What's the difference between Duplication & Replication? Duplication is the "burning" of a blank-Recordable DVD. This process actually consists of altering a layer of purple dye inside the disk with a laser. When the laser hits the dye, it creates a tiny bubble which is read as "1". The playback laser will reflect light in the same "burned" pattern as the original disk - and the copy is made. No duplicated DVD disk will last forever. The lifespan of the disk depends on the quality of the dyes used in the DVD-R's and how you store and/or manipulate the disk. Humidity and light are known to degrade DVD-R dyes, so be sure to keep your Master Disk in a cool & dry place. Dye lifespan for DVD-R disks can vary between 3 and 100 years depending on handling and quality of the media. We only use the best quality DVD-R disks (Taiyo Yuden) chosen for their durability and compatibility. Advantages - Best solution for small quantity runs - Fast, limited set-up time required - Compatible with all Computer DVD drives Disadvantages (and what you should know about DVD-R's) - DVD dyes will disintegrate with time, heat & humidity - Not compatible with early models of DVD player (90% compatibility) Replication is the process by which DVD are produced in large quantities. A glass master is produced to stamp a thin layer of foil on the virgin disk. Instead of disks being "burned" individually be a laser, they are stamped! The resulting disk is compatible with all DVD players and much more resistant to damage and degradation from light and humidity. This process is used for all major DVD releases. Advantages - Best solution for large quantity runs - Compatible with all DVD players - Longer lifespan than duplicated/burned disks - Can integrate copy protection to your disk   (Macrovision and/or CSS Encryption) Disadvantages - New glass master required for any changes to DVD. - Large quantities required (1000+ copies) to offset glass master cost. Back to top.