A Guide to Preparing Your CD for CD Replication

A Guide to Preparing Your CD for CD Replication

Whether you are sending your CDs for replication or duplication, you need to insert data onto your CDs. The content may be software, music, Flash Presentation, PowerPoint or some digital information.

If you end up sending a master disc containing some content defects CD replication would be hampered. Some preliminary examination would be carried out so that the obvious mistake or error can be identified. You must prepare your CD for ultimate CD replication.

Focus Your Attention on the Discs at First

• It is recommended to close the disk once writing is completed. If there is an option, you must close each and every session.
• For best results, you should submit masters on only non-rewritable drives. Masters when written on rewritable media could have some issues.
• Use pens meant for writing specifically on media or you may use soft China markers. If you write on media using other stuff, it could high error rates.
• If possible it is advisable to submit a couple of copies of the master. Once analysis is done and over with you may carry on copying from the really lower error rate in comparison.

Naming Files

• 3 is highly recommended. It is best if you follow the rule strictly and keep each and every file name to not exceeding 8 characters only, then followed definitely by a period and then optional 1 to 3 character extension. ISO is not compatible with long file names.
• ISO Intersystem Compatibility necessitates file names to have only numbers, uppercase letters and also the underscore.
• Folder names should be in uppercase, but restricted to 11 characters only.
• No spaces are allowed in file names.
• All files should be kept in folders apart from the necessary files that could be organized in the root directory.
• Setting file attributes to System or Hidden is not recommended unless it is needed by an application.
• Use ISO Volume Name. System Specific Volume Name should better be avoided.
• JAZ, ZIP, SyQuest, Bernoulli and other delivery processes would require mastering prep charge.

Audio – CD-DA Formatting

• You must make it a habit of writing audio masters for the purpose of copying at not over 2X rate, as ECC function is not inherent in CD-DA.
• It is best if you stick to writing the master CD replication in DAO (Disk At Once Mode).
• Programs namely GEAR Audio and Easy CD usually write one session for every cut. This is exactly where 2 second enforced silence originates between tracks while using programs of this kind.
• Programs that are supposed to be doing DAO are for MAC TOAST, For PC CD- Architect, EASY-CD PRO, Ignition and Red-Roster from Nero-Soft are said to be producing perfect DAO masters.
• Using a SCSI drive would be helpful as only some IDE writers support D.A.O. correctly
• You must not permit open sessions on your master.

DAT Master at Sample Rate of 44.1 First audio is supposed to be at 01:00; make sure never to record any program any time earlier than the very first-minute mark. CD replication is a complex process and needs a lot of expertise.