When producing copies of CDs and DVDs, video production companies generally offer two options: duplication or replication.
Both of these processes create copies of an original CD or DVD, but they create these copies in slightly different ways. During replication, a blank CD is “stamped” to create an exact copy or the original, similar to a copy machine that creates exact copies of one page. During duplication, the process is similar to that of a printer: a whole new copy is made each time.
Of these different processes, replication is a better choice for larger quantities of CDs and DVDs – whether you need commercial video mass-copied onto DVDs or audio production onto CDs. Replicated discs are also compatible with all media unlike duplicated discs, although they do have a longer turnaround time.
Replication is the process used by most major CD and DVD manufacturers and is more economical in part because the resulting discs will be able to be played in any DVD or CD player, depending on the disc. Another reason replication is a more economical choice is because the process for replication is automatic, so the cost per unit becomes lower for each disc as the number of discs increases.
There is no real difference between the data on the discs for each type of CD or DVD copying process, so one of the major deciding factors between duplication and replication is the size of the project. If you are looking to have more than 1,000 CDs or DVDs produced, then replication is a much more economical choice for your DVD or CD production needs. If you are looking to produce smaller batches of CDs or DVDs, then duplication would be a better choice.