Knowledgebase - FAQ
CD-DVD Replication, Duplication Experts - Questions and Knowledge Base - Software Manufacturing
Following are our frequently asked questions, organized by category. If we haven't answered your question below, please contact us, so that we can help you.
Technical Questions
What is Replication?
Replication is a polycarbonate injection manufacturing. A replicated disc is created by applying a stamper into polycarbonate. This creates the pits that a computer reads as data.
When to use Replication?Replication is used for projects that have large volumes.
What is the track?Audio cds contain songs or performances. Each song or performance is one track. On a data disc there is only one track. An enhanced cd will have one track for the data and additional tracks that comprise the audio portion of the cd.
What is a pit?A pit is the spot on a piece of optical media (CD or DVD) that is not the flat spot. The pit is sometimes also refered to as a bump. There is no difference between a pit and a bump. The only difference is the perspective of which side of the optical media you are looking from.
What is a bump?A bump is the spot on a piece of optical media (CD or DVD) that is not the flat spot. The bump is sometimes also refered to as a pit. There is no difference between a pit and a bump. The only difference is the perspective of which side of the optical media you are looking from.
What is a landing?The landing is the flat spot between pits (bumps) on a piece of optical media.
Why does optical media have pits and landings?These difference in 'elevation' are read by the laser drive as data.
Is there a difference between a pit and a bump?No. There is no difference between a pit and a bump. The only difference is the perspective of which side of the optical media you are looking from.
What is a Glass Master?A Glass Master is a piece of media that a computer writes data to in preparation for making a father.
What is a Father?A Father is the metal part that is made from a Glass Master. The Father is used to make a harder metal part that is called a Mother.
What is a Mother?A Mother is a hard metal part created from a Father. The hard metal Mother is used to make a very hard part called a Stamper. The Stamper is the part that physically 'stamps' the pits and landings into the polycarbonate that is the basis of any optical media.
What is a Stamper?A Stamper is made from a Mother. The Stamper is the part that physically 'stamps' the pits and landings into the polycarbonate that is the basis of any optical media.
What is track pitch?Track pitch is the distance between rows of data on optical media. The normal track pitch for cds is 1.6 microns. For dvds the normal track pitch is .8 microns.
What is the wavelength of a CD drive?A CD drive will use an infrared laser beam that has a wavelength of approximately 780nm.
What is the wavelength of a Blu-Ray DVD?A Blu-Ray DVD drive uses a very small blue-violet laser beam with a wavelength of only 405nm. This wavelength is almost half the size of a cd drive and is 30% smaller than the traditional red laser beam drive. This small laser beam allows the data to be packed much more densely than either a CD or DVD.
What is the wavelength of a HD DVD?A HD DVD drive uses a very small blue laser beam with a wavelength of only 405nm. This wavelength is almost half the size of a cd drive and is 30% smaller than the traditional red laser beam drive. This small laser beam allows the data to be packed much more densely than either a CD or DVD.
What is the wavelength of a DVD drive?A DVD drive will use a red laser beam with a wavelength of 625nm - 650nm. This wavelength is smaller than a CD drive. The smaller wavelength is needed to accurately access the data tracks that are smaller and closer together.
What is the Substrate?The core material of optical media is moulded polycarbonate. This moulded polycarbonate is refered to as the Substrate.
What is Metalizing?Metalizing is the process where a thin coat of metal is applied to the clear plastic disc that is the basis of optical media.