to the real thing, I take a hold over his market...(and make alot of money!!!)

Sir, if you are proposing making illegal copies of other people's music to sell yourself, you are a thief.

I hope I've completely misunderstood.

 

[xstatic]

Discmakers does whatever you need themn to do, within legal limits. If you want a 16 page booklet, they will do one. Personally, I will NEVER pay $10 for a CDR. It normally costs me about $1.30 a disc to have a full color 4 panel insert, full color on disc, printed, glass mastered, assembled and shrinkwrapped. Thats for 1000 copies and the shipping for all that is usually about $60. Now we are looking at a total per disc cost of $1.36

When I use my CD printer I can usually get discs (that are of decent quality) at about $.30 a piece. To do 100 full color prints on the disc face, it would take about 1 ink cartridge (often less, but you gotta be safe ). 1 ink cartridge is about $35. So now, just for CD's and ink I am looking at $650. Now I have to consider that my prints won't be as sharp as a professional screen job, the disc isn't as good of quality and won't last as long. I now have $700 left to get 1000 4 panel inserts printed, get them folded, get the tray card (full color again) printed, get the cases, assemble it all, and then have it shrinkwrapped. I don't think you can get all that for $700. Plus, I still have to run 1000 discs through my poor printer and burner, so after a couple of runs I will probably have to rebuy those as well (cha ching $).

You could buy in bulk, but my sources have shown that I would have to buy discs in runs of about 10000 and up just to get a fairly small price break. In the end, I think press plants are a real bargain. You get all of that stuff done for $1.40 a disc or less and now shouldn't have a problem getting at least $10 a disc (assuming its decent of course). That seems liek a pretty good profit margin to me

 

[wheelema]

There is a new technology, just out, called LightScribe, that uses the laser in the CD-R to etch an image onto the disc. You need LightScribe compatible discs (not to burn the tracks, just the image) and a LightScribe compatible drive.

Not the most cost effection solution to your problem, but pretty cool!!

 

[SonicAlbert]

alright...I admit...I'm not a mastering engineer...I have no clients...

Basically I see a guy at school selling burned CDs in little thin cases, the CD just has the name of it written in permanent marker...it looks really cheap...anyways he sells them for 10$ each...I'm thinking if I could get a much professional looking product...almost close to the real thing, I take a hold over his market...(and make alot of money!!!)

So would discmackers do what i need? Take the Artwork and audio of a Major Artist album and burn/print it ETC? Would they decline?

Hmmm I see discmakers onoy does a 1 page insert....I was thinking of duplicating the whole booklet...is there anyway I can get a hold of the ink/paper at a whole sale price like the people at press plants do?

Discmakers will not do what you want them to do. When you submit a CD to them for duplication you have to fill out a copyright form that states you own the material you are having them duplicate, or have properly licensed it. You apparently will have done neither, so they will most certainly turn you down from the outset. Any reputable duplication company will turn you down, because to replicate your order will open them up to obvious legal liabilities.

I think it is necessary to state that what you propose doing is not only illegal but completely unethical. The ease with which outline your plan to steal and profit from the work of others is disturbing, even asking how to buy the booklets in bulk and planning on production of pirated CD's in the thousands. My suggestion is to drop this plan and do something constructive and positive with your life instead, something that doesn't involve theft and the victimization of others.

 

[Kevin Deschwazi]

alright...I admit...I'm not a mastering engineer...I have no clients...

You're kidding me!!!