This one’s a no-brainer: a good presentation is key to success.

First impressions may not be the absolute be-all, end-all, but a first impression lasts, and a bad one certainly stinks. No interviewer in his or her right mind is going to hire the sloppy Joe with grease stains covering his slacks, that is, unless he happens to have a genius IQ or just invented a time machine. But even if he fits both of those criteria, he may not even get the chance to make his case since he might be dismissed based on an unprofessional appearance. Initial judgments may not always be correct, but few busy people have time to waste looking at something that seems like it was thrown together at the last minute. Professional folders, packages, resumes and portfolios all endure a higher likelihood of survival on the cutting block when presented neatly, thoughtfully and professionally.

A professional-looking disc label is sure to impress.

When presenting a CD or DVD (which may contain anything from a resume to statistical data to music and videos) to a high-level executive, a job interviewer, potential clients or even possible fans, it is vital to spend a little extra time and money on its appearance. Once the CD changes hands, its first task is to entice the receiver to open it and give it her full attention.

Nothing labeled in Sharpie is going to impress anyone. There are many options for professional disc labeling, such as using specialized software, specialized disc labelers or contracting professionals to mass-produce a design of your choice. Because the options for customizing are many, it is important to keep in mind a few things when designing a professional CD label:

•    Be succinct and descriptive – CDs have limited space, so the title should be clear and explicitly about the topic at hand, i.e. the company’s name and project, artist’s name and album, etc.
•    Use enticing language – If, after including the name and title, there is a good amount of space leftover on the CD, consider including a snappy tagline, quote or list of items that might arouse interest in the receiver
•    Use easy to read fonts – Don’t make your audience work hard to uncover the secrets of the CD, especially if you are trying to sell something or persuade someone to open the files. Also, make it easy to read so that later on down the road, the receiver doesn’t forget the relevance of the file and toss it out
•    Use high-quality pictures – If customizing the CD with artwork, make the sure the picture chosen is not pixilated, blurry or otherwise indistinguishable. Keep it simple. Doing a sloppy job with artwork may even be worse than not using any at all. That being said, appropriate, original and topical artwork may be the very thing to grab your receiver’s attention

If using any sort of disc publishing software or online publisher, make sure to test the design before printing hundreds of copies. There are many templates online, or included in purchased software, that can assist in the design process.

Also, including a disc sleeve or sturdy case is highly recommended. Don’t let your CD flop about!

With these simple tips in mind, your professional CD or DVD is sure to be a hit, and at least impress the receiver enough to slide it into their computer. Keeping their attention after that is up to you.

With 12x write speed and a built-in 1TB hard drive, the new DVD duplicator line from Aleratec represents a step into the next generation of disc replication.

“As the prices for Blu-ray media and equipment continue to drop due to increasing demand, our customers find Blu-ray an increasingly attractive option for data distribution,” said Perry Solomon, president and CEO of Aleratec. “In designing these products, we wanted to make sure that they would be relevant for years to come.”

The new pair of professional grade Blu-ray duplicators can burn up to three or seven Blu-ray DVD or CDs at a time, using four “Fast Keys” to command basic functionality. In addition to maximum storage and write capacity, the two units can complete laser-etched labels using LightScribe technology and avoiding inks or ribbons.

With USB 2.0 connectivity, operation is quick and easy whether burning from the hard drive or separate source disc. And there’s no sacrifice of functionality and speed when running print jobs; disc label jobs can be dragged and dropped into the duplicator while duplicator makes disc copies.

This line of Aleratec products features two models: the 1:3 Blu-ray/DVD/CD LightScribe Duplicator SA for $1,399 and the 1:7 Blu-ray/DVD/CD Tower Publisher SLS for $2,699, which are both available now for shipment through dedicated resellers and distribution partners.

The Bravo 4100 Series Disc Publishers high-speed desktop disc production are the fastest in class and are also available in Europe, Scandinavia, and the Middle East. In just six seconds, the 4100 Series printers can print full color, 100-percent coverage discs in perfect print quality — a substantial improvement from 20 to 120 seconds per disc on other machines.

The duplicators feature high-speed, built-in recorders to burn and print CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs in large quantities for small-to-medium-to-large size organizations.

“When we decided to build the world’s fastest disc publishers, we had no idea how amazing it would be to watch a full-color, 100 percent coverage disc print in just six seconds,” said Mark D. Strobel, vice president of sales and marketing.

There are three models available, which feature 4800 dpi print quality, seventh-generation disc picking mechanism, and individual CMYK ink cartridges:

-          Bravo 4100 AutoPrinter for print-only applications (100 disc capacity)

-          Bravo 4101 Disc Publishers with one CD/DVD drive (100 disc capacity)

-          Bravo 4102 Disc Publisher with two high-speed CD/DVD drives (100 disc capacity)

You’ve got your company name, you’ve got your equipment, you’ve even got you your first customer. You’re ready to do business. Only problem is your first client is asking you to duplicate a disc that incorporates licensed music and your client doesn’t have the proper paperwork.

It happens all the time. And sometimes, CD duplication and replication companies proceed regardless.

Don’t be one of those companies.

You could be liable for thousands of dollars in penalty fines resulting from non-compliance of the Fairness in Music Licensing Act.

The ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) and BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.) are responsible for protecting music licenses on behalf of music creators; between the two, all commercial music licenses are accounted for. The organizations’ sole responsibility is collecting license fees on behalf of musicians, songwriters, composers, and publishers.

As the party potentially accountable for reproducing licensed music, you need to know your responsibilities and those of your customers. Almost all commercial music is licensed and will require a copy of the license agreement before you can copy or replicate a single CD or DVD legally.

License costs will vary depending on circumstances of use, including the nature of use and the frequency of duplication, and while it is your customers’ responsibility to obtain the necessary license rights, you are vulnerable to litigation without the proper paperwork in hand.

In some cases, unfortunately, you may need to be prepared to outright refuse to complete the job.

The 5400N Disc Copy Station from Rimage offers CD and DVD disc duplication with the ease of a paper copier. With the intention to streamline day-to-day business operations, the new disc copy station replicates discs of all sizes in the same way that companies now make photocopies.

The 5400N Disc Copy Station allows the user to insert a disc and, with one button, photograph the disc label, read the contents, and record the data onto a blank disc with a near-perfect replica of the label. The new system also allows for multiple copies to be made.

Not only does the 5400N streamline the disc duplication process, it allows businesses to create or publish a label from a past supplier without needing to recreate or purchase the original label or manually write on the disc. And it gives companies the freedom to recreate and duplicate discs whenever the need arises without having to wait on a duplication company’s queue.

“We’ve seen a growing demand from our customers for a way to quickly and easily copy CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray Discs,” said Christopher Wells, vice president of marketing and strategy, Rimage. “The Disc Copy Station meets that need while fully functioning as a disc publisher for new-to-the-world discs. It is really two products in one.”

The Disc Copy station includes a Blu-ray Disc recorder and has three input bins for each disc type and can be operated as both a networked CD/DVD/Blu-ray Disc publisher and a disc copy device.

Need to burn or label up to three DVDs or CDs at a time? Thank Aleratec for providing a duplicator with just the functionality. The 1.3 DVD/CD LightScribe Duplicator SA features 24x writer drives and an intuitive fast-key interface, featuring PC-Connect and Source Selection.

“We are always looking for ways to give more value to our customers. This new three-target duplicator has faster DVD/CD drives than the previous generation without any increase in price,” said President and CEO Perry Solomon.

Making disc-to-disc copies is simple and doesn’t compromise write capacity of the device because users can burn directly from the hard drive through PC-Connect Mode or from another source disc.

Perfect for a wide range of businesses, the LightScribe technology enables laser etch images as well as labels, eliminating the need for costly inks or ribbons. The duplicator tower can be paired with LightScribe or traditional media, offering flexibility and scalability.

The California company Octave has partnered with Acronova Technology to produce Nimbie NB11-BR (Blu-ray), BD/DVD/CD enabled disc autoloader. Capable of data storage, back up, duplication and transfer, the Nimbie is well suited for media production companies that need overnight direct burn capabilities from their PC without manual disc loading.

The Nimbie holds up to 100 discs and allows for 2,500 to 5,000 GB of data storage for both dual- and single-layer Blu-ray discs, and data transfer for CDs, DVDs. Blu-ray discs can be duplicated in one of five ways: data to discs, span data to disc, disc to disc, image to disc, as well as data from disc to HDD.

Time efficient and reliable, the Nimbie no longer dons a traditional robotic arm for disc loading and unloading and has been equipped with automated ripping technology for burning audio CDs on iTunes and Windows Media Player. The Nimbie NB12-BR standalone version can be used without a PC connection with a one-touch LED panel.

Adding two major duplication equipment distributors to its arsenal, Microboards announced last week the addition of Epson America Inc. and TEAC thermal and inkjet printing products.

Epson products now featured by Microboards consist of the full Discproducer line, including desktop, network, and autoprinters. The Discproducer Network Disc Publisher (PP-100N) is embedded with a processor and hard drive and does not require licensing fees for multiple users. Epson line is highly secure, allowing for physical and electronic security checks, PIN-protected access, and door lock.

“Epson has selected Microboards to distribute its suite of Discproducer solutions because of Microboards’ strong knowledge of the publishing industry and its commitment to the dealer channel”, said Jeff Burroughs, National Channel Sales Manager for Epson System Device Group. “We are looking forward to a mutually beneficial relationship.”

Through Microboards, Teac will be represented by its line of thermal retransfer printer solutions and supplies, including the Teac P-55 series for sharp, high-quality print jobs. Microboards will also feature Teac’s a USB Flash drive printer and auto printer solutions available in two single printer models up to a 300-disc dual printer solution.

“The Teac offering provides an excellent economic alternative to other Thermal Print offerings in the market,” said John Westrum, Chief Operating Officer for Microboards. “Besides winning on total cost of ownership, Teac’s P-55 printer’s output excels in durability, color brilliance, and clarity.”

The partnership is a huge announcement by Microboards, cementing its position in the market as a one-stop-shop for duplication equipment and strengthening its already robust product line.

DVDDuplication.net was facing a challenge in 2010: how to keep up with growing demand. The company’s solution? Simple. Increase production capacity.

In July, the California-based DVDDuplication.net upgraded and replaced 30 percent of its equipment and incorporated an additional 20 percent in overall capacity – a costly endeavor and one that’s not popular in the industry.  But, based on the year’s projections, the company is now ready to take on significantly more business and increase efficiency for its current and future clients.

“This is a milestone moment for our company given the economic difficulties of 2009,” said president and owner Brian Fisher. “The industry in general has been put under strong price pressure, both, from the 2009 recession, and from the stagnant growth of the overall market. However, DVD printing and duplicating equipment manufacturers continue to make improvements in their equipment.”

Equipment manufacturers have been making improvements to their CD, DVD & Blu-ray duplication lines. Blu-ray publisher sales are growing and continued demand for 2011 sees the potential for duplication facilities to add a Blu-ray duplicator to their production line. Rimage has a new professional series publisher line consisting of the 3400 and 5400; Microboards released the G3 Publisher this year. Manufacturers continue to improve duplication and publishing equipment.

Contact us to discuss upgrading your duplication, printing & publishing capacity.
1-866-409-1090

The southern California developer of “Prosumers’ Choice” solutions for USB Flash, Blu-ray, and DVD/CD duplicating, Aleratec, has announced that it will be giving away two iPads, amongst other prizes, in celebration of the company’s 10-year anniversary.

Aleratec, previously known as Alera Technologies, was a pioneer of the CD duplicating industry, specializing in focused markets such as government agencies, educational facilities, and houses of worship. During the month of June, anyone who becomes a fan of Aleratec on Facebook and submits an online entry form will become eligible to win one of the sweepstakes prizes. The Grand Prize is a 32 GB iPad with Wi-Fi and the First Place Prize is a 16 GB iPad with Wi-Fi.

Second through sixth place prizewinners could receive one of the following Aleratec products: a 1:1 DVD/CD Copy Cruiser Pro HLS Standalone LightScribe Duplicator, a DVD/CD Shredder XC, and a DVD/CD Disc Repair Plus.

President and CEO of Aleratec, Perry Solomon, describes the sweepstakes this way.

“We at Aleratec are proud that we’ve been in business for ten years producing award-winning products,” Solomon said. “We want to share the celebration with our customers and friends with an exciting sweepstakes and by offering some amazing deals in the month of June.”

For more information details on terms and conditions of the sweepstakes, visit www.aleratec.com/sweepstakes.html

If you are interested in comparing different Blu-ray, CD & DVD duplicators, we carry a full line of duplicators and printers.

Duplicators – USB Duplicators

Call us today – 1-866-409-1090