MFDigital CD DVD Information Library

Is the War on HD DVD Verse Blu-ray DVD Too Confusing

2007-11-02T10:36:00.000-07:00

Recent research shows the format war between HD DVD and Blu-ray is not only causing confusion among consumers, but it will result in major challenges for manufacturers as they seek to stimulate mainstream adoption of either.

According to the JupiterResearch report "Next Generation DVD: Will the Winner Be HD DVD, Blu-ray, or None of the Above?," while HD DVD and Blu-ray camps are attempting to win over the hearts and minds of consumers with next-generation HD content that effort has little impact on purchasing. In fact, less than 25% of consumers purchasing new AV equipment site HD content as the motivator. With such a large number of DVD titles readily available the limited number of HD titles provide little motivation to make the switch.

"CDs and DVDs both offered a clear value proposition to consumers when they were introduced to the marketplace. There was a visible difference in the experience that was easily grasped," explained Michael Gartenberg, JupiterResearch Vice President and lead author of the report. "The real competitor that both these formats face is not each other, but rather low cost DVD players with up-scaling capabilities that pass the 'good enough' test for most consumers."

Further confusing the issue is the growth of broadband popularity which is facilitating content delivery directly to consumers without the need for optical disks. Combined with ease of use and the ability to move content from room to room as well as onto portable devices, the market for downloadable video content continues to grow each day.

"The abundance of material in such a wide variety of formats is going to make adoption of any single standard very difficult as consumers may well opt for a combination of what is already available," said David Schatsky, President of JupiterResearch. "To be successful, manufacturers must offer a clear and visible improvement in quality and functionality as well as place greater emphasis on platform longevity and backward compatibility."

The complete findings of this report are available to JupiterResearch online at www.jupiterresearch.com.

Raid on Illegal Dutch DVD Manufacturing Plant

2007-10-03T09:36:00.000-07:00

Dutch police made a significant bust on DVD pirating in the Netherlands. The police raided a DVD plant capable of making over 900 copies per hour.

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, which represents the recording industry, said that Dutch police were dismantling the disc factory in Velddriel, southeast of Amsterdam, after raiding it on Tuesday.

The illegal plant was making copies of "Ocean's Thirteen" and "Evan Almighty" and "Die Hard 4" where the source disc may have come from a legitimate plant which has since gone bankrupt.

The Dutch plant also had plans to produce thousands of audio CD discs featuring a compilation of chart music.

The Netherlands lost about $129 million in 2005 because of piracy (according to research group Screen Digest).

Dutch police said the pirated discs where being sold in schools, offices, pubs and via street vendors.

Source: CDRInfo

2007-09-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

The DVD Forum just announced the preliminary specifications for a 51GB Triple Layer HD DVD disc. This announcement is in direct response to fans of Blu-Ray technology.

The Forum presented two formats of the HD DVD disc:

- The HD DVD-ROM Triple layer 51GB (single format)
- The Triple layer Twin format

The triple layer disc is a three layer DVD with each layer storing up to 17GB of data/video, resulting in a total capacity of 51GB.

The disc has been approved by the DVD Forum's WG-11 (Triple layer 51 GB disc Ver.1.9), and is expected to be also approved by the TCG/SC later this year.

The new disc adds a high-end option to the previous HD DVD-ROM disc lineup that includes the 15GB (single-layer, single-sided) and 30GB (dual-layer, single-sided). Commercialization of the 51GB HD DVD-ROm disc could definitely be a strong weapon for the HD DVD format against Sony's Blu-Ray, which currently offers a maximum of 50GB of storage capacity with 2-layer discs.

However, the new HD DVD may not be compatible with older players as the new Triple Layer DVD would use different reading techniques thus eliminating the ability to simply purchase, record and play the new format.

The HD DVD-ROM Triple layer Twin format

This is the second extension of the HD DVD format presented at the DVD Forum conference. This is a single- sided disc with one DVD layer and two HD DVD layers. The available capacities are 4.7GB for DVD and 30Gb for HD DVD.

For the full line of DVD Copier Duplicators from MF Digital please visit our DVD Copier webpage.

Source: CDRInfo.com

Automated DVD Copier Ripping System

2007-08-13T15:37:00.000-07:00

Magic DVD Ripper is a very easy and simple DVD ripping software, which can convert DVD to VCD, SVCD and other formats or backup DVD to hard drive without any loss of quality (link). This is a nice package for a single DVD or even a small handful of DVDs. However, ripping a large DVD library could sound like a daunting task when doing it one title at a time. So what do the professionals use? They use a DVD Ripping system with advanced DVD copier software to correctly archive batches of DVDs. The archive process includes detailed information or metadata about the DVD title so proper indexing and cataloging is well organized and easy to retrieve.

The advantage with an automated system is that a robotic unit will archive disc after disc without human intervention. An invaluable benefit when dealing with large DVD libraries.

Many dealers of Escient Systems, Sonos and XiVA use systems like the DVD Ripping solution from MF Digital. So if your need to rip DVD titles is larger than just a handful you might consider the MF Digital Video Ripping System. The DVD Rip Station is available in one drive, two drive and four drive configurations.

DVD Forum to Showcase HDi Interface

2007-07-11T09:58:00.000-07:00

The annual European conference of the DVD Forum will be in Berlin next September, and it is expected to focus on the HDi interactive features of the HD DVD format.

The event will take place on September 3rd. At the same period, IFA consumer electronics fair will be held in Berlin, Germany.

The highlight of the event is expected to be the demonstrations of the interactive features of the HD DVD format. Front line authoring houses will showcase the use of HD DVD/HDi interactive features on large screen 1080p projection, followed by Q&A and discussion with technical experts.

HDi (formerly iHD) is a format developed by Microsoft and Toshiba for providing interactive menus and "special features" such as additional bonus/extras content and games for HD DVD (one of the high-definition video formats). The HDi runtime engine is responsible for responding to user navigation input (remote buttons) as well as events set to occur during playback of a movie, controlling all actions and interactive properties during the playback of a movie.

In addition, practical technologies of the HD DVD format including AACS, HD DVD Video/VR (interactive function specs) , Codecs (MPEG2HD, MPEG4 AVC, VC-1), HD DVD authoring systems, replication and testing HD DVD Discs, Triple-layer HD DVD, recording HD data onto red DVD disc and CSS Downloading are expected to be under discussion in a variety of sessions during the day.

Last but not least, the Forum will announce the latest activities of the Forum's key steering committees and working groups related to the specifications related to the DVD and HD DVD formats.

Source: CDRInfo

Taiyo Yuden Offers 'Triple Guard' DVDR Media

2007-06-12T09:30:00.000-07:00

Taiyo Yuden continues to deliver durable recordable media products and their latest entry is the "Triple Guard" DVD-R series designed to virtually eliminate scratches and dust.

Part of the company's "That's" series of DVD media, the new 16x DVD-Rs are made in Japan and promise to offer durability while retaining compatibility, stability, and storage performance. A special coating on the recording surface protects the DVD-R from scratches, blemishes and dust.

The 'Triple Guard' coating technology boosts scratch resistance by 200 times compared with previous Taiyo Yuden products. In addition, the fingerprint adherence is reduced to less than 1/7th, while it improves static electricity discharge performance by 1000 times.

This product is capable of 16x recording, and the label surface comes with Wide Printable for an inkjet printer color print range wider by 10mm. The lineup includes a 5mm plastic case (holding up to 10 discs for both data and video), and a bulk case (up to 50 discs for data or 10 discs for video). The discs will reach the store shelves in June 12.

Source: CDRInfo

59 Million DVD Recorders Forecasted to Ship in 2011

2007-05-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

The volume of DVD recorders shipped worldwide in 2011 is expected to reach 59 million units and generating about $20 billion in revenues for manufacturers.

These are estimations made by IMS Research. Digital video recorders currently have the advantage of being deployed by pay-TV operators at relatively low cost in the North America, Western Europe, and some parts of the Asia Pacific region. However, recording onto an optical disc is expected to gain momentum due to several factors that will enhance current usage models and value propositions for burning elaborate, menu-driven DVDs from a consumer DVD recorder.

Traditionally, elaborate DVD creation has been confined to professional authoring stations with experienced technicians.

"The convergence of digital tuners, large HDDs, HDMI and IEEE1394 ports into a single device will appeal to consumers interested in upgrading their home entertainment system with a high-end DVD recorders," said Analyst Mark Meza.

Key factors that are expected to drive mass adoption of consumer DVD recorders include better editing control, easy-to-use authoring and menu creation features, ubiquitous playability of discs on any DVD playback device, up-conversion of legacy DVD to 1080p, DVR-like user interfaces, and the continuing price erosion of major DVD recorder components.

The increasing amount of HD content is expected to drive adoption of blue laser DVD recorders.

"Recording a full-length HD movie and its accompanying high-resolution audio component onto a disc is no longer confined to blue laser media, due to the emergence of multilayered high-storage-capacity red laser media that is expected to give both Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD recordable media some competition in cost-sensitive applications" added Meza.

Officials Seize 1.64 Million Illegally Made DVDs In China

2007-04-16T11:10:00.000-07:00

In mid March anti-piracy officials from China's National Anti-Piracy and Pornography Office (NAPP) raided a pirated optical disc manufacturing and storage facility in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou.

In what was the largest anti-piracy haul this year in China, officials seized 1.79 million optical discs, of which 1.64 million are suspected of having been illegal pirated copies of legitimate movie and television titles.

Also seized in the raid were 30 machines used to erase Source Identification (SID) codes that can allow investigators to determine the manufacturer of an optical disc. Officials detained two men believed to be managers of the facility, and are extending their investigation of the illegal operation.

The seized discs were infringing dozens of MPA member company films, as well as every Chinese film released to date this year, and many American, Korean and Japanese animation and television series titles.

Source: CDR Info.com

Inkjet & Thermal Printable Blu-Ray Discs Available

2007-03-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

Today TDK announced their DURABIS 2 hard coating technology for BD-R discs will be available in Europe sometime in April.

The BD-R media is coated with a special inkjet surface to deliver bright, high resolution full color images and text. Using the DURABIS 2 hard coat technology the media will not warp which is a common problem with other inkjet medias.

TDK also announced the same support on Thermal printable media of Blu-Ray Recordable media which also uses the DURABIS 2 hard coat technology.

Source: CDRinfo

18X Pioneer DVD Drive DVR-112 DVR-112D

2007-02-09T09:11:00.000-08:00

DVD writers keep getting faster in speed, today Pioneer announced two new internal 18X DVD burners. The DVR-112 and DVR-112D.

The 112 is a multi-format drive and the 112D is a dual-format drive. The Pioneer drives burn at an amazing 18X speed for write once media and 10X for dual-layer media. So how does Pioneer do it, well they've adopted the CAV recording technology along with Pioneers proprietary technology to ensure a disc has been properly recorded. In addition, Pioneer kept it's Disc-Resonance Stabilizer technology which controls the airflow generated by disc-rotation in order to minimize disc warping that can occur when media rotates at high speed.

Pioneer also incorporated the following technologies in their DVR-112 and DVR-112D series drives:

Buffer Under Run protection technology
A Multi-Effect Liquid Crystal Tilt Compensator; it operates at high-speed - even on Dual Layer/Double Layer media types - to ensure precise writing to the disc by automatically compensating for discs that are warped or of uneven thickness.
An Ultra Dynamic Resonance Absorber; this reduces the instability and vibrations caused by imbalanced or damaged media, maintaining the integrity of the recording and playback performance.
Performance Adjusting Firmware; this optimizes the disc's rotation speed depending on the user's application for example, if watching a movie or listening to music, the disc velocity is reduced keeping background noise to a minimum.

The new line of Pioneer CD/DVD recorders will be available to OEM integrators in the coming months.

Source: Pioneer

Ritek Announces 8cm Recordable DVDs

2007-01-11T16:01:00.000-08:00

Ritek announced last week they finished the mass production process of 8cm write once DVD in both DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL formats.

Featuring two recording layers on a single side, these two new discs provide nearly one hour of digital video recording time or 2.6GB of storage capacity on a single side of mini DVD disc.

"We are aware of the increasing sales of DVD Camcorders worldwide but the current single layer or double sided 8cm DVD cannot meet customers expectation perfectly because of their limited recording time. So we foresee the potential huge demand if customers can record their video nearly one hour without changing or flipping the DVD discs," said Eric Chang, RITEK Global Marketing Deputy General Manager.

The new Ritek DVD+R DL and DVD-RL discs will be available by end of January 2007.

Source: CDRInfo

A Look Under The Hood of Imation AquaGuard Technology

2006-12-08T15:59:00.000-08:00

This article is intended to provide some background information on Imation’s AquaGuardTM Technology. AquaGuard technology is an inkjet receptive surface applied to the non-data side of optical discs.

The Imation AquaGuard inkjet receptive surface provides the following benefits to the user:

- Excellent image quality with bright, vibrant colors;

- Superior resistance to image running and smearing when exposed to water;

- An inkjet printable surface with a uniformly high level of whiteness from the hub to the outer edge of the disc;

Currently available inkjet printable discs are made with a polymeric swellable inkjet receptive coating. This coating accepts the inkjet printed image by swelling to absorb the ink carrier liquid similar to the way a sponge absorbs water. The ink carrier liquid then slowly evaporates over time leaving behind the colored ink material at the surface of the inkjet receptive surface. It can take many hours for the image to completely dry during which it can be smeared if rubbed. Since the image is not fixed by a swellable surface, rewetting of the image will cause it to run and smear.

Imation AquaGuardTM inkjet printable surface uses a nanoporous inkjet receptive surface in which the porous ink receptive coating is made from ceramic particles. This nanoporous surface absorbs the ink by capillary action. The advantages of the nanoporous surface are that it is very fast drying and water resistant. In addition, the Imation AquaGuard surface has been formulated to be whiter than currently available standard inkjet receptive optical disc coatings.

Water Resistance

The key advancement in Imation AquaGuardTM technology is bringing the water resistance of a nanoporous inkjet receptive surface to optical discs. This will assure that an image printed on an Imation AquaGuard disc will retain its legibility and quality even when exposed to water.

Test images were printed on both a competitive swellable inkjet printable disc and an Imation AquaGuard inkjet printable disc. A drop of water was placed on the upper set of color blocks, allowed to set for 10 seconds and removed by blotting. You can see noticeable water spotting on the competitive printable surface while there is no visually water spotting on the Imation AquaGuard disc. On the bottom set of color blocks the water drop was removed by wiping after sitting on each of the color blocks for 20 seconds. You can see the water spotting and smearing of the color blocks on the competitive inkjet printable disc while the color blocks on the Imation AquaGuard discs remain virtually unchanged.

Drying Time

The absorption of the ink by capillary action on the Imation AquaGuardTM surface provides an image that is dry when it leaves the inkjet printer. This prevents the image from being smeared when the disc is removed from the printer and also prevents ink from being transferred to the hands of a person printing discs.

To illustrate the quick drying of Imation AquaGuard discs a test was preformed in which a cloth was dragged across the surface of a printed disc at various time intervals after it had completed printing. The results are shown in the following photos. These photos show that the image printed on the Imation AquaGuard disc is not smeared when tested 1 minute after it has completed printing while the competitive inkjet printable discs shows obvious smearing at 15 minutes and slightly visible smearing 30 minutes after printing has been completed.

Whiteness

The Imation AquaGuardTM has been formulated to provide a whiter surface than competitive inkjet printable optical discs with good uniformity of the white surface from the hub to the outer edge of the optical disc. The whiter surface of the Imation AquaGuard disc results in an image with brighter, more vibrant colors.

The whiteness of the inkjet receptive surface was measured using the C.I.E. L*a*b* color space. In this color space the L* dimension is a measure of the lightness-darkness of the color being measured with an L* reading of 100 indicating a completely white surface and an L* reading of 0 indicating a completely black surface.

L* measurements were made of a variety of competitive inkjet printable discs and an Imation AquaGuard disc using an X-rite 500 series spectrodensitometer.

Image Quality

The combination of quick drying in which the ink is absorbed before it can spread and degrade the sharpness of the image and the whiter surface giving brighter, more vibrant colors results in excellent image quality. When compared to images printed on competitive inkjet printable discs, images printed on an Imation AquaGuard disc have good resolution and sharpness and appear brighter.

Conclusion

Imation AquaGuard technology brings water resistance to inkjet printable optical discs. In doing this Imation AquaGuard provides the following benefits to the user:

- Excellent image quality with bright, vibrant colors;

- Superior resistance to image running and smearing when exposed to water;

- An inkjet printable surface with a uniformly high level of whiteness from the hub to the outer edge of the disc;

- Quick drying of the image printed on the disc.

With inkjet printable discs using Imation AquaGuardTM technology you can be assured that the image printed on your disc will be of the highest quality, resistant to damage by handling when freshly printed and resistant to smearing when exposed to water.

Source: Imation AquaGuard Technology White Paper (.pdf)

Totally “ScratchLess” CD-R Launched in the UK

2006-11-21T15:39:00.000-08:00

Medea International have been awarded exclusive UK partner distribution of the an innovative new “Scratchless” disc from the USA. ScratchLess disc is a totally new patented innovation that virtually eliminates the problem of surface damage to discs. For professional photos, important video and critical data applications, demand is expected to be substantial. Demand is also expected from applications where discs are handled frequently, and where damage potential is therefore higher.

The ScratchLess Disc was designed to protect data or media stored on discs from physical damage caused by everyday use and handling. The disc has 20 small, patented bumps (Aero-Bumps(TM)) that elevate the disc to avoid contact with any flat surface, thereby eliminating damage. Co-developed with General Electric, the disc's secondary layer of protection is achieved by adding a polymer coating, which gives it an extra glass-hard layer of protection. "We are excited to offer consumers the safest optical discs available today," said Scott Malcolm, Medea International, Marketing Manager. "Scratch-Less have created a product that consumers can count on. I believe the ScratchLess disc is a significant product that provides a much higher level of long-term security, perfect for the storage of photos, music, video and important data."

The Scratch-Less Disc was created to offer users protection that ordinary discs lack. It is compatible with nearly all existing recording and playback equipment. The discs also feature the Easy-Up-Edge(TM), a slanted/raised edge that allows the user to easily pick up the disc from a flat surface. The Scratch-Less Disc can be safely slid across or lifted directly from a surface, providing unparalleled damage prevention.

The Scratch-Less Disc is currently available in CD-R and will be followed by CD-RW in the near future. Scratch-Less Disc will debut its DVD formats (DVD +R, DVD-R, DVD+RW and DVD-RW) in 2006.

Key Benefits of Scratch-Less Discs

- Safely store photos, music, video & important data.
- Eliminate scratching and scuffing on disc surface.
- Aero-Bumps(TM) that elevate the disc to avoid surface contact, thereby eliminating damage.
- Glass-hard polymer coating reduces scratches.
- Easy-Up-Edge(TM) allowing the user to easily pick up the disc from a flat surface.

Details of availability and the Scratch-Less dealer network are available at http://www.medea.co.uk ScratchlessDisc UK – http://www.scratchlessdisc.co.uk

Source: DiscBurn

The Difference Between CD / DVD Duplication and Replication

2006-10-11T15:36:00.000-07:00

In the CD and DVD production industry, the question “What’s the difference between CD/DVD duplication and replication?” is without a doubt the single most popular when dealing with clients. Because of the fact that the methods, prices, turn times, and other factors involved differ so greatly, finding the right company for your project can be a confusing and frustrating task. In the following paragraphs we will attempt to explain, once and for all, the differences between CD/DVD duplication and replication, while hopefully also providing you with the knowledge and foresight to ask yourself the important questions about your project up front so you won’t be disappointed with your choice later.

The difficult decision between duplication and replication is an issue for both business and entertainment data. As you probably know, the ability to burn data to CD and DVD media marks one of the biggest data-storage advances in years. Today’s capacities range from about 700 MB on a CD-R (the “R” means recordable) to roughly 4.7 GB on a DVD-R. Even greater capacities can be achieved with strategies like “overburn” and new technologies that use a second recordable layer (”dual layer”); these can extend a DVD disc’s capacity to a whopping 8.5 GB. Blu-ray and HD-DVD offer 30GB and 50GB of storage respectively, so it’s easy to see why disc production is a such an important advance.

An Explanation Of The Three Methods

CDs and DVDs are used today not only for distributing movies and music, but also as an economical and manageable storage media for software, books, training courses, sales tools, buying guides, and more.

Basically, there are just three ways to copy a disc: single copy, duplication, and replication. Let’s examine each separately:

Single Copy: Also known as a “one-offs,” this is the process of making just one copy at a time on a PC or dedicated disc copier. Making one-offs is fine for backing-up data files and copying music files onto CDs for personal use. But for multiple copies, it’s highly inefficient. Also, using a PC to make multiple one-offs while also running other applications can cause compatibility issues, or slow the entire system to a crawl.

Duplication: Commonly referred to as “burning,” this is the process of copying the contents of one CD or DVD to another disc using a drive with write capabilities. The PC or duplication equipment etches the data onto a recordable CD or DVD disc with a laser small enough to be integrated into a normal PC drive bay. CD and DVD burners and media have been a runaway success due to their portability, convenience, and economy. This method is best for producing limited quantities of copies–more than one, but fewer than a large commercial run. For quantities less than 1,000, many businesses “burn” their manuals, parts lists, and training videos in-house using either PCs with multiple burners or dedicated duplication machines (”duplication towers”).

Replication: This is a manufacturing process that essentially replicates or “clones” the original master. First, a “glass master” is created from the original. Then a set of molds, or “stampers,” are made from the master. Stampers act as a blueprint for the replication process; they are mounted into an injection-mold machine, where a replica of the mold is created in the form of a 120-mm plastic disc. The formed disc is then coated with a micro-thin reflective layer of aluminum. Finally, the disc is coated with a protective lacquer that is first spun onto the disc, then hardened by ultraviolet light. Because replication is complicated, it’s typically considered only for large runs of at least 1,000 copies. At those volumes, replication produces the lowest per-disk cost and offers the highest possible readability levels. In fact, all commercially distributed entertainment and software CDs and DVDs are produced using replication.

For many businesses, the best choice is duplication. Few businesses need to make 1,000 or more copies at a time, the minimum needed to make replication cost-effective. And many businesses need more flexibility than one-offs provide. CD and DVD duplication, therefore, represents a good middle ground.

For these clients, a dedicated duplication machine makes good sense. These boxes, also known as “duplicator towers,” house up to 21 target drives, a hard disk on which to maintain the original source files, and the hardware and software to control it all. Duplication towers also offer good compatibility across a vast field of drives and systems. What’s more, they can be set to repeatedly copy an image until the total number of copies desired is reached. Some towers even include robotic arms with magazines of 25, 50, or 100 blank discs so they can operate unattended.

But what if you don’t have the staff, budget, or time needed to do it yourself? Outsource your CD DVD project to a reputable duplication company. A quick search of Google for “DVD Duplication Services” or “CD Duplication Services” will return dozens of businesses ready to handle the duplication, printing, and packaging of your CDs or DVDs.

Of course there are exceptions to the hard and fast rule of “Less Than 1,000=Duplication” and “More Than 1,000=Replication”. An example is when project turn around times are an issue. The timeline for CD and DVD replication is much longer than that of duplication, normally 10 to 14 business days from the time that you verify all materials. With CD and DVD duplication, discs with full color printing and packaging can be completed in as little as 24 hours (for an additional charge, of course) with standard turn times of about 3 to 5 business days from the time your materials are approved.

Be sure to consider all factors involved when deciding between duplication and replication. Sometimes duplication is more cost effective, and other times replication comes out on top. Weigh each option such as printing method, packaging, and delivery time carefully with your sales professional and you’ll be sure to choose the correct manufacturing process for your project.

Source: DiscRead.com

Don't Be Duped! Helpful Hints and Advice for CD Duplication

2006-08-25T15:34:00.000-07:00

Whoa! Your boss tells you he needs a hundred copies of his presentation on CD--by tomorrow morning. Since he wants to impress the clients he also wants professional-looking labels on the CDs as well. A simple marker won't cut it this time. Maybe it's time for a desktop duplicator or to hire a duplicating service. Since most household computers are now equipped with a drive that has the capacity to burn discs, it is no surprise that disc duplication has become big business. But sorting through the tons of information about formats and CD duplication systems can be a nightmare.

CD duplication is no longer a difficult, tedious or expensive process requiring exacting technological expertise. Since most desktop computers now come equipped with a standard drive with the capacity to burn discs, it is no longer a rarity to find people making "mix discs" of their favorite songs using the CD-R media. And it is likely, at some point, that you are going to want to make multiple copies of one of your projects--be it a work presentation, a business card, or a demo of some sort.

The term "CD Duplication," taken literally, means to copy CD-ROM's. Actually there are two different methods to make those copies: Duplication and Replication. Duplication is the process of "burning" data onto a pre-manufactured CD-ROM. This process requires the use of CD-Recorder to add data to a blank disc. Recorders are included in many personal computers, but they may also be added to a PC as an external disc drive. These devices require the user to burn one disc at a time, a process that takes between 1 and 74 minutes depending on the speed of the recorder.

A more automated form of duplication can be accomplished by buying a stand-alone CD Duplicator (no computer hookup required). This device can make many copies of the CD-ROM master simultaneously and can produce 65 or more CD-ROM discs an hour. If you have a relatively small project, fewer than 1,000 copies, this may be the device for you. Starting at less than $1,600 these disc makers are perfect more independent musicians and even churches who often duplicate sermons and music to make them more available to parishioners.

Replication, on the other hand, is the process of "stamping" data onto an injection molded CD-ROM. This process requires the creation of a "glass master" from the customer-supplied disc. Using a high-speed stamping process the data is actually built into the construction of each copy, not added later. Due to expensive equipment requirements, this is certainly not the method used by the average computer owner.

If you have a duplication job at hand, you may wonder if one method is better than the other. Here are some factors to help you decide for your individual copying requirement:

Longevity--If you know that users will need to access this data over a decade, Replication is recommended.

Readability--Pre-manufactured discs are used in the Duplication process, and although the blank discs appear to be "generic," track arrangement can vary slightly from one manufacturer to another. This sometimes results in an inability to read the data. Replicated discs do not exhibit this problem.

Data Access Speed--When you perform a search you expect the data to be retrieved from the proper place on the CD-ROM--and fast. There is no measurable difference between Duplication and Replication.

Cost--An order of 1,000 or fewer copies tends to be cheaper to produce by Duplication. This is mainly due to the fact that no stamping master is required. If you only need a few dozen copies, Duplication is a whole lot cheaper. On the other hand, when economies of scale come into play--you need thousands of copies--Replication is your better choice. Copies made from a master disc get much cheaper as you spread out the initial cost over a larger quantity of discs. For example, if you order 100 copies, each would cost about $4.40, whereas the same disc would only cost about .80 a copy if you ordered 1,000.

Whatever your choice of copying methods, keep in mind that CDs are not immortal. The thin aluminum layer that reflects the light of the player's laser, is susceptible to oxidation which causes the discs to "rot." Never use off-the-shelf markers or ball point pens to write on the discs or labels. Most markers contain chemicals which create oxidation, allows air to penetrate the aluminum, which is then eaten up--much like iron rusting in open air. There are special media pens currently on the market. Search those out.

Whether you choose to do-it-yourself or outsource your next duplication project, take a few minutes to research what software and technology is currently available--it is improving all the time. With a little effort, you can create the "perfect" project that will make both you and your boss quite proud of the finished product.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Larry Denton is a retired history teacher having taught 33 years at Hobson High in Hobson, Montana. He is currently V.P. of Elfin Enterprises, Inc., an Internet business providing useful and valuable information on a variety of timely topics. For a control room full of information, resources and advice about CD duplication, visit http://www.CDDuplicationDesk.com

A New DVD Format War

2006-06-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

Just when you thought it was safe to buy a nice new all-singing all dancing DVD player/recorder, along comes a new format war to add to an already confusing marketplace.

Once the original DVD standard settled down, DVD players quickly became one of the most successful consumer items of all time. The new format revitalized the home entertainment market, and hardware manufacturers benefited both directly and indirectly, as enthusiasts clamored to buy bigger and better televisions and sound equipment to get the best from their new DVD players.

Then came recordable DVD, but the problem, as is so often the case, was that there were a number of different recording standards, all of them incompatible. It was just like Betamax versus VHS all over again. Now low-cost multi-format recorders supporting all the standards are hitting the streets, the recording problem is becoming less of an issue, and so one could be forgiven for thinking that’s the end of the format wars.

But technology has a habit of advancing at a relentless pace, and now a new battle is set to commence. The hi-tech companies are fighting it out to establish the standard for next-generation “high capacity” DVDs. Higher capacities will allow for even better picture and sound quality than the existing standard, and will become more popular as high definition televisions really start to take off.

There are two competing high capacity DVD technologies, HD-DVD (High Definition DVD) and Blu-Ray. HD-DVD works by using multiple layers on a single disk, and its main advantage is its low production costs. Blu-Ray is technically superior – it uses blue laser light instead of the red light used by existing players. This blue light has a smaller wavelength, and so the pits that it creates on the surface of the DVD to encode the data, are smaller. Smaller pits means more pits in the same space, which means higher capacity. Blu-Ray can store more information than HD-DVD, but presently is more expensive to implement. When Blu-Ray is combined with the multi-layering technology behind the competing format, it will see capacities rise to as much as 200 Gigabytes. Existing DVDs hold only 4.7 Gigabytes.

The battle will most likely be won by the format that gets the most support from the big Hollywood studios – nobody is going to opt for a DVD standard with a small catalogue of titles. With Blu-Ray being backed by the likes of Hitachi, HP, and Sony (who own MGM studios), it would appear to have the edge. Hollywood however, is remaining non-committal, afraid of backing a losing horse. For now then at least, the formats are caught in something of a chicken-and-egg situation. As has been the case so many times in the past, only time will tell which format will come out on top.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Roger Faraway is the Technical Director at DVDGopher - a popular site offering more than 25,000 DVD titles and a large selection of DVD hardware.

HD-DVD vs Blu-ray: A Primer

2006-05-03T09:04:00.000-07:00

High Definition DVD (HD-DVD) vs Blu-ray is shaping up to be a battle to rival the VHS vs Betamax format war of the early eighties. Looking like they've learned nothing from the DVD +/- RW debacle, the companies involved, whether they are in the technology or content distribution industry (or in Sony's case, both), are set to slug it out over the next few years.The prize is the licence fees that will be payable to the format owners when the next generation of high definition DVD players and recorders start shipping in volume. As high definition television becomes increasingly popular, consumers will want a recordable format that has the capacity to hold at least a couple of hours worth of HDTV content. Both Blu-ray and HD-DVD were developed in response to the anticipated need for an HDTV recording medium and provide content whose quality would match the expectations of HDTV-owning customers. Additionally, the film distribution companies will cash-in as they release all the titles currently available on DVD in one or both of the new formats and convince consumers that they really should chuck out the DVD collection they've spent time and money building and start afresh with the new high definition versions.Rather than get together and agree a format for high definition DVD, the industry has split in two and is producing two different versions. In the red corner is Toshiba, which has developed HD-DVD and has signed up numerous film companies as supporters, including Warner Brothers, New Line, Paramount, and Universal Pictures.In the blue corner, is, if you'll forgive the pun, Sony's Blu-ray. Sony intends to use Blu-ray as the format for the next generation of the PlayStation and has signed up Disney, and MGM, and is expected to add 20th Century Fox to the list. Currently the major Hollywood studios are split down the middle with almost exactly half of them in each camp.HD-DVD has been developed by Toshiba and NEC and has the support of the influential DVD Forum, whereas Blu-ray is supported by Phillips, HP, Sharp, Pioneer, Panasonic, and Sonic Solutions.Microsoft stands to benefit whichever format succeeds as its Windows Media 9 video codec has been approved for use in HD-DVD and Blu-ray content. Apple's H.264 codec has also been approved for both Blu-ray and HD-DVD.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner

Recordable DVD formats explained

2006-03-24T07:46:00.000-08:00

Picking your way through the ton of information available on recordable DVD formats can be a nightmare. To help you out, we’ve done our best to distill it into this summary.There are five recordable versions of DVD; DVD-R for General, DVD-R for Authoring, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW. None of the formats is fully compatible with the other although there are drives which will read, and in some cases write to more than one format.DVD-R for General and DVD-R for Authoring are essentially DVD versions of CD-R. And DVD-RW is a DVD version of CD-RW. All three formats can be read in standard DVD-ROM drives and in most DVD video players. The difference between DVD-R for General and DVD-R for Authoring is that DVD-R for General is a format intended for widespread consumer use and doeasn’t support ‘professional’ features such as piracy protection or duplication in mass duplicators. The Pioneer DVD-RW drive which is the most popular PC device for writing to DVD uses the DVD for General format. And as as the case with CD, DVD-RW is essentially the same as DVD-R except that it can be erased and written to again and again.DVD-RAM is slightly different as it is a sector based disc which mounts on the desktop of a PC when inserted into a drive. Files can then be copied to it in the same way as any other mounted media. Some single-sided DVD-RAM discs can be removed from their caddy and inserted in a DVD-ROM drive which will then be able to read the content of the disc. There are DVD video recorders which use the DVD-RAM format. This enables themn to pull off clever tricks like timeshifting – where you can watch the beginning of a programme you have recorded while you are still recording the end on the same disc.DVD+RW is the newest format and not supported by the DVD Forum, the body which sets the standards for DVD. However, it is supported by some of the biggest electronics and computer manufacturers, and is therefore likely to stick around. It is also the format used by Philips in its DVD video recorders. Despite not being authorised by the DVD Forum, DVD+RW is claimed by its supporterd to be compatible with more DVD video players than DVD-R and DVD+RW writers are found in PCs from quite a few manufacturers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of Master DVD (http://www.masterdvd.com), a website which provides information, articles, and tutorials on issues and products related to recordable DVD.

Encountering the third generation of DVD format

2006-01-31T15:28:00.000-08:00

It won't be too long until the third generation of DVD format to be unveiled. Your DVD player will play a well-performing disc with high-storage capacity. The upcoming Media-Tech Expo, Las Vegas, USA, will surely clarify this topical issue.

The Media-Tech Expo will be a crucial moment in deciding what DVD format will be the successor of the actual DVDs. It will be HD-DVD? Or the Blu-ray Disk? Before the end of 2005, more likely in 2006, the standard format will be decided for good. The competition between the HD-DVD and Blu-ray is in full swing now.

The overwhelming increase of portable DVD players led to a even higher rise of DVDs industry. In 2003, almost 4 billion prerecorded DVDs were produced. This number is calculated to increase to 7 billion in 2006. The same for recordable DVDs market: DVD±R, DVD±RW. While in 2003 just 908 million disks were produced, it is estimated a double growth rate in 2004 (and about 4 billion estimated in 2006).

This year edition, from Frankfurt, manufacturing technology for the third generation of optical storage media has been debated. More than 1,400 people joined 2004 edition. At upcoming 2005 edition, concepts for replication lines and single components for the manufacturing of HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc will be introduced. Media-Tech Expo is the leading annual tradeshow for the media manufacturing industry.

As for these two vying formats, both use a blue laser (contrary to red laser for DVDs). The blue laser has a shorter wavelength leading to finer signal markings on the optical media. Moreover, a shorter wavelength, associated with advanced compression process, prompts a higher storage capacity. Whereas HD-DVD holds 30 gigabytes, Blu-ray holds 50 gigabytes on a double-layer disc.

Professional video industry is one of the most prosperous. Not surprisingly, engineers and manufacturing professionals, producers, video and audio professionals, web developers, broadcasters, directors, DVD authors, editors, graphic artists, gather on annual worldwide electronics and digital video exhibitions to learn the newly techniques, technologies, capabilities, advantages related to their industry. There are seven major exhibitions: DV-Expo, Mediacast, DVD Europe, DVD Replication Exhibition, DVD Summit - Midle East Asia, Media-Tech, Production-Show.

Tips For Turning CD Duplication Into A Profitable Side Business

2005-11-29T10:31:00.000-08:00

Tips For Turning CD Duplication Into A Profitable Side Business by: Mike Waters
CD duplication has arrived in a big way. Teenagers are using cd burners to rip mp3s from their favorite artists. Companies use cd duplication to make backups of their software and documents. Federal agencies are scrambling to define and interpret intellectual piracy and copyright laws as they relate to cd duplication and the music industry. The movie industry is seeking how they can profit from cd and DVD duplication. With so much attention focused on cd duplication, now is the perfect time to turn your home cd duplication hardware into a very profitable side business.
Believe it or not, you probably already have everything you need to get your cd duplication service business off the ground. All you need is a computer, a cd burner, cd duplication software, and a few blank cdrs to get started. It is really that easy.
If you don’t possess a computer or a cd burner, don’t worry. Purchasing a cd duplication device is very affordable. The cost of standalone cd duplication hardware has reduced significantly in recent years. Practically all home computers come with internal cd duplication hardware (cd burners) and some sort of cd duplication software as well. CD duplication media such as blank cd-r and cd-rw are extremely low priced and can be purchased at practically every major retail store.
Your market for your cd duplication company is going to be local bands and musicians as well as small businesses. Local up and coming bands/musicians are often too busy perfecting their sound to be tied down with the tedious task of duplicating cds for their gigs. They also don’t have the money to order cds from the big cd duplication companies.
Likewise, small businesses are almost always unable to financially justify having a technical/computer staff to handle the backup and data storage aspects of their company. All too often, they end up forgoing needed data backups simply because they forget to do it.
However, you can solve these marketplace gaps, provide a needed service, and earn some nice side profit legally by starting your own cd duplication service that caters to these clients. By having a reasonable price, quick rate of delivery, and a quality product, you will undoubtedly get many repeat customers and plenty “word of mouth” buyers.
So what are you waiting for? Start your cd duplication service company today!
About The Author
Mike Waters is owner of Waters Rock music studio and the senior technology columnist for Media-Tech Entertainment and You. Be sure to check out more about his music cd duplication services and data cd duplication at http://www.my-cd-dvd-duplication-replication.com/.

Using CD and DVD writing devices for data backup

2005-06-23T08:04:00.000-07:00

Over the past 20 years, tiny plastic discs have completely altered the way we store and access information. These discs rely on technology that was first introduced in the early 70s - on the laser light. CD-R and CD-RW discs have already become the "floppy disk" of personal computing at the start of this century, and there is every indication that DVD may take over that role in the relatively near future.

CD-R is short for "CD-Recordable". Recordable CDs are WORM (Write Once, Read Multiple) media. A single CD disc holds the equivalent of 450 floppy discs at a time. Its capacity is either 650MB or 700MB. In some cases, you can write to a CD-R disc more than once - creating multiple sessions on the same disc - but not all drives can read these discs. And in any case, when the CD-R disc is full, you can't erase the data from it for reuse once it has been written. CD-RW discs and drives (CD-Rewritable) were created to address this limitation: they allow erasing discs and reusing them. CD-Rewritable drives are able to write both CD-R and CD-RW discs.

DVD is a new generation of optical disc storage technology. DVD is essentially a bigger and faster CD: a single DVD disc holds 4.75 GB of data. This is roughly seven times more than you can fit on a CD. DVD became the most successful consumer electronics product of all time in less than three years of its introduction. There are two main DVD formats: "dash" (DVD-R/RW) and "plus" (DVD+R/RW). There is not much difference between them. They both record data and video, and they both read back data and play back video. Both formats are available as recordable drives for computers and as home video recorders. In spite of claims that one format is more compatible with players and drives, both formats are similarly compatible. The biggest thing to worry about is that DVD-RW drives only record on -R and -RW discs, and DVD+RW drives only record on +R and +RW discs, so you have to make sure you get the right kind of blank discs. As time goes by, the different formats are becoming more compatible and more intermixed. By the way, there are DVD-/+RW drives - dual-format, or "combo" drives that write both formats.

Both CD and DVD are great as storage for data backups. It is easy to have a backup copy at hand, because you can take the disc with you wherever you go and restore your files on any computer. If your backup contains confidential information you can save backups onto CD or DVD discs and store them in your personal safe. By storing a copy of your files on CD or DVD discs, you may save your own computer resources: disk space on your local drives or your company servers. Today's CD-Rs that are dirt-cheap, so you only need to find good backup software capable of writing to CD or DVD and you can feel safe about your data.

Various backup programs support different CD and DVD formats mentioned above. Of course, the more formats a program supports, the better for you. You can use either blank (brand-new) discs, or ones already containing some files. In case a disc is not blank, you can either record additional session on it, or erase it if it is rewritable.

When erasing discs you usually have two options: full and quick erase. Full erase, as its name implies, means that all data will be deleted. Quick erase deletes only file system information; it does not delete the data itself, so if you want to securely destroy all previous information, you should choose the full method, otherwise the quick method is the best, because it works much faster.

Usually you can choose the speed for burning your CD or DVD discs. If you select greater speed, the process will take less time, however depending on your writing device and the quality of the media, writing with low speed may result in a more reliable copy. Some backup programs also perform CRC verification. This is an additional validity check used to make sure that the newly created backup copy is readable.

If your backup copy is rather large and its size exceeds free space available on a single disc, you may want to use disc spanning: the procedure of splitting a large file into several parts to store them on several discs. If you want to restore a file that was backed up using disc spanning, and you do not know exactly which disc contains this file, you can insert any disc. If the backup program does not locate required file on that disc, it will prompt you to insert the next span until the file is found.

With today's immense amount of information and the necessity to back up a lot of data, it is often useful to compress the backup copy before saving it on a disc. Many backup programs support widely used ZIP compression. Some programs will also allow you to choose the compression quality. The higher is the compression quality, the more time will be required to process the data, but the resulting ZIP file will be smaller.

Depending on your needs, you can either compress each file separately, or put all files into a single ZIP archive. However, if you want to perform incremental backups adding only new and changed files each time, it is not recommended to put all files into a single ZIP archive, because it is impossible to insert new data to an old ZIP file. So in this case, the backup will be fully rebuilt each time.

After you have saved your files to CD or DVD media, there appears an important question - where to keep the discs with backup copies. If removable-media backups are stacked next to the computer, a fire or other disaster can destroy both at the same time. A secure off-site location is the best. At the very least, you should securely store the discs as far from your computer as possible.

DVD Duplication--Tips and Advice to Create Affordable Multiple

2005-04-22T12:45:00.000-07:00

Title: DVD Duplication--Tips and Advice to Create Affordable Multiple
Copies

Author: Larry Denton

Article:
It's gonna happen whether you like it or not. Your beloved
collection of treasured VHS tapes will soon be sitting next to
your 8 Track tapes and vinyl record albums. It is a format that
is slowly, but surely, coming to its demise. The replacement?
DVDs, of course. By basic definition, the DVD is an acronym for
digital versatile disc, and by rapidly growing in popularity,
this optical disc is making DVD duplication a growing market as
well.

Thanks to smaller, more powerful and more affordable chips,
technology of every variety that once was available to only the
largest corporations is now within reach of nearly any size
business, and many consumers for home usage. First it was
computers and digital printers--now DVD duplication systems have
become an affordable commodity.

DVD duplication is a awesome technology. If you want an extra
copy of a movie you bought, or want to produce backup copies of
your games, DVD's or VHS tapes, this is your solution. DVD
duplication is similar to the process used to print information
on a CD. It's a burn-and-print technology that involves very
little set-up and is quite simple using some of the new software
that is currently available.

The technology to reproduce DVDs, once available to productions
studios and giant corporations, is now available at affordable
prices for businesses and organizations both large and small.
Churches, in particular, are using this new media technology.
"In the past, churches recorded sermons and music on cassette,"
recalls Tony van Veen, Disc Makers' Vice President of Sales and
Marketing. "These tapes often lacked quality and took hours,
even days, to reproduce. Today, with consumer demand for
quality, and the popularity of DVDs, churches must embrace this
new technology or risk falling behind."

Even if you do not want to become and independent film maker,
DVD duplication is useful for a multitude of reasons. Maybe you
would like to create a training product demonstration, a Power
Point presentation for work, or make a how-to-video to help
employees understand new software. Perhaps you want to video the
annual company softball game/picnic and give copies to everyone.
Or you would like to provide a DVD of your wedding ceremony to
each of your guests. With prices starting below $1,600, these
new technical marvels are fast becoming a main stay in many
businesses.

A money-saving word of advice: DVD duplication and DVD-ROM
replication sound similar, but there is an important
distinction. The burn-and-print duplication process is the way
to go for short runs--usually fewer than 1,000 copies. However,
if you are a major player and need more than 1,000 copies
duplication will end up being an expensive choice. DVD-ROM
replication is a more cost effective method of producing large
quantities. The company you select will produce a "master" disc,
then "press" copies that are perfect duplicates of your original.

Another tip: DVDs are not immortal. The thin aluminum layer that
reflects the light of the player's laser, is susceptible to
oxidation which causes the discs to "rot". Never use
off-the-shelf markers or ball point pens to write on the discs
or labels. Most markers contain chemicals which create
oxidation, allows air to penetrate the aluminum, which is eaten
up much like iron rusts in open air. Special pens are now sold
which are made specifically for writing on media.

Whether you choose to purchase your own DVD duplication system
or "farm out" your project to a professional duplication service
be sure to do some comparison shopping. No matter what your
project or how many copies you need, there is the precise
product or service out there for you.

About the author:
Larry Denton is a retired history teacher having taught 33
years at Hobson High in Hobson, Montana. He is currently Vice
President of Elfin Enterprises, Inc., an Internet business
providing information and resources on a variety of topics. For
a control room full of information, resources and suggestions
about DVD duplication visit, href="http://www.dvdduplicationspot.com">http://www.DVDDuplicatio
nSpot.com

New-fangled CD Label Printer

2005-04-20T12:42:00.000-07:00

Title: New-fangled CD Label Printer

Author: Kristine Llabres

Article:
Have you been exposed with the conventional way of having your
CD labeled? Well, that old way of printing labels especially for
CD’s were very labor extensive. It requires long working hours,
enough man power to do the pasting and cutting plus the high
cost of labeling it.

With the old method, one had to print onto the sheets first the
special label paper afterwards another person should remove the
labels from the sheet without having them stick or curl among
others. For the final touch, it should be fasten one by one to
the discs. That kind of labor requires a lot of patience,
precision, and carefulness.

After some time, when people tend to discover that they are
using a lot of effort and time just labeling a single CD, they
invented now the CD label printers. These printers have
eradicated the infuriation and hundred man power associated with
CD label printing.

These CD printers are really slick for they print directly onto
CD-R discs and they can do it in an accurate manner than the
manual thing. The highest quality printers use thermal transfer
process, wherein they are using heat to seal the ink onto the
disc.

Thermal transfer output is permanent and high quality printing
job with no damage to the disc. The discs remain to be durable
and waterproof. The elimination of the paper labeling means a
much better professional CD-ROM impression.

Its process is quite complex technically but these printers will
cost more than your average inkjet printer. Take note of the
quality of the printing process that vary among brands so see to
it that you will research well with your options before buying
it.

Other benefits of CD label printers are much advantageous for
the businesses. They can enable their printing needs to be done
right at their very site. No need to have outside outsourced of
task of CD printing results in a variety of benefits and it is
no longer dependent on the production schedules of a printing
company.

It provides security for the businesses which they are concerned
most of the time. With their proprietary information and the
shipping out of the CD-ROMs for printing that creates
vulnerability is absolutely unnecessary.

With this new printer, hassles are eradicated which are the
usual problems if it will be printed outside. Companies totally
enjoy over the printing process and it means that even if there
are last minute revisions need to be made, still it can be done
absolutely hassle free.

About the author:
For Comments and Questions about the Article you may Log - on to
http://www.printingshoppers.com

Backup and Save your business!

2005-04-10T12:40:00.000-07:00

Title: Backup and Save your business!

Author: Fred Farah

Article:
There you are busily typing away on your PC or your Laptop, and
all of a sudden the strangest thing happens. The screen goes
black, extinquished like a candle in the wind.

A message appears saying: "The file hal.dll is missing or
corrupt. Windows can not start." Well you know that 95% of
computer glitches are solved by a simple reboot, so click…oops,
can't click, no Windows. Ok then, you reset, and you think you
are sure to be OK when the reboot completes.

Wrong! The same error message appears "The file hal.dll is
missing or corrupt. Windows can not start." How is it possible
for one measly file to kill your system?

DISASTER…What to do now? Phone your tech friend and ask his
advice. He tells you the bad news. You are obliged to re-install
Windows from the original disc! Oh My God! Will I lose all my
programs and data? Yes, you will have to re- install all your
programs. No your data may be safe, but only if you don't have
to reformat your hard disc.

But, your friend asks, I hope you have all your backups.

DO YOU, because that is the key to saving your business. You
know that in today's business world, 95% of your business
information is stored on your computer. This applies not only to
online businesses, but also to offline ones. In this paperless
society of ours, business people are printing less and less of
all their transactions.

Think hard. Where the heck did I hide my original Windows disc?
Really, are you organized enough that you can easily find your
original installation discs, along with the code numbers they
need to re-install.

You own some programs you downloaded off the Net, but they are
stored on your hard drive. Are they backed up? When is the last
time you backed up your data, the lifeblood of your business.

What backup system do you use? Do you use the old- fashioned
tape systems, or do you backup to CD or DVD? Whichever one you
use, the key is that your backups must be frequent enough to
keep you out of major trouble.

Program backups do not have to be constantly repeated like Data
does. Programs do not change, unless you downloaded an update.
Then your update must be saved on your hard drive, and also
backed up.

Data includes so many different things that it's easy to forget
to back up some items. 'My Documents' contains much of the data,
but not nearly all. Do you know where your Favorite links are
stored? Where is your email that you saved? Along with your
email address book, Microsoft hides these files quite well.

It took me weeks to find, and then remember where they are
hidden in Documents and Settings. I never did find the email
settings, so have not saved those.

Bottom line: what should you back up, and how often?

Whatever media you use, you must have at least 2 current backups
of everything, and preferably 3. If you use CD or DVD, have you
ever noticed how some discs suddenly become unreadable, and for
no apparent reason. It happens oh too frequently.. I lose up to
15% this way. CDs have an expected shelf life of maybe 2 years.
Some will surely last longer, too many die prematurely.

Does that mean you should not use CDs or DVDs to back up? Of
course you should. It is the cheapest backup system I know
about. But you MUST have more than one copy. I prefer 3. The
proof of this comes when you save your business by being able to
start over because your backups are up to date.

Imagine if you lose all your programs and have to buy them over
again.

Imagine if you lose all your emails that have your registration
codes for the programs you bought online. And what about all the
sales and purchase data in your emails. What about your contact
list, your email lists, etc.

Imagine losing all your accounting data that you must have for
year-end tax reporting!

Enough said. Programs already backed up on 2 or 3 copies only
need to be updated by adding new programs you buy, and upgrades
that come out.

Data should be backed up based on the frequency of your
transactions. It could be daily, or every 2 or 3 days if your
business is in the early growth stage..

Without backups…your business may be dead in the water! Don't
get careless. You may say I will save a disc or two by backing
up less often. Why? One CD-rom disc costs a buck. Big deal when
it means life or death for your business.

Why take chances. Can anyone predict when you will have a
problem, a computer crash, a new virus? Of course not. Don't
live dangerously, this is not a thrill ride, it is your life.

Fred Farah copyright 2004

Best Affiliate Products and Niche Market Strategies Subscribe to
Niche Market Strategies Newsletter And Niche Madness 7-day email
course Best
Affiliate Products

About the author:
Fred Farah is a long time business man who is willing to share
his expertise using his web site href="http://www.bestaffiliateproducts.com" target="_blank">Best
Affiliate Products It's all about affiliate marketing to
niche markets. Lots to learn from the Niche Madness 7-day
eCourse, as well as the Niche Market Strategies newsletter.

How to Backup a PC

2005-04-06T12:31:00.000-07:00

Title: How to Backup a PC

Author: Marisa Pellegrino

Article:
Everyone thinks, ‘it won’t happen to me’. But what if it does?
All your files, pictures and documents gone, in an instant.
Sure, you can reach for the disks that came with your computer
to reinstall the applications but what about the most important
component, your data? Data backup is something too many computer
owners ignore.

There are a number of things that can bring down your computer,
some of which include a power surge, hard drive crash, careless
mistakes, viruses, a fire or theft.

If your system did not come with a recovery disc, you should
consider making a backup disc as soon as possible. This is
important should you ever need to rebuild your system to its “as
bought” condition.

How often you back up your data varies from person to person. It
depends on the volume of data input, frequency of change, and
the nature of your data. A general rule of thumb would be to
back up anything that would be difficult and time-consuming to
re-create.

How to backup data:

If you have Windows XP, it includes backup software; however, if
you’re running on Home Edition, it isn’t installed by default.
Once the software is installed, go to the Start menu and choose
“accessories”, then “system tools”, then “backup” in order to
run the backup wizard. On the final screen, you can press the
“advanced” button which will allow you to automatically schedule
recurring backups. The wizard also allows you to create a system
recovery disc which will enable you to boot and rescue your data
should Windows get damaged. At the end of this article, you will
find a list of programs and software that can do the data backup
for you.

You may think you’d like to back up everything you have in your
computer. However, there is no need to back up software and
applications since these can be reinstalled with the original
discs. Most Windows programs now have a default for storing data
within your user profile.

Backup programs:

There are a number of programs that perform data backup for you,
some of which are described here. Ghost 9.0 creates full drive
images, IBackup copies files to remote databases, and Dantz’s
Retrospect Professional 6.5 is a traditional backup tool. There
is also free software available for data backup. For instance,
Backup4 protects your data and features an easy backup wizard
that allows you to schedule backups whenever you like. Disk
Tools Image Maker is an easy-to-use disk imaging tool which
allows you to create exact images of your entire drive. It works
directly from within Windows so there is no need to boot from a
floppy. Handy Backup is another software which makes an
automatic backup of critical data to any type of storage medium.

Backup Tips:

Here are a few tips to keep in mind regarding data backup:

Don’t procrastinate. Most people decide to back up their data
only after they’ve experienced a loss!

Try to find a backup software that can hold twice as much as
your hard disk so that you’re able to schedule backups when
you’re not there.

Back up only what is necessary. However, if you’re not sure,
back it up ... better safe than sorry!

About the author:
Marisa Pellegrino is a freelance writer from Montreal and is the
head researcher and content manager for href="http://www.raidrecoveryguide.com">RAID RECOVERY (href="http://www.raidrecoveryguide.com">www.raidrecoveryguide.com
)and other sites.