When manufacturing a CD, there are some important checks that should be made to make to ensure that your content comes out exactly like you wish it to. If is a DVD with songs you are producing, then adequately preparing your DVD for manufacturing will ensure that the songs are recorded in the correct order and that the spacing in between is also right. One important precaution to take before parting with your master is to make a copy of it.
The master is required to be mixed to two tracks and that is edited and sequenced tracks. Play it back from end to end to make sure that it sounds like it is supposed to. Manufacturers have different ways of working. For example, some will only do equalization or level adjustment if expressly asked to do so charges while for others it is standard. Also, some manufacturers will look at your master beforehand and point out ways it could be enhanced at the post production stage.
Some manufacturers will also request that you go to their site and download and fill a track listing form to send to them together with the master. One detail that must be filled on the form is a complete and accurate running time log that lists all of the events such as songs, tones, silences and others as they occur.
If your content runs over the total standard time of 78:00 minutes, you may have to sign a disclaimer. It is important to mention that the longest duration a CD can have is 79:45 minutes.
A manufacturer will also tell you which tape formats they can work with. The majority can take PMCD master (pre-mastered CD), CD-R master (16-bit/44.1kHz CDA format only), Mini Disk, DDP 2.0, Digital Audio Tape (DAT) and either quarter or half inch Analog Tape.
Production aside, there is also the important issue of copyright. For one, legitimate audio product manufacturers will ask you for a license if the DVD or CD being produced has unique content that will be made available for sale. This is to protect the rights of the artists and writers of the content against label owners who might release the contents and then not pay for the rights.
As you finish making your DVD ready for manufacturing, handle the master tape carefully. It should only be handled on the edges as prints from fingers and scratch lines on it will be released in form of data errors. As a final step and precaution, do a final test before you release your master tape for production because what will come out will be an exact reproduction of what is put in from the master tape.
When you want to send a master DVD to a wider population, you need the right software to do DVD duplication quickly and easily. DVD replication should provide copies that are as good as the original.