Applying CSS Encryption to your DVD Project

If your working with the wrong DVD Manufacturer, applying CSS encryption to your DVD project can be a very complicated, time consuming and confusing process.  Many replicators(particularly overseas) do not offer CSS as they do not pay the royalty for this service.  You can pretty much assume that they do not have a legitimate CSS process when they say things like, “if you provide us with an already encrypted disc, we can replicate that for you”, or when they do not discuss CSS royalty fees when you order.  These are red flags.

If you are having trouble getting a straight answer about CSS Encryption, please see my first post which explains some of the misconceptions of CSS Encryption.

This current article is more about how to provide a CSS encrypted master for replication.

If you want a DVD manufactured with CSS Encryption, there are two ways you can accomplish this.

1. If you have a DLT Deck and can provide a DLT(Digital Linear Tape) master.  When doing your DVD authoring, you will have an option to output your project to DLT.  If you have a DLT deck, you will need to check the CSS encryption flag during authoring.  Once you output your project to DLT we will check your DLT Master against our Eclipse tester, which will show whether or not the CSS Encryption has been added.  If we show the CSS present, that is all we need to output the master.

2. If you do not have a DLT Deck – we can take your DVD-R master and convert it to a DDP master with the CSS Encryption flag set.  The cost to do this is typically $300.  This is an easy way to get CSS Encryption without having to invest in a DLT deck.  This method is also verified by Eclipse Testing to make sure the CSS is present.

3. If you can output your own DDP master –   If you authoring platform allows for creating your own DDP master, you can use this method to provide us with a DDP master with the Encryption flag set.  This method is also verified by Eclipse Testing to make sure the CSS is present.

Once we get your correct master and verify the CSS content is present, we apply the scrambling algorithm during the cutting of your glass master.  There is a one time CSS royalty fee that we charge, typically $150 for DVD-5 and $200 for DVD-9.

These are the three avenues to getting CSS copy protection on your DVD.

If you have more questions about CSS Encryption as it may apply to an upcoming project, please give me a call at (888) 889-2926 or email me, Brian, at briangfisher@dvdduplication.net.

Quality Focused DVD Duplication

When shopping around for DVD Duplication Services you should be aware that in the industry there is always a cost vs quality tradeoff.  Many companies run on the low cost model in which product quality and service suffer.

To better understand what you are buying, first it is important to distiguish DVD Duplication from DVD Replication. DVD Duplication is an industry term defined as copying one dvd on to many using DVD burners.  This process is usually for lower volume runs under 500 units and is not to be confused with DVD Replication which is typically for runs over 1000 units and are stamped, not burned.

If you need less than 1000 units, then you are looking for DVD Duplication.  The best way to ensure that you reiceve a quality DVD Duplication product is to ask these key questions of your duplicator.

1. ask them to explain what type of blank DVDs they use and why they have chosen them. – the quality of blank media varies widely in the industry.  There is great media out there and there is some real junk too.  If you duplication company cannot tell you what type of blanks they use and why, you are probably dealing with a low cost provider that buys many different types of blanks depending on the current price.  These guys are typically your low cost and low quality provider.

2. ask them if they verify the master content for read errors and PI/PO errors.  This is very good way to ensure that the master is of good quality and will have the necessary integrity for making good duplications.

3. ask them what type of disc printing they use.  If the answer is “ink jet” you are probably dealing with a very small company that has not been able to upgrade to equipment that will provide a better quality print that is also water and scratch resistant.

These are some fundamental questions to ask to verify the quality of the disc you are getting.

You also will want to consider getting references from current clients and asking about guarantees on turn times.  There are many low cost, low quality providers out there that will promise great prices at the expense of approximate lead times.  It always pays to do your homework for your DVD projects.

these are just a few tips to get some insight into the product and service quality upon which they build their business.

If you have more questions about DVD Duplication, give us a quick call, we are always eager to earn new clients and provide you with a product and service that should exceed your expectations.

How much quality video can you get onto a DVD?

One of the questions we answer on a regular basis is “how much quality video can you get onto a single layer DVD?”

In general, the short answer is about 90 to 120 minutes.

Now for the long answer -Once you have the source material shot and edited, the DVD Video quality will be a function of two main variables, the quality of the Video Compressor you are using and the bit rate that you set for the compression.

1. Bit Rate – If you have a very short video program you won’t have any constraints on the bit rate and therefore no constraints on topping out on the high end for quality.  Where you run into problems is when you have a video program over 90 minutes or so.  Once you get into this area, you only have about 4.4G of data that you can store on a single layer DVD.  So you have limit your bit rate, to minimize the amount of data that can be read in a given period of time.  The lower the bit rate, the less fine detail of your video can be interpreted and delivered to your video screen.

2. Compressor Quality – there are many types of video compression programs.  Some are software based and some are hardware based.  In general the more elaborate programs, i.e. the more costly, the better the compression.  However, there are several consumer level compressors such as iDVD and Toast, just to name a couple that do a pretty good job at a low cost.

There are a few obvious consideration that you have to take into account when trying to work out this “video quality vs. run time” equation.  The first is the actual content of the video.  If, for example, the video content is a lecture, where most of the background is static and there is little movement on the screen, you will not need as high a bit rate as say, a blockbuster action motion movie that has considerable movement on the screen.  I have seen very good quality 160 minute lectures with static backgrounds that fit on one DVD.

The second important consideration is to consider that a bit rate that is too high(too close to the max spec for compression standards) may cause some DVD players to “choke” because they cannot process that much data fast enough.  This happens mostly in two circumstances, with old computers or when using DVD+/-R.  It takes more processing power to play a DVD+/-R so the high bit rate on top of that will sometimes cause playback issues.

So this has been a very basic look at the issue of DVD Video quality vs. run time.  There are many more fine details and issues regarding this topic, but I have chosen to just discuss some of the more basic concepts here.

If you have more questions regarding this process, or would like more info on DVD Duplication after you job is authored, please contact us.  You can ask for me, Brian.

CSS Encryption Explained for DVD Manufacturing

One of the biggest mysteries that we have to explain to many of our new clients is how to get CSS(content scramble system) encryption applied to a DVD project.

When a client wants to have copy protection on a DVD that we manufacture, the easiest way to have that done is to have CSS encryption applied to their DVD.  However, this process is more complex than most understand, and I am hoping to dispel most of the misconceptions that are made when trying to get CSS applied to your DVD master.

Misconception 1: AUTHORING – During authoring you will have to have the CSS Encryption Flag set.  One of the biggest mistakes DVD Authorers make is that they check the CSS Flag and assume that copy protection will be applied to the DVD.  This is only the case if the master that is being output is either a DLT master, or a DDP master.  If you intend to apply CSS to a master that is a playable DVDR, the CSS flag will not be set.  In short, this means that if you do not have access to a DLT drive or cannot output a DDP master, your DVD will not be encrypted.

Misconception 2:  The actual CSS scrambling is done at the factory.  When a DLT or DDP master coming in with the CSS check flag set, during glass mastering, the replicator applies the CSS algorithm to the DVD project.  Another common misunderstanding is that since CSS is applied at the factory, many clients want to turn in a playable DVD-R master without CSS flag set and ask if we can apply the CSS at that point.  This is not technologically possible.  The master must have the CSS Flag set for us to apply it at glass mastering.  We can take your playable DVDR master and remaster to DDP to apply the CSS, but this is an extra cost of $300-$450 depending on the master DVD-5 or DVD-9.

Misconception 3: Replicators – Many replicators, especially those overseas do not pay the CSS royalty fees for CSS, and therefore do not have the technology to apply the CSS encryption to your DVD project.  A good way to find out if your replicator is offering legitimate CSS encryption is to ask them if they pay the CSS royalty and that you want an Eclipse report showing that CSS is verified on the master.  If you want CSS, you may have to stick with a domestic manufacturer in the US.  Most US DVD manufacturers offer CSS, however, some of the smaller outfits may not.

In short, if you want CSS applied to your DVD, you need to do your homework,……get linked up with a good credible replicator who can help you through these steps to make sure you get the copy protection you want on your DVD project.

If you have more questions regarding CSS Encryption please give us a call at 888-889-2926, call me direct, ask for Brian or you can email me at briangfisher@dvdduplication.net.

Dual Layer Burnables

DVD Duplication.net has  continued to add capacity for Dual layer burnables.  Early on in the dual layer life cycle we were very hesitant to offer dual layer burnable services, ie DVD-DL Duplication.  However, as the technology matured and the life cycle progressed, we have become more and more comfortable with the reliability of the burnable dual layer DVDs.  This is not to be confused with DVD-9 which is Replication.  DVD-9 is a dual layer replicated disc that normally start at 1000 units and are entirely robust and reliable. They are the typical Hollywood movie DVDs that you rent.

In the past the lower volume burnables, however, have been known to have quality issues, which is why we did not offer that service or promote dual layer DVD Duplication.  We do see the technology maturing now to the point where we can comfortably offer a dual layer duplication service with a good quality guarantee.  These orders are still taken with a caveat, that there may be some compatibility issues with some players. These discs themselves, though burn well and the data is guaranteed to be intact.

If you need more information about Dual Layer discs, just give us a call or write.

Ask for Amy or Brian.

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