Digipaks Packaging for CDs DVDs and Blu-ray Discs

Digipaks are a type of packaging made out of card stock or other heavy paper/cardboard material and can be used for CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays. Digipaks typically open like a book; however, there are other stylessuch as the 3-part digipak: one portion opens to the right, one to the left, and one or more plastic trays holding a disc inside.
Usually, the portion of the digipak that holds the CD/DVD/Blu-ray Disc is made of plastic like a traditional jewel case – the plastic part is attached to the paper backgroundand has special ‘teeth’ or a hub to secure the disc in place.


History
Digipaks were first created by MeadWestvaco, and their product, called Digi-Pak, is trademarked. However, as the format became more popular and began to be used by more manufacturers, the generic “digipak” came to be used to describe all soft disc packaging.
Digipak Advantages

• They look professional and many musicians, photographers, designers and others like to use them for aesthetic reasons.
• The digipak panels or sleevesallow for more design options because there is more surface area to cover.
• Digipaks don’t crack like jewel cases do, but they can rip and eventually the paper may peel and separate.So a UV coating is recommended to preserve the outer portion of the package, ensuring greater longevity.
• Digipaks can be more environmentally friendly than jewel cases because they can be made of recycled paper or sustainable materials.For example, thisrecycled digipak tray was made from sugarcane.

Digipaks are great for a variety of uses: CD singles, special edition CD albums, limited releases of DVD and Blu-rays, and many others.
Contact MediaXpress today to learn more about our digipak packaging options, as well as our disc manufacturing and production services: 1.800.879.8273

Blu-ray disc videos more sales showcase your products?

You know how important that first impression is, right? You hand a sales disc to a potential customer and explain that there is a demonstration video on the Blu-ray disc. Will your video make a great first impression? Will the quality stand out?
One of the best sales tools available today is the demonstration video. When you download your demo video to a Blu-ray disc you’ve just stepped ahead of your competition with a powerful first impression.
Your customers and clients know about the Blu-ray discs superior quality, and research shows 60% of all American households already own Blu-ray disc players. We think your target audience demographics fall in that 60% don’t you?

So why use anything less than a Blu-ray disc to showcase your products? Okay, so you’re considering using a Blu-ray disc. Take a look at a few of the many products promoted on Blu-ray discs.

• Outdoor equipment

From lawnmowers to farm equipment and road building machinery, Blu-ray disc videos are showcasing the power, reliability and value of outdoor equipment for individuals, homeowners and business owners. All perfectly captured on Blu-ray discs.

• Jewelry

This is the ideal format for showcasing real gems because the picture quality provides a more accurate presentation of your high quality jewelry. And the Blu-ray discs provide plenty of space for interviews and descriptions for the viewer. Imagine how impressed your best customers will be when you provide a Blu-ray disc for their review before a big purchase.

• Kitchen appliances

Yes, you can distribute copies of a cooking demonstration on Blu-ray discs. These demos are so popular today and will show everything your kitchen utensils and appliances can accomplish. From backyard burgers to simply wonderful soufflés, your viewers will see exactly what they can do with your appliances and utensils. All from a Blu-ray disc.

• How-to’s + sales

In today’s hectic world we all want something for our time. A Blu-ray disc gives you the opportunity to provide free how-to’s for your customers and clients. Whether it’s a do-it-yourself car repair or how to decorate a cake, you can boost sales with Blu-ray discs filled with how-to’s for your products.

• Home repair

There are plenty of repairs required on every building every year. Why not showcase your product and services on a Blu-ray disc? Show the homeowners and building owners just what your product will accomplish in safety, beauty, durability and savings with your own Blu-ray disc product and service video.

• Golf

Fore! That’s for the CDs and DVDs with less superior quality videos. Your Blu-ray disc will show the grass you’re clearing for the putt, every blade. Slow-motion the perfect swing. Show off some of the courses that sell your line of golf equipment. On your own Blu-ray disc, with your own video. Wow, what a picture.
We could go on, but where would we stop? The final question is: on what kind of quality do you want your future sales relying? Your answer should be Blu-ray discs.

For your DVD duplication projects who uses medical grade DVD discs?

Who uses medical grade discs for DVD duplication? The healthcare industry, of course, uses these discs, and a few others that may surprise you.
First of all, let’s explain a medical grade disc so you can determine whether it’s appropriate for your next DVD duplication project.

• A medical grade disc is the highest quality you can find.

These discs are manufactured to the highest quality standards to guarantee data integrity for all your blank DVD and DVD duplication projects.

• Medical grade discs have an additional, tough exterior coating for protection.

This extra coating is a durable protectant against scratching, scraping and other typically destructive assaults on a disc. This is particularly important for DVD duplication projects that need to endure challenging environments like laboratories, backpacks and even hospital waiting rooms and dorm rooms.

• Medical grade discs are DICOM compliant for the medical industry.

DICOM compliant means the medical grade disc is approved for HIPPA data, so you know it’s approved for any public or confidential information. Your DVD duplication projects will meet and exceed HIPPA compliance on a medical grade disc.

• The FDA has approved medical grade discs for use in the healthcare and drug industries.

That means medical grade discs meet FDA standards for all your blank DVD and DVD duplication projects.

• Medical grade disc are guaranteed for . . . are you ready? . . . 100 years.

Yes, 100 years. Guaranteed. We’re not making this up to impress you so you’ll use these discs for your DVD duplication projects. The high quality manufacturing process, the high quality of the materials used and the required conformance to strict standards make it possible for manufacturers to guarantee both the physical disc and the data integrity for 100 years.
Okay, so now you understand why medical grade discs are such a big deal, and now we can tell you some of the people that use them for DVD duplication projects.

• Pharmaceutical companies

Can’t see the doctors today? Then leave your medical grade disc for them to review when they have time. Use these discs for DVD duplication for all your drug inventory and accompanying data. A DVD is big enough to handle it all, and a medical grade disc handles it well in the rough-and-tough healthcare industry.

• Medical conference speakers

When you have a big project for DVD duplication, like distributing new research and accompanying data to a conference of other medical researchers, use the medical grade disc.

• Medical device manufacturers

Think about it: what better way to provide all your materials to a potential client than on a medical grade device? When you use these discs for your DVD duplication sales materials, you know your data will be complete and intact for a long, long time.

• Medical training/education

Many in the medical training and education field rely on medical grade discs to distribute their data to students. These discs are ideal for all educational DVD duplication projects, particularly because of the large amount of content/data/imaging a DVD can hold. Some instructors include textbooks, study sheets, graphs, reference materials….

• Medical exercise videos

Not just for exercise buffs, the medical grade discs hold videos for your patients. Send them home with a DVD that shows them every day how to do the exercise the correct way. When you complete your DVD duplication project for medical exercises, you’ll have plenty of room to include examples, pertinent information and even patient testimonials to encourage your patients to actually do the exercises.

So much for the use of medical grade discs in the healthcare industry for DVD duplication projects. But it doesn’t stop there – with this kind of quality, this kind of endurance and durability, you know these discs are used by people in every industry. All they need is a reason to guarantee their data for, say, 100 years.

What a medical grade blank printed Blu-ray disc?

What is a medical grade blank printed Blu-ray disc? It’s a lot of things, but the short version is: it’s the required quality for blank printed Blu-ray disc use in the healthcare industry. But let’s describe them in a little more detail.
Blank printed Blu-ray discs are just what they imply: your logo or graphics printed on the top side of the disc, and a totally blank recording surface for you to download whatever your choose. So “blank printed” Blu-ray discs are blank on the inside and printed on the outside. That makes them totally yours, with your branding – even space to add notes if you choose – and your choice of downloaded data on each blank printed Blu-ray disc.
The term medical grade refers to the standards adhered to in the manufacturing process for blank Blu-ray discs. Those standards are the highest in the industry, and far surpass the quality of any other standard disc – whether it is a regular CD, DVD or blank printed Blu-ray disc, the medical grade blank printed disc is far superior.
The FDA had a hand in determining the quality requirements for medical grade discs, and in fact the medical grade disc is now required in the healthcare industry. When our customers in the medical field ask for blank printed Blu-ray discs, they expect medical grade Blu-ray discs, and that’s what they get.



What makes a medical grade blank printed CD, DVD, Blu-ray disc so different? Quality. It’s like the difference between costume jewelry and real gems. Costume jewelry’s great, fun and completes the outfit, but genuine gemstones do the same thing plus make a different, more permanent statement.

• Medical grade blank printed Blu-ray discs are tough.

Medical grade blank printed Blu-ray discs receive an additional protective layer over the recording surface. This layer is the equivalent of bringing out the Marines for security, so the average daily assaults on your medical grade blank printed Blu-ray discs have no adverse effects, and your data remains safe.

• Medical grade blank printed Blu-ray discs are manufactured to the strictest standards.

When medical grade Blu-ray discs are made, they’re held to a different, higher standard than regular CD, DVD or Blu-ray discs. The Quality Control is tightened to assure these discs will maintain much higher disc-to-disc integrity. Your medical grade blank printed Blu-ray discs are just much better.
But wait – here’s the clincher for medical grade blank printed CD, Blu-ray discs:

• Medical grade blank printed Blu-ray discs are guaranteed. For 100 years.

That’s not just another guarantee. The quality, workmanship and materials combined to manufacture medical grade blank printed Blu-ray discs are so superior that manufacturers guarantee the disc and the data integrity for, really, 100 years.
If you’re in the medical field and considering blank printed CD,  Blu-ray discs, rest assured we’ll provide medical grade blank printed Blu-ray discs with 100-year guarantees on the discs and data integrity. That means you and your patients, students and colleagues can rest assured that important medical data is as safe as today’s technology provides. For at least 100 years.

what is UltraViolet technology doing in the CD DVD and Blu-ray disc print industry?

At MediaXpress.net we stay on the cutting edge of our industry so you get the best, highest quality customized CD, DVD and Blu-ray discs for all your projects. And that’s why we use UltraViolet technology in our digital print system for your CD, DVD and Blu-ray disc orders. So what is UV technology and why do we use it?

First, UV stands for ultraviolet. You know what a black light is: a rather strange purple light that makes everything look different, especially with its glow-in-the-dark feature. The UV technology we use is similar, but its shorter wavelength makes it invisible to the human eye. It’s named ultraviolet because it’s a purple color (violet) that’s way above (ultra) the visible color spectrum for humans.

UV technology is used in many things, from CD, DVD and Blu-ray discs printers to water purifiers, bug zappers, electrical lighting, medical applications, solar cells, fire detection, and food processing . . . even ancient manuscript reading.



Well, that doesn’t explain anything yet, does it? Here’s the down low for CD, DVD and Blu-ray disc printing: UV light is used to instantly dry ink. Our high-end digital disc printer, the state-of-the-art Tapematic 2Print Mini, uses UV light technology to dry each color instantly before applying the next color.

So . . . a disc gets a layer of the first color, slides under the UV light to dry, slides back for the next color application and then slides back under the UV light. And on it goes until all colors are applied to the disc surface. All this happens fast, so the entire process takes just seconds.

What is the advantage to drying with UV lighting on CD, DVD and Blu-ray discs? Each layer of ink is applied to a completely dry disc surface, so there’s no running, no bleeding and no mess between the colors. And that’s how the amazingly high quality print results are achieved on your discs.

We don’t know exactly how other industries use UV technology, but at MediaXpress.net we know what a difference it makes in the quality, speed and economy of your CD, DVD and Blu-ray discs. Go online or call us – we’ll answer all your questions and have your new, customized CD, DVD or Blu-ray discs in your hands in no time!

What is Blu-ray Disc?

At MediaXpress.net we get these questions a lot. So what is the big deal about a Blu-ray disc? Is it just another form of media glutting our market? Nope. The Blu-ray disc is really pretty amazing. Here’s why:

• It looks, feels and smells just like a standard CD or DVD disc. (Okay, we’re kidding about the smell thing.)
• Blu-ray discs hold at least six times the amount of data on a standard DVD disc. And some of the newer advancements increase that storage capacity about ten times.
• Blu-ray discs provide incredible picture quality because the technology utilizes high-definition picture quality. That gives you incredibly sharp, focused lines and colors.
• And that’s why Blu-ray discs has been adopted by almost all movie companies as their standard media, and the list of Blu-Ray disc fans grows daily.
• Blu-ray discs require a specialized disc player, but many Blu-ray disc players also play your CDs and DVDs – all of them – and will take you online.

So Blu-ray discs really are a big deal, and they’re certainly around for the long haul. That’s why at MediaXpress.net we offer Blu-ray discs to all our customers. Consider using Blu-ray discs for your next custom disc project – your clients, fans and customers will really appreciate your choice of the best media format available today.

What’s the big deal about Pantone colors?

Pantone colors are, simply put, the industry standard, a universal coloring system that lets you exactly and perfectly match your colors to anyone else’s on the other side of the globe. But with all the technology available today, isn’t there another, better way?
The short answer is no. Have you ever noticed the color differences between two computer monitors? Imagine trying to match colors based on what you see on your monitor. It’s an impossible task just because any computer’s color settings and resolutions can be dramatically different than the machine sitting right next to it.
Okay, so what we see on our computer monitors won’t work for matching colors, and that example makes using Pantone colors the obvious choice. Here’s another example: paint chips.
If you’ve walked the aisles searching for just the right shade of your favorite color to repaint your walls, you know how many shades of Strawberry Red, Lime Green and Ocean Blue are available, and how each company’s differs from the others. That’s because paint chips from the hardware store aren’t universal. So who developed these universal Pantone colors and how did they become the industry standard?
The Pantone coloring system has its roots way back in the late 50’s when a commercial printing company hired a new college grad, Lawrence Herbert. Herbert used his chemistry knowledge to standardize the printing company’s ink colors. By doing this, he decreased the necessary pigment stock the company held and dramatically simplified their color matching process.
In 1962 Herbert bought out the ink and printing divisions and named his new company Pantone.

• Its primary product? A fan deck of color cards, each color with its own unique number and exact pigment formula.
• The purpose? To provide a simple, easy way to exactly match colors.
• Final outcome? Total success!

Pantone has been a raging success, embraced by designers and printing and reproduction houses around the world. The Pantone system takes the guesswork out of matching colors and guarantees the finished product is exactly what the customer ordered.
That means a company’s logo is identical everywhere it’s displayed. We see Pantone colors everywhere: the Coca-Cola red, the Microsoft Windows 4-color flag, the bright Fiesta dishware colors – all Pantone perfect, all Pantone identical . . . everywhere.
And Pantone colors are a big deal. Each year in a secret meeting, a group of top representatives in the color industry meets to pick next year’s Color of the Year. The annual Color of the Year announcement includes a brief statement explaining the top pick. In 2011 Honeysuckle was the chosen color, and described as a color to lift people’s spirits in times of stress by providing a color that stimulates, captivates and wards off the blues.
Pantone continually adds new colors to its repertoire, with a total of 2100 shades available in 2012. Everyone can find exactly what they’re looking for.
Yes, Pantone colors are a big deal, because they make your life simpler, make decisions easier and lower costs for your projects. Need to pick colors that will stand the test of time for your new logo? Want perfectly matching accessories for that vintage dress? Hunting for just the right shade of purple to compliment your new decor? Just think Pantone.
Pantone, the color industry’s standard for over 50 years, and going strong for all the right reasons. That’s why everyone uses it, and why it’s such a big deal. for more info contact US At http://www.mediaxpress.net

Tapematic printer Use this printer for your custom CD, DVD and Blu-ray discs!

At MediaXpress.net, we brought home a new, high-end state-of-the-art digital printer, the Tapematic 2Print Mini, for your CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs printing. Nothing new about upgrading equipment . . . unless you’re talking digital print systems and the Tapematic 2Print system.
Not many print shops have this new, high-end state-of-the-art printing system for CD, DVD and Blu-ray disc customization. We do. At MediaXpress.net we want to provide the best quality, the fastest service and the lowest price to all our customers, and the 2Print Mini is the tool we use to deliver all of that to you.
The Tapematic is the newest and best digital disc printing system the industry has to offer. It was introduced in 2005 and immediately became the industry choice for CD, DVD and Blu-ray disc printing.

Here’s an interesting bit: Tapematic began developing this system in 2002, but it wasn’t until 2005 that the quality of UV inkjet print technology advanced enough to meet Tapematic’s standards.
The 2Print was the system of choice for every large CD, DVD and Blu-ray disc print shop around. But the smaller shops wanted the same speed and quality the original 2Print offers. Tapematic listened, and soon began producing 2Print Minis.
What’s so special about the Tapematic 2Print Mini? With its smaller physical footprint, the 2Print Mini delivers the same high-end commercial print quality, increased speed and high efficiency as its predecessor, the original 2Print digital system. Your CD, DVD and Blu-ray disc printing will stand up to the most scrutinizing inspection and pass with flying colors.
And that’s why we say this is the printer you want for all your CD, DVD and Blu-ray disc projects. It will give your discs silkscreen quality on even your smallest orders. You can benefit from the highest quality digital print system with orders as small as 100 CD, DVD or best Blu-ray discs – and that’s what’s really amazing!
Call us or go online to MediaXpress.net and find out just how inexpensive your customized CD, DVD and Blu-ray discs will be, and how fast they will be in your hands. Oh, and just wait until everyone sees the exceptional print quality on your new discs!

Replication vs Duplication for your CDs & DVDs what’s the difference?

Okay, so you’re ready to place your first order for custom CDs or DVDs loaded with your music, videos, presentations, etc. Congratulations on bringing your project this far! Now you need to know the differences between replication and duplication before you place your order. Do you?

If you don’t know the difference between duplication and replication, or if you’re not really sure exactly what they are, read on. We’ll explain the processes of duplication and replication, and then list the advantages and disadvantages of each one. Here we go…

DUPLICATION

This one’s easy: it’s just like burning a CD or DVD on your home computer. Just like at home, commercial duplicators bring in a stack of blank CDs or DVDs and begin to burn your data onto them. But that’s where the similarities end.

While the transfer of data is similar to doing it at home, the commercial process differs because duplicating companies burn as many as hundreds of discs at a time. Yes, that’s hundreds. And that’s why duplicated discs are the fastest way to get your order. You can get as many as 5,000 custom CDs or DVDs in as fast as 24-48 hours.

Oddly enough, though, the duplication process costs more per disc than the replication process, and although the duplication process for your CD or DVD discs produces a very high quality product, it’s not as high-quality as a replicated disc. But read on to discover why you may still choose CD duplication over CD replication.

REPLICATION
The premier process for transferring your data onto CD or DVD discs, replication actually molds your data right onto the disc. That’s what produces the highest data transfer quality available. Here’s how it’s done.
We start with your master CD or DVD. With a laser, your data is exactly copied onto a glass master in the form of billions of microscopic pits (think invisible-to-the-naked-eye potholes with a purpose). The next step is to electroplate the glass master to create a nickel stamper – that means using electricity to force nickel against the glass surface to create an identically opposite image. That gives the resulting nickel stamper bumps instead of pits. This bumpy stamper goes into a molding machine where extreme pressure forces tiny pellets against the stamper, which creates a single replicated CD or DVD. Whew….

The replication process for your CDs or DVDs perfectly matches your data against each new disc. The newly created discs are then coated and lacquered for data protection.

So which process is best for your next project: CD duplication or replication? Look at these considerations.
SPEED
If you need your custom CD or DVD discs fast¸ go with duplication. Like we said earlier, you can get as many as 5,000 duplicated customer CDs or DVDs in as little as 24-48 hours.

Replicated discs take much more time, and depending on the quantity of custom discs you’re ordering, they will be ready in 7-10 days, or longer for really large orders.

So . . . really fast delivery = duplication. Not-so-fast delivery = replication.

QUANTITY

Speaking of quantity, this is another critical factor in making your decision between duplicated or replicated custom CDs or DVDs. Discs can be duplicated in very small orders – even as few as a single disc, although most companies have a minimum order of 10 or more discs. And you can have your largest orders duplicated too: 10,000 or even a million or more discs.

On the other hand, replication is the best option for orders over 500-1000 custom CDs or DVDs. The reason is cost: replicating is cheaper per unit than duplicating, but because the set-up is so labor-intensive, companies require higher minimum orders for replicating.
So . . . small orders = duplicating. Large orders = replicating. Easy choice, right?

QUALITY

The final most important consideration in choosing between duplicating and replicating is quality. As we said earlier, the duplication process provides a substantially high quality product, but the replication process provides an even higher quality custom CD or DVD.
That’s because those potholes-with-a-purpose are identically recreated every time, and that process provides the highest quality CD or DVD available. Period.

So . . . high quality CDs or DVDs  duplication. Highest quality available = replication.
Now you know, there’s a big difference between CD duplication and replication. And you’re now ready to place your order, confident you know exactly how you want your custom CDs or DVDs created. Congrats and happy days ahead!

CDs vs DVDs which one for your custom project?

Wow, would you believe the CD disk was created way back in 1985, and DVDs won their media battle back in 1993? Wait – that means CDs and DVDs are different, right? Right!
They look the same, feel the same, weight the same. So what’s different? Well, there are differences and they’re significant.
STORAGE SPACE
A CD disk will hold about 700 MB of data. That’s about 500 photos, 100 MP3s, 250 PowerPoint presentations, 1000 documents, 4,000 Excel sheets or ¾ hour of video.
A DVD will hold about 4.7 GB, about six times the storage space of a CD. And let’s just say that’s a lot of photos and it’s virtually hours of video.
USES
CDs were originally created for music, and today they’re the media of choice in the music industry. They’re also widely used for computer software distribution, although primarily for smaller programs that fit onto one disk.
DVDs were made for bigger things, and today we see them used primarily for videos. That’s because videos consume huge quantities of memory, and at six times the storage capacity of a CD, the DVD disk happens to have plenty of memory. DVDs are also popular in the computer software distribution market because one DVD has enough space/memory to hold a large software program all by itself.
But if they’re both the same physical size, how can a DVD hold so much more data than a CD? Because DVDs condense the data by narrowing the pit length, width and depth, using shorter laser wavelengths, increasing the rotational speed and in turn raising the data read rate.
(Don’t ask what those are if you don’t already know. It’s enough to understand all that stuff is stuffed tighter on a DVD disk than on a CD disk.)
Another reason DVDs can hold more than CDs is the disk’s ability to record data on both disk sides and in two layers on each side. With these options, a single DVD’s storage capacity increases from 4.7 GB for one-side-one-layer all the way to 17 GB for two-sides-two-layers, nearly four times its original capacity.

Here’s something you might not know: you can play your DVDs in either a DVD or CD player, but you can only play your CDs in a CD player. Or maybe you’ve already learned that through experience.
Another little-known disk fact: the average, run-of-the-mill CD and DVD disks have a life span of 3-5 years. That means you don’t want your valuable and priceless data to sit in storage on a disk forever – until now. Today there are disks on the market with 100-year lifetime guarantees, thanks to accelerated aging tests.

That’s the basic information, the real down-and-dirty difference between CDs and DVDs, which you now know were created for very different uses. Will you use CDs or DVDs for your next project? It will depend primarily on data type and size. And since you’re now so well-informed, our job here is done and you’re ready to go forward!

What is a short run for custom CDs and DVDs?

A short run is the heart of CD and DVD business and refers to a small order, usually under 1,000 disks. Most customers aren’t looking for a mega order of CDs or DVDs, so short runs are pretty common in this industry.
We’re telling you this because we want you to know most custom CD and DVD companies welcome your small orders – short runs really are the heart of our business. Of course there are companies that look for just the mega orders – tens, even hundreds of thousands of custom CDs or DVDs – but they’re just a few.
Okay, so now you know a short run refers to the size of an order, typically less than 1,000 and more often less than 500 custom CDs and DVDs. And some orders are for as few as 100 custom disks. Why do people need short runs of custom CDs and DVDs? Plenty of reasons!

• Trade shows

When that serious visitor comes to your booth, you want to hand them something special with even more materials than the casual visitor wants. That’s why many customers order 100 to 500 custom CDs or DVDs. They’re easy to pack, easy to ship and easy to grab and hand out.

• Training

Most of us don’t work with more than a few dozen or few hundred trainees at a time, and that situation is just asking for a short run of CDs or DVDs uploaded with all your training materials and videos.

• Education

It’s another semester of smiling faces because you ordered a short run of custom CDs with all the course materials – syllabus, study notes and test dates – uploaded to them. You can hand out DVDs with instructional videos or other materials too. Sweet!

• Corporations

There are so many uses for short run CDs or DVDs in the business world, for meeting materials, blank custom-branded disks, new hire information, instructional videos, data storage… the list goes on and on!

• Data archiving

Want a convenient, economical format for data archival? With a short run of CDs or DVDs you can simply transfer your electronic data – or scanned hard copies – right to your custom disks. Can you imagine the space you’ll save? Better yet, think of how easy data retrieval will be when it’s on custom disks!

• Conferences

You just don’t need thousands of custom CDs or DVDs for that upcoming conference – but a short run would be ideal for the few hundred you expect to distribute. Perfect!

• Recruiting

How important is that recruit to your future? Is he or she worth a few dollars for a custom CD or DVD? You bet! And your custom disk will include all the details, photos and videos that will make your presentation perfect.
Short runs are the heart of our business in the custom CD and DVD industry because they meet your needs – our customers. So when you see a need rise for a short run of disks, don’t hesitate to place an order – you’ll be glad you did!

The Creativity Gene And Your Custom CDs And DVDs

Wow! These CDs are amazing! What a cool DVD! That’s what you’d like your customers, fans or clients to say when they hold your new, custom CDs and DVDs in their hands for the first time. And that’s why your CD’s or DVD’s first impressions are so important: they set the tone for your audience, from excited anticipation to intense focus, that will either propel your audience into the heart of your disk’s message or  . . . well, the other option. What you need to avoid is that other option, and for your next custom CD or DVD project we can tell you how.
How? To wow your CD or DVD audience at first glance, use something that transfixes them with your custom disk’s message and reels them in from the start.
Well, that’s the problem, right? How many people know how to create a first impression like that? Not everyone, that’s for sure. But for a select few it’s an easy project, simple and fun . . . and that’s who you want working with you.
Who is that? Someone with what we call the rare Creativity Gene, a mysterious and often mis-understood genetic gift that genuinely occurs only in a few rare individuals.
The Creativity Gene amazes most of the rest of us, even awes us, and we would never consider ourselves in possession of even a little of that gene. But . . . those gifted with the gene can help make your next custom CD or DVD project a raving success. Let’s see how.
We really don’t have to tell you how the Creativity Gene fits into your custom CD and DVD pictures. It’s pretty obvious: to get the wow and the excitement and the focus with your CDs and DVDs, it takes creative juices behind the creation of the first impression. That means having a good creative design team leading the way through your custom CD and DVD projects. And don’t get in the tight-budget-panic now either.
If you find a design team you want to work with but they’re a little expensive, just do it – hire them, work with them . . . and be prepared to be amazed. Really, when the difference between good and fantastic is just a few dollars, don’t hesitate.

Have we convinced you to hire a professional, creative design team for your custom CD and DVD projects? If you’re on the fence or your answer is no, try these things:

• Ask other business associates. Find out what they’ve done on their custom CD and DVD projects. Then ask them if a great design team has made a difference for their disk project success.
• Use Google – do an image search on some of your CD and DVD ideas. A great design team will know which graphics are ideal for your project. And all this will make the difference between a good finished product and a really amazing one, a CD or DVD disk that sends your results soaring past your goals.
• Look at your competition’s CDs and DVDs. Do they have an edge because they utilize the Creativity Gene to get ahead of the CD and DVD pack? Do the same thing – a great design team will have your competition somewhere far behind you on the road to success.

Even if you don’t possess your own Creativity Gene, your custom CD and DVD projects will still benefit from the creative magic a good design team will liberally sprinkle on you project. That’s because those that have the elusive Creativity Gene love to share it. So when your next custom CD and DVD project comes up, work confidently with your design team to arrive at an incredibly successful finish.

Custom CD or DVD project ahead? Here is the scoop on graphics details

We-know-who’s in the details, right? Since custom CDs and DVDs are our business, we can help you keep your disk projects above water, safely committed to safer sources than you-know-who. Because it really is all in the details.
Most custom CD and DVD companies are reputable businesses that can do a good job for you. Let’s delve a little deeper to learn about CD or DVD services available so you know what to ask when choosing a company. In this article we list a few of the more popular graphics services available for your projects.

Photo Enhancement
You think you have the perfect photo for your CD’s cover – well, almost perfect. Except for, well, the slightly blurry background or a too-dark picture or fuzzy, undefined lines or why-did-she-wear-that-color? Ask your prospective vendors what kind of photo adjustments they can make. Can they turn your near-perfect photo into the perfect photo?
You want a service provider that can handle color changes, make lines sharper and do brightness adjustments and saturation enhancements. And that’s what a better custom CD or DVD company can do to make your photos work.

Illustration & Graphics
If you don’t have the photos or artwork for your CD or DVD project, you’ll need a service provider that can find what you need. What illustration and graphics resources does the company have at its disposal? As a general rule of thumb, the longer a company’s been around, the bigger their illustration and graphics library.
And don’t dismiss a company that talks about buying your custom CD\DVD illustrations or graphics from a commercial source. If they don’t have a perfect fit for you, it’s a good sign when they’re willing to search for it.

Color Correction
Color correction is an easily-overlooked detail, but it can make or break your CD or DVD project. Just a slightly incorrect color combo will steal the potential “feel-good” from a product and leave clients, customers or fans with a less-than-professional impression of you.
The colors must match, but that sounds easier than it sometimes is. A good service provider will know when the colors need tweaking to provide a perfect blend for your CD or DVD graphics and artwork. They will use universal Pantone colors for your job too. All this is easy for the right company.
Color corrections require a trained eye and should really be left to the pros. Ask if the company does color correction and how much experience the staff has before you commit your CD or DVD project.

Typesetting
Remember the cartoons of old typesetters, sitting in front of a board with wooden cubes to set type? Today we use some pretty cool and sophisticated software for typesetting your custom CD or DVD print. Do you want a specific type font, or are you looking for something unique?
You’re in luck because today’s options are truly awesome with our industry’s software. Just beware: not all CD/DVD companies have dished out the money for better software, so if your custom CD or DVDs type requirements are anywhere out of norm, ask if your prospective company can handle the job to your satisfaction.

Preflight Inspections
Wow – you’ve finished the planning, and you’re ready to step away from the drawing board and onto the runway. Congratulations – you’re almost done! Just one more very important step: before you take off down the runway, have a professional scrutinize your work because once those wheels are off the ground it’s too late for changes.
Does your company offer preflight inspections, or are your eyes the final project review? Good question – be sure to ask.

There you have it, more about the important details that make your custom CD or DVD project successful, and enough information to ask the right questions. If your project is important enough to commit the time and finances to complete, it’s just as important to follow up with these details. You’ll be half-way to a successful CD/ DVD project when you do, so congratulations to you!

how you can bring your CD’s or DVD’s graphics ideas to life

Your next CD or DVD project is right down the road, and you have these great-crazy-exciting ideas swirling around in your head about the CD’s or DVD’s graphics. But you’re really not creative, so you keep your mouth shut. Don’t stop! Let’s talk about how you can bring your ideas to life.
Don’t let the fact that you’re not a graphic artist slow you down. The best ideas come from our CD and DVD project owners – people like you, the people behind the projects, the details and all the work. Defining your disk project’s graphics ideas is the goal here, not completing camera-ready graphics.
You’ve heard stories about ideas scribbled on a napkin becoming world-changing realities. Well, we’re not aiming for anything quite that noble. But the idea is the same: get your ideas down on paper – or screen – or whatever – and don’t worry about the details.

A few points to keep in mind:

• Always keep your project’s goals in mind.

Once your ideas start flowing it’s easy to get sidetracked in a different direction. You want to stay on track.

• Stick to your theme.

Goals and themes are different. Your goal may be to sell CDs, but your theme may be to introduce a new style of music to your audience.
Now start scribbling, writing, drawing. Play with it. Google your ideas for more ideas. Check out your competition to see how they’ve handled it. Notice colors, lines, white spaces. Where is your eye first drawn?
Sometimes when you have an idea for graphics, it’s not easy to put on paper. Some ideas are just ideas, floating around in a vague, blurry, undefined space. Don’t give up – you can do something with these too if you:

• Find words to define your idea.

What “feel” does your idea/space have, what thoughts or words come to mind? Is it energetic, or soft and quiet? Find words to define that vagueness. Maybe it conveys a sense of strength, or it’s all colorful and swirly.
These are all words to take to a design team because they say a lot about your ideas. In other words, you don’t have to provide an artistic sketch of your ideas when words can do the same thing.
Designing your own graphics – logo, brand or artwork – can be as simple as coming up with an idea and handing it over to a design team for finishing touches. Or as amazing as handing over a nearly-finished graphic to a professional. Either way, they’re your ideas!
And even if you think your ideas are simple enough to polish yourself, plan to hand them over to a professional for finishing. You’ll be glad you did when you see what a professional touch adds to a project.
Amazing, right? Now you know: you can help create your project’s graphics!

How to choose a premium CD or DVD Duplication Company Services

It’s almost show time, and time to commit your content to CDs or DVDs for distribution. When your CD or DVD is critical to your success, how you choose a duplicating service is also critical. If this is your first time duplicating multiple copies of your work for distribution, how do you begin finding a reputable company for you project?
With all the CD and DVD duplication services advertising online today, it’s hard to choose. Each one is working hard to get your attention, and that just makes it harder to choose. Let’s talk about ways you can take some of the worry out of making the right choice for finding a reputable, affordable, reliable service provider for your CD or DVD duplication projects.
This discussion isn’t exhaustive and you may have other important project factors that we couldn’t guess. So read on, consider your unique situation and you will be more confident making your decision. Then come back here often to read about more factors to consider when choosing your CD/DVD duplicating service.

Quotes – should I take the lowest bidder?
You’re on a tight budget and you’re tempted to make your CD/DVD duplicating decision based on the lowest quote. Stop right here: you may be taking a big risk. The lowest quote may be the best – after all, good companies know how to compete in the marketplace or they wouldn’t be around. But you want to know how to pick them out of the crowd. So what should you consider when looking at your quotes?
There are several critical points to consider for your CD or DVD duplication project. How important is your project? Do you want your disks to play every time for your clients, fans or customers? Is it important that the printing and graphics on your disk and packaging look professional? What about delivery times – do you want a guarantee that your project will arrive on time?
Cost is important and after considering all the factors for your project you may decide to go with the company offering the lowest quote, but you’ll be glad you considered the other factors too.
Quality of the CD/DVD disks
Another consideration is disk quality. If you want your CDs or DVDs to play again and again for your clients, fans or customers, you want your content on a good quality disk. After all, one unhappy disk user can influence a lot of other people – and it won’t be pretty.
What does the company say about its disk quality? Even if they say they use industry-standard disks, wouldn’t it be great to get disks of even higher quality? For example, MediaXpress.com uses disks with top shelf quality, exceeding the highest industry standards. When you find this kind of quality, you know your content will last a long time.
Okay, so we’ve concluded the first two deciding factors in choose a duplicating service for your CD or DVD projects. In our next article we’ll discuss workmanship and delivery time. You’ll want to look for this for all your CD/DVD needs including duplication, blank printed Blu-ray disks, short runs, posters or custom graphic design – we’ll be talking about all these and more, sharing our 35+ years of experience with you. See you next time!

How to choose a reputable CD or DVD duplicating service

It’s almost show time, and time to commit your content to CDs or DVDs for distribution. When your CD or DVD is critical to your success, how you choose a duplicating service is also critical. If this is your first time duplicating multiple copies of your work for distribution, how do you begin finding a reputable company for you project?
With all the CD and DVD duplication services advertising online today, it’s hard to choose. Each one is working hard to get your attention, and that just makes it harder to choose. Let’s talk about ways you can take some of the worry out of making the right choice for finding a reputable, affordable, reliable service provider for your CD or DVD duplication projects.
This discussion isn’t exhaustive and you may have other important project factors that we couldn’t guess. So read on, consider your unique situation and you will be more confident making your decision. Then come back here often to read about more factors to consider when choosing your CD/DVD duplicating service.

Quotes – should I take the lowest bidder?
You’re on a tight budget and you’re tempted to make your CD/DVD duplicating decision based on the lowest quote. Stop right here: you may be taking a big risk. The lowest quote may be the best – after all, good companies know how to compete in the marketplace or they wouldn’t be around. But you want to know how to pick them out of the crowd. So what should you consider when looking at your quotes?
There are several critical points to consider for your CD or DVD duplication project. How important is your project? Do you want your disks to play every time for your clients, fans or customers? Is it important that the printing and graphics on your disk and packaging look professional? What about delivery times – do you want a guarantee that your project will arrive on time?
Cost is important and after considering all the factors for your project you may decide to go with the company offering the lowest quote, but you’ll be glad you considered the other factors too.
Quality of the CD/DVD disks
Another consideration is disk quality. If you want your CDs or DVDs to play again and again for your clients, fans or customers, you want your content on a good quality disk. After all, one unhappy disk user can influence a lot of other people – and it won’t be pretty.
What does the company say about its disk quality? Even if they say they use industry-standard disks, wouldn’t it be great to get disks of even higher quality? For example, MediaXpress.com uses disks with top shelf quality, exceeding the highest industry standards. When you find this kind of quality, you know your content will last a long time.

Okay, so we’ve concluded the first two deciding factors in choose a duplicating service for your CD or DVD projects. In our next article we’ll discuss workmanship and delivery time. You’ll want to look for this for all your CD/DVD needs including duplication, blank printed Blu-ray disks, short runs, posters or custom graphic design – we’ll be talking about all these and more, sharing our 35+ years of experience with you. See you next time! At. www.mediaxpress.net

CD Duplication Prices Good Quality, Good Prices

CD Duplication Prices

Like its DVD sister in video, CDs are the industry standard for today’s music and audio files. Records are bulky and easily warped and scratched. Tapes are flimsy and degrade quickly. Making CD copies of your master is essential for distribution, whether you’re a large record company offering a CD sampler or a small label selling tomorrow’s next big thing.



Good Quality, Good Prices

At MediaXpress we offer unparalleled CD duplication services with competitive prices. CD duplication is a process in which your original media is copied onto blank, writable discs. Duplicated CDs are recognizable by their greenish cast on the under sides. This is actually a light sensitive dye that gets written to when a CD is “burned” by a laser. Each duplicated CD is an exact clone of the original. There is no loss in quality.
Prices will vary according to the number of CDs you are looking to duplicate. Larger runs will be less expensive per disc. Smaller runs may cost more per disc, but could be the right option if your content is going to change in the near future. There’s no point getting stuck with boxes of discs that you’re not going to use.
Your media is no doubt very important to you, whether it’s a band demo, or a personal treasure. You may find lower prices while shopping around, but be wary of anybody offering cheap services. Most likely, you’ll get what you pay for. Treat your media well and it will last. At MediaXpress, we’ll treat it with the same care as if it were our own.

DVD authoring on a home computer software

DVD Authoring
As DVDs have become the medium of choice for movies, DVD authoring has become an increasingly important process. The authoring process involves both the proper transfer of materials to the DVD format and the creation of a menu for the user. The design possibilities are virtually limitless when it comes to menus, so it is important to balance functionality with creativity.

It is possible to do DVD authoring on a home computer, provided you have the software, the drive space and the know-how, but it is not necessarily a simple process. If your media is on tapes, for example, you’ll need to first get the media onto your drive before you can begin the authoring process. This can be very time-consuming and expensive, and often the quality will be lower than if the work had been done on state-of-the-art machines.

DVD authoring provides a wonderful final product, but it is a very technical process. A quick search on the Web should leave no doubt in anyone’s mind about the intricacies of various software programs or the need for specific cables and equipment. Happily, there is an easier way.

DVD Authoring at MediaXpress.com

At MediaXpress we are ready to handle all of your authoring needs, at truly competitive prices. Whether you need copies of a corporate video, home movies, or your wedding, we can help you create smooth, interactive DVDs to safely store your media. Our design team is waiting to create the perfect menu to reflect your content. CAll Us. 1.800.879.8273

The first impression make with your media will be the CD packaging

CD Packaging
CD packaging includes the CD, the artwork, the inserts, the tray cards and the casing. It includes every element that you will hand over to a potential customer or a family friend. Getting it to look the way you want is just as important as getting the media on the CD to sound the way you want. The first impression you make with your media will be the CD packaging.

At MediaXpress, we have complete, in-house printing and packaging capabilities, and we are ready to handle any job. We offer full four-color offset printing, as well as high-speed copying to make sure your orders are done in a professional, timely manner. Don’t cheat yourself by creating great media but not packaging it properly.

The Look and Feel of the Casing
When it comes to the casing, CD packaging has come a long way from the days of simple jewel cases. At MediaXpress, we offer slim-line casing, soft poly casing, jewel-free boxes and more. If you can think of it, we have it. Each option offers a different style and feel, so make sure you choose the one that best matches your needs. Our professional design team is ready to help at any time.

When you do a run of over a thousand units, your order will be done by automated assembly. Shorter runs will be hand-assembled. Whatever the case, CD packaging is often the most overlooked element in creating great-looking pieces. At MediaXpress, we are ready to meet your needs. Call Us Today. 1.800.879.8273

discount pricing below for short run CD duplication

Short Run CD Duplication
These days, CDs are clearly the first choice for distributing music and sound files. Even the popular MP3 format is still a distant second when it comes to getting music into somebody’s hands. If you need to make a copy or two, you can usually do it at home. And if you need to make a large order, you know it’s a good idea to send the job out. But what about short run CD duplication?

Most people think short run CD duplication is very expensive. It doesn’t have to be. At MediaXpress, we offer competitive discount prices on short-run CD duplication. Whether it’s a band demo you want to hand out after a show, or some sample tracks you’re considering for an ad campaign, we’ll get the job done with all the care we would put into a big commercial run. And we’ll get it back to you with a short turnaround.



The Complete Package, Even for Short Run Duplication
Be sure to ask us about getting inserts and tray cards made up for your CDs, too. With CD duplication at MediaXpress, we’ll either print thermal imprint/color labels or silkscreen your discs, depending on your preference, and our graphics team is ready to assist with all the packaging needs. Just because it’s a short run doesn’t mean it isn’t important.

At MediaXpress we work with big companies, small companies, and the individual alike. No job is too big or too small. Let us show you how affordable quality short run CD duplication can be.  CALL US 1.800.879.8273

What is DVD Replication and Services

DVD Replication Services

The DVD has become the standard format for professional and personal media storage. Everything from Hollywood blockbusters to corporate videos to home movies are being stored on DVDs–and with good reason. DVDs are small, lightweight and can hold up to a feature film’s worth of media.
DVDs are simple to care for and store. They are easy to distribute at trade shows or as gifts. And with many of today’s laptop computers able to play DVDs, your media can be viewed everywhere from a living room to the local coffee house to an airplane flying at 35,000 feet.

Not All Replication Services Are Alike

So when you’re ready to start making copies of your media, keep a few things in mind. Not all replication services are alike. At MediaXpress, quality is our number one priority. Your media needs to be properly formatted before a run gets started. It needs to be replicated using state-of-the-art machines and put onto the highest quality discs available. Poor equipment, hasty set-up and inferior materials can ruin even the best looking footage. The last thing you need is for your disc to skip, jump or stop in the middle of a presentation.
At MediaXpress, DVD replication services include the glass mastering/replication and up to a four-color silkscreen print. Simply submit your master and we’ll take it from there.

When you receive your duplicate discs, you’ll have lossless media in a stable format, information to share and memories to cherish. When you need it now Call Us 1.800.879.8273

Talk about short run CD duplication projects

Let’s talk about short run CD duplication projects today. Do you have a small duplication project you need to get done? We’re actually pretty great at short runs. You don’t have to worry your job’s too small to bother doing well; we hold our standard consistently throughout everything we do – short run CD duplication, mega projects and everything in between. And you might be surprised at our short run experience…



What’s the temperature today at your house or office? I’m writing this in the North, but it’s barely below freezing here – but back to short runs. The next short run I complete will be out of the shop and totally voluntary. I’ll be jumping in a frozen lake (they’ll cut a hole first!), then making a short run to the hot tub . . . all to raise money for a great charity! And, no, I won’t be duplicating that run.
What’s your next short run CD duplication going to be? Call us – we’ll give you a quote that’ll have you singin’ like you’re already in the hot tub!

CD duplication Is this what you’re looking for?

Hey – what about those CD copies you need? How much CD duplication work is waiting on your desk? Let’s be honest: if you want your duplication CDs to actually play on everyone’s equipment, have a professional do your CD duplication work.

We had a family reunion last year and the organizers put together a CD of family photos, then made copies at home for everyone. That’s right, they didn’t use a CD duplication service for the dozens of copies they made. Since I can’t open and play my family reunion CD, I sure wish they’d used a professional CD duplication service.
My family reunion CD is a personal CD duplication project – can you imagine how important it is for work-related copies? (You know, like the projects your boss remembers at review time.) It’ll cost a lot less than you think, and you can have custom labels printed too.
It doesn’t cost anything to get an estimate for your projects, so just do it – you’ll be much happier with the finished product!