Examining the different options available for printing onto a CD, DVD or Blu-ray disc.
Discs are printed for their aesthetic value by extending the design, style and look of the rest of the CD packaging.
If a disc is not printed, then it would remain pure silver on both sides. This creates issues in that it wouldn’t be obvious which way around the CD should be inserted into the player/drive, and it would be difficult differentiating one disc from another.
There are several print methods used for BD, DVD or CD printing. These are, in no particular order, printed CD labels, lithographic (offset) print, screen print, inkjet print, and thermal print. No one particular print method can be considered the ‘best’, but depending on the quantity, design and turnaround of the project, there is usually one option that would be most suitable and most economical.
CD Labels
CD labels are sticky paper labels, which are usually on perforated A4 sheets so they can be printed on a conventional home printer. Once the paper label is printed with the design, the protective backing paper is removed, and then the label is adhered to the top side of the CD, DVD or blu-ray.
Disc Wizards do not provide CD labels, as the method is more suited for the home enthusiast wanting to create discs which are more personalised than just writing to the surface with a permanent marker pen.
Apart from not looking quite the part, the other problem that CD labels can cause is to do with the balance of the disc. If the label is placed off-centre, or contains air bubbles, then it can cause problems with playability, and possible damage to the CD player, as the disc will not spin correctly due to being imbalanced when spun at high revolutions.
Lithographic offset print
Litho offset CD printing machine
Lithographic print is considered industry standard, or the de facto printing method, for a high volume of discs.
The method involves the creation of printing plates, which can be traditionally created from photographic negatives and processed by bathing in chemicals, or directly from computer to the plating machine, known as a CTP process (Computer To Plate).
The plates are then imposed onto rubber blanket cylinders inside the printing machinery. This is where the term offset comes from, offsetting the plate imagery onto the cylinders. These cylinders then apply each separate colour (usually four colours comprising of cyan, magenta, yellow and black, known as CMYK for short) onto the print side of the disc.
Most companies are unable to print lithographically for a small quantity, as lithographic offset printing is usually associated with a CD or DVD pressing of 1000 units or more. At Disc Wizards we print all our discs, which are on a standard turnaround, in litho offset. This includes offset printing even for a small quantity, starting from 100 units.
By printing the disc using litho offset, a short run CD duplication project will be indistinguishable in print quality from a larger pressing.
Silkscreen printing
Silkscreen printing is known as screen printing for short.
The basic principle of screen printing is the passing of ink through a screen or mesh. This mesh is stretched onto a frame, along with a stencil or outline of the print. The open parts of the stencil let ink flow through and this is what is printed on to the disc.
Screen printing is usually up to a four colour process and is suited to a CD design that uses solid colours.
If a CD design uses colour gradients, or has photographic elements, then the final screen printed disc can appear grainy . In this instance the CD should be printed in litho rather than screen.
The screen process can create a much deeper and solid print of a single colour than what we can achieve with litho offset print. For screen printing, the disc design needs to be supplied with all parts in vector format; therefore each element can be precisely separated resulting in a crisp print finish and defined edges for text and blocks of colour.
Inkjet printing
Inkjet printing of CDs, DVDs and blu-ray is very cost efficient for small quantities of discs.
Suited for a variety of design styles from photographic to solid colour, inkjet printing is popular due to its versatility.
This type of printing uses the same principles and technology as a home inkjet colour printer.
The print of an inkjet printed disc is not completely water resistant, and can smudge if the disc comes into contact with liquid. To avoid this, some companies offer a lacquer or varnish on the disc to offer protection to the print. Alternatively, printable discs with water-shield technology are available which seal in the print and protect the disc from splashes.
Although the speed of print is quite slow, (about 60 seconds for a full colour CD), the advantage of inkjet is that it can be printed very fast directly from a computer to the printer (rather than going through several processes as in litho or screen). This means the discs can be ready quicker compared to printing them in litho or screen.
All discs on standard turnaround are printed in either litho or screen. If a faster turnaround is required then it is achieved using inkjet printing on an express turnaround.
Thermal printing
As with inkjet printing, thermal printing has a quick start-up time. It can be sent directly from the computer to the print machinery.
Thermal printing uses ink or transfer ribbons passed below a printing head, which is heated to enable the transfer of ink from the ribbon to the disc.
Thermal printing ensures the disc is waterproof, so it does not require additional processes, unlike inkjet printing.
Thermal printing is more expensive per unit compared to inkjet, although if a design is solid colours and very dark, then thermal will produce a much better result compared to inkjet.
With inkjet and thermal printing, there are no economies of scale to be realised, and therefore the cost per unit does not decrease by much once the quantity reaches about 500 units. Therefore both methods are suited for when small quantities are required in a fast time.
So what is the best printing method?
By far the most professional looking printing is either litho or offset. We are one of the few companies that can offer this technology for small quantities such as 100 units. The final disc print is retail ready quality and the same as other CDs, DVDs and blu-ray you will find in stores.
If you require the discs to be turned around in a short spell of time, then inkjet and thermal printed discs are the preferred option, due to the speed of set up and the very fast turnaround.
The rule is to allow sufficient time for the printing of your disc, to achieve an industry quality print, and at the most reasonable cost.
Examining the different options available for printing onto a CD, DVD or Blu-ray disc.
Discs are printed for their aesthetic value by extending the design, style and look of the rest of the CD packaging.
If a disc is not printed, then it would remain pure silver on both sides. This creates issues in that it wouldn’t be obvious which way around the CD should be inserted into the player/drive, and it would be difficult differentiating one disc from another.
There are several print methods used for BD, DVD or CD printing. These are, in no particular order, printed CD labels, lithographic (offset) print, screen print, inkjet print, and thermal print. No one particular print method can be considered the ‘best’, but depending on the quantity, design and turnaround of the project, there is usually one option that would be most suitable and most economical.
CD Labels
CD labels are sticky paper labels, which are usually on perforated A4 sheets so they can be printed on a conventional home printer. Once the paper label is printed with the design, the protective backing paper is removed, and then the label is adhered to the top side of the CD, DVD or blu-ray.
Disc Wizards do not provide CD labels, as the method is more suited for the home enthusiast wanting to create discs which are more personalised than just writing to the surface with a permanent marker pen.
Apart from not looking quite the part, the other problem that CD labels can cause is to do with the balance of the disc. If the label is placed off-centre, or contains air bubbles, then it can cause problems with playability, and possible damage to the CD player, as the disc will not spin correctly due to being imbalanced when spun at high revolutions.
Lithographic offset print
Litho offset CD printing machine
Lithographic print is considered industry standard, or the de facto printing method, for a high volume of discs.
The method involves the creation of printing plates, which can be traditionally created from photographic negatives and processed by bathing in chemicals, or directly from computer to the plating machine, known as a CTP process (Computer To Plate).
The plates are then imposed onto rubber blanket cylinders inside the printing machinery. This is where the term offset comes from, offsetting the plate imagery onto the cylinders. These cylinders then apply each separate colour (usually four colours comprising of cyan, magenta, yellow and black, known as CMYK for short) onto the print side of the disc.
Most companies are unable to print lithographically for a small quantity, as lithographic offset printing is usually associated with a CD or DVD pressing of 1000 units or more. At Disc Wizards we print all our discs, which are on a standard turnaround, in litho offset. This includes offset printing even for a small quantity, starting from 100 units.
By printing the disc using litho offset, a short run CD duplication project will be indistinguishable in print quality from a larger pressing.
Silkscreen printing
Silkscreen printing is known as screen printing for short.
The basic principle of screen printing is the passing of ink through a screen or mesh. This mesh is stretched onto a frame, along with a stencil or outline of the print. The open parts of the stencil let ink flow through and this is what is printed on to the disc.
Screen printing is usually up to a four colour process and is suited to a CD design that uses solid colours.
If a CD design uses colour gradients, or has photographic elements, then the final screen printed disc can appear grainy . In this instance the CD should be printed in litho rather than screen.
The screen process can create a much deeper and solid print of a single colour than what we can achieve with litho offset print. For screen printing, the disc design needs to be supplied with all parts in vector format; therefore each element can be precisely separated resulting in a crisp print finish and defined edges for text and blocks of colour.
Inkjet printing
Inkjet printing of CDs, DVDs and blu-ray is very cost efficient for small quantities of discs.
Suited for a variety of design styles from photographic to solid colour, inkjet printing is popular due to its versatility.
This type of printing uses the same principles and technology as a home inkjet colour printer.
The print of an inkjet printed disc is not completely water resistant, and can smudge if the disc comes into contact with liquid. To avoid this, some companies offer a lacquer or varnish on the disc to offer protection to the print. Alternatively, printable discs with water-shield technology are available which seal in the print and protect the disc from splashes.
Although the speed of print is quite slow, (about 60 seconds for a full colour CD), the advantage of inkjet is that it can be printed very fast directly from a computer to the printer (rather than going through several processes as in litho or screen). This means the discs can be ready quicker compared to printing them in litho or screen.
All discs on standard turnaround are printed in either litho or screen. If a faster turnaround is required then it is achieved using inkjet printing on an express turnaround.
Thermal printing
As with inkjet printing, thermal printing has a quick start-up time. It can be sent directly from the computer to the print machinery.
Thermal printing uses ink or transfer ribbons passed below a printing head, which is heated to enable the transfer of ink from the ribbon to the disc.
Thermal printing ensures the disc is waterproof, so it does not require additional processes, unlike inkjet printing.
Thermal printing is more expensive per unit compared to inkjet, although if a design is solid colours and very dark, then thermal will produce a much better result compared to inkjet.
With inkjet and thermal printing, there are no economies of scale to be realised, and therefore the cost per unit does not decrease by much once the quantity reaches about 500 units. Therefore both methods are suited for when small quantities are required in a fast time.
So what is the best printing method?
By far the most professional looking printing is either litho or offset. We are one of the few companies that can offer this technology for small quantities such as 100 units. The final disc print is retail ready quality and the same as other CDs, DVDs and blu-ray you will find in stores.
If you require the discs to be turned around in a short spell of time, then inkjet and thermal printed discs are the preferred option, due to the speed of set up and the very fast turnaround.
The rule is to allow sufficient time for the printing of your disc, to achieve an industry quality print, and at the most reasonable cost.
Exploring different CD printing methods Examining the different options available for printing onto a CD, DVD or Blu-ray disc. Discs are printed for their aesthetic value by extending the design, style and look of the rest of the CD packaging. If a disc is not printed, then it would remain pure silver on both sides. …
Examining the different options available for printing onto a CD, DVD or Blu-ray disc.
Discs are printed for their aesthetic value by extending the design, style and look of the rest of the CD packaging.
If a disc is not printed, then it would remain pure silver on both sides. This creates issues in that it wouldn’t be obvious which way around the CD should be inserted into the player/drive, and it would be difficult differentiating one disc from another.
There are several print methods used for BD, DVD or CD printing. These are, in no particular order, printed CD labels, lithographic (offset) print, screen print, inkjet print, and thermal print. No one particular print method can be considered the ‘best’, but depending on the quantity, design and turnaround of the project, there is usually one option that would be most suitable and most economical.
CD Labels
CD labels are sticky paper labels, which are usually on perforated A4 sheets so they can be printed on a conventional home printer. Once the paper label is printed with the design, the protective backing paper is removed, and then the label is adhered to the top side of the CD, DVD or blu-ray.
Disc Wizards do not provide CD labels, as the method is more suited for the home enthusiast wanting to create discs which are more personalised than just writing to the surface with a permanent marker pen.
Apart from not looking quite the part, the other problem that CD labels can cause is to do with the balance of the disc. If the label is placed off-centre, or contains air bubbles, then it can cause problems with playability, and possible damage to the CD player, as the disc will not spin correctly due to being imbalanced when spun at high revolutions.
Lithographic offset print
Litho offset CD printing machine
Lithographic print is considered industry standard, or the de facto printing method, for a high volume of discs.
The method involves the creation of printing plates, which can be traditionally created from photographic negatives and processed by bathing in chemicals, or directly from computer to the plating machine, known as a CTP process (Computer To Plate).
The plates are then imposed onto rubber blanket cylinders inside the printing machinery. This is where the term offset comes from, offsetting the plate imagery onto the cylinders. These cylinders then apply each separate colour (usually four colours comprising of cyan, magenta, yellow and black, known as CMYK for short) onto the print side of the disc.
Most companies are unable to print lithographically for a small quantity, as lithographic offset printing is usually associated with a CD or DVD pressing of 1000 units or more. At Disc Wizards we print all our discs, which are on a standard turnaround, in litho offset. This includes offset printing even for a small quantity, starting from 100 units.
By printing the disc using litho offset, a short run CD duplication project will be indistinguishable in print quality from a larger pressing.
Silkscreen printing
Silkscreen printing is known as screen printing for short.
The basic principle of screen printing is the passing of ink through a screen or mesh. This mesh is stretched onto a frame, along with a stencil or outline of the print. The open parts of the stencil let ink flow through and this is what is printed on to the disc.
Screen printing is usually up to a four colour process and is suited to a CD design that uses solid colours.
If a CD design uses colour gradients, or has photographic elements, then the final screen printed disc can appear grainy . In this instance the CD should be printed in litho rather than screen.
The screen process can create a much deeper and solid print of a single colour than what we can achieve with litho offset print. For screen printing, the disc design needs to be supplied with all parts in vector format; therefore each element can be precisely separated resulting in a crisp print finish and defined edges for text and blocks of colour.
Inkjet printing
Inkjet printing of CDs, DVDs and blu-ray is very cost efficient for small quantities of discs.
Suited for a variety of design styles from photographic to solid colour, inkjet printing is popular due to its versatility.
This type of printing uses the same principles and technology as a home inkjet colour printer.
The print of an inkjet printed disc is not completely water resistant, and can smudge if the disc comes into contact with liquid. To avoid this, some companies offer a lacquer or varnish on the disc to offer protection to the print. Alternatively, printable discs with water-shield technology are available which seal in the print and protect the disc from splashes.
Although the speed of print is quite slow, (about 60 seconds for a full colour CD), the advantage of inkjet is that it can be printed very fast directly from a computer to the printer (rather than going through several processes as in litho or screen). This means the discs can be ready quicker compared to printing them in litho or screen.
All discs on standard turnaround are printed in either litho or screen. If a faster turnaround is required then it is achieved using inkjet printing on an express turnaround.
Thermal printing
As with inkjet printing, thermal printing has a quick start-up time. It can be sent directly from the computer to the print machinery.
Thermal printing uses ink or transfer ribbons passed below a printing head, which is heated to enable the transfer of ink from the ribbon to the disc.
Thermal printing ensures the disc is waterproof, so it does not require additional processes, unlike inkjet printing.
Thermal printing is more expensive per unit compared to inkjet, although if a design is solid colours and very dark, then thermal will produce a much better result compared to inkjet.
With inkjet and thermal printing, there are no economies of scale to be realised, and therefore the cost per unit does not decrease by much once the quantity reaches about 500 units. Therefore both methods are suited for when small quantities are required in a fast time.
So what is the best printing method?
By far the most professional looking printing is either litho or offset. We are one of the few companies that can offer this technology for small quantities such as 100 units. The final disc print is retail ready quality and the same as other CDs, DVDs and blu-ray you will find in stores.
If you require the discs to be turned around in a short spell of time, then inkjet and thermal printed discs are the preferred option, due to the speed of set up and the very fast turnaround.
The rule is to allow sufficient time for the printing of your disc, to achieve an industry quality print, and at the most reasonable cost.
How to create an autorun CD
Instructions on how to create an autorun for your CD or DVD master
When a CD is inserted into a PC computer, Windows presents the user with several options on how the disc can be opened. This can include ‘exploring’ the disc contents or playing the disc in WMP (Windows Media Player).
A more user-friendly approach to handling data discs in Windows is to author the disc so that it automatically runs the desired software, or launches a specific file in a designated program. An example of this would be a PDF file into Adobe Reader.
By creating a CD with this functionality it saves the user time and effort from exploring the contents of the disc, in order to find the correct files to run.
A disc with this type of functionality is known as an autorun CD. It’s fairly straightforward to implement using existing tools within the Windows or MAC environment, and looks very professional for the final user.
An autorun CD is also useful when the end user is not very computer savvy and may need help navigating to the right parts of the disc.
‘Open’ autorun vs ‘shellexecute’ autorun
There are two main types of autorun file that we can create. One is known as the ‘open’ autorun, the other being the ‘shellexecute’ autorun.
The ‘open’ autorun is used when a specific executable file needs to be run from the CD. An executable file can be identified from the .exe extension at the end of the file name.
The ‘shellexecute’ autorun is used when we need to open a specific file in its native software that is already pre-installed on the computer.
For example, if we want the user’s computer to open a particular software on the CD, then we use the ‘open’ method, and if we want to open say a PDF file from the CD, then we’d use the ‘shellexecute’ method by using the script to launch Adobe Reader, and then open the PDF file in Adobe Reader.
To create the autorun file, we will use Notepad, which is pre-installed on all Windows machines.
Fig 1: Above image shows the ‘open’ method for an autorun.inf file, which is used to launch exe files. It has been created using Notepad.
Create an autorun with the ‘open’ command
The first thing to do is fire up Notepad.
Then we type ‘[autorun]’ on the first line.
On the second line we type, ‘open=filename.exe’ (where file name is replaced with the name of the software).
We then save the file using the name, ‘autorun.inf’.
Create an autorun with the ‘shellexecute’ command
Open Notepad, and as above, the first line contains, ‘[autorun]’.
Then the second line contains, ‘shellexecute=filename.extension’, where ‘filename’ is the name of the file, and ‘.extension’ is the extension of the file. Using the above example of a pdf file, the file could be discwizards.pdf.
As in the ‘open’ method, we save the file as ‘autorun.inf’.
Fig 2: Again we see an autorun.inf file, this time using the ‘shellexecute’ method to launch a non-executable file, such as a pdf.
Important information about the above instructions:
Do not type the apostrophes, only the content within them.
If your filenames have spaces in the naming convention, then for the purposes of the autorun, (which cannot recognise files names with spaces), either remove the spaces or replace the spaces with underscores in the original files.
The autorun file will reside on the root of the disc. If you need the auto run to launch a file which is stored deeper within another folder, then we can reference this file, by using the folder name before the filename, therefore, nameoffolder/filename.extension.
A point to remember is those users who are extra security conscious may have disabled the ability for CDs to launch without any user input, and therefore the autorun.inf file will not work in this case. However, they are likely to be experienced users, who would be comfortable with navigating the disc contents themselves, and are likely to find the correct content of the disc.
It’s also worth putting instructions on the CD packaging or the print on the disc, informing users that an autorun is present, and also provide instructions on how to operate the disc, in case the autorun does not launch.
Include a customised icon and label for your autorun CDs
If you have managed to follow the above instructions without a hitch, then an added functionality we can encode into the autorun is to display a custom icon in Windows Explorer for your CD, and a custom volume/label name rather than the default windows naming convention. The icon can be a company logo, or other graphics related to the contents of the disc, and the volume name a text title describing the disc content.
To include the customised icon, first create a 30 pixel by 30 pixel icon. This can be done in MS Paint, or if you have paid software such as Photoshop, than this can be used too. Save this file with a .ico extension. Then, in the autorun.inf file, we add the following line to the bottom: ‘icon=filename.ico’.
To create the custom volume/label name, in the autorun.inf file we add ‘label=MyCDName’, where MyCDName is replaced with a descriptive name for the content of the disc. Remember to put both these commands on their own new lines, and do not include the apostrophes.
Finally ,we ensure the autorun.inf file is placed in the root or top-most folder of the CD contents, and be sure to include this file when creating the master CD.
As a final note, check the disc works as intended by testing it in various computers, before sending it across to Disc Wizards, or any other CD duplication manufacturer for mass pressing.
Note for Mac and OSX users
Autorun discs are not easy to create in OSX. Apple has disabled any direct autorun facility within the OSX environment, therefore it is next to impossible to implement unless we use heavy-handed hacks, (not recommended).
An alternative is to create a custom Finder window design that makes it clear to the user on how to use the disc. There are several paid applications that can create this, as well as using the in-built disc utilities within the OSX environment.
If you have any questions about CD authoring or autorun enquiries, you can email or call us on the above telephone numbers. We’ll be happy to assist you with your enquiry and answer any questions you have.
Instructions on how to create an autorun for your CD or DVD master
When a CD is inserted into a PC computer, Windows presents the user with several options on how the disc can be opened. This can include ‘exploring’ the disc contents or playing the disc in WMP (Windows Media Player).
A more user-friendly approach to handling data discs in Windows is to author the disc so that it automatically runs the desired software, or launches a specific file in a designated program. An example of this would be a PDF file into Adobe Reader.
By creating a CD with this functionality it saves the user time and effort from exploring the contents of the disc, in order to find the correct files to run.
A disc with this type of functionality is known as an autorun CD. It’s fairly straightforward to implement using existing tools within the Windows or MAC environment, and looks very professional for the final user.
An autorun CD is also useful when the end user is not very computer savvy and may need help navigating to the right parts of the disc.
‘Open’ autorun vs ‘shellexecute’ autorun
There are two main types of autorun file that we can create. One is known as the ‘open’ autorun, the other being the ‘shellexecute’ autorun.
The ‘open’ autorun is used when a specific executable file needs to be run from the CD. An executable file can be identified from the .exe extension at the end of the file name.
The ‘shellexecute’ autorun is used when we need to open a specific file in its native software that is already pre-installed on the computer.
For example, if we want the user’s computer to open a particular software on the CD, then we use the ‘open’ method, and if we want to open say a PDF file from the CD, then we’d use the ‘shellexecute’ method by using the script to launch Adobe Reader, and then open the PDF file in Adobe Reader.
To create the autorun file, we will use Notepad, which is pre-installed on all Windows machines.
Fig 1: Above image shows the ‘open’ method for an autorun.inf file, which is used to launch exe files. It has been created using Notepad.
Create an autorun with the ‘open’ command
The first thing to do is fire up Notepad.
Then we type ‘[autorun]’ on the first line.
On the second line we type, ‘open=filename.exe’ (where file name is replaced with the name of the software).
We then save the file using the name, ‘autorun.inf’.
Create an autorun with the ‘shellexecute’ command
Open Notepad, and as above, the first line contains, ‘[autorun]’.
Then the second line contains, ‘shellexecute=filename.extension’, where ‘filename’ is the name of the file, and ‘.extension’ is the extension of the file. Using the above example of a pdf file, the file could be discwizards.pdf.
As in the ‘open’ method, we save the file as ‘autorun.inf’.
Fig 2: Again we see an autorun.inf file, this time using the ‘shellexecute’ method to launch a non-executable file, such as a pdf.
Important information about the above instructions:
Do not type the apostrophes, only the content within them.
If your filenames have spaces in the naming convention, then for the purposes of the autorun, (which cannot recognise files names with spaces), either remove the spaces or replace the spaces with underscores in the original files.
The autorun file will reside on the root of the disc. If you need the auto run to launch a file which is stored deeper within another folder, then we can reference this file, by using the folder name before the filename, therefore, nameoffolder/filename.extension.
A point to remember is those users who are extra security conscious may have disabled the ability for CDs to launch without any user input, and therefore the autorun.inf file will not work in this case. However, they are likely to be experienced users, who would be comfortable with navigating the disc contents themselves, and are likely to find the correct content of the disc.
It’s also worth putting instructions on the CD packaging or the print on the disc, informing users that an autorun is present, and also provide instructions on how to operate the disc, in case the autorun does not launch.
Include a customised icon and label for your autorun CDs
If you have managed to follow the above instructions without a hitch, then an added functionality we can encode into the autorun is to display a custom icon in Windows Explorer for your CD, and a custom volume/label name rather than the default windows naming convention. The icon can be a company logo, or other graphics related to the contents of the disc, and the volume name a text title describing the disc content.
To include the customised icon, first create a 30 pixel by 30 pixel icon. This can be done in MS Paint, or if you have paid software such as Photoshop, than this can be used too. Save this file with a .ico extension. Then, in the autorun.inf file, we add the following line to the bottom: ‘icon=filename.ico’.
To create the custom volume/label name, in the autorun.inf file we add ‘label=MyCDName’, where MyCDName is replaced with a descriptive name for the content of the disc. Remember to put both these commands on their own new lines, and do not include the apostrophes.
Finally ,we ensure the autorun.inf file is placed in the root or top-most folder of the CD contents, and be sure to include this file when creating the master CD.
As a final note, check the disc works as intended by testing it in various computers, before sending it across to Disc Wizards, or any other CD duplication manufacturer for mass pressing.
Note for Mac and OSX users
Autorun discs are not easy to create in OSX. Apple has disabled any direct autorun facility within the OSX environment, therefore it is next to impossible to implement unless we use heavy-handed hacks, (not recommended).
An alternative is to create a custom Finder window design that makes it clear to the user on how to use the disc. There are several paid applications that can create this, as well as using the in-built disc utilities within the OSX environment.
If you have any questions about CD authoring or autorun enquiries, you can email or call us on the above telephone numbers. We’ll be happy to assist you with your enquiry and answer any questions you have.
How to create an autorun CD Instructions on how to create an autorun for your CD or DVD master When a CD is inserted into a PC computer, Windows presents the user with several options on how the disc can be opened. This can include ‘exploring’ the disc contents or playing the disc in WMP …
Instructions on how to create an autorun for your CD or DVD master
When a CD is inserted into a PC computer, Windows presents the user with several options on how the disc can be opened. This can include ‘exploring’ the disc contents or playing the disc in WMP (Windows Media Player).
A more user-friendly approach to handling data discs in Windows is to author the disc so that it automatically runs the desired software, or launches a specific file in a designated program. An example of this would be a PDF file into Adobe Reader.
By creating a CD with this functionality it saves the user time and effort from exploring the contents of the disc, in order to find the correct files to run.
A disc with this type of functionality is known as an autorun CD. It’s fairly straightforward to implement using existing tools within the Windows or MAC environment, and looks very professional for the final user.
An autorun CD is also useful when the end user is not very computer savvy and may need help navigating to the right parts of the disc.
‘Open’ autorun vs ‘shellexecute’ autorun
There are two main types of autorun file that we can create. One is known as the ‘open’ autorun, the other being the ‘shellexecute’ autorun.
The ‘open’ autorun is used when a specific executable file needs to be run from the CD. An executable file can be identified from the .exe extension at the end of the file name.
The ‘shellexecute’ autorun is used when we need to open a specific file in its native software that is already pre-installed on the computer.
For example, if we want the user’s computer to open a particular software on the CD, then we use the ‘open’ method, and if we want to open say a PDF file from the CD, then we’d use the ‘shellexecute’ method by using the script to launch Adobe Reader, and then open the PDF file in Adobe Reader.
To create the autorun file, we will use Notepad, which is pre-installed on all Windows machines.
Fig 1: Above image shows the ‘open’ method for an autorun.inf file, which is used to launch exe files. It has been created using Notepad.
Create an autorun with the ‘open’ command
The first thing to do is fire up Notepad.
Then we type ‘[autorun]’ on the first line.
On the second line we type, ‘open=filename.exe’ (where file name is replaced with the name of the software).
We then save the file using the name, ‘autorun.inf’.
Create an autorun with the ‘shellexecute’ command
Open Notepad, and as above, the first line contains, ‘[autorun]’.
Then the second line contains, ‘shellexecute=filename.extension’, where ‘filename’ is the name of the file, and ‘.extension’ is the extension of the file. Using the above example of a pdf file, the file could be discwizards.pdf.
As in the ‘open’ method, we save the file as ‘autorun.inf’.
Fig 2: Again we see an autorun.inf file, this time using the ‘shellexecute’ method to launch a non-executable file, such as a pdf.
Important information about the above instructions:
Do not type the apostrophes, only the content within them.
If your filenames have spaces in the naming convention, then for the purposes of the autorun, (which cannot recognise files names with spaces), either remove the spaces or replace the spaces with underscores in the original files.
The autorun file will reside on the root of the disc. If you need the auto run to launch a file which is stored deeper within another folder, then we can reference this file, by using the folder name before the filename, therefore, nameoffolder/filename.extension.
A point to remember is those users who are extra security conscious may have disabled the ability for CDs to launch without any user input, and therefore the autorun.inf file will not work in this case. However, they are likely to be experienced users, who would be comfortable with navigating the disc contents themselves, and are likely to find the correct content of the disc.
It’s also worth putting instructions on the CD packaging or the print on the disc, informing users that an autorun is present, and also provide instructions on how to operate the disc, in case the autorun does not launch.
Include a customised icon and label for your autorun CDs
If you have managed to follow the above instructions without a hitch, then an added functionality we can encode into the autorun is to display a custom icon in Windows Explorer for your CD, and a custom volume/label name rather than the default windows naming convention. The icon can be a company logo, or other graphics related to the contents of the disc, and the volume name a text title describing the disc content.
To include the customised icon, first create a 30 pixel by 30 pixel icon. This can be done in MS Paint, or if you have paid software such as Photoshop, than this can be used too. Save this file with a .ico extension. Then, in the autorun.inf file, we add the following line to the bottom: ‘icon=filename.ico’.
To create the custom volume/label name, in the autorun.inf file we add ‘label=MyCDName’, where MyCDName is replaced with a descriptive name for the content of the disc. Remember to put both these commands on their own new lines, and do not include the apostrophes.
Finally ,we ensure the autorun.inf file is placed in the root or top-most folder of the CD contents, and be sure to include this file when creating the master CD.
As a final note, check the disc works as intended by testing it in various computers, before sending it across to Disc Wizards, or any other CD duplication manufacturer for mass pressing.
Note for Mac and OSX users
Autorun discs are not easy to create in OSX. Apple has disabled any direct autorun facility within the OSX environment, therefore it is next to impossible to implement unless we use heavy-handed hacks, (not recommended).
An alternative is to create a custom Finder window design that makes it clear to the user on how to use the disc. There are several paid applications that can create this, as well as using the in-built disc utilities within the OSX environment.
If you have any questions about CD authoring or autorun enquiries, you can email or call us on the above telephone numbers. We’ll be happy to assist you with your enquiry and answer any questions you have.
What are the different types of Blu-ray, DVD and CD cases?
A comparison of all DVD and CD cases
Before anyone listens or views the content of your disc, they’re likely to initially see the packaging, design and style of case.
First impressions are lasting and therefore it is important to not just have the best design, that portrays the correct image for the artist, band, music or film, but to choose the correct type of CD case that suits your project, image, and importantly the budget.
Below we look at some of the popular CD and DVD case options available.
Fig 1: Printed 5 inch card wallet
5″ card sleeves or wallets
Card wallets or sleeves are five inches square, or about 125mm by 125mm. They can be fabricated with an opening to the side or on the top, the opening is determined from the orientation of your artwork as it’s laid out on the design templates.
This sleeve is reminiscent of vinyl sleeves, but scaled down for optical media discs.
This kind of packaging is ideal for release of a single or EP, or if the item is going to be for free hand-out. It works well for DVD show reels and films that are intended for free distribution such as with a newspaper or magazine cover mount.
The disc is secured in place by the snug fit of the printed wallet, but you do not have to be concerned with the disc falling out as this would only occur with quite vigorous shaking of the wallet.
The 5″ card wallet can be considered the most economically priced, and a starting point for card based packaging.
Pros:
Low environmental impact.
Most economical card case.
Light-weight so ideal for mail shots.
Cons:
May not be substantial enough for a full music album or an item with a premium retail price.
4, 6 and 8 panel card wallets
As the name suggests, there are a minimum of 4 panels in total for your design and print, going up to 8 panels with the larger 8 panel wallet.
This type of case is also known as a gate-fold wallet, digifile or digisleeve. The additional panels allow for more creatives to be included. This can include more information on the content, like a film synopsis in the case of a DVD or Blu-ray disc, or artist and band information for a music CD.
There are a variety of opening styles for the discs which are usually on the inside right panel. This can be a horizontal slot (digifile), or an opening to the left of the inside right panel which can be shaped as an oblong (thumb cut) or long curve (crescent cut).
This is a case that is completely fabricated from card and, as such, has a lower carbon footprint due to the lack of plastics used in the manufacture process.
It is ideal for mail-shots as the weight is low (about 42 grams a unit including the disc), which keeps the cost of postage down.
Whereas the jewel case was the de facto case for CD albums, digipacks have slowly come to surpass the jewel case as the preferred packaging for a high value CD or DVD release.
Quite similar in appearance to 4, 6, and 8 panel card wallets, the main difference between the digipacks and aforementioned wallets is the inclusion of one or more plastic trays onto which the disc is mounted. The trays are made of clear transparent plastic, therefore allowing for an additional panel beneath the tray with your custom design, or if you prefer, we can supply the digipacks with a black or white, opaque tray.
Once the tray has been glued into position, it adds to the overall strength and sturdiness of the case, ensuring longevity of shelf-life for the CD and case.
The digipacks come with ample space to include all the information you require, and as all the panels can be printed, it ensures no space is wasted.
If you require additional information to be contained and find that there are not enough panels on the digipacks for this, then the cases can be easily modified to include a booklet.
In a 4 panel digipack, the booklet is placed on the inside left panel.
The booklet is contained in the case using a choice of 3 methods:
Glued into the digipack. Usually the back page is fully glued down on the inside left panel, which does mean you lose the ability to print on the inside panel as well as the back page of the booklet, but the advantage is the booklet does not get separated and lost from the digipacks once opened.
Inserted in a tunnel pocket. If you’d prefer to maximise the viewable printed surfaces, then we can create an opening on the right side of the inside left panel where the booklet can slide into.
Inserted in a slot pocket. If you’d like the booklet to be immediately visible when opening the digipack, we can offer a horizontal slot which is created about half way down the inside left panel to hold the booklet.
Pros:
Very modern style.
Ideal combination of plastic and cardboard to create a strong and environmentally friendly case.
Options available for multiple page booklets.
Cons:
None.
Jewel cases
The jewel case is synonymous with CDs. It is the packaging that was first used for retail ready CDs and thus can be considered industry standard.
The popularity of jewel cases has decreased in recent years, with digipacks and cardboard cases stealing some of the market share. However jewel cases still offer a classic packaging option, and its versatility and cost effectiveness will ensure they remain at the forefront of CD packaging.
Jewel cases can be provided with inserts that can be one sided or up to 36 pages, and the rear tray card can be one or two sided. In the case of a two sided rear tray card, a clear tray is used on the inside of the case so the print is visible through the tray once the disc is removed.
The jewel case can contain CDs, DVDs or Blu-ray.
The disc is placed on the inside right of the case, on a specially designed tray, which secures the centre of the CD onto a hub or spider. This ensures it does not move around inside the case and avoids damage.
Something to bear in mind with jewel cases is that they are made of rather brittle plastic that can crack or shatter if the case is dropped onto a hard floor or surface. The most common point of damage is to the hinges holding the two halves of the jewel case together.
Additionally, as the jewel case is predominantly a plastic based case; its environmental impact is greater than a card based CD packaging solution.
Pros:
Traditional CD case that has withstood the test of time.
Cheaper than digipacks.
Cons:
Can be dated in looks.
Brittle plastics and heavy use of plastics through-out.
Fig 7: CD jewel case with clear tray Fig 8: CD jewel case with clear tray Fig 9: Super jewel case
Super jewel cases
Super jewel cases are a modern take on the traditional jewel case. They are made of stronger plastics which are far more robust to unexpected drops.
The dimensions of the super jewel cases are the same as a regular jewel case, but have rounded corners and not ninety degree right angles as in regular jewel cases.
Super jewel cases have a unique design layout for the rear tray card, that includes four spines and particular shapes and cuts which mean they cannot be easily produced for short run duplication. The minimum order quantity for a super jewel case is usually 500 units.
Pros:
Stronger, and feels more premium than a standard jewel case.
PVC wallets are made of soft clear plastic, and cost a matter of pennies each.
PVC wallets are well suited when a disc is intended for free distribution, such as on the front of a magazine, and usually have a tuck-able flap to make sure the CD cannot fall out easily.
PVC wallets can be provided with a paper insert, which is printed to hold more information about the CD. However, if you are considering a paper insert, then we’d recommend looking at 5 inch card sleeves as an alternative due to the similar price point. Further, the card sleeves does look better and again uses less plastics.
Pros:
Cheapest of all cases.
Light-weight.
Cons:
Does not offer much protection to the disc.
Can look cheap.
Fig 10: Plastic PVC wallet with flap Fig 11: A clear translucent clam shell
Clam shells
Clam shells, or C shells as they are also known, provide a more secure case than a PVC wallet. They are made from a more durable, flexible plastic so will not suffer from easy breakage like from being dropped.
However, clam shells do not have any holders for paper parts and therefore while there are restrictions on how customised they can be, they do offer an ideal solution for a light-weight, protective case.
DVD cases are black (actually dark grey), or clear (actually translucent) in appearance. Other colours are available.
With a black case the outer inlay is printed one-sided, whereas for a clear case, we recommend a two-sided print so that when open, the reverse of the print is visible.
DVD cases have hooks on the inside that can hold a DVD-size booklet (little smaller than A5 in size). This booklet can be created to contain up to 100 pages, so you will always have ample capacity for your content.
A standard DVD case has a 14mm spine, but we can also offer slim and super slim DVD cases which have 9mm and 7mm spines respectively.
If more than 1 disc is to be placed in the case, then options are available to hold 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 discs into a single DVD case.
The plastic materials used to manufacture a DVD cases are a softer composite compared to jewel case plastics and can withstand more knocks. A DVD case is more voluminous in size compared to other cases, so can take up more shelf space.
Pros:
Large size of case ensures it is noticeable on a shop rack next to other types of cases.
Plastics not so brittle that they can crack easily.
Cons:
Voluminous case, which can be a storage issue for a large quantity.
Fig 12: Clear DVD case Fig 13: Clear DVD case Fig 14: DVD digipack with clear tray and custom die-cut pocket for a DVD booklet
DVD digipacks
The DVD digipack follows the same style guide as a CD digipacks.
DVD digipacks are the same width and height as a DVD case and have a 7mm spine. They are made of cardboard which is custom printed with your designs. Once the card has been fabricated to size, a clear tray is placed on the inside right panel. There are a few variances in the style of tray such as disc holder in the centre or off-centre, and trays that can hold 1 or 2 discs.
The mount for the disc can be a spider or hub such as in a CD digipacks, or newer versions include a spring mounted DVD flexi tray. As standard, we offer the hub or spider for the disc to be held in position.
If there is not enough room on the case to convey your design and message, then the DVD digipacks can be modified to hold a DVD-size booklet, which can be glued into place or held in a pocket. This booklet can easily go from 4 pages up to 100+ pages.
Pros:
Lot less plastic is used compared to DVD cases.
A modern take on a traditional DVD case.
More area for custom printing compared to a DVD case.
Cons:
More expensive than a DVD case.
Summary
The above are descriptions of the most popular cases available for CD, DVD or blu-ray. Each style has its benefits and drawbacks and, by gaining a further insight into the pros and cons of each case, the correct CD packaging style can be chosen for your DVD, CD or blu-ray duplication project.
To get started with your design, you can refer to our design templates page where you can download free templates for any particular design or case type. If you do not see the template you require then send us an email, or call us and we can have this sent out via email.
If you require a completely custom case which has not be discussed above, or you are unable to see it on our site, then get in touch with us, as we can discuss your requirements and offer you a customised solution.
If you’d like to see samples of any of the above case styles, you can drop us an email with your contact details and we’ll post these out to you First Class.
What are the different types of Blu-ray, DVD and CD cases?
A comparison of all DVD and CD cases
Before anyone listens or views the content of your disc, they’re likely to initially see the packaging, design and style of case.
First impressions are lasting and therefore it is important to not just have the best design, that portrays the correct image for the artist, band, music or film, but to choose the correct type of CD case that suits your project, image, and importantly the budget.
Below we look at some of the popular CD and DVD case options available.
Fig 1: Printed 5 inch card wallet
5″ card sleeves or wallets
Card wallets or sleeves are five inches square, or about 125mm by 125mm. They can be fabricated with an opening to the side or on the top, the opening is determined from the orientation of your artwork as it’s laid out on the design templates.
This sleeve is reminiscent of vinyl sleeves, but scaled down for optical media discs.
This kind of packaging is ideal for release of a single or EP, or if the item is going to be for free hand-out. It works well for DVD show reels and films that are intended for free distribution such as with a newspaper or magazine cover mount.
The disc is secured in place by the snug fit of the printed wallet, but you do not have to be concerned with the disc falling out as this would only occur with quite vigorous shaking of the wallet.
The 5″ card wallet can be considered the most economically priced, and a starting point for card based packaging.
Pros:
Low environmental impact.
Most economical card case.
Light-weight so ideal for mail shots.
Cons:
May not be substantial enough for a full music album or an item with a premium retail price.
4, 6 and 8 panel card wallets
As the name suggests, there are a minimum of 4 panels in total for your design and print, going up to 8 panels with the larger 8 panel wallet.
This type of case is also known as a gate-fold wallet, digifile or digisleeve. The additional panels allow for more creatives to be included. This can include more information on the content, like a film synopsis in the case of a DVD or Blu-ray disc, or artist and band information for a music CD.
There are a variety of opening styles for the discs which are usually on the inside right panel. This can be a horizontal slot (digifile), or an opening to the left of the inside right panel which can be shaped as an oblong (thumb cut) or long curve (crescent cut).
This is a case that is completely fabricated from card and, as such, has a lower carbon footprint due to the lack of plastics used in the manufacture process.
It is ideal for mail-shots as the weight is low (about 42 grams a unit including the disc), which keeps the cost of postage down.
Whereas the jewel case was the de facto case for CD albums, digipacks have slowly come to surpass the jewel case as the preferred packaging for a high value CD or DVD release.
Quite similar in appearance to 4, 6, and 8 panel card wallets, the main difference between the digipacks and aforementioned wallets is the inclusion of one or more plastic trays onto which the disc is mounted. The trays are made of clear transparent plastic, therefore allowing for an additional panel beneath the tray with your custom design, or if you prefer, we can supply the digipacks with a black or white, opaque tray.
Once the tray has been glued into position, it adds to the overall strength and sturdiness of the case, ensuring longevity of shelf-life for the CD and case.
The digipacks come with ample space to include all the information you require, and as all the panels can be printed, it ensures no space is wasted.
If you require additional information to be contained and find that there are not enough panels on the digipacks for this, then the cases can be easily modified to include a booklet.
In a 4 panel digipack, the booklet is placed on the inside left panel.
The booklet is contained in the case using a choice of 3 methods:
Glued into the digipack. Usually the back page is fully glued down on the inside left panel, which does mean you lose the ability to print on the inside panel as well as the back page of the booklet, but the advantage is the booklet does not get separated and lost from the digipacks once opened.
Inserted in a tunnel pocket. If you’d prefer to maximise the viewable printed surfaces, then we can create an opening on the right side of the inside left panel where the booklet can slide into.
Inserted in a slot pocket. If you’d like the booklet to be immediately visible when opening the digipack, we can offer a horizontal slot which is created about half way down the inside left panel to hold the booklet.
Pros:
Very modern style.
Ideal combination of plastic and cardboard to create a strong and environmentally friendly case.
Options available for multiple page booklets.
Cons:
None.
Jewel cases
The jewel case is synonymous with CDs. It is the packaging that was first used for retail ready CDs and thus can be considered industry standard.
The popularity of jewel cases has decreased in recent years, with digipacks and cardboard cases stealing some of the market share. However jewel cases still offer a classic packaging option, and its versatility and cost effectiveness will ensure they remain at the forefront of CD packaging.
Jewel cases can be provided with inserts that can be one sided or up to 36 pages, and the rear tray card can be one or two sided. In the case of a two sided rear tray card, a clear tray is used on the inside of the case so the print is visible through the tray once the disc is removed.
The jewel case can contain CDs, DVDs or Blu-ray.
The disc is placed on the inside right of the case, on a specially designed tray, which secures the centre of the CD onto a hub or spider. This ensures it does not move around inside the case and avoids damage.
Something to bear in mind with jewel cases is that they are made of rather brittle plastic that can crack or shatter if the case is dropped onto a hard floor or surface. The most common point of damage is to the hinges holding the two halves of the jewel case together.
Additionally, as the jewel case is predominantly a plastic based case; its environmental impact is greater than a card based CD packaging solution.
Pros:
Traditional CD case that has withstood the test of time.
Cheaper than digipacks.
Cons:
Can be dated in looks.
Brittle plastics and heavy use of plastics through-out.
Fig 7: CD jewel case with clear tray Fig 8: CD jewel case with clear tray Fig 9: Super jewel case
Super jewel cases
Super jewel cases are a modern take on the traditional jewel case. They are made of stronger plastics which are far more robust to unexpected drops.
The dimensions of the super jewel cases are the same as a regular jewel case, but have rounded corners and not ninety degree right angles as in regular jewel cases.
Super jewel cases have a unique design layout for the rear tray card, that includes four spines and particular shapes and cuts which mean they cannot be easily produced for short run duplication. The minimum order quantity for a super jewel case is usually 500 units.
Pros:
Stronger, and feels more premium than a standard jewel case.
PVC wallets are made of soft clear plastic, and cost a matter of pennies each.
PVC wallets are well suited when a disc is intended for free distribution, such as on the front of a magazine, and usually have a tuck-able flap to make sure the CD cannot fall out easily.
PVC wallets can be provided with a paper insert, which is printed to hold more information about the CD. However, if you are considering a paper insert, then we’d recommend looking at 5 inch card sleeves as an alternative due to the similar price point. Further, the card sleeves does look better and again uses less plastics.
Pros:
Cheapest of all cases.
Light-weight.
Cons:
Does not offer much protection to the disc.
Can look cheap.
Fig 10: Plastic PVC wallet with flap Fig 11: A clear translucent clam shell
Clam shells
Clam shells, or C shells as they are also known, provide a more secure case than a PVC wallet. They are made from a more durable, flexible plastic so will not suffer from easy breakage like from being dropped.
However, clam shells do not have any holders for paper parts and therefore while there are restrictions on how customised they can be, they do offer an ideal solution for a light-weight, protective case.
DVD cases are black (actually dark grey), or clear (actually translucent) in appearance. Other colours are available.
With a black case the outer inlay is printed one-sided, whereas for a clear case, we recommend a two-sided print so that when open, the reverse of the print is visible.
DVD cases have hooks on the inside that can hold a DVD-size booklet (little smaller than A5 in size). This booklet can be created to contain up to 100 pages, so you will always have ample capacity for your content.
A standard DVD case has a 14mm spine, but we can also offer slim and super slim DVD cases which have 9mm and 7mm spines respectively.
If more than 1 disc is to be placed in the case, then options are available to hold 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 discs into a single DVD case.
The plastic materials used to manufacture a DVD cases are a softer composite compared to jewel case plastics and can withstand more knocks. A DVD case is more voluminous in size compared to other cases, so can take up more shelf space.
Pros:
Large size of case ensures it is noticeable on a shop rack next to other types of cases.
Plastics not so brittle that they can crack easily.
Cons:
Voluminous case, which can be a storage issue for a large quantity.
Fig 12: Clear DVD case Fig 13: Clear DVD case Fig 14: DVD digipack with clear tray and custom die-cut pocket for a DVD booklet
DVD digipacks
The DVD digipack follows the same style guide as a CD digipacks.
DVD digipacks are the same width and height as a DVD case and have a 7mm spine. They are made of cardboard which is custom printed with your designs. Once the card has been fabricated to size, a clear tray is placed on the inside right panel. There are a few variances in the style of tray such as disc holder in the centre or off-centre, and trays that can hold 1 or 2 discs.
The mount for the disc can be a spider or hub such as in a CD digipacks, or newer versions include a spring mounted DVD flexi tray. As standard, we offer the hub or spider for the disc to be held in position.
If there is not enough room on the case to convey your design and message, then the DVD digipacks can be modified to hold a DVD-size booklet, which can be glued into place or held in a pocket. This booklet can easily go from 4 pages up to 100+ pages.
Pros:
Lot less plastic is used compared to DVD cases.
A modern take on a traditional DVD case.
More area for custom printing compared to a DVD case.
Cons:
More expensive than a DVD case.
Summary
The above are descriptions of the most popular cases available for CD, DVD or blu-ray. Each style has its benefits and drawbacks and, by gaining a further insight into the pros and cons of each case, the correct CD packaging style can be chosen for your DVD, CD or blu-ray duplication project.
To get started with your design, you can refer to our design templates page where you can download free templates for any particular design or case type. If you do not see the template you require then send us an email, or call us and we can have this sent out via email.
If you require a completely custom case which has not be discussed above, or you are unable to see it on our site, then get in touch with us, as we can discuss your requirements and offer you a customised solution.
If you’d like to see samples of any of the above case styles, you can drop us an email with your contact details and we’ll post these out to you First Class.
What are the different types of Blu-ray, DVD and CD cases? A comparison of all DVD and CD cases Before anyone listens or views the content of your disc, they’re likely to initially see the packaging, design and style of case. First impressions are lasting and therefore it is important to not just have the …
What are the different types of Blu-ray, DVD and CD cases?
A comparison of all DVD and CD cases
Before anyone listens or views the content of your disc, they’re likely to initially see the packaging, design and style of case.
First impressions are lasting and therefore it is important to not just have the best design, that portrays the correct image for the artist, band, music or film, but to choose the correct type of CD case that suits your project, image, and importantly the budget.
Below we look at some of the popular CD and DVD case options available.
Fig 1: Printed 5 inch card wallet
5″ card sleeves or wallets
Card wallets or sleeves are five inches square, or about 125mm by 125mm. They can be fabricated with an opening to the side or on the top, the opening is determined from the orientation of your artwork as it’s laid out on the design templates.
This sleeve is reminiscent of vinyl sleeves, but scaled down for optical media discs.
This kind of packaging is ideal for release of a single or EP, or if the item is going to be for free hand-out. It works well for DVD show reels and films that are intended for free distribution such as with a newspaper or magazine cover mount.
The disc is secured in place by the snug fit of the printed wallet, but you do not have to be concerned with the disc falling out as this would only occur with quite vigorous shaking of the wallet.
The 5″ card wallet can be considered the most economically priced, and a starting point for card based packaging.
Pros:
Low environmental impact.
Most economical card case.
Light-weight so ideal for mail shots.
Cons:
May not be substantial enough for a full music album or an item with a premium retail price.
4, 6 and 8 panel card wallets
As the name suggests, there are a minimum of 4 panels in total for your design and print, going up to 8 panels with the larger 8 panel wallet.
This type of case is also known as a gate-fold wallet, digifile or digisleeve. The additional panels allow for more creatives to be included. This can include more information on the content, like a film synopsis in the case of a DVD or Blu-ray disc, or artist and band information for a music CD.
There are a variety of opening styles for the discs which are usually on the inside right panel. This can be a horizontal slot (digifile), or an opening to the left of the inside right panel which can be shaped as an oblong (thumb cut) or long curve (crescent cut).
This is a case that is completely fabricated from card and, as such, has a lower carbon footprint due to the lack of plastics used in the manufacture process.
It is ideal for mail-shots as the weight is low (about 42 grams a unit including the disc), which keeps the cost of postage down.
Whereas the jewel case was the de facto case for CD albums, digipacks have slowly come to surpass the jewel case as the preferred packaging for a high value CD or DVD release.
Quite similar in appearance to 4, 6, and 8 panel card wallets, the main difference between the digipacks and aforementioned wallets is the inclusion of one or more plastic trays onto which the disc is mounted. The trays are made of clear transparent plastic, therefore allowing for an additional panel beneath the tray with your custom design, or if you prefer, we can supply the digipacks with a black or white, opaque tray.
Once the tray has been glued into position, it adds to the overall strength and sturdiness of the case, ensuring longevity of shelf-life for the CD and case.
The digipacks come with ample space to include all the information you require, and as all the panels can be printed, it ensures no space is wasted.
If you require additional information to be contained and find that there are not enough panels on the digipacks for this, then the cases can be easily modified to include a booklet.
In a 4 panel digipack, the booklet is placed on the inside left panel.
The booklet is contained in the case using a choice of 3 methods:
Glued into the digipack. Usually the back page is fully glued down on the inside left panel, which does mean you lose the ability to print on the inside panel as well as the back page of the booklet, but the advantage is the booklet does not get separated and lost from the digipacks once opened.
Inserted in a tunnel pocket. If you’d prefer to maximise the viewable printed surfaces, then we can create an opening on the right side of the inside left panel where the booklet can slide into.
Inserted in a slot pocket. If you’d like the booklet to be immediately visible when opening the digipack, we can offer a horizontal slot which is created about half way down the inside left panel to hold the booklet.
Pros:
Very modern style.
Ideal combination of plastic and cardboard to create a strong and environmentally friendly case.
Options available for multiple page booklets.
Cons:
None.
Jewel cases
The jewel case is synonymous with CDs. It is the packaging that was first used for retail ready CDs and thus can be considered industry standard.
The popularity of jewel cases has decreased in recent years, with digipacks and cardboard cases stealing some of the market share. However jewel cases still offer a classic packaging option, and its versatility and cost effectiveness will ensure they remain at the forefront of CD packaging.
Jewel cases can be provided with inserts that can be one sided or up to 36 pages, and the rear tray card can be one or two sided. In the case of a two sided rear tray card, a clear tray is used on the inside of the case so the print is visible through the tray once the disc is removed.
The jewel case can contain CDs, DVDs or Blu-ray.
The disc is placed on the inside right of the case, on a specially designed tray, which secures the centre of the CD onto a hub or spider. This ensures it does not move around inside the case and avoids damage.
Something to bear in mind with jewel cases is that they are made of rather brittle plastic that can crack or shatter if the case is dropped onto a hard floor or surface. The most common point of damage is to the hinges holding the two halves of the jewel case together.
Additionally, as the jewel case is predominantly a plastic based case; its environmental impact is greater than a card based CD packaging solution.
Pros:
Traditional CD case that has withstood the test of time.
Cheaper than digipacks.
Cons:
Can be dated in looks.
Brittle plastics and heavy use of plastics through-out.
Fig 7: CD jewel case with clear tray Fig 8: CD jewel case with clear tray Fig 9: Super jewel case
Super jewel cases
Super jewel cases are a modern take on the traditional jewel case. They are made of stronger plastics which are far more robust to unexpected drops.
The dimensions of the super jewel cases are the same as a regular jewel case, but have rounded corners and not ninety degree right angles as in regular jewel cases.
Super jewel cases have a unique design layout for the rear tray card, that includes four spines and particular shapes and cuts which mean they cannot be easily produced for short run duplication. The minimum order quantity for a super jewel case is usually 500 units.
Pros:
Stronger, and feels more premium than a standard jewel case.
PVC wallets are made of soft clear plastic, and cost a matter of pennies each.
PVC wallets are well suited when a disc is intended for free distribution, such as on the front of a magazine, and usually have a tuck-able flap to make sure the CD cannot fall out easily.
PVC wallets can be provided with a paper insert, which is printed to hold more information about the CD. However, if you are considering a paper insert, then we’d recommend looking at 5 inch card sleeves as an alternative due to the similar price point. Further, the card sleeves does look better and again uses less plastics.
Pros:
Cheapest of all cases.
Light-weight.
Cons:
Does not offer much protection to the disc.
Can look cheap.
Fig 10: Plastic PVC wallet with flap Fig 11: A clear translucent clam shell
Clam shells
Clam shells, or C shells as they are also known, provide a more secure case than a PVC wallet. They are made from a more durable, flexible plastic so will not suffer from easy breakage like from being dropped.
However, clam shells do not have any holders for paper parts and therefore while there are restrictions on how customised they can be, they do offer an ideal solution for a light-weight, protective case.
DVD cases are black (actually dark grey), or clear (actually translucent) in appearance. Other colours are available.
With a black case the outer inlay is printed one-sided, whereas for a clear case, we recommend a two-sided print so that when open, the reverse of the print is visible.
DVD cases have hooks on the inside that can hold a DVD-size booklet (little smaller than A5 in size). This booklet can be created to contain up to 100 pages, so you will always have ample capacity for your content.
A standard DVD case has a 14mm spine, but we can also offer slim and super slim DVD cases which have 9mm and 7mm spines respectively.
If more than 1 disc is to be placed in the case, then options are available to hold 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 discs into a single DVD case.
The plastic materials used to manufacture a DVD cases are a softer composite compared to jewel case plastics and can withstand more knocks. A DVD case is more voluminous in size compared to other cases, so can take up more shelf space.
Pros:
Large size of case ensures it is noticeable on a shop rack next to other types of cases.
Plastics not so brittle that they can crack easily.
Cons:
Voluminous case, which can be a storage issue for a large quantity.
Fig 12: Clear DVD case Fig 13: Clear DVD case Fig 14: DVD digipack with clear tray and custom die-cut pocket for a DVD booklet
DVD digipacks
The DVD digipack follows the same style guide as a CD digipacks.
DVD digipacks are the same width and height as a DVD case and have a 7mm spine. They are made of cardboard which is custom printed with your designs. Once the card has been fabricated to size, a clear tray is placed on the inside right panel. There are a few variances in the style of tray such as disc holder in the centre or off-centre, and trays that can hold 1 or 2 discs.
The mount for the disc can be a spider or hub such as in a CD digipacks, or newer versions include a spring mounted DVD flexi tray. As standard, we offer the hub or spider for the disc to be held in position.
If there is not enough room on the case to convey your design and message, then the DVD digipacks can be modified to hold a DVD-size booklet, which can be glued into place or held in a pocket. This booklet can easily go from 4 pages up to 100+ pages.
Pros:
Lot less plastic is used compared to DVD cases.
A modern take on a traditional DVD case.
More area for custom printing compared to a DVD case.
Cons:
More expensive than a DVD case.
Summary
The above are descriptions of the most popular cases available for CD, DVD or blu-ray. Each style has its benefits and drawbacks and, by gaining a further insight into the pros and cons of each case, the correct CD packaging style can be chosen for your DVD, CD or blu-ray duplication project.
To get started with your design, you can refer to our design templates page where you can download free templates for any particular design or case type. If you do not see the template you require then send us an email, or call us and we can have this sent out via email.
If you require a completely custom case which has not be discussed above, or you are unable to see it on our site, then get in touch with us, as we can discuss your requirements and offer you a customised solution.
If you’d like to see samples of any of the above case styles, you can drop us an email with your contact details and we’ll post these out to you First Class.
CD Versus MP3: The big debate
This article will look at the ever evolving debate of CD versus MP3, which format is better?
The Compact Disc, or CD, revolutionised the way we listen to music when it first exploded onto the scene as a consumer level format for listening to music and audio.
The CD for the first time enabled us to listen to digital music, (as opposed to the analogue sound of cassette or vinyl), right in our own homes. No more forwarding or rewinding of tapes, just jump to the track you want to listen to. No more flipping records from side a to side b, as all the tracks are contained on the same single side of a CD.
One of the great discussions throughout the digital age has been the advantages and disadvantages of having a physical CD over a digital MP3. There are many angles to this debate and to reach a fair conclusion we have to first analyse the pros and cons of each medium.
The pros and cons of MP3s
MP3s are digital audio computer files which most commonly contain music. They became prominent in the 90s as music lovers sought a solution to carrying around their favourite albums without having to worry about filling their backpacks to the brim with discs.
Nowadays, coupled with an MP3 player, audiophiles can go for a jog and quickly and easily select a song from your massive archive with the swipe of a finger. No fuss, no hassle, and no chance of broken discs ruining your morning stroll.
It is this convenience which is the MP3’s biggest advantage. Due to their small file sizes MP3s can be swiftly downloaded from the internet and shared with friends through any number of communication programs.
However, all isn’t merry in MP3-land as there’s a very big con. Con being the operative word. The great ease with which an MP3 can be uploaded and downloaded caused a major surge in piracy and illegal trade, and resulted in many copyright laws being violated.
As a direct result the music and entertainment industry lost millions of Pounds from people choosing to illegally download their favourite Blur or U2 track in lieu of purchasing it.
Thankfully, in recent years, there has been a decline in illegal downloads as companies offering legal digital downloads came to the rescue. You can now legally download that hit No.1 single and while still ensuring the artist or band are compensated accordingly for their work. The most famous place to download from being the Apple iTunes store.
The pros and cons of CDs
CDs, or Compact Discs, have long been an institution in the music industry, as a means of recording and distributing audio.
When CDs first arrived, it enabled people to listen to digital recordings for the first time, right there in their homes.
In recent years there have been suggestions that the CD will eventually become a dying medium due to the increase in popularity of digital downloads, and that musicians will soon forego manufacturing pressed CDs in favour of releasing their content via the internet.
Still, while digital downloads do offer a cheaper way for bands and artists to release their music, the funds they receive from these sales are very marginal, even sometimes as low as a few pence per track.
In contrast, a band could take a few hundred CDs to a gig with them and make a substantial return within one night. Further, when buying a CD a fan can feel a closer connection to their idols because they have a physical reminder, as opposed to a digitally downloaded MP3 which would quickly become lost in the shuffle of their iTunes library.
Add to this, the fact there is a wide range of CD packaging styles, such as the classic plastic jewel cases, card sleeves and digipacks ,which allow for a greater canvas of content; lyrics, track-listings, personal thank you’s and special messages can all be incorporated within the CD covers and/or booklets.
In terms of audio quality there is no contest. Due to the compression imposed on MP3s they lack the quality, finer dynamics, and range of sound that you get on an audio CD.
However, MP3’s that have been encoded at a higher bit rate, are very difficult to distinguish from the audio of a CD. It would require a very finely tuned ear to hear the difference, and even then, it is difficult.
The verdict
It’s clear that this is a debate which will continue for many years to come.
While music labels have been pushing bands to release more content digitally in the form of MP3s, they’re still hesitant to completely put a stop on manufacturing CDs.
For as long as people continue buying CDs it will remain a healthy and thriving option for releasing music.
One thing is for certain, the CD will not be laid to rest any time soon.
This article will look at the ever evolving debate of CD versus MP3, which format is better?
The Compact Disc, or CD, revolutionised the way we listen to music when it first exploded onto the scene as a consumer level format for listening to music and audio.
The CD for the first time enabled us to listen to digital music, (as opposed to the analogue sound of cassette or vinyl), right in our own homes. No more forwarding or rewinding of tapes, just jump to the track you want to listen to. No more flipping records from side a to side b, as all the tracks are contained on the same single side of a CD.
One of the great discussions throughout the digital age has been the advantages and disadvantages of having a physical CD over a digital MP3. There are many angles to this debate and to reach a fair conclusion we have to first analyse the pros and cons of each medium.
The pros and cons of MP3s
MP3s are digital audio computer files which most commonly contain music. They became prominent in the 90s as music lovers sought a solution to carrying around their favourite albums without having to worry about filling their backpacks to the brim with discs.
Nowadays, coupled with an MP3 player, audiophiles can go for a jog and quickly and easily select a song from your massive archive with the swipe of a finger. No fuss, no hassle, and no chance of broken discs ruining your morning stroll.
It is this convenience which is the MP3’s biggest advantage. Due to their small file sizes MP3s can be swiftly downloaded from the internet and shared with friends through any number of communication programs.
However, all isn’t merry in MP3-land as there’s a very big con. Con being the operative word. The great ease with which an MP3 can be uploaded and downloaded caused a major surge in piracy and illegal trade, and resulted in many copyright laws being violated.
As a direct result the music and entertainment industry lost millions of Pounds from people choosing to illegally download their favourite Blur or U2 track in lieu of purchasing it.
Thankfully, in recent years, there has been a decline in illegal downloads as companies offering legal digital downloads came to the rescue. You can now legally download that hit No.1 single and while still ensuring the artist or band are compensated accordingly for their work. The most famous place to download from being the Apple iTunes store.
The pros and cons of CDs
CDs, or Compact Discs, have long been an institution in the music industry, as a means of recording and distributing audio.
When CDs first arrived, it enabled people to listen to digital recordings for the first time, right there in their homes.
In recent years there have been suggestions that the CD will eventually become a dying medium due to the increase in popularity of digital downloads, and that musicians will soon forego manufacturing pressed CDs in favour of releasing their content via the internet.
Still, while digital downloads do offer a cheaper way for bands and artists to release their music, the funds they receive from these sales are very marginal, even sometimes as low as a few pence per track.
In contrast, a band could take a few hundred CDs to a gig with them and make a substantial return within one night. Further, when buying a CD a fan can feel a closer connection to their idols because they have a physical reminder, as opposed to a digitally downloaded MP3 which would quickly become lost in the shuffle of their iTunes library.
Add to this, the fact there is a wide range of CD packaging styles, such as the classic plastic jewel cases, card sleeves and digipacks ,which allow for a greater canvas of content; lyrics, track-listings, personal thank you’s and special messages can all be incorporated within the CD covers and/or booklets.
In terms of audio quality there is no contest. Due to the compression imposed on MP3s they lack the quality, finer dynamics, and range of sound that you get on an audio CD.
However, MP3’s that have been encoded at a higher bit rate, are very difficult to distinguish from the audio of a CD. It would require a very finely tuned ear to hear the difference, and even then, it is difficult.
The verdict
It’s clear that this is a debate which will continue for many years to come.
While music labels have been pushing bands to release more content digitally in the form of MP3s, they’re still hesitant to completely put a stop on manufacturing CDs.
For as long as people continue buying CDs it will remain a healthy and thriving option for releasing music.
One thing is for certain, the CD will not be laid to rest any time soon.
CD Versus MP3: The big debate This article will look at the ever evolving debate of CD versus MP3, which format is better? The Compact Disc, or CD, revolutionised the way we listen to music when it first exploded onto the scene as a consumer level format for listening to music and audio. The CD …
This article will look at the ever evolving debate of CD versus MP3, which format is better?
The Compact Disc, or CD, revolutionised the way we listen to music when it first exploded onto the scene as a consumer level format for listening to music and audio.
The CD for the first time enabled us to listen to digital music, (as opposed to the analogue sound of cassette or vinyl), right in our own homes. No more forwarding or rewinding of tapes, just jump to the track you want to listen to. No more flipping records from side a to side b, as all the tracks are contained on the same single side of a CD.
One of the great discussions throughout the digital age has been the advantages and disadvantages of having a physical CD over a digital MP3. There are many angles to this debate and to reach a fair conclusion we have to first analyse the pros and cons of each medium.
The pros and cons of MP3s
MP3s are digital audio computer files which most commonly contain music. They became prominent in the 90s as music lovers sought a solution to carrying around their favourite albums without having to worry about filling their backpacks to the brim with discs.
Nowadays, coupled with an MP3 player, audiophiles can go for a jog and quickly and easily select a song from your massive archive with the swipe of a finger. No fuss, no hassle, and no chance of broken discs ruining your morning stroll.
It is this convenience which is the MP3’s biggest advantage. Due to their small file sizes MP3s can be swiftly downloaded from the internet and shared with friends through any number of communication programs.
However, all isn’t merry in MP3-land as there’s a very big con. Con being the operative word. The great ease with which an MP3 can be uploaded and downloaded caused a major surge in piracy and illegal trade, and resulted in many copyright laws being violated.
As a direct result the music and entertainment industry lost millions of Pounds from people choosing to illegally download their favourite Blur or U2 track in lieu of purchasing it.
Thankfully, in recent years, there has been a decline in illegal downloads as companies offering legal digital downloads came to the rescue. You can now legally download that hit No.1 single and while still ensuring the artist or band are compensated accordingly for their work. The most famous place to download from being the Apple iTunes store.
The pros and cons of CDs
CDs, or Compact Discs, have long been an institution in the music industry, as a means of recording and distributing audio.
When CDs first arrived, it enabled people to listen to digital recordings for the first time, right there in their homes.
In recent years there have been suggestions that the CD will eventually become a dying medium due to the increase in popularity of digital downloads, and that musicians will soon forego manufacturing pressed CDs in favour of releasing their content via the internet.
Still, while digital downloads do offer a cheaper way for bands and artists to release their music, the funds they receive from these sales are very marginal, even sometimes as low as a few pence per track.
In contrast, a band could take a few hundred CDs to a gig with them and make a substantial return within one night. Further, when buying a CD a fan can feel a closer connection to their idols because they have a physical reminder, as opposed to a digitally downloaded MP3 which would quickly become lost in the shuffle of their iTunes library.
Add to this, the fact there is a wide range of CD packaging styles, such as the classic plastic jewel cases, card sleeves and digipacks ,which allow for a greater canvas of content; lyrics, track-listings, personal thank you’s and special messages can all be incorporated within the CD covers and/or booklets.
In terms of audio quality there is no contest. Due to the compression imposed on MP3s they lack the quality, finer dynamics, and range of sound that you get on an audio CD.
However, MP3’s that have been encoded at a higher bit rate, are very difficult to distinguish from the audio of a CD. It would require a very finely tuned ear to hear the difference, and even then, it is difficult.
The verdict
It’s clear that this is a debate which will continue for many years to come.
While music labels have been pushing bands to release more content digitally in the form of MP3s, they’re still hesitant to completely put a stop on manufacturing CDs.
For as long as people continue buying CDs it will remain a healthy and thriving option for releasing music.
One thing is for certain, the CD will not be laid to rest any time soon.
How to verify an audio CD for CD text
An easy way to check a master audio CD for CD text, IRSC and MCN or barcode information
After many weeks, months, possibly years, working in the studio to make your album sound just perfect, one of the most daunting aspects of having your album manufactured can be when it’s time to hand over the master for replication or duplication.
Are all the songs present? And in the right order? Are silences between the tracks correct? Have I definitely used my final mastered song versions for the master CD?
Your mind can be put at ease easily, by having a listen back to the CD to confirm all is well.
Apart from the audio, there is also data on a disc that cannot be listened to, and one just usually hopes it is present on the final CDs that are made. This information is known as the meta-data. Meta-data can include such items as CD-text, ISRC codes, and MCN or barcode number.
Very few programs allow you to enter all of this information, and the option is mostly only found on high-end studio software. There are even fewer programs that can read this data to verify its correctness. Some of these programs that do read the meta-data cannot always be relied upon to be accurate.
Fig 1: Above image shows the Terminal window in OSX, DrUtil can be used to perform a range of tasks
Verify an audio CD contains CD text
An overlooked aspect of OSX, and a feature only available on MAC, (sorry PC users), is the terminal window, coupled with the powerful tools it affords. There are various commands that can be run through the terminal window, and below we are going to look at two of these that pertain to a master audio CD disc.
You can fire up terminal by going to your applications folder > utilities > terminal.
This will open a small window with a prompt to enter text. We will be using something called Drive Utilities which offers very powerful analysis text commands to check a variety of information.
When checking audio masters for meta-data the two most useful commands are CDText and subchannel.
So, ensuring the master audio disc has been correctly inserted into the drive, we type ‘DRUTIL CDTEXT’ and press enter. This will show us quite quickly all the meta data on the disc, we can see an example of this in Fig.2 on the left.
A deeper analysis of the ISRC codes can be achieved, by using the command, ‘DRUTIL SUBCHANNEL’. This will provide a very comprehensive analysis of each sector on the disc, but can take longer than using DRUTIL CDTEXT.
By following the above steps on each new master that is created, we can ensure that all the information we require a master CD to contain, is present on the disc prior to sending the disc for replication.
Fig 2: In the above image, Terminal has been used to run DRUTIL CDTEXT, this gives all the meta-data contained on the disc. We can see the CD Text, ISRC codes, and the barcode number or MCN.
An easy way to check a master audio CD for CD text, IRSC and MCN or barcode information
After many weeks, months, possibly years, working in the studio to make your album sound just perfect, one of the most daunting aspects of having your album manufactured can be when it’s time to hand over the master for replication or duplication.
Are all the songs present? And in the right order? Are silences between the tracks correct? Have I definitely used my final mastered song versions for the master CD?
Your mind can be put at ease easily, by having a listen back to the CD to confirm all is well.
Apart from the audio, there is also data on a disc that cannot be listened to, and one just usually hopes it is present on the final CDs that are made. This information is known as the meta-data. Meta-data can include such items as CD-text, ISRC codes, and MCN or barcode number.
Very few programs allow you to enter all of this information, and the option is mostly only found on high-end studio software. There are even fewer programs that can read this data to verify its correctness. Some of these programs that do read the meta-data cannot always be relied upon to be accurate.
Fig 1: Above image shows the Terminal window in OSX, DrUtil can be used to perform a range of tasks
Verify an audio CD contains CD text
An overlooked aspect of OSX, and a feature only available on MAC, (sorry PC users), is the terminal window, coupled with the powerful tools it affords. There are various commands that can be run through the terminal window, and below we are going to look at two of these that pertain to a master audio CD disc.
You can fire up terminal by going to your applications folder > utilities > terminal.
This will open a small window with a prompt to enter text. We will be using something called Drive Utilities which offers very powerful analysis text commands to check a variety of information.
When checking audio masters for meta-data the two most useful commands are CDText and subchannel.
So, ensuring the master audio disc has been correctly inserted into the drive, we type ‘DRUTIL CDTEXT’ and press enter. This will show us quite quickly all the meta data on the disc, we can see an example of this in Fig.2 on the left.
A deeper analysis of the ISRC codes can be achieved, by using the command, ‘DRUTIL SUBCHANNEL’. This will provide a very comprehensive analysis of each sector on the disc, but can take longer than using DRUTIL CDTEXT.
By following the above steps on each new master that is created, we can ensure that all the information we require a master CD to contain, is present on the disc prior to sending the disc for replication.
Fig 2: In the above image, Terminal has been used to run DRUTIL CDTEXT, this gives all the meta-data contained on the disc. We can see the CD Text, ISRC codes, and the barcode number or MCN.
How to verify an audio CD for CD text An easy way to check a master audio CD for CD text, IRSC and MCN or barcode information After many weeks, months, possibly years, working in the studio to make your album sound just perfect, one of the most daunting aspects of having your album manufactured …
An easy way to check a master audio CD for CD text, IRSC and MCN or barcode information
After many weeks, months, possibly years, working in the studio to make your album sound just perfect, one of the most daunting aspects of having your album manufactured can be when it’s time to hand over the master for replication or duplication.
Are all the songs present? And in the right order? Are silences between the tracks correct? Have I definitely used my final mastered song versions for the master CD?
Your mind can be put at ease easily, by having a listen back to the CD to confirm all is well.
Apart from the audio, there is also data on a disc that cannot be listened to, and one just usually hopes it is present on the final CDs that are made. This information is known as the meta-data. Meta-data can include such items as CD-text, ISRC codes, and MCN or barcode number.
Very few programs allow you to enter all of this information, and the option is mostly only found on high-end studio software. There are even fewer programs that can read this data to verify its correctness. Some of these programs that do read the meta-data cannot always be relied upon to be accurate.
Fig 1: Above image shows the Terminal window in OSX, DrUtil can be used to perform a range of tasks
Verify an audio CD contains CD text
An overlooked aspect of OSX, and a feature only available on MAC, (sorry PC users), is the terminal window, coupled with the powerful tools it affords. There are various commands that can be run through the terminal window, and below we are going to look at two of these that pertain to a master audio CD disc.
You can fire up terminal by going to your applications folder > utilities > terminal.
This will open a small window with a prompt to enter text. We will be using something called Drive Utilities which offers very powerful analysis text commands to check a variety of information.
When checking audio masters for meta-data the two most useful commands are CDText and subchannel.
So, ensuring the master audio disc has been correctly inserted into the drive, we type ‘DRUTIL CDTEXT’ and press enter. This will show us quite quickly all the meta data on the disc, we can see an example of this in Fig.2 on the left.
A deeper analysis of the ISRC codes can be achieved, by using the command, ‘DRUTIL SUBCHANNEL’. This will provide a very comprehensive analysis of each sector on the disc, but can take longer than using DRUTIL CDTEXT.
By following the above steps on each new master that is created, we can ensure that all the information we require a master CD to contain, is present on the disc prior to sending the disc for replication.
Fig 2: In the above image, Terminal has been used to run DRUTIL CDTEXT, this gives all the meta-data contained on the disc. We can see the CD Text, ISRC codes, and the barcode number or MCN.
What are they, how to acquire them, and how to use them with your songs and recordings
What are ISRC codes?
International Standard Recording Codes (ISRCs) are codes issued to individuals, record labels and other organisations to identify and track their music.
ISRC codes were created by the international recording industry through International Organisation for Standardisation or more commonly known as ISO.
The original ISRC standard has been around since 1986, and was officially approved by ISO in 2001.
Example of an ISRC code
The code has 4 parts to it, for example:
GB-QS2-12-00001
GB – This is the country code of the territory in which the code was issued. In this case GB would mean a code issued in the UK. FR is for France, ES for Spain., so on and so forth.
The next 3 digits identify the individual or company that a code is issued to. This can be a combination of alphanumeric characters.
The next two numbers are used to identify the year of reference. We would use the year in which a recording has been released.
The next five digits are to be assigned to any particular individual recording, known as the designation code. This should always be 5 characters long.
So for example, if this is the first time that ISRC is being used, and the album has 10 songs on it, then the ISRCs will range from GBQS21200001 – GBQS21200010.
If in the same year another album is release, which has say 15 songs on it, then we’d continue the numbering from where we left off, and so the second album will contain the following range of ISRC numbers, GBQS21200011-GBQS21200025.
Regardless of the format in which a recording is released, a single code should be assigned to it, so the ISRC code of any single recording will be the same regardless if it is released on CD, MP3 or digital download.
Encoding ISRC codes into your audio master
For MP3’s the ISRC code should be encoded into the ID3 tags, which allow ISRCs to be encoded.
Most CD burning software’s now allow for the ISRC code to be inserted in when creating or buring an Audio CD.
In Nero, once the audio tracks have been imported in, each track can be double-clicked. A window should open, into which the code can be typed in.
In Toast, the option for ISRC has to be first activated. Go to preferences, audio, and check the advanced audio options. Once you have then imported your tracks into Toast, click on Options, More and then Track, you can then insert the ISRC code in this dialog box.
There is a useful help article on a rather lesser used utility in Macs, which is the terminal window. Using this, we can check a CD actually has the right ISRC codes encoded.
If all the above is a bit too technical, then there is no need to worry, as Disc Wizards can create a master for you with all the correct information encoded into it. Just send us an email or call us to discuss the options.
Applying for ISRC codes
To apply for ISRC codes in the UK, you will need to contact the ISRC UK representative, which is PPL in London. The address, telephone number and email details can be found below.
What are they, how to acquire them, and how to use them with your songs and recordings
What are ISRC codes?
International Standard Recording Codes (ISRCs) are codes issued to individuals, record labels and other organisations to identify and track their music.
ISRC codes were created by the international recording industry through International Organisation for Standardisation or more commonly known as ISO.
The original ISRC standard has been around since 1986, and was officially approved by ISO in 2001.
Example of an ISRC code
The code has 4 parts to it, for example:
GB-QS2-12-00001
GB – This is the country code of the territory in which the code was issued. In this case GB would mean a code issued in the UK. FR is for France, ES for Spain., so on and so forth.
The next 3 digits identify the individual or company that a code is issued to. This can be a combination of alphanumeric characters.
The next two numbers are used to identify the year of reference. We would use the year in which a recording has been released.
The next five digits are to be assigned to any particular individual recording, known as the designation code. This should always be 5 characters long.
So for example, if this is the first time that ISRC is being used, and the album has 10 songs on it, then the ISRCs will range from GBQS21200001 – GBQS21200010.
If in the same year another album is release, which has say 15 songs on it, then we’d continue the numbering from where we left off, and so the second album will contain the following range of ISRC numbers, GBQS21200011-GBQS21200025.
Regardless of the format in which a recording is released, a single code should be assigned to it, so the ISRC code of any single recording will be the same regardless if it is released on CD, MP3 or digital download.
Encoding ISRC codes into your audio master
For MP3’s the ISRC code should be encoded into the ID3 tags, which allow ISRCs to be encoded.
Most CD burning software’s now allow for the ISRC code to be inserted in when creating or buring an Audio CD.
In Nero, once the audio tracks have been imported in, each track can be double-clicked. A window should open, into which the code can be typed in.
In Toast, the option for ISRC has to be first activated. Go to preferences, audio, and check the advanced audio options. Once you have then imported your tracks into Toast, click on Options, More and then Track, you can then insert the ISRC code in this dialog box.
There is a useful help article on a rather lesser used utility in Macs, which is the terminal window. Using this, we can check a CD actually has the right ISRC codes encoded.
If all the above is a bit too technical, then there is no need to worry, as Disc Wizards can create a master for you with all the correct information encoded into it. Just send us an email or call us to discuss the options.
Applying for ISRC codes
To apply for ISRC codes in the UK, you will need to contact the ISRC UK representative, which is PPL in London. The address, telephone number and email details can be found below.
International Standard Recording Codes (ISRC) What are they, how to acquire them, and how to use them with your songs and recordings What are ISRC codes? International Standard Recording Codes (ISRCs) are codes issued to individuals, record labels and other organisations to identify and track their music. ISRC codes were created by the international recording …
What are they, how to acquire them, and how to use them with your songs and recordings
What are ISRC codes?
International Standard Recording Codes (ISRCs) are codes issued to individuals, record labels and other organisations to identify and track their music.
ISRC codes were created by the international recording industry through International Organisation for Standardisation or more commonly known as ISO.
The original ISRC standard has been around since 1986, and was officially approved by ISO in 2001.
Example of an ISRC code
The code has 4 parts to it, for example:
GB-QS2-12-00001
GB – This is the country code of the territory in which the code was issued. In this case GB would mean a code issued in the UK. FR is for France, ES for Spain., so on and so forth.
The next 3 digits identify the individual or company that a code is issued to. This can be a combination of alphanumeric characters.
The next two numbers are used to identify the year of reference. We would use the year in which a recording has been released.
The next five digits are to be assigned to any particular individual recording, known as the designation code. This should always be 5 characters long.
So for example, if this is the first time that ISRC is being used, and the album has 10 songs on it, then the ISRCs will range from GBQS21200001 – GBQS21200010.
If in the same year another album is release, which has say 15 songs on it, then we’d continue the numbering from where we left off, and so the second album will contain the following range of ISRC numbers, GBQS21200011-GBQS21200025.
Regardless of the format in which a recording is released, a single code should be assigned to it, so the ISRC code of any single recording will be the same regardless if it is released on CD, MP3 or digital download.
Encoding ISRC codes into your audio master
For MP3’s the ISRC code should be encoded into the ID3 tags, which allow ISRCs to be encoded.
Most CD burning software’s now allow for the ISRC code to be inserted in when creating or buring an Audio CD.
In Nero, once the audio tracks have been imported in, each track can be double-clicked. A window should open, into which the code can be typed in.
In Toast, the option for ISRC has to be first activated. Go to preferences, audio, and check the advanced audio options. Once you have then imported your tracks into Toast, click on Options, More and then Track, you can then insert the ISRC code in this dialog box.
There is a useful help article on a rather lesser used utility in Macs, which is the terminal window. Using this, we can check a CD actually has the right ISRC codes encoded.
If all the above is a bit too technical, then there is no need to worry, as Disc Wizards can create a master for you with all the correct information encoded into it. Just send us an email or call us to discuss the options.
Applying for ISRC codes
To apply for ISRC codes in the UK, you will need to contact the ISRC UK representative, which is PPL in London. The address, telephone number and email details can be found below.
How to prepare your graphics for DVD and CD printing
Step by step guidelines on preparing your designs and artworks
This tutorial has been written using Adobe Photoshop. The same principles can be applied to all other design programs for preparing your artwork for submission.
The guide that follows explains how to prepare your graphics so that they are ready for going into print. The below example uses the 4 page booklet, but the same concepts can be used for any of the templates.
Choose the correct template to save from the design templates page
1. Download the correct template
From the list of templates found on the design templates page, identify and download the correct template to your computer.
You can download the template by right-clicking on the appropriate template and selecting “save target as…”, or “save link as…”.
For this example, we’ll be using the CD booklet template.
2. Open the template in Photoshop
When you open the template in Photoshop, you’ll be presented with a dialog window to set how the PDF template opens.
Use the settings shown on the left when opening any of the templates. The most important thing is to make sure the resolution is set at 300dpi, and that the colour scheme is CMYK.
Opening the PDF with the correct settings and options Layers window showing the template as the topmost layer
3a. Set your layers
Once the template is open you can begin to layout the graphics of your design.
It’s a good idea to keep the template as the topmost layer, so that you can see the outlines of the template when positioning your images and text.
3b. Layout your graphics
When you layout your graphics, you should make sure the background extends all the way to the outer bleed line. In the example (left), the booklet needs a green background, and this has been filled in all the way to the outside bleed line.
All the foreground parts, which includes all text, logos, foreground images etc., should be contained within the inner safety margin. This ensures text and foreground graphics are not cut off on the final print.
Layout in Photoshop showing correct placement for background and foreground elements Layers window with the template layer moved to the bottom
3c. Hide template guidelines
The template needs to be mostly hidden once you have completed the layout, and are happy with the way the design looks.
The only template guidelines that should be visible in the actual design area are the cross hairs which extrude beyond the design.
To do this, drag the topmost template layer to the bottom, so that all the layers of your design are now above the original template layer.
3d. Your final file
Your design should now look something like this (left), with only the cross hairs showing.
Notice that there are no guidelines in the printable area. The only parts left in the booklet design area are the elements we need printed in the final booklet.
The design is now ready to be saved in the correct format Selecting PDF as the file format to save in
4a. Saving your design file
It is recommended that you save the file as a PDF. This will ensure that the fonts will remain vector and embedded in the final PDF file.
To do this go to File, then Save As, and select, Photoshop PDF from the drop down list of filetypes. The press-ready default should be selected to ensure the file is created in the right way.
If you can’t save it as a PDF, then you can also submit the file as a hi-res JPEG. For this ensure that the JPEG settings are at the highest level.
4b. Vector text
PDF files are preferred as it embeds the text as vector format. The difference between vector and JPEG can be seen in the images (right).
When the file is zoomed in, the PDF text remains sharp, whereas in the JPEG, the text pixelates which will result in slightly less sharp text on the final print.
You can download the actual files created in this tutorial from the links below, this will let you compare the outputs from the 2 files:
How to prepare your graphics for DVD and CD printing
Step by step guidelines on preparing your designs and artworks
This tutorial has been written using Adobe Photoshop. The same principles can be applied to all other design programs for preparing your artwork for submission.
The guide that follows explains how to prepare your graphics so that they are ready for going into print. The below example uses the 4 page booklet, but the same concepts can be used for any of the templates.
Choose the correct template to save from the design templates page
1. Download the correct template
From the list of templates found on the design templates page, identify and download the correct template to your computer.
You can download the template by right-clicking on the appropriate template and selecting “save target as…”, or “save link as…”.
For this example, we’ll be using the CD booklet template.
2. Open the template in Photoshop
When you open the template in Photoshop, you’ll be presented with a dialog window to set how the PDF template opens.
Use the settings shown on the left when opening any of the templates. The most important thing is to make sure the resolution is set at 300dpi, and that the colour scheme is CMYK.
Opening the PDF with the correct settings and options Layers window showing the template as the topmost layer
3a. Set your layers
Once the template is open you can begin to layout the graphics of your design.
It’s a good idea to keep the template as the topmost layer, so that you can see the outlines of the template when positioning your images and text.
3b. Layout your graphics
When you layout your graphics, you should make sure the background extends all the way to the outer bleed line. In the example (left), the booklet needs a green background, and this has been filled in all the way to the outside bleed line.
All the foreground parts, which includes all text, logos, foreground images etc., should be contained within the inner safety margin. This ensures text and foreground graphics are not cut off on the final print.
Layout in Photoshop showing correct placement for background and foreground elements Layers window with the template layer moved to the bottom
3c. Hide template guidelines
The template needs to be mostly hidden once you have completed the layout, and are happy with the way the design looks.
The only template guidelines that should be visible in the actual design area are the cross hairs which extrude beyond the design.
To do this, drag the topmost template layer to the bottom, so that all the layers of your design are now above the original template layer.
3d. Your final file
Your design should now look something like this (left), with only the cross hairs showing.
Notice that there are no guidelines in the printable area. The only parts left in the booklet design area are the elements we need printed in the final booklet.
The design is now ready to be saved in the correct format Selecting PDF as the file format to save in
4a. Saving your design file
It is recommended that you save the file as a PDF. This will ensure that the fonts will remain vector and embedded in the final PDF file.
To do this go to File, then Save As, and select, Photoshop PDF from the drop down list of filetypes. The press-ready default should be selected to ensure the file is created in the right way.
If you can’t save it as a PDF, then you can also submit the file as a hi-res JPEG. For this ensure that the JPEG settings are at the highest level.
4b. Vector text
PDF files are preferred as it embeds the text as vector format. The difference between vector and JPEG can be seen in the images (right).
When the file is zoomed in, the PDF text remains sharp, whereas in the JPEG, the text pixelates which will result in slightly less sharp text on the final print.
You can download the actual files created in this tutorial from the links below, this will let you compare the outputs from the 2 files:
How to prepare your graphics for DVD and CD printing Step by step guidelines on preparing your designs and artworks This tutorial has been written using Adobe Photoshop. The same principles can be applied to all other design programs for preparing your artwork for submission. The guide that follows explains how to prepare your graphics …
How to prepare your graphics for DVD and CD printing
Step by step guidelines on preparing your designs and artworks
This tutorial has been written using Adobe Photoshop. The same principles can be applied to all other design programs for preparing your artwork for submission.
The guide that follows explains how to prepare your graphics so that they are ready for going into print. The below example uses the 4 page booklet, but the same concepts can be used for any of the templates.
Choose the correct template to save from the design templates page
1. Download the correct template
From the list of templates found on the design templates page, identify and download the correct template to your computer.
You can download the template by right-clicking on the appropriate template and selecting “save target as…”, or “save link as…”.
For this example, we’ll be using the CD booklet template.
2. Open the template in Photoshop
When you open the template in Photoshop, you’ll be presented with a dialog window to set how the PDF template opens.
Use the settings shown on the left when opening any of the templates. The most important thing is to make sure the resolution is set at 300dpi, and that the colour scheme is CMYK.
Opening the PDF with the correct settings and options Layers window showing the template as the topmost layer
3a. Set your layers
Once the template is open you can begin to layout the graphics of your design.
It’s a good idea to keep the template as the topmost layer, so that you can see the outlines of the template when positioning your images and text.
3b. Layout your graphics
When you layout your graphics, you should make sure the background extends all the way to the outer bleed line. In the example (left), the booklet needs a green background, and this has been filled in all the way to the outside bleed line.
All the foreground parts, which includes all text, logos, foreground images etc., should be contained within the inner safety margin. This ensures text and foreground graphics are not cut off on the final print.
Layout in Photoshop showing correct placement for background and foreground elements Layers window with the template layer moved to the bottom
3c. Hide template guidelines
The template needs to be mostly hidden once you have completed the layout, and are happy with the way the design looks.
The only template guidelines that should be visible in the actual design area are the cross hairs which extrude beyond the design.
To do this, drag the topmost template layer to the bottom, so that all the layers of your design are now above the original template layer.
3d. Your final file
Your design should now look something like this (left), with only the cross hairs showing.
Notice that there are no guidelines in the printable area. The only parts left in the booklet design area are the elements we need printed in the final booklet.
The design is now ready to be saved in the correct format Selecting PDF as the file format to save in
4a. Saving your design file
It is recommended that you save the file as a PDF. This will ensure that the fonts will remain vector and embedded in the final PDF file.
To do this go to File, then Save As, and select, Photoshop PDF from the drop down list of filetypes. The press-ready default should be selected to ensure the file is created in the right way.
If you can’t save it as a PDF, then you can also submit the file as a hi-res JPEG. For this ensure that the JPEG settings are at the highest level.
4b. Vector text
PDF files are preferred as it embeds the text as vector format. The difference between vector and JPEG can be seen in the images (right).
When the file is zoomed in, the PDF text remains sharp, whereas in the JPEG, the text pixelates which will result in slightly less sharp text on the final print.
You can download the actual files created in this tutorial from the links below, this will let you compare the outputs from the 2 files:
The correct way to submit your songs for audio mastering
This article will look at best practices for how to prepare and send final mixes to a mastering studio for audio mastering.
The most important thing is to give the mastering engineer plenty of scope, or headroom to work within.
Below we explore what we mean by this, and ways to provide the mixes in a way such that the mastering process is able to bring out the full potential of the mix.
Let’s compress
Compression is one of the most vital tools when recording and mixing songs. Applied carefully it can be used to great effect on individual tracks, and bring out the nuances of a vocal or live instrument that would otherwise have been lost. However, over-compressing can completely kill a great song.
Over-compressing can apply to separate recorded takes, individual tracks, grouped tracks, the overall stereo mix file, or in the most extreme of cases, over-compression at all of the above mentioned stages.
Too much compression can be heard and identified by the way it affects the instrument or vocal. We can hear it on rhythm tracks when the audio levels are un-naturally pumping the beat (yes it can be used as a fantastic effect on dance music beats), or where the volume dynamics have been compressed into a very small range of low and high decibels.
There is nothing wrong with over-compressing, but on occasions it is easy to over-compress each track, to the extent the overall mix has no dynamics left in the song, and we lose the impact that changes in volume can bring to the music.
Going from a verse to a chorus, or the start of a song opening with only the guitars playing before the rest of the music enters, all of these subtleties in volume change add to the overall impact the song makes on the listener.
The rule of thumb here is, less is more, compression can always be applied later on, but it cannot be reversed once it has been committed to a stereo mix.
Volume levels
The next consideration is that songs that are intended for mastering should ideally be delivered to the mastering studio at -6db (decibels).
This gives the engineer headroom in which to work. If the song is supplied at 0db, then the audio mastering engineer is restricted by what they can do to the track.
It’s possible for the mastering engineer to reduce the overall volume by 6db, to allow for headroom to work in, but if the whole mix has been very heavily compressed then in financial terms, the engineer has a false economy within which to work.
Balanced graphic equalisation
This brings us to the equalisation of a mix.
Very often there is far too much high-end equalisation on tracks, and once this has been committed to the mix, it’s difficult to reverse. Rather like a dark photograph can always be brightened, but an overexposed photo can never be darkened to a natural look.
The same applies to how much hi-end to apply. For mastering purposes, do not over-do the treble, it’s easy to apply too much as when we listen to a mix, our ears tend to interpret a brighter sound as better, but again if there is less treble, the mastering engineer can always increase if required.
In the reverse case, the engineer can always reduce treble, but as it affects the whole mix, this can have a negative impact on the song.
Conclusions
Mastering is a wonderful process that can bring out the very best in an artist and the music. It’s a process that is absolutely vital to any recording. The best mastering engineers can help a bad mix sound better, but usually cannot improve it by much.
To experience the full potential of audio mastering make sure the above tips are followed when mixing. It will allow a mastering engineer to really apply their techniques in full, so as to make your recording sound every bit as good as it should.
If you need help with preparing your audio we also offer an audio mastering service, which includes a free mastering preview.
Contact us for more information on audio mastering and rates.
The correct way to submit your songs for audio mastering
This article will look at best practices for how to prepare and send final mixes to a mastering studio for audio mastering.
The most important thing is to give the mastering engineer plenty of scope, or headroom to work within.
Below we explore what we mean by this, and ways to provide the mixes in a way such that the mastering process is able to bring out the full potential of the mix.
Let’s compress
Compression is one of the most vital tools when recording and mixing songs. Applied carefully it can be used to great effect on individual tracks, and bring out the nuances of a vocal or live instrument that would otherwise have been lost. However, over-compressing can completely kill a great song.
Over-compressing can apply to separate recorded takes, individual tracks, grouped tracks, the overall stereo mix file, or in the most extreme of cases, over-compression at all of the above mentioned stages.
Too much compression can be heard and identified by the way it affects the instrument or vocal. We can hear it on rhythm tracks when the audio levels are un-naturally pumping the beat (yes it can be used as a fantastic effect on dance music beats), or where the volume dynamics have been compressed into a very small range of low and high decibels.
There is nothing wrong with over-compressing, but on occasions it is easy to over-compress each track, to the extent the overall mix has no dynamics left in the song, and we lose the impact that changes in volume can bring to the music.
Going from a verse to a chorus, or the start of a song opening with only the guitars playing before the rest of the music enters, all of these subtleties in volume change add to the overall impact the song makes on the listener.
The rule of thumb here is, less is more, compression can always be applied later on, but it cannot be reversed once it has been committed to a stereo mix.
Volume levels
The next consideration is that songs that are intended for mastering should ideally be delivered to the mastering studio at -6db (decibels).
This gives the engineer headroom in which to work. If the song is supplied at 0db, then the audio mastering engineer is restricted by what they can do to the track.
It’s possible for the mastering engineer to reduce the overall volume by 6db, to allow for headroom to work in, but if the whole mix has been very heavily compressed then in financial terms, the engineer has a false economy within which to work.
Balanced graphic equalisation
This brings us to the equalisation of a mix.
Very often there is far too much high-end equalisation on tracks, and once this has been committed to the mix, it’s difficult to reverse. Rather like a dark photograph can always be brightened, but an overexposed photo can never be darkened to a natural look.
The same applies to how much hi-end to apply. For mastering purposes, do not over-do the treble, it’s easy to apply too much as when we listen to a mix, our ears tend to interpret a brighter sound as better, but again if there is less treble, the mastering engineer can always increase if required.
In the reverse case, the engineer can always reduce treble, but as it affects the whole mix, this can have a negative impact on the song.
Conclusions
Mastering is a wonderful process that can bring out the very best in an artist and the music. It’s a process that is absolutely vital to any recording. The best mastering engineers can help a bad mix sound better, but usually cannot improve it by much.
To experience the full potential of audio mastering make sure the above tips are followed when mixing. It will allow a mastering engineer to really apply their techniques in full, so as to make your recording sound every bit as good as it should.
If you need help with preparing your audio we also offer an audio mastering service, which includes a free mastering preview.
Contact us for more information on audio mastering and rates.
The correct way to submit your songs for audio mastering This article will look at best practices for how to prepare and send final mixes to a mastering studio for audio mastering. The most important thing is to give the mastering engineer plenty of scope, or headroom to work within. Below we explore what we …
The correct way to submit your songs for audio mastering
This article will look at best practices for how to prepare and send final mixes to a mastering studio for audio mastering.
The most important thing is to give the mastering engineer plenty of scope, or headroom to work within.
Below we explore what we mean by this, and ways to provide the mixes in a way such that the mastering process is able to bring out the full potential of the mix.
Let’s compress
Compression is one of the most vital tools when recording and mixing songs. Applied carefully it can be used to great effect on individual tracks, and bring out the nuances of a vocal or live instrument that would otherwise have been lost. However, over-compressing can completely kill a great song.
Over-compressing can apply to separate recorded takes, individual tracks, grouped tracks, the overall stereo mix file, or in the most extreme of cases, over-compression at all of the above mentioned stages.
Too much compression can be heard and identified by the way it affects the instrument or vocal. We can hear it on rhythm tracks when the audio levels are un-naturally pumping the beat (yes it can be used as a fantastic effect on dance music beats), or where the volume dynamics have been compressed into a very small range of low and high decibels.
There is nothing wrong with over-compressing, but on occasions it is easy to over-compress each track, to the extent the overall mix has no dynamics left in the song, and we lose the impact that changes in volume can bring to the music.
Going from a verse to a chorus, or the start of a song opening with only the guitars playing before the rest of the music enters, all of these subtleties in volume change add to the overall impact the song makes on the listener.
The rule of thumb here is, less is more, compression can always be applied later on, but it cannot be reversed once it has been committed to a stereo mix.
Volume levels
The next consideration is that songs that are intended for mastering should ideally be delivered to the mastering studio at -6db (decibels).
This gives the engineer headroom in which to work. If the song is supplied at 0db, then the audio mastering engineer is restricted by what they can do to the track.
It’s possible for the mastering engineer to reduce the overall volume by 6db, to allow for headroom to work in, but if the whole mix has been very heavily compressed then in financial terms, the engineer has a false economy within which to work.
Balanced graphic equalisation
This brings us to the equalisation of a mix.
Very often there is far too much high-end equalisation on tracks, and once this has been committed to the mix, it’s difficult to reverse. Rather like a dark photograph can always be brightened, but an overexposed photo can never be darkened to a natural look.
The same applies to how much hi-end to apply. For mastering purposes, do not over-do the treble, it’s easy to apply too much as when we listen to a mix, our ears tend to interpret a brighter sound as better, but again if there is less treble, the mastering engineer can always increase if required.
In the reverse case, the engineer can always reduce treble, but as it affects the whole mix, this can have a negative impact on the song.
Conclusions
Mastering is a wonderful process that can bring out the very best in an artist and the music. It’s a process that is absolutely vital to any recording. The best mastering engineers can help a bad mix sound better, but usually cannot improve it by much.
To experience the full potential of audio mastering make sure the above tips are followed when mixing. It will allow a mastering engineer to really apply their techniques in full, so as to make your recording sound every bit as good as it should.
If you need help with preparing your audio we also offer an audio mastering service, which includes a free mastering preview.
Contact us for more information on audio mastering and rates.
Prepare your audio masters for optimal lacquer cutting and vinyl pressing
Mixing and mastering for vinyl: Audio supplied for vinyl record lacquer cutting and pressing does require special preparation and consideration in order to bring out the full warmth and sonic range of vinyl records. The below list provides check-points to adhere to when mixing and mastering for vinyl in order to achieve the best lacquer cut and audio levels.
It’s all about the sound
It’s often suggested the audio of vinyl records sound far superior compared to their binary digital counterparts, where only the very highest end digital audio players can reach the warmth and nuances offered by a great vinyl lacquer cutting and pressing.
Sometimes people placing a vinyl order for the first time are surprised when they hear their audio back after pressing, and always in a good way. Most of the time this is due to the way the source master audio has been supplied, rather than the lacquer cutting process itself.
The lacquer cutting engineers job is to reproduce your source audio as close as possible onto vinyl, so by fixing some of the below issues at the mixing stage, you save the engineer doing these tasks, and they can concentrate on making your audio sound as best as possible on the lacquer.
There are some crucial factors that need consideration when preparing your masters for vinyl production, below we cover these points that need bearing, and the do’s and don’ts for preparing your audio for lacquer lathe cutting.
Bass, stereo width and phase
The primary rule regarding low frequencies and bass is to not supply it in a stereo format, try to convert the tracks containing bass, kick drums, synth bass and low frequencies to a mono track when you come to create your final stereo mixes.
If you’re using a stereo widener on low frequencies, then ensure this is set to above 500hz or thereabouts, and roll off frequencies below 20hz, not only does the human ear not hear below 20hz, but it helps with creating a far cleaner lacquer cut and better groove tracking.
Ensure all the low frequencies are mostly in the centre of your stereo mixes and avoid any drastic and sudden panning across the stereo plain. The sudden and drastic panning applies across the entire frequency spectrum. That is not to say do not use panning in higher frequencies, but avoid sudden and extreme sweeps from left and right and visa versa.
Likewise, try and have elements mostly located towards the centre of a mix to achieve cleaner tracking, and always listen to a mix mono. In the mono mix you may notice audio dropouts or level and phase issues that may not be evident when listening to a stereo mix, but will present issues to the engineer at the lacquer cutting stage.
Following the above low frequency and panning guidelines helps with providing a clear groove path for the needle to follow and avoids clashing grooves. It assists greatly with ensuring the music fits well in to the audio time available on the final 7″ or 12″ vinyl lacquer cut.
By centering the low frequencies one also ensures the loudest possible level in your lacquer cuts, and fixes many issues that can occur with tracking such as whooshing and ghosting; ensuring good groove geometry.
High frequencies and distortion issues
The vinyl medium does not like and overload of information in the high frequency regions. As such cutting lathes can translate an excessive level in high frequencies as distortion on the lacquer and subsequent final pressing. Remember on ta cutting lathe, treble distorts before low frequencies do.
Instruments that may contain excessive high frequency levels include hi-hats, cymbals, tambourines, high frequency special effects and sweeps. Anything above 15khz can be considered high frequency for this purpose. Not only can the frequencies lead to distortion, but can damage the head on a cutting lathe.
As a general rule any frequencies above 10khz should not be boosted in your mix. if you need more brightness or presence in a track then look at boosting frequencies in the 2.2-6.5khz range.
Finally ensure there is a low pass filter applied to the highs so any frequencies above about 18-19khz are gently rolled off and not high profile in the mix.
Sibilance
Sibilance is the sound of an over pronounced letter S, like a ‘SSSS’ sound. The sound can also occur with the letter T or Z. Excessive sibilance does not sound good in general and can translate to distortion when cutting a vinyl lacquer.
Vocal tracks that have sibilance should be run through a ‘de-essing’ process before final mixdown. Sibilance exists in the 58khz range, but can certainly be present at even higher frequencies.
Limiting and Loudness issues
Using a limiter on tracks is used as a means of raising the overall level, however with lacquer cutting excessive limiting can actually have the opposite affect on the audio.
Try and keep your mixes as naturally sounding as possible and without over processing at the mixing stage. The over processing can lead to distortion, and the engineer may be forced to cut the lacquer at a lower volume level to avoid distortion. This will lead to a lack of volume on the final cut, as well as a perceived higher floor noise.
With loudness do not clip your audio waveform, ie, running the audio of individual tracks into 0 decibel territory and beyond. Try an ensure plenty of space and headroom for the engineer to work in and with, this way the engineer can boost levels rather then cutting levels on frequencies that are out-of-control. Supply tracks at minus 1db, and with a average RMS loudness of about -12db.
For acoustic style albums, employ as little limiting as possible and try and ensure a natural sound in the mix, rather than over processed. The engineer is then able to boost the overall level going to the lathe rather than fighting with distortion issues inherent with limitation and compression.
Track ordering for Side A and Side B
When listening to vinyl records you may notice that the quieter ballad or instrumental style tracks are often nearer the centre or at the ends of each side.
The reason for this is the lathe head cuts slightly quieter as it get closer to the inner grooves and the needle does not travel as fast on the outer grooves, therefore the clarity at the top end is not the same as on the outer tracks where the needle is moving at a faster speed, (it’s the same principle for why 45’s sound better then 33’s). (You may want to add a little tiny whiny slight boost to the high end for those last one or two tracks on each side of an LP).
Quick fixes engineers would rather avoid at cutting stage
If audio has not been correctly supplied, the cutting engineer may have to apply fixes at the cutting stage to fix any problematic instrument or voice however this can affect the entire mix.
Stereo Low Frequencies
Depending on the frequency range, the engineer will run a low cut filter in order to control lower frequencies. Again as this run on the stereo mix, the filter cannot differentiate between problematic low frequencies, and those low frequencies, which are fine, therefore reducing all of them.
Sibilance
High levels of sibilance will trigger the de-esser filter. The de-esser filters are in the 5-8khz range, and therefore rather then only de-essing the vocal tracks, everything in that frequency range will be changed.
Excessive Highs
The engineer may need to run a low pass filter, therefore affect every frequency above a certain range.
Final important points
The lacquer cutting engineers job is to cut as flat as possible in order to try and match as closely as possible the provided master audio.
It is therefore very important that sonic adjustments to the audio are made at the audio mixing and mastering stage rather than the lacquer cutting stage, this way the audio engineer can concentrate of reproducing as the original, and look to enhance the sound through enhanced warmth and natural sounding loudness level.
Equalisation adjustments carried out at the cutting stage are macro adjustments that affect the entire audio master rather then just on individual audio elements which can be controlled through separate equalisation at the mixing stage.
Any music that pushes any of the above-described audio boundaries, then the problem is likely to be magnified and exaggerated at the lacquer cutting stage when compared to the digital masters.
For the above reasons a record which has been professionally cut may not sound like the digital masters that are supplied. If you have any concerns about your audio and how it will translate at the lacquer cutting stage, it is important to have your audio checked with a vinyl-mastering engineer.
Vinyl audio lengths for 7″, 10″ and 12″ records
Below is a guide on recommended vinyl audio lengths per side. We can cut longer audio lengths, however the trade-off is lower overal audio cutting levels
7″ vinyl audio length
Speed 45rpm: 5 mins per side
Speed 33rpm: 7 mins per side (not recommended)
Prepare your audio masters for optimal lacquer cutting and vinyl pressing
Mixing and mastering for vinyl: Audio supplied for vinyl record lacquer cutting and pressing does require special preparation and consideration in order to bring out the full warmth and sonic range of vinyl records. The below list provides check-points to adhere to when mixing and mastering for vinyl in order to achieve the best lacquer cut and audio levels.
It’s all about the sound
It’s often suggested the audio of vinyl records sound far superior compared to their binary digital counterparts, where only the very highest end digital audio players can reach the warmth and nuances offered by a great vinyl lacquer cutting and pressing.
Sometimes people placing a vinyl order for the first time are surprised when they hear their audio back after pressing, and always in a good way. Most of the time this is due to the way the source master audio has been supplied, rather than the lacquer cutting process itself.
The lacquer cutting engineers job is to reproduce your source audio as close as possible onto vinyl, so by fixing some of the below issues at the mixing stage, you save the engineer doing these tasks, and they can concentrate on making your audio sound as best as possible on the lacquer.
There are some crucial factors that need consideration when preparing your masters for vinyl production, below we cover these points that need bearing, and the do’s and don’ts for preparing your audio for lacquer lathe cutting.
Bass, stereo width and phase
The primary rule regarding low frequencies and bass is to not supply it in a stereo format, try to convert the tracks containing bass, kick drums, synth bass and low frequencies to a mono track when you come to create your final stereo mixes.
If you’re using a stereo widener on low frequencies, then ensure this is set to above 500hz or thereabouts, and roll off frequencies below 20hz, not only does the human ear not hear below 20hz, but it helps with creating a far cleaner lacquer cut and better groove tracking.
Ensure all the low frequencies are mostly in the centre of your stereo mixes and avoid any drastic and sudden panning across the stereo plain. The sudden and drastic panning applies across the entire frequency spectrum. That is not to say do not use panning in higher frequencies, but avoid sudden and extreme sweeps from left and right and visa versa.
Likewise, try and have elements mostly located towards the centre of a mix to achieve cleaner tracking, and always listen to a mix mono. In the mono mix you may notice audio dropouts or level and phase issues that may not be evident when listening to a stereo mix, but will present issues to the engineer at the lacquer cutting stage.
Following the above low frequency and panning guidelines helps with providing a clear groove path for the needle to follow and avoids clashing grooves. It assists greatly with ensuring the music fits well in to the audio time available on the final 7″ or 12″ vinyl lacquer cut.
By centering the low frequencies one also ensures the loudest possible level in your lacquer cuts, and fixes many issues that can occur with tracking such as whooshing and ghosting; ensuring good groove geometry.
High frequencies and distortion issues
The vinyl medium does not like and overload of information in the high frequency regions. As such cutting lathes can translate an excessive level in high frequencies as distortion on the lacquer and subsequent final pressing. Remember on ta cutting lathe, treble distorts before low frequencies do.
Instruments that may contain excessive high frequency levels include hi-hats, cymbals, tambourines, high frequency special effects and sweeps. Anything above 15khz can be considered high frequency for this purpose. Not only can the frequencies lead to distortion, but can damage the head on a cutting lathe.
As a general rule any frequencies above 10khz should not be boosted in your mix. if you need more brightness or presence in a track then look at boosting frequencies in the 2.2-6.5khz range.
Finally ensure there is a low pass filter applied to the highs so any frequencies above about 18-19khz are gently rolled off and not high profile in the mix.
Sibilance
Sibilance is the sound of an over pronounced letter S, like a ‘SSSS’ sound. The sound can also occur with the letter T or Z. Excessive sibilance does not sound good in general and can translate to distortion when cutting a vinyl lacquer.
Vocal tracks that have sibilance should be run through a ‘de-essing’ process before final mixdown. Sibilance exists in the 58khz range, but can certainly be present at even higher frequencies.
Limiting and Loudness issues
Using a limiter on tracks is used as a means of raising the overall level, however with lacquer cutting excessive limiting can actually have the opposite affect on the audio.
Try and keep your mixes as naturally sounding as possible and without over processing at the mixing stage. The over processing can lead to distortion, and the engineer may be forced to cut the lacquer at a lower volume level to avoid distortion. This will lead to a lack of volume on the final cut, as well as a perceived higher floor noise.
With loudness do not clip your audio waveform, ie, running the audio of individual tracks into 0 decibel territory and beyond. Try an ensure plenty of space and headroom for the engineer to work in and with, this way the engineer can boost levels rather then cutting levels on frequencies that are out-of-control. Supply tracks at minus 1db, and with a average RMS loudness of about -12db.
For acoustic style albums, employ as little limiting as possible and try and ensure a natural sound in the mix, rather than over processed. The engineer is then able to boost the overall level going to the lathe rather than fighting with distortion issues inherent with limitation and compression.
Track ordering for Side A and Side B
When listening to vinyl records you may notice that the quieter ballad or instrumental style tracks are often nearer the centre or at the ends of each side.
The reason for this is the lathe head cuts slightly quieter as it get closer to the inner grooves and the needle does not travel as fast on the outer grooves, therefore the clarity at the top end is not the same as on the outer tracks where the needle is moving at a faster speed, (it’s the same principle for why 45’s sound better then 33’s). (You may want to add a little tiny whiny slight boost to the high end for those last one or two tracks on each side of an LP).
Quick fixes engineers would rather avoid at cutting stage
If audio has not been correctly supplied, the cutting engineer may have to apply fixes at the cutting stage to fix any problematic instrument or voice however this can affect the entire mix.
Stereo Low Frequencies
Depending on the frequency range, the engineer will run a low cut filter in order to control lower frequencies. Again as this run on the stereo mix, the filter cannot differentiate between problematic low frequencies, and those low frequencies, which are fine, therefore reducing all of them.
Sibilance
High levels of sibilance will trigger the de-esser filter. The de-esser filters are in the 5-8khz range, and therefore rather then only de-essing the vocal tracks, everything in that frequency range will be changed.
Excessive Highs
The engineer may need to run a low pass filter, therefore affect every frequency above a certain range.
Final important points
The lacquer cutting engineers job is to cut as flat as possible in order to try and match as closely as possible the provided master audio.
It is therefore very important that sonic adjustments to the audio are made at the audio mixing and mastering stage rather than the lacquer cutting stage, this way the audio engineer can concentrate of reproducing as the original, and look to enhance the sound through enhanced warmth and natural sounding loudness level.
Equalisation adjustments carried out at the cutting stage are macro adjustments that affect the entire audio master rather then just on individual audio elements which can be controlled through separate equalisation at the mixing stage.
Any music that pushes any of the above-described audio boundaries, then the problem is likely to be magnified and exaggerated at the lacquer cutting stage when compared to the digital masters.
For the above reasons a record which has been professionally cut may not sound like the digital masters that are supplied. If you have any concerns about your audio and how it will translate at the lacquer cutting stage, it is important to have your audio checked with a vinyl-mastering engineer.
Vinyl audio lengths for 7″, 10″ and 12″ records
Below is a guide on recommended vinyl audio lengths per side. We can cut longer audio lengths, however the trade-off is lower overal audio cutting levels
7″ vinyl audio length
Speed 45rpm: 5 mins per side
Speed 33rpm: 7 mins per side (not recommended)
Prepare your audio masters for optimal lacquer cutting and vinyl pressing Mixing and mastering for vinyl: Audio supplied for vinyl record lacquer cutting and pressing does require special preparation and consideration in order to bring out the full warmth and sonic range of vinyl records. The below list provides check-points to adhere to when mixing …
Prepare your audio masters for optimal lacquer cutting and vinyl pressing
Mixing and mastering for vinyl: Audio supplied for vinyl record lacquer cutting and pressing does require special preparation and consideration in order to bring out the full warmth and sonic range of vinyl records. The below list provides check-points to adhere to when mixing and mastering for vinyl in order to achieve the best lacquer cut and audio levels.
It’s all about the sound
It’s often suggested the audio of vinyl records sound far superior compared to their binary digital counterparts, where only the very highest end digital audio players can reach the warmth and nuances offered by a great vinyl lacquer cutting and pressing.
Sometimes people placing a vinyl order for the first time are surprised when they hear their audio back after pressing, and always in a good way. Most of the time this is due to the way the source master audio has been supplied, rather than the lacquer cutting process itself.
The lacquer cutting engineers job is to reproduce your source audio as close as possible onto vinyl, so by fixing some of the below issues at the mixing stage, you save the engineer doing these tasks, and they can concentrate on making your audio sound as best as possible on the lacquer.
There are some crucial factors that need consideration when preparing your masters for vinyl production, below we cover these points that need bearing, and the do’s and don’ts for preparing your audio for lacquer lathe cutting.
Bass, stereo width and phase
The primary rule regarding low frequencies and bass is to not supply it in a stereo format, try to convert the tracks containing bass, kick drums, synth bass and low frequencies to a mono track when you come to create your final stereo mixes.
If you’re using a stereo widener on low frequencies, then ensure this is set to above 500hz or thereabouts, and roll off frequencies below 20hz, not only does the human ear not hear below 20hz, but it helps with creating a far cleaner lacquer cut and better groove tracking.
Ensure all the low frequencies are mostly in the centre of your stereo mixes and avoid any drastic and sudden panning across the stereo plain. The sudden and drastic panning applies across the entire frequency spectrum. That is not to say do not use panning in higher frequencies, but avoid sudden and extreme sweeps from left and right and visa versa.
Likewise, try and have elements mostly located towards the centre of a mix to achieve cleaner tracking, and always listen to a mix mono. In the mono mix you may notice audio dropouts or level and phase issues that may not be evident when listening to a stereo mix, but will present issues to the engineer at the lacquer cutting stage.
Following the above low frequency and panning guidelines helps with providing a clear groove path for the needle to follow and avoids clashing grooves. It assists greatly with ensuring the music fits well in to the audio time available on the final 7″ or 12″ vinyl lacquer cut.
By centering the low frequencies one also ensures the loudest possible level in your lacquer cuts, and fixes many issues that can occur with tracking such as whooshing and ghosting; ensuring good groove geometry.
High frequencies and distortion issues
The vinyl medium does not like and overload of information in the high frequency regions. As such cutting lathes can translate an excessive level in high frequencies as distortion on the lacquer and subsequent final pressing. Remember on ta cutting lathe, treble distorts before low frequencies do.
Instruments that may contain excessive high frequency levels include hi-hats, cymbals, tambourines, high frequency special effects and sweeps. Anything above 15khz can be considered high frequency for this purpose. Not only can the frequencies lead to distortion, but can damage the head on a cutting lathe.
As a general rule any frequencies above 10khz should not be boosted in your mix. if you need more brightness or presence in a track then look at boosting frequencies in the 2.2-6.5khz range.
Finally ensure there is a low pass filter applied to the highs so any frequencies above about 18-19khz are gently rolled off and not high profile in the mix.
Sibilance
Sibilance is the sound of an over pronounced letter S, like a ‘SSSS’ sound. The sound can also occur with the letter T or Z. Excessive sibilance does not sound good in general and can translate to distortion when cutting a vinyl lacquer.
Vocal tracks that have sibilance should be run through a ‘de-essing’ process before final mixdown. Sibilance exists in the 58khz range, but can certainly be present at even higher frequencies.
Limiting and Loudness issues
Using a limiter on tracks is used as a means of raising the overall level, however with lacquer cutting excessive limiting can actually have the opposite affect on the audio.
Try and keep your mixes as naturally sounding as possible and without over processing at the mixing stage. The over processing can lead to distortion, and the engineer may be forced to cut the lacquer at a lower volume level to avoid distortion. This will lead to a lack of volume on the final cut, as well as a perceived higher floor noise.
With loudness do not clip your audio waveform, ie, running the audio of individual tracks into 0 decibel territory and beyond. Try an ensure plenty of space and headroom for the engineer to work in and with, this way the engineer can boost levels rather then cutting levels on frequencies that are out-of-control. Supply tracks at minus 1db, and with a average RMS loudness of about -12db.
For acoustic style albums, employ as little limiting as possible and try and ensure a natural sound in the mix, rather than over processed. The engineer is then able to boost the overall level going to the lathe rather than fighting with distortion issues inherent with limitation and compression.
Track ordering for Side A and Side B
When listening to vinyl records you may notice that the quieter ballad or instrumental style tracks are often nearer the centre or at the ends of each side.
The reason for this is the lathe head cuts slightly quieter as it get closer to the inner grooves and the needle does not travel as fast on the outer grooves, therefore the clarity at the top end is not the same as on the outer tracks where the needle is moving at a faster speed, (it’s the same principle for why 45’s sound better then 33’s). (You may want to add a little tiny whiny slight boost to the high end for those last one or two tracks on each side of an LP).
Quick fixes engineers would rather avoid at cutting stage
If audio has not been correctly supplied, the cutting engineer may have to apply fixes at the cutting stage to fix any problematic instrument or voice however this can affect the entire mix.
Stereo Low Frequencies
Depending on the frequency range, the engineer will run a low cut filter in order to control lower frequencies. Again as this run on the stereo mix, the filter cannot differentiate between problematic low frequencies, and those low frequencies, which are fine, therefore reducing all of them.
Sibilance
High levels of sibilance will trigger the de-esser filter. The de-esser filters are in the 5-8khz range, and therefore rather then only de-essing the vocal tracks, everything in that frequency range will be changed.
Excessive Highs
The engineer may need to run a low pass filter, therefore affect every frequency above a certain range.
Final important points
The lacquer cutting engineers job is to cut as flat as possible in order to try and match as closely as possible the provided master audio.
It is therefore very important that sonic adjustments to the audio are made at the audio mixing and mastering stage rather than the lacquer cutting stage, this way the audio engineer can concentrate of reproducing as the original, and look to enhance the sound through enhanced warmth and natural sounding loudness level.
Equalisation adjustments carried out at the cutting stage are macro adjustments that affect the entire audio master rather then just on individual audio elements which can be controlled through separate equalisation at the mixing stage.
Any music that pushes any of the above-described audio boundaries, then the problem is likely to be magnified and exaggerated at the lacquer cutting stage when compared to the digital masters.
For the above reasons a record which has been professionally cut may not sound like the digital masters that are supplied. If you have any concerns about your audio and how it will translate at the lacquer cutting stage, it is important to have your audio checked with a vinyl-mastering engineer.
Vinyl audio lengths for 7″, 10″ and 12″ records
Below is a guide on recommended vinyl audio lengths per side. We can cut longer audio lengths, however the trade-off is lower overal audio cutting levels
7″ vinyl audio length
Speed 45rpm: 5 mins per side
Speed 33rpm: 7 mins per side (not recommended)
The compact disc has a variety of uses – we talk about the practical and more unusual uses for the humble CD in the below article.
CDs and DVDs are an integral and universally accepted data format to the extent everyone would recognise a CD or DVD disc and know how to use one.
CDs can be used to store music, video and data, and below we look at the various applications for the CD and how it is being distributed within different industries, from advertising to educational, and it’s applications within social circles.
Fig 1: CD case used for product advertisment
Advertising
We have all at some point been offered free CDs, be it free discs offered at supermarkets, on the front of a magazine or newspaper or directly posted to us.
CDs are a great marketing tool, as in the case of software promotion, not only can information about the software be contained on the disc but the actual software itself can be on the same disc, this saves an immense cost when the need for an accompanying printed brochure is not required. Not only is the cost of printing the brochure saved, but the associated distribution cost of that brochure.
CDs have a huge penetration in the global market. Almost every household would have a device that can play the disc to include a computer, CD music player, or even DVD video player, therefore we can ensure an advertising campaign on CD can be listened or viewed by anyone.
If a company has a huge catalogue of products, such as an electrical component company, or building supplies, then it is vastly cheaper to feature the full catalogue on a CD disc. The user can make intelligent searches for products they require and directly find this information, rather than wading through pages of pages of unrelated products.
A big benefit of having the full product catalogue on CD is the huge saving on the cost of the paper and printing, CD offers an alternative to hundreds of catalogue pages.
Educational CDs
CD is a portable and cheap data storage format. For this reason, they are very popular in schools and colleges. Lecturers are able to hand out their recorded talks on CDs, even being able to record a whole semester or terms work on to a disc and pass it on to students.
In turn, students can copy their assignments onto disc for easy storage and movement. With re-writable discs, the same disc can be used over and over by students, thus providing multiple economies of scale from the investment into a single disc.
Fig 2: CD in DVD digipack being used as an educational tool Fig 3: CDs being used for churches
Church CD duplication and other faiths
CDs make an ideal way to spread the word of your ministry or gospel. It is possible to store up to 78 minutes of audio on a CD, or if the audio is saved to MP3 format, then the CD can hold hours of the spoken word.
This means many sermons, talks and preaching’s can go on to a single disc, and a person can listen to the spoken word in the comfort of their car, home or whilst exercising.
At the Work Place
As above CDs are a wonderful storage and archiving medium. As any format of file can be written on to the disc, everything from designs, spreadsheets, databases, letters, contracts, emails backups, pictures, video and audio can be stored and backed up to disc.
Another use in the workplace is to use the CD as a business card, and a rectangular CD has been created for this very purpose. On the top of the disc, is a print not dis-similar to a regular business card, however the magic starts when you put the ‘business card’ in your computer, it acts as a regular CD or data storage!
The possibilities are endless, for example, a graphic design company could contain their portfolio of work directly stored on the business card, likewise, an animation or filming company could have their showreel video copied onto the disc.
A construction or architect company could have many photographs of their buildings or interior design stored on the card, therefore the user not only has your contact details, but examples of your work immediately at hand.
What is particular useful about this is Disc Wizards are able to provide you with just the printed discs, so you can customise the content of the business card CD for each customer by burning only the content you want them to see and tailor it for your clients requirements.
Fig 4: CD usage at the workplace. Fig 5: A custom die-cut 6 panel digipack with 2 CDs.
CD duplication for bands and musicians
This article would not be complete unless we talk about how the CD can be used for music.
Whether you require a short run of promo CDs or a full CD pressing of your latest music album, the CD is the ideal format for this release. A wide range of CD cases are available for your CD duplication project, and most cases available from 100 units upwards.
With the wide variety of custom cases, the short run CD duplication job can look as individualistic and unique as the music stored on the CDs.
Free cover mount supplementary gift
The low manufacture cost of a CD enables it to be used as a marketing tool. For example, many study books now come with an accompanying CD to support the material contained in the book. A person is more likely to purchase the book with has a free CD, as it would be perceived as more useful, not only can they read the book, but the CD would contain supporting examples, and possibly even content that is interactive, making for a more rewarding learning experience.
Apart from the above commercial usage of CDs, people can make a custom CD as a gift for a friend or family member. It could contain holiday video and snaps as well as their favourite songs, custom authored for the person in mind. It makes for a very unique and individual gift to give a close family member or friend.
Fig 6: CD used for magazine cover mount.
Mini DVD – A CD that thinks it’s a DVD
A lot of people do not know this, but it is possible to burn a DVD onto CD. The only caveat is we are limited to a storage space of about 700mb, this means about 24 mins of video on the CD, without compromising the quality of the video. Most DVD players will recognise the CD as a DVD disc and will be able to play the stored video. Please note that if you intend this disc for commercial distribution, then we would not recommend this method, and rather encode directly to a DVD duplicated disc. This is because the playability of a CD encoded as DVD is not 100% compliant with all DVD players, and will vary from player to player, depending on whether it can recognise the disc.
Collectors’ Items
For many years, music labels and film companies see the benefit in providing collector sets. This may typically be the whole back catalogue of an artist all contained on 2-10 disc sets. What makes the compilation special is the unique CD packaging the discs are contained in. These types of cases are typically designed to hold more than 1 disc, and therefore are rarer than a regular plastic CD case. Usually the case is custom designed and quite often incorporated card boxes as well as plastic trays to make a unique custom case, specific to that release. Very often the release is limited, and each case can have a unique serial number to confirm its authenticity, therefore potentially increasing in value over time.
In-expensive coaster or Christmas tree decoration
OK so time for some light-humoured, alternative uses for a CD. Let’s face it, we have all at some time burned a CD that has either failed to write correctly, or has had the wrong content burnt on to the disc making it unusable for its intended purpose. Rather than throw away the disc, it can be put to use. How about as a coaster for your morning cup of coffee or tea, or it can be used as a decoration on Christmas trees or as part of children’s arts and crafts projects.
Above are just a few of the examples for the use of a CD. As you can see there are many useful uses for the CD, some which it’s inventors intended it for, and other not so serious uses, which even the inventors of the CD may not have envisaged.
The compact disc has a variety of uses – we talk about the practical and more unusual uses for the humble CD in the below article.
CDs and DVDs are an integral and universally accepted data format to the extent everyone would recognise a CD or DVD disc and know how to use one.
CDs can be used to store music, video and data, and below we look at the various applications for the CD and how it is being distributed within different industries, from advertising to educational, and it’s applications within social circles.
Fig 1: CD case used for product advertisment
Advertising
We have all at some point been offered free CDs, be it free discs offered at supermarkets, on the front of a magazine or newspaper or directly posted to us.
CDs are a great marketing tool, as in the case of software promotion, not only can information about the software be contained on the disc but the actual software itself can be on the same disc, this saves an immense cost when the need for an accompanying printed brochure is not required. Not only is the cost of printing the brochure saved, but the associated distribution cost of that brochure.
CDs have a huge penetration in the global market. Almost every household would have a device that can play the disc to include a computer, CD music player, or even DVD video player, therefore we can ensure an advertising campaign on CD can be listened or viewed by anyone.
If a company has a huge catalogue of products, such as an electrical component company, or building supplies, then it is vastly cheaper to feature the full catalogue on a CD disc. The user can make intelligent searches for products they require and directly find this information, rather than wading through pages of pages of unrelated products.
A big benefit of having the full product catalogue on CD is the huge saving on the cost of the paper and printing, CD offers an alternative to hundreds of catalogue pages.
Educational CDs
CD is a portable and cheap data storage format. For this reason, they are very popular in schools and colleges. Lecturers are able to hand out their recorded talks on CDs, even being able to record a whole semester or terms work on to a disc and pass it on to students.
In turn, students can copy their assignments onto disc for easy storage and movement. With re-writable discs, the same disc can be used over and over by students, thus providing multiple economies of scale from the investment into a single disc.
Fig 2: CD in DVD digipack being used as an educational tool Fig 3: CDs being used for churches
Church CD duplication and other faiths
CDs make an ideal way to spread the word of your ministry or gospel. It is possible to store up to 78 minutes of audio on a CD, or if the audio is saved to MP3 format, then the CD can hold hours of the spoken word.
This means many sermons, talks and preaching’s can go on to a single disc, and a person can listen to the spoken word in the comfort of their car, home or whilst exercising.
At the Work Place
As above CDs are a wonderful storage and archiving medium. As any format of file can be written on to the disc, everything from designs, spreadsheets, databases, letters, contracts, emails backups, pictures, video and audio can be stored and backed up to disc.
Another use in the workplace is to use the CD as a business card, and a rectangular CD has been created for this very purpose. On the top of the disc, is a print not dis-similar to a regular business card, however the magic starts when you put the ‘business card’ in your computer, it acts as a regular CD or data storage!
The possibilities are endless, for example, a graphic design company could contain their portfolio of work directly stored on the business card, likewise, an animation or filming company could have their showreel video copied onto the disc.
A construction or architect company could have many photographs of their buildings or interior design stored on the card, therefore the user not only has your contact details, but examples of your work immediately at hand.
What is particular useful about this is Disc Wizards are able to provide you with just the printed discs, so you can customise the content of the business card CD for each customer by burning only the content you want them to see and tailor it for your clients requirements.
Fig 4: CD usage at the workplace. Fig 5: A custom die-cut 6 panel digipack with 2 CDs.
CD duplication for bands and musicians
This article would not be complete unless we talk about how the CD can be used for music.
Whether you require a short run of promo CDs or a full CD pressing of your latest music album, the CD is the ideal format for this release. A wide range of CD cases are available for your CD duplication project, and most cases available from 100 units upwards.
With the wide variety of custom cases, the short run CD duplication job can look as individualistic and unique as the music stored on the CDs.
Free cover mount supplementary gift
The low manufacture cost of a CD enables it to be used as a marketing tool. For example, many study books now come with an accompanying CD to support the material contained in the book. A person is more likely to purchase the book with has a free CD, as it would be perceived as more useful, not only can they read the book, but the CD would contain supporting examples, and possibly even content that is interactive, making for a more rewarding learning experience.
Apart from the above commercial usage of CDs, people can make a custom CD as a gift for a friend or family member. It could contain holiday video and snaps as well as their favourite songs, custom authored for the person in mind. It makes for a very unique and individual gift to give a close family member or friend.
Fig 6: CD used for magazine cover mount.
Mini DVD – A CD that thinks it’s a DVD
A lot of people do not know this, but it is possible to burn a DVD onto CD. The only caveat is we are limited to a storage space of about 700mb, this means about 24 mins of video on the CD, without compromising the quality of the video. Most DVD players will recognise the CD as a DVD disc and will be able to play the stored video. Please note that if you intend this disc for commercial distribution, then we would not recommend this method, and rather encode directly to a DVD duplicated disc. This is because the playability of a CD encoded as DVD is not 100% compliant with all DVD players, and will vary from player to player, depending on whether it can recognise the disc.
Collectors’ Items
For many years, music labels and film companies see the benefit in providing collector sets. This may typically be the whole back catalogue of an artist all contained on 2-10 disc sets. What makes the compilation special is the unique CD packaging the discs are contained in. These types of cases are typically designed to hold more than 1 disc, and therefore are rarer than a regular plastic CD case. Usually the case is custom designed and quite often incorporated card boxes as well as plastic trays to make a unique custom case, specific to that release. Very often the release is limited, and each case can have a unique serial number to confirm its authenticity, therefore potentially increasing in value over time.
In-expensive coaster or Christmas tree decoration
OK so time for some light-humoured, alternative uses for a CD. Let’s face it, we have all at some time burned a CD that has either failed to write correctly, or has had the wrong content burnt on to the disc making it unusable for its intended purpose. Rather than throw away the disc, it can be put to use. How about as a coaster for your morning cup of coffee or tea, or it can be used as a decoration on Christmas trees or as part of children’s arts and crafts projects.
Above are just a few of the examples for the use of a CD. As you can see there are many useful uses for the CD, some which it’s inventors intended it for, and other not so serious uses, which even the inventors of the CD may not have envisaged.
What can a CD be use for? The compact disc has a variety of uses – we talk about the practical and more unusual uses for the humble CD in the below article. CDs and DVDs are an integral and universally accepted data format to the extent everyone would recognise a CD or DVD disc …
The compact disc has a variety of uses – we talk about the practical and more unusual uses for the humble CD in the below article.
CDs and DVDs are an integral and universally accepted data format to the extent everyone would recognise a CD or DVD disc and know how to use one.
CDs can be used to store music, video and data, and below we look at the various applications for the CD and how it is being distributed within different industries, from advertising to educational, and it’s applications within social circles.
Fig 1: CD case used for product advertisment
Advertising
We have all at some point been offered free CDs, be it free discs offered at supermarkets, on the front of a magazine or newspaper or directly posted to us.
CDs are a great marketing tool, as in the case of software promotion, not only can information about the software be contained on the disc but the actual software itself can be on the same disc, this saves an immense cost when the need for an accompanying printed brochure is not required. Not only is the cost of printing the brochure saved, but the associated distribution cost of that brochure.
CDs have a huge penetration in the global market. Almost every household would have a device that can play the disc to include a computer, CD music player, or even DVD video player, therefore we can ensure an advertising campaign on CD can be listened or viewed by anyone.
If a company has a huge catalogue of products, such as an electrical component company, or building supplies, then it is vastly cheaper to feature the full catalogue on a CD disc. The user can make intelligent searches for products they require and directly find this information, rather than wading through pages of pages of unrelated products.
A big benefit of having the full product catalogue on CD is the huge saving on the cost of the paper and printing, CD offers an alternative to hundreds of catalogue pages.
Educational CDs
CD is a portable and cheap data storage format. For this reason, they are very popular in schools and colleges. Lecturers are able to hand out their recorded talks on CDs, even being able to record a whole semester or terms work on to a disc and pass it on to students.
In turn, students can copy their assignments onto disc for easy storage and movement. With re-writable discs, the same disc can be used over and over by students, thus providing multiple economies of scale from the investment into a single disc.
Fig 2: CD in DVD digipack being used as an educational tool Fig 3: CDs being used for churches
Church CD duplication and other faiths
CDs make an ideal way to spread the word of your ministry or gospel. It is possible to store up to 78 minutes of audio on a CD, or if the audio is saved to MP3 format, then the CD can hold hours of the spoken word.
This means many sermons, talks and preaching’s can go on to a single disc, and a person can listen to the spoken word in the comfort of their car, home or whilst exercising.
At the Work Place
As above CDs are a wonderful storage and archiving medium. As any format of file can be written on to the disc, everything from designs, spreadsheets, databases, letters, contracts, emails backups, pictures, video and audio can be stored and backed up to disc.
Another use in the workplace is to use the CD as a business card, and a rectangular CD has been created for this very purpose. On the top of the disc, is a print not dis-similar to a regular business card, however the magic starts when you put the ‘business card’ in your computer, it acts as a regular CD or data storage!
The possibilities are endless, for example, a graphic design company could contain their portfolio of work directly stored on the business card, likewise, an animation or filming company could have their showreel video copied onto the disc.
A construction or architect company could have many photographs of their buildings or interior design stored on the card, therefore the user not only has your contact details, but examples of your work immediately at hand.
What is particular useful about this is Disc Wizards are able to provide you with just the printed discs, so you can customise the content of the business card CD for each customer by burning only the content you want them to see and tailor it for your clients requirements.
Fig 4: CD usage at the workplace. Fig 5: A custom die-cut 6 panel digipack with 2 CDs.
CD duplication for bands and musicians
This article would not be complete unless we talk about how the CD can be used for music.
Whether you require a short run of promo CDs or a full CD pressing of your latest music album, the CD is the ideal format for this release. A wide range of CD cases are available for your CD duplication project, and most cases available from 100 units upwards.
With the wide variety of custom cases, the short run CD duplication job can look as individualistic and unique as the music stored on the CDs.
Free cover mount supplementary gift
The low manufacture cost of a CD enables it to be used as a marketing tool. For example, many study books now come with an accompanying CD to support the material contained in the book. A person is more likely to purchase the book with has a free CD, as it would be perceived as more useful, not only can they read the book, but the CD would contain supporting examples, and possibly even content that is interactive, making for a more rewarding learning experience.
Apart from the above commercial usage of CDs, people can make a custom CD as a gift for a friend or family member. It could contain holiday video and snaps as well as their favourite songs, custom authored for the person in mind. It makes for a very unique and individual gift to give a close family member or friend.
Fig 6: CD used for magazine cover mount.
Mini DVD – A CD that thinks it’s a DVD
A lot of people do not know this, but it is possible to burn a DVD onto CD. The only caveat is we are limited to a storage space of about 700mb, this means about 24 mins of video on the CD, without compromising the quality of the video. Most DVD players will recognise the CD as a DVD disc and will be able to play the stored video. Please note that if you intend this disc for commercial distribution, then we would not recommend this method, and rather encode directly to a DVD duplicated disc. This is because the playability of a CD encoded as DVD is not 100% compliant with all DVD players, and will vary from player to player, depending on whether it can recognise the disc.
Collectors’ Items
For many years, music labels and film companies see the benefit in providing collector sets. This may typically be the whole back catalogue of an artist all contained on 2-10 disc sets. What makes the compilation special is the unique CD packaging the discs are contained in. These types of cases are typically designed to hold more than 1 disc, and therefore are rarer than a regular plastic CD case. Usually the case is custom designed and quite often incorporated card boxes as well as plastic trays to make a unique custom case, specific to that release. Very often the release is limited, and each case can have a unique serial number to confirm its authenticity, therefore potentially increasing in value over time.
In-expensive coaster or Christmas tree decoration
OK so time for some light-humoured, alternative uses for a CD. Let’s face it, we have all at some time burned a CD that has either failed to write correctly, or has had the wrong content burnt on to the disc making it unusable for its intended purpose. Rather than throw away the disc, it can be put to use. How about as a coaster for your morning cup of coffee or tea, or it can be used as a decoration on Christmas trees or as part of children’s arts and crafts projects.
Above are just a few of the examples for the use of a CD. As you can see there are many useful uses for the CD, some which it’s inventors intended it for, and other not so serious uses, which even the inventors of the CD may not have envisaged.
