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!