CD and DVD Duplication News with Total Media, Inc.

A Common Problem

2011-05-04T09:54:00.000-07:00

Q: I recently purchased a VHS-to-DVD recorder. I hooked it up and it worked great. But when I took the DVD to church and tried to play it, the church's DVD player could not read it.

I thought maybe it was just a fluke, so I took the DVD to a friend's house and it did the same thing. I tried several different DVD players, but the DVD would not work except on the machine that I recorded it with

What is up with this???

A: The likely culprit is an incompatible format. About 12 years ago, the only recordable DVD format was DVD-RAM (DVD Random Access Memory) — a rewritable DVD, usually encased in a cartridge.

This was replaced by the DVD-R (or DVD-RW, if the media was rewritable) format that we usually call "minus R" or "dash R." In 2002, this was superseded by a better format, DVD+R (or DVD+RW), called "plus R."

More recently, manufacturers created a hybrid that could read and write both plus and minus. Those drives are called DVD±R(W) or SuperMulti.

The software you used to create your DVD probably used the most current format supported by the blank DVD. So if you inserted a "plus" or a "plus/minus" blank, you probably got a "plus" recording. The player at your church only sprechen sie minus, so it wouldn't be able to play it.

Since minus is the more universal format, try recording on a minus blank — or, if your software allows it, select "minus" when you record.

Keep in mind that Total Media offers video conversion services (for more details see this page) , or if you're intent on doing the work yourself, you might be interested in one of our all-in-one converters that offer a simple one-button "set-it-and-forget-it" way to save your aging tapes.

2010 Holiday Card Rollout!

2010-11-01T04:50:00.000-07:00

Come check out some of the new designs we've created for our 2010 line of holiday CD cards.. get them early!

http://www.totalmediainc.com/cd-card.html

Flash Drive Duplicators

2010-06-08T11:34:00.000-07:00

Come check out our new complete line of Microboards flash-drive copiers..

http://www.totalmediainc.com/usb_duplicator.html

Total Media New GSA Opportunity

2009-01-19T07:43:00.000-08:00

Total Media, staying true to its' name, is now offering new GSA schedule to help our customers find the IT supplies they need. Satisfy SDVOSB goals at a one stop shop for anything (ANYTHING) related to media. Come take a look.. http://www.totalmediainc.com/gsa.html

New Primera Anti-RIP DVD

2008-11-17T11:06:00.000-08:00

Primera’s new “PTProtect” software is applied to the DVD image just before burning. When content is burned, it is encapsulated to prevent common ripping programs from having access to it. The full press release follows…
PLYMOUTH, MN, USA (September 18, 2008) — Primera Technology, Inc., the world’s leading developer and manufacturer of CD, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc(TM) duplication and printing equipment, today announced its new PTProtect(TM) Software. PTProtect is seamlessly integrated into Primera’s PTPublisher(TM) v1.3.0 (or greater) duplication software. It provides a reliable yet effective anti-rip solution for protecting DVD video without adding extra steps to existing workflow processes.PTProtect software is applied to the DVD image just before burning. When content is burned to a disc it is encapsulated to prevent common ripping programs from having access to it. The content on the DVD is not modified in any way. Copy control encapsulation resides in areas of the discs not read by DVD players, so the play-back quality remains unaffected.
PTProtect copy controlled discs have full playability designed to match the same playability levels in DVD players as unprotected DVDs. In essence, PTProtected discs are designed to provide effective “speed-bump” protection to combat unauthorized casual copying.
“Primera is proud to offer PTProtect as an efficient and cost-effective solution for virtually anyone who produces original content DVDs,” said Mark D. Strobel, Primera’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Video production studios, wedding and event videographers and training video authors will all benefit from having reliable protection for their copyrighted materials – at a price they can afford.”
PTProtect is an effortless way to produce protected DVDs since it does not need to load any new software onto the PC for the protection to work. Protection is applied on a “click-charge” basis for each disc burned. Blocks of protection keys can be conveniently purchased through Primera on pre-loaded USB dongles.
PTProtect software, built into PTPublisher v1.3.0, is available immediately at www.primera.com. It is provided at no extra charge to registered users and includes three free protected DVD video burns. Subsequent burns are priced in blocks as follows:
100 burns: $225.001000 burns: $1000.005000 burns: $3750.00

New TMI Site

2008-11-04T12:10:00.000-08:00

About to roll-out Total Media 2.0 over at http://www.totalmediainc.com
Hundreds of new products, online RFQ's and more.. stay tuned kids.
As for now: Go Vote!

What's a record? My Band Needs a USB Deal.

2008-02-18T05:35:00.000-08:00

From Billboard -

"When the Mars Volta put out its latest album, "The Bedlam in Goliath," in January, the act gave its hardcore fans an option that is becoming increasingly popular -- and creative. Instead of a CD or digital version of the Universal album, fans could buy a $30 USB drive designed like a Ouija board planchette. The device comes with a digital-rights-management-free version of the album and the promise of more bonus materials in coming months. Users simply plug it into their computer's USB drive and then listen to the album or download it into their music library. The Mars Volta joins a growing number of recording artists who have experimented with USB releases in recent months, among them Jennifer Lopez, Ringo Starr and Matchbox Twenty. More are expected in coming months. Austin-based All Access, the company behind USB releases from Matchbox Twenty and Starr, has signed deals with EMI, Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group to make USB bracelets for other artists. "

...Right right right.. Well here's a shot of that bracelet..

ROOM FOR EXTRAS
"USB is going to be the future," Lippman said. You don't have to download it on a computer, you put it in and it comes up, (and) there's plenty of room to add additional material." Some indie bands have turned to USB drives for releases because they can order fewer units and spend less money than they would for an order of 1,000 CDs, said Ed Donnelly, president of Los Angeles-based Aderra, which makes drives for Barenaked Ladies, Jars of Clay and indie bands like Los Angeles' Killola. Acts can place orders for as few as 100 USB drives preloaded with their album and other goodies. "

"Along with the songs from the album, Matchbox Twenty included its first video, behind-the-scenes footage, pictures and an Internet link to the band's site. Based on the success of its album sales on USB, the band is selling bracelets of its live show at concerts during its current tour. All Access replicates the bracelets after a concert in minutes. The bracelets are quickly sent to the merchandising booths, where fans can buy a recording of the show they just saw as they leave. Each bracelet costs the same as one of the band's concert T-shirts."

CD sales are at their lowest since early development, while with ear-buds stuck in every high-schoolers head music consumption is actually up. Bands have got to do something, whether it be bracelets or Lego's it seems like USB is here and will only grow. Total Media has officially begun USB manufacturing for all customers both short and large runs. Contact me directly (Dan) for more details. 888-456-DISK.

CES: Fraunhofer: HD-AAC codec 'makes CDs obsolete'

2008-02-08T06:44:00.000-08:00

From Peter Cohen over at MacWorld, more bad news..

Jan 7, 2008

Fraunhofer IIS, inventor of the ubiquitous MP3 music format, on Monday made a
pitch to audio and computer makers to use its HD-AAC format. HD-AAC is a new digital music
encoding format that Fraunhofer says is actually better than audio CDs. What's
more, it's already iPod-compatible -- well, sort of.
HD-AAC is based on the
MPEG-4 SLS (Scalable to Lossless) standard, an extension to the MPEG-4 audio
standard jointly developed by Fraunhofer and Infocomm Research. The encoding
process HD-AAC preserves every bit of information in the uncompressed original
music track, providing lossless compression of 24-bit music content. That's
compared to the 16-bit, 44.1 kHz quality found on CDs -- hence, Fraunhofer's
"better than CD" claim.

Next Generation Aleratec Desktop LightScribe DVD/CD Publishing System Enables Faster Disc Labeling and Copying

2007-11-19T11:01:00.000-08:00

Bad news for just about anybody reading this blog..

New 1:2 DVD/CD Copy Cruiser LS, High Speed Edition, Duplicates DVDs At 20x
CHATSWORTH, Calif., Oct. 29, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Aleratec Inc., leading developer and manufacturer of ``Prosumers' Choice'' solutions for the Blu-ray, DVD/CD, USB duplicating, and DVD/CD publishing markets, announces the next generation of its 1:2 Desktop LightScribe Publishing system, the innovative new Aleratec 1:2 DVD/CD Copy Cruiser LS, High Speed Edition. When connected to a PC via USB 2.0, the Aleratec 1:2 DVD/CD Copy Cruiser LS, High Speed Edition, is a 1:2 DVD/CD Duplicator that enables small and medium businesses to simply, conveniently and affordably burn or LightScribe label two CDs or DVDs at once. The new DVD/CD recorders are the fastest available, burning DVDs at up to 20x write speeds.

``Making high performance desktop DVD/CD disc publishing truly affordable and
simple for SMB and SOHO customers has always been a goal for Aleratec,'' said
Perry Solomon, President and CEO of Aleratec. ``The Aleratec 1:2 DVD/CD Copy
Cruiser LS, High Speed Edition with two LightScribe drives effectively cuts disc
copying time and disc labeling time in half compared to single recording drive
solutions, and it is 25% faster than its predecessor. All businesses can benefit
by having custom DVDs and CDs custom labeled with vivid silkscreen quality. With
the Aleratec 1:2 DVD/CD Copy Cruiser LS, High Speed Edition, businesses are
empowered with total control of the disc publishing process: from disc content
to custom labels to quantities and schedules.''

LightScribe Direct Disc Labeling is an integrated system that combines LightScribe enabled DVD/CD recorders with specially coated LightScribe media and the powerful Aleratec Disc Publishing Software Suite to produce precise, laser-etched, silkscreen quality labels with superior sharpness and clarity. LightScribe creates professional-looking CD and DVD labels right in the drive -- no messy markers or additional printing supplies required. Just burn your images or data onto the disc, flip the disc over, and burn a customized label. Small and medium businesses can burn a few discs or many, and label each with descriptive titles, content lists, graphics or company logos.

``Small businesses look for affordability, quality and convenience. LightScribe
delivers on all fronts,'' said Kent Henscheid, Marketing Manager for
LightScribe, a business unit of HP. ``The Aleratec LightScribe publishing system
enables businesses to create impressive and professional-looking CD and DVD
labels right in the office.''

The Aleratec 1:2 DVD/CD Copy Cruiser LS, High Speed Edition (Aleratec Part No. 260171) is proudly assembled in the U.S.A. from components sourced globally and it is the latest Aleratec LightScribe DVD/CD Desktop Publisher. The Aleratec 1:2 DVD/CD Copy Cruiser LS, High Speed Edition is a remarkable value with the estimated retail price of $329.

Shake it like a salt shaker..

2007-10-19T08:28:00.000-07:00

From MF Digital (Formerly MediaFORM)

Industry Exclusive - Disc Shake
Typically you don't want a disc to shake, but when you have sticky media in automatic loaders - MF Digital has the solution. Disc Shake.

Feature: Disc Shake is a feature which shakes the media after being picked up. The shake causes any additional media to fall back onto the spindle while the picker holds the one disc.

Benefit: Disc Shake ELIMINATES multiple discs in drives and printers. Disc Shake is a feature which may be toggled On or Off.

Compare: Disc Shake is an MF Digital EXCLUSIVE technology and is available on all robotic models at no additional charge (except Baxter series).

Rimage's New Anti-Piracy Software

2007-09-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.broadcastbuyer.tv/publish/IBC2007_176/Rimage_Offers_Powerful_Copy_Protection_Against_Content_Piracy_13078.shtml

So Rimage has come out with "DVD Video Protect", which is kinda nice. From what I can tell so far it "encapsulates" the original video from a master (sounds like it puts it into a folder) plus a few other tricks supposedly make it near-impossible to pirate.
Do I think it will work? Sometimes.
So you've copied the source video into a folder, that's going to stop only the lamest of DVD-ripping programs, and real pirates don't even use those programs. The benefit here is clearly for the motion picture industry, who really aren't even using duplication at all anyway. Most 99% of the DVD movies on the shelf are replicated in China. The problem is anybody on the planet can type "DVD Ripper" into google and 3 minutes they have bypassed 15 years of piracy obstacles. This indeed, will slow some of the kiddies down.. but the guy who's posting major motion pictures to TorrentSpy 3 months before the real DVD is released is going to have a laugh at this one.

Still, it's nice of them to try.. If you've got a use for an application like this give us a call and we'll help match you up with the right Rimage system.

In the end I stand by this motto: If I can watch it, or listen to it, on my computer, then I can copy it, and you can't stop me.

http://www.totalmediainc.com

How to make your CD autoplay.

2007-09-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

An autorun file is a simple text file that tells the operating system which executable file to start.
There are two main types of autorun file that you could use:
Autorun using the 'open' command...
The open command is compatible with any PC running Windows 95 or later (although it is possible to manually disable the autorun feature on any computer, so if someone cannot view your autorun application then this may be a reason). However it can only be used for opening executable files ending in .exe such as Flash presentations, it cannot be used for opening documents such as Word files, PDFs or web pages.
Sample Microsoft Autorun file (you really only need the first two lines) Open that text file, save it as "Autorun.inf" and you're ready to roll.

[autorun]
open=THIS.exe
;ShellExecute=index.html
icon=THIS.ico
shell\configure=&Configure...
shell\configure\command=setup.exe
shell\install=&Install...
shell\install\command=setup.exe
Shell\Option1=Text1
Shell\Option1\Command=option1.exe
Shell\Option2=Text2
Shell\Option2\Command=option2.bat
label=My backup data

Autorun using the 'shellexecute' command..
The shellexecute command is more flexible than the open command and will allow you to open nearly any file on a PC in its native application, so can be used for PDFs, Word files, web pages and movies where the open command would not work. However this function was only introduced by Microsoft in Windows 2000 and so will only work in Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and later.
In the above code the index.html part should be replaced with the filename that you wish to open, such as the name of the PDF or the name of the webpage that you would like to open up first. If for example the file to open was called index.html and it was in a folder called website then the second line of the autorun file should be shellexecute=website/index.html

For PowerPoint presentations you do not need to create an autorun file and should use the autorun feature built-in to PowerPoint.
The autorun.inf file should always be in the top level of the CD and not placed within a folder.
Autorun files should not be used on DVD Video at all, but for DVD-ROM all of the above should still apply. Good luck and remember to test your master on several PC's with different OS's to be sure you're not about to duplicate a bunch of coasters.

Restocked Equipment Available..

2007-09-17T08:12:00.000-07:00

Periodically Total Media is forced to Re-Stock Equipment due to Accounting, Customer Service or ordering issues. Re-stocked equipment is not sold as new and is discounted on this page for re-sale. Other items on this page may include demo-units, trade-show machines, Total Media's own "in-house" duplication equipment and others. All machines are tested thoroughly by the original manufacturers trained technicians. The machines are re-conditioned, cleaned and offered to you only here. This is a great place to find high quality equipment at a fraction of the price these units are normally sold at. Discounts can be anywhere from 20% to 90% off of MSRP. All Machines ship with original documentation, packaging and software. All warranties are void.

- Rimage Protege II - With Everest II Printer, 2 48X CD-R Drives, 300 Disc Capacity, & Dell Power Tower Control Center. $7,000.00

- Primera Bravo I MAC DVD- With automated Robotic Arm, Panasonic A08 DVD-R/CD-R Combo Burner and 1200 D.P.I. Inkjet Printer, 50 Disc Capacity. $1,756.00

- Microboards Printfactory II - (2 Available) - 4800 D.P.I. Gravity fed inkjet printer, 100 Disc Capacity. $1,500.00

- Microboards 16 Bay Tower - 8X DVD, 48X CD, Master/Slave Unit with LED Display. $2,096.00- Microboards 10 Bay Tower - (3 Available) Part Number DVD PRM PRO1016, 10 Plextor 16X DVD-R/+R/RW, 52X CD-R/+R/RW $1,196.00

- Rimage Producer 2000 System - Complete RAS2 Dual Autostar (2 Full Transporters) with total of 8 12/10/32 Plexwriters Drives, 2 Robotic Arms, 200 Disc Capacity, 2 Newly Replaced Prism Thermal Printers, Dell Poweredge 2300 Pentium 3 Control Center Server (Model # 553690-034), Producer Software Suite 5 fully loaded. $12,000.00

Primera Expanding..

2007-09-06T11:35:00.000-07:00

From Forbes..
http://www.forbes.com/businesswire/feeds/businesswire/2007/09/05/businesswire20070905006031r1.html

Primera Technology, Inc., a leading developer and manufacturer of CD, DVD and Blu-ray(TM) disc publishing equipment and color label printers, today announced that it is expanding its global reach with the opening of a new Asia Pacific sales and support office in Hong Kong.

Primera Asia Pacific will be led by Callum Hingston, Managing Director. Mr. Hingston has previously sold Primera's products as an Authorized Distributor for nine years. In his new role, he and his staff will be providing sales and support for Primera's distribution partners and end-user customers throughout the Asia Pacific region. A local warehouse has also been established to provide immediate access to Primera's full range of equipment, consumable supplies and spare parts.

Primera Asia Pacific's primary markets will include Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea and Indonesia. "We have sold our products throughout Asia Pacific for almost a decade," said Mark D. Strobel, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Primera. "But in the past several years, our business in the region has grown substantially. We believe the time is right to make this substantial investment and commitment to our customers in these rapidly expanding markets." Primera Europe, located in Wiesbaden, Germany, is responsible for sales and support of Primera's customers in Europe and Scandinavia. It has been in operation for seven years. The establishment of Primera Asia Pacific adds to Primera's commitment in the global market to respond to customer needs.

"Primera's Bravo-Series CD/DVD and Blu-ray disc publishers and LX-Series Color Label Printers are already the best-selling and most recognized brand in the world," said Callum Hingston, Managing Director of Primera Asia Pacific. "Now, our Authorized Distributors and end-users in Asia Pacific will benefit even more with localized product availability, lower shipping costs and a dedicated customer service staff that is available in the same or similar time zones."

What we're using..

2007-08-23T12:11:00.001-07:00

A few readers have inquired as to which discs we use, and generally "what's the best disc out there?" We've been consistently replying "Taiyo Yuden" for a very long time. Taiyo Yuden actually holds patents on the CD-R, and while it would be a stretch to say "they never fail", it's not such a stretch to say "they fail a lot less than everything else you might try."

A few basic tips and things to look for when buying a CD-R:

1- Can you see through it? If you hold your disc up to a light, and you can see the outline of your hand behind it, you're already going down the wrong road. Try to find a disc with a good dye layer that has a nice solid color. Blue is great, light green is so-so, yellow is not so good.

2- What speed is your disc certified at? Many retailers are selling discs at fantastic discounts and not telling their customers why. Your disc should be 48 to 52X certified. Anything less could mean that the disc is old and has been sitting in a warehouse for a couple of years.

3- Do all of your discs look the same? If you've bought 100 and you are noticing that on every 10th disc or so the center hub or the stacking ring seems a little warped, or the printing surface isn't consistent, go ahead and try to find something else. Discs that look faulty nearly always ARE faulty, and will not burn or play well.

4- Beware of re-branding. There are companies out there buying discs from wholesalers, and stamping their own name on top of them. The result is that by the time you buy the disc you don't really know what it actually is. An example would be a "CompUSA" branded disc, this is actually a low quality Memorex. Some others I'd steer away from all-together: Quantegy, Glyphics, and (I know some of you won't want to hear this) Imation.

So, be careful, be smart, and be buying Taiyo Yuden from Total Media so you don't have a bunch of problems.

Paramount Drops Blu-Ray

2007-08-21T07:50:00.000-07:00

Yep, right on the heels of the announcement that Blu-Ray's been trouncing HD-DVD all year long, Paramount dumps Blu-Ray completely: http://tech.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1345772.php/HD_format_war_not_over_as_Paramount_dumps_Blu-ray

"The fight for ultimate market traction between Blu-ray and HD-DVD has often been compared to the battle Sony found itself in when it took the technically superior Betamax platform up against the cheaper VHS format.. Sony, of course, lost that battle to the cheaper option, and it’s perhaps worth noting that the Japanese electronics giant has never fared well when pushing its own formats, which have included Betamax, MiniDisc (MD), and, most recently, the Universal Media Disc (UMD)."

Guess you can consider this round 5..

Blu-ray outpaces HD-DVD in U.S for 1st Half of `07

2007-08-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

As expected...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Blu-ray high-definition movie discs outsold films on the rival HD-DVD format by 2-to-1 in the United States in the first half of 2007, Home Media Research said on Tuesday.
The division of Home Media Magazine said total sales of Blu-ray discs, using a Sony Corp (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research)-backed technology, totaled 1.6 million units from January 1 through July 1, compared with 795,000 HD-DVD discs sold in that period."

Over at our shop we've begun upgrading our equipment to suit the inevitable Blu-Ray duplication process. We're now utilizing 4 Rimage Autostars with Prism Printers, a Rimage Protege 2 w/ Everest, a DiscLab w/ Everest, an Everest Autoprinter, 2 Microboards Printfactories.. and.. well the list goes on. The plan is to network all of the Rimage units so that they can be accessed and run from anywhere in the world.

And for those of you who are wondering what we're going to do with all of our old stuff:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260150157191&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=016

25th Birthday of the Compact Disc

2007-08-16T13:11:00.000-07:00

Paul McNamara has an interesting article up today:

"..Exactly 25 years ago tomorrow, on August 17, 1982, Royal Philips Electronics manufactured the world's first compact disc at a Philips factory in Langenhagen, just outside of Hanover, Germany. The invention of the CD ushered in a technological revolution in the music industry as CDs — with their superior sound quality and scratch free durability — marked the beginning of the shift from analog to digital music technology. The CD became a catalyst for further innovation in digital entertainment, helping pave the way for the launch of DVD and the current introduction of Blu-ray optical media.."

We'll be discussing some of Philips other ventures in the disc industry in the future, including the format that just.. won't.. go away.. "CD+R"
Stay tuned..

Welcome

2007-08-16T12:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Total Media, Inc's Blog!
Total Media, Inc. is your one-stop shop for all CD and DVD production needs. Whether you have a DVD or CD duplication project of 1 or 100,000, or want to purchase the duplication and printing equipment for your own production needs, we are your answer! As a sole source for all forms of electronic media - VHS tape, Business Card CD-R, Diskette, or Cassette - we can handle any project. We stock a variety of blank CD-R and DVD-R media from major manufacturers such as Pro-Disc, Mitsui, Taiyo Yuden, Verbatim, TDK, Maxell, 3M, Memorex, Pioneer and more. We carry a wide variety of disc packaging products to meet your needs, including jewel cases, paper and vinyl sleeves, mailers, and/or any custom disc packaging solution that you may require. If we don't stock what you need, we will find it, and if it doesn't exist we will design it.