How To Information & Questions:

Disc Information Thermal Disc Labels Digital Disc Labels Screen Printed Labels Adhesive Labels Ink-Jet Labels CD Media DVD Media Blu-Ray Media Color information Spot Color Printing 4 Color Process Printing Flood background

Packaging & Assembly Jewel Cases Slim Jewel Cases Soft poly cases DVD cases Digipaks Printed Sleeves & Wallets Clear & Paper Sleeves Cover Art Back Tray card Specialty Disc Packaging

Questions: What is Duplication? What is Replication? What is a Glass Master/Stamper? What Are ISRC Codes? Licensing & Publishing What is a Sync license? What is a Mechanical License? Who is BMI or ASCAP? Forms & Applications Templates

 

The Disc Label art usually means the content printed on the top of the disc.

Thermal Disc Labels:
The thermal label process prints directly to the disc top.
Very durable and professional. Clean text, water resistant. No running or smearing. Totally Pro CD, DVD & Blu-Ray®Disc Copies.

Digital Disc Labels:
Digital disc labels use 4 color process right on the disc without the "Old School" cost of screens and film. 4 Color printing on the discs. No Screen or Film Cost.

Screen Printed Labels:
Sometimes call silkscreen because at one time tightly woven screens were made of a form of silk. Today, screen printing screens are made with a synthetic mesh. Each color is set with a negative image of what is to be printed. Film is created first then the negative image is removed from the coated screen mesh, creating the printing ready screen.

There are 2 types of screen printing.

• Spot color: Where each color has a screen using PMS colors to match a product logo or specific color selection. We can screen print up to 5 colors using the PMS color selection system.
• 4 Color Process: Where 4 colors (CMYK) equal millions of color combinations.
  This process is used for images and a label with many different gradients and colors.

NOTE:
Flood Background: A solid background color is called a flood and we do not charge for film or screens for flood colors.

Printing Names:

• 4/1 color is 4 color (CMYK) printing on the front and 1 color (black) on the back
• 4/4 color is 4 color (CMYK) printing on both sides.

Adhesive Labels:
Adhesive disc labels are 4 color laser printed labels, printed on sheets with adhesive back. The printed labels are then peeled off the printed sheet and applied to the top of the disc.
If you need your project in a hurry we suggest adhesive labels.
We don't suggest adhesive labels for any project that would require archiving or long shelf life.
Over time the adhesive could bubble up or soak up moisture that could shorten the life of a disc.

We use a coated matte adhesive paper labels. The graphics are printed on the adhesive label with our Xerox® Fusion Technology to "burn" the label into the paper. This makes for a solid precise label that is applied to the disc. No Running, No Smearing! We prefer coated matte paper over glossy labels to make the labels more durable and more scratch resistant. We will print on glossy labels by request.

Ink-Jet Disc Labels:
Ink-Jet Disc Labels are printed right on the disc using a specially modified Ink-Jet printer, much like the ink-jet you may have at home.
We only use Water-Shield (water resistant, smear resistant) Ink-Jet Discs in house. Water Shield disc help the fading and smearing issues with inkjet.
Ink-Jet media does fade and the ink can run. Regular inkjet printing on request.

Media Quality:
Shortstacks only uses and sells Grade A Disc Media. There are many different types of "R" media on the market and the quality of the discs can eliminate most playback issues, making your optical media project simple and complete.

CD Media:
There are generally 2 types of CD. Audio CD and DATA CDs. Sometimes called a CD-ROM.

DVD Media:
There are 2 types of information burned or replicated to a DVD. A formatted DVD or DATA DVDs.
There are 5 types of mass produced DVDs.

1. DVDR (+ or -) for duplication. Minus DVDR media has now become the standard.
2. DVD-RW (+ or -) Rewritable DVDR. Minus DVDR media has now become the standard.
3. DVD 5 for standard 4.7 GB
4. DVD 9 Single Layer 8.5 GB replicated disc
5. DVD 10 Double Sided 9.5 replicated disc

Blu-Ray Media:
Blu-Ray Discs are the new standard to distribute HD video content. Sony won the battle for HD Disc delivery. 2 types of Blu-Ray Media. 25 GB and 50 GB.

Duplicated Discs:
Exact copies of a Compact Disc (CDR) , Digital Video Disc (DVDR) or Blu-Ray (BDR) media, duplicated with the same type of drives that are used on your home computer, except we use automated systems or towers for mass duplication. Duplicated discs are exact copies (byte per byte, pixel per pixel) of the master disc. No "glass master" needed when duplicating.

CD, DVD & Blu-Ray Replication:
A master "Stamper" sometimes called a "glass master" disc is created from your approved CDr, DVDr or DLT tape.

The Stamper/Glass Master is in a "Clean" Room Lab. It is made of a chemically coated glass where a laser burns off the information leaving a 'negative' of the CD or DVD. The silver coating is added that is made of molten nickel compound.

The created stamper is then put into a production line where it punches the data onto another piece of blank clear plastic that is also coated with molten aluminum as the reflective surface and poly carbonate.

The stamped/coated disc is sent to the screen printing machine that prints the label on the disc.

Replicated discs are generally more durable than CDr and DVDr media.

Packaging & Assembly

Jewel Cases are clear plastic cases with a black or clear tray inserted into the right side of the open case.

Slim Jewel Cases are the slim version of the standard Jewel Case, except they do not have any printing on the back of the tray. No Tray card.

Soft poly cases are sometimes called clamshells, because of the round shape. There are now many versions of poly cases. Clamshell, rounded corner or square poly case with a place for an insert card.

DVD cases are the standard for professional retail dvd sales and distribution.
There are many versions of dvd cases available. Multiple discs and specialty color boxes or clear.
There is also a slim DVD box available.

Digipaks are the popular solution for artists and bands. The Digipaks is a 4 panel 4/0 printed card that is folded over. Then a clear or black tray is glued to the right side, to make for a durable case.

Note: Digipaks uses a single sided 4 or 6 panel printed artwork that is folded in to create the stronger double sided card stock, where the tray is glued to the right side or the center of a 6 panel Digipaks.

Sleeves and Wallet:
Printed Disc Sleeves are a single printed card stock, cut, folded and glued with an opening for disc assembly. You can seal a printed sleeve with shrink-wrap, or wafer sticker.

Printed Single Wallets are 4 panel printed card stock, cut folded and glued, with an opening in the middle fold on one side for disc assembly.

Printed Double Wallets are the same as the single wallet, except there is an opening in the middle fold for disc or booklet assembly on each side of the middle fold.

Clear and Paper Sleeves:

Paper sleeves are generally white paper with a clear plastic window in the middle. There is also a with a folding flap to secure the disc in the sleeve.

Clear vinyl sleeves are clear vinyl TYVEK sleeves with a folding flap to secure the disc in the sleeve.

Printing

Cover Art:
The Jewel Case Cover art is generally called the insert or booklet.

Back Tray card:
The Back is called the Tray, Tray card Tray cards have also been called the inlay card.

Cover art is inserted on the left side and the tray card is inserted behind the clear or black tray on the right side.

Artwork Printing Color Information:
4/1 color means 4 color on the front and 1 color (grayscale) on the inside.
4/4 color means 4 color on the front and back.

What is 2 panel artwork:
2 panel artwork is a 1 panel artwork with printing on both sides. No folds

What is 4 panel artwork:
4 panel artwork has printing on both sides and is folded in the middle to create 4 panels.

Digipak uses a single sided 4 panel artwork that is folded in to create the stronger double sided card stock, where the tray is glued to the right side.

What is 6 panel artwork:
3 panels on each side, tri-folded with printing on both sides.
8 panels and special poster folds are also available.

What is a cd booklet:
A multiple page booklet stapled in the middle fold.

Specialty Packaging:

Shortstacks.com and Surfware Media love specialty packaging. Specialty Disc packaging could be any kind of special idea to distribute your disc media with flair and style. Packaging options could be anything from a special ordered colored Jewel Case or sleeve to special die cut envelopes or specially printed card stock die-cut to special dimensions.

Preparing your project:

Bar Code or UPC Code:
Used for scanning products and prices in retail outlets.
The UPC code is usually not on the actual disc, but placed on the packaging for retailers to scan.

What are ISRC codes:
International Standard Recording Code is a unique identifying code for sound recordings and music video recordings. Have the author of your cd put or get the necessary information on the disc master.

ISRC Code Breakdown:
"CC-XXX-YY-NNNNN" = Country Code - 3 letter registrant code - Year - Unique 5 digit number.

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISRC
Register ISRC codes at www.gracenote.com
Note: If you used a company like CD Babe to get your songs on iTunes, CD Baby can assign ISRC codes for you if you decide.

How to fix or add ISRC codes to an already completed CD
http://www.ehow.com/how_2064817_missing-cd-information-via-itunes.html

Mechanical & Synchronization Licensing:

What is Mechanical License?

The Harry Fox Agency is the United States of America's largest agency collecting and distributing mechanical license fees on behalf of music publishers.
http://www.harryfox.com

What is a Synchronization Licensing
A Synchronization (Sync) licensing is an agreement between you, a record company or a publisher to sync music a TV show, DVD, Blu-Ray Disc or major motion picture movie.

Sync Licensing - Contact the song publishers for more information!
Download - MANDATORY INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT PDF

Synchronization rights definition on Wikipedia.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synchronization_rights

Mechanical Licensing & Synchronization licenses required.
For more information and how to acquire licensing. Download PDF

Note: If you have written and own the lyrics and music for your project, you do not need licensing.

Who is BMI & ASCAP

BMI - www.bmi.com
ASCAP - www.ascap.com

Surfware Media & Shortstacks.com can do the song mechanical licensing for you, for additional fees.
Call for more information - Contact Us

Creating a project

Create your master DISC:

Check the specs on all of your software for potential issues.

Disc Label & Packaging Art

1. Contact a graphic artist or Shortstacks.com for graphic design for more information to create your disc label and packaging design. Download templates here.
2. Final proof and spell check your graphics.
3. Send completed artwork digitally, by email or post in a Press Ready PDF, Flattened Adobe Photoshop format or TIF file @ 300dpi or greater.
4. Be sure to send fonts if needed.
5. You will receive a proofs via email from us unless you order a hard copy proofs.
6. Hard copy proofs for proPress or Disc Replication cost $150. By request only.
7. We will contact you with your price totals and process your order before starting your project.
8. If you are ordering from California and have a sales tax resale number, fill out the
   Resale Certificate form PDF and include it with your order.
9. Fill out the proper forms if you do not own the intellectual property on your disc.
10. For shipping address visit our contact us page.
    
    Guarantee:
    Surfware will replace any faulty media returned with the original CD, Jewel Case and Art Work with no scratches or signs of heat warp. No refunds for partially completed artwork or print jobs.

DATA Protection:
We retain no rights to your data or material or intellectual property, we will never copy your CD without written consent from you.