CD Duplication Company

A CD duplication company is hired by individuals and corporations to make a duplicate copy of CDs, DVDs, or other forms of media. Some of these companies are also able to transfer data from one medium to another. For example, a CD duplication company may be able to convert an outdated VHS into a more modern and therefore more usable DVD.

Why Would One Need a CD Duplication Company?

There are any number of reasons why duplicate copies might be needed of a given disc. For example, several individuals in a company may need to coordinate a presentation, and they can save time if they each have a copy of the CD being used in the presentation. If none of these individuals has access to a CD burner, a CD duplication company may suit their needs. An aspiring musician may also employ the services of a CD duplication company in order to produce and distribute copies of their own CD, for example.

CD duplication is generally recommended if the project size is under 500 copies. Over this amount, it becomes economically unwise for a person to engage the services of a CD duplicator. Large projects should be referred to a CD replication company. Many CD duplication companies provide extra services to make the presentation of a CD more professional. These extra services can include label artwork and packaging, among others.

The majority of CD duplication companies are operated by individuals or very small businesses. Because of this, turnaround times must be carefully understood. With small businesses, workload can greatly impact how quickly a project is completed. If the company has a backlog, it may take up to several weeks for the finished project to be returned. Most companies quote a timeframe of three to five business days for turnaround on a duplication project, but depending on the size of the company and number of work orders, this may vary.

When speaking to duplication companies, one subject that may come up is sales tax. Many companies do not charge sales tax for customers of other states. This may be an attractive incentive, but even if you find a company that must charge sales tax, there may be a way around this legally. If the disc to be duplicated will be sold after production, there may be the possibility of obtaining a reseller's license. In certain states, such as California, this reseller's license waives sales tax requirements between vendors. However, if the product is not intended for sale and the duplication company in question charges sales tax, it is required by law that the sales tax be paid.

Copyright Law and CD Duplication

An honest duplication company will be very careful about what it duplicates. For the person sending in the material, this means that the content to be duplicated cannot infringe on any copyrights in any way. Many duplication companies will ask for a copy of licensing agreements for third party content before duplication will be allowed.

The words "third party content" in this case means content owned by someone other than the person submitting the duplication request. This content can come in a variety of forms, such as photos taken by someone else, copyrighted text, and/or audio samples. A common misconception is that it is fine to use a sample of copyrighted work, as long as it doesn't exceed a certain length. This is not true, however, and all samples, regardless of length, must be properly authorized.

CD duplication companies can be a valuable resource for people without access to a burner, or for those who are looking to do more than they are currently capable of with their home software. As with all companies, it is vital to understand and agree to all terms before signing a contract. It is also important to make sure there is no copyright infringement in the materials to be submitted, and all licensing agreements are included, if necessary.