DVD Duplicators

[Re-Invented]

I currently work at a company where we make our own training videos, so once the dvd is complete we send it off for duplication but i noticed yesterday the price we are paying for these discs and found it to be very dear.

So i suggested about duplicators, now i have used 1:11 dupes before but we are looking really for something that is automated like the robotic ones, so basically i am asking if anyone has got any experience with these whatsoever.

Thank you

Lee

[peterb]

Seen them in use (fascinating to watch!) but not used one myself. We have one at work for occasional use - seems OK (similar to the ones Scan sell)

[Re-Invented]

Did look at them, but could really do with the printing all build in aswell

Thanks

Lee

[Rosaline]

One of the offices at work has one of the oldest custom-built office robotic duplication systems (with built in printing) in the UK, and thanks to a good support contract, it's still working quite nicely. Sadly I don't actually work in that office, and so can't tell you much that you don't know already.

I would seriously recommend looking into a specialist supplier who can offer you an on-site support contract for the system if you are looking to regularly make a significant number of copies.

The nice thing about most such systems is that they normally have UIs that are simple for non-technical staff members to use.

[Re-Invented]

Well thats the main reason behind it, as the fasted option is oviously a 1:11 dupe but requires people putting discs in the problem is, this will end up in our marketing dept as they do all promotional material and will require the use a lot so need something that is pretty much fully automated.

Keep suggestions coming peeps as its all a big help

Thank you

Lee

[peterb]

http://www.cd-writer.com/

[Re-Invented]

already looked on there but they dont seem to give you the prices of the dearer ones, so gonna drop them an email at some point once i know exact figures on output required and so fourth.

Thanks again

Lee

[peterb]

I suppose it depends if you want a single process (ie duplicate and print in oner pass) or happy with a two stage - copy first, then load into a printer. The single process looks as if it would have a slower throughput and the options are more limited - a two stage process requires user intervention though.

[Agent]

How many are you doing a day/week?

If its not 100's, you could buy a tower like the stacker, fill it with writers and use that.
The disks wont be automated, you'll need to put them in, so the number you do a day will depend on if that is practical.

[Rosaline]

Re-invented is almost certainly looking for a single process system with no human interaction needed after telling it to make X copies, with ready-to-use discs turning up at the end.

As this is for the marketing department, and it is intended to be used a lot, a rapid on-site repair service is even more essential, I'd say. A large disc capacity would also be important. I'd be wary of reseller websites which don't offer you warranty and repair contract details.

I did a quick google search, and found Verity systems, the name of which is ringing very big bells for me. Their robotic systems are by no means cheap, starting at £3000. However the build quality looks very good, their systems are designed with multiple burners, and most importantly their warranty is on-site and I strongly suspect it should be possible to find professional support contracts for their kit.

[Agent]

http://shop.cd-writer.com/acatalog/A...ATORS_157.html

That has some nice ones on

[Re-Invented]

How many are you doing a day/week?

If its not 100's, you could buy a tower like the stacker, fill it with writers and use that.
The disks wont be automated, you'll need to put them in, so the number you do a day will depend on if that is practical.

I have looked into towers as i have used these for along time but as stated few posts back trying to keep it automated as it will be in the marketing dept and the less UI the better.

We are not doing masses but we do have periods where we need say a run of 2000 so need it to be able to produce that kind of figure in a week.

Re-invented is almost certainly looking for a single process system with no human interaction needed after telling it to make X copies, with ready-to-use discs turning up at the end.

As this is for the marketing department, and it is intended to be used a lot, a rapid on-site repair service is even more essential, I'd say. A large disc capacity would also be important. I'd be wary of reseller websites which don't offer you warranty and repair contract details.

I did a quick google search, and found Verity systems, the name of which is ringing very big bells for me. Their robotic systems are by no means cheap, starting at £3000. However the build quality looks very good, their systems are designed with multiple burners, and most importantly their warranty is on-site and I strongly suspect it should be possible to find professional support contracts for their kit.

Thank you for that link hadnt come across them yet will drop them an email also £3000 is about what i have been looking at so that isnt too bad, do you have any experience with Verity or not?

Thanks again all, this is helping me loads

Reagrds

Lee

[Rosaline]

I personally don't have any experience with actually using a CD duplicator, aside from a ten minute poke around the one in the other office at work when they needed some help getting it fixed. My department's structure is very odd, so although they do similar work, we don't spend much time with that team :S

'ringing very big bells' basically means I have a good feeling and have probably encountered them before, but I don't know why and can't remember anything at all I wouldn't recommend anything based on such a gut feeling!
I will ask my co-worker who worked in the other office for more information when I next see her, but she's on holiday at the moment, and we work different shifts

I'm glad I could be of help!

[Funkstar]

I looked at automated CD duplication a good few years ago in a previous job, but for the life of me I cannot remember what the company i found was called.

They produced some awsome equipment. 12 writers, 2 printers and spindles for doing batches of about 300 at a time. This could be 300 copies of the same thing, 300 different titles or somewhere inbetween. You could control them from your desktop and send disk images across the network for production. Very very nice.

i'l have another dig about, see if i can come up with anything.

EDIT: This was the company i was thinking about: http://www.cdteam.co.uk/index.html

dosn't look like they still have the systems we looked at, which is a shame, these ones don't look nearly as impressive. Although they will be muh more advanced, just not as futuristic looking

[Re-Invented]

Cheers funkstar, i have already emailed them as i like the look of some of there dupes, i'm just waiting on the quote so my MD can laugh at me

Lee