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  1. Hi,

    I am looking for some suggestion in searching a device to automatically copy CDs.

    Originally, my job requires gathering and copying information onto multiple flash drives. While the process is fairly time consuming, it wasn't really much of an issue. However, I have recently been requested to use CDs instead of flash drives, so I went to couple local places that provide CD burning services, but they wouldn't be able to finish the copying job within a day. Now, we are considering getting an auto copy device in the office and do it ourselves. Has anyone here used CD burners that will feed discs itself so I do not have to keep watching it? Any suggested brand in particular?
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  2. Member hech54's Avatar
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    I don't understand. ....at all.
    Are you looking to "duplicate" one data set dozens of times?
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  3. Banned
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    As hech54 points out, better defining your situation would enable you to get better answers. For example, if you have 1 CD and you need to make 3 copies of it, that's one thing. If you have 20 CDs and you need to make 50 copies of each, that's something completely different. Since the CD house can't complete your work in time it seems that you have some rather extreme requirements so it would really be good idea to specify exactly what you are looking for.
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  4. Thank you for the link, MOVIEGEEK, so they are called CD duplicators~ I will do some more research. Thanks

    jman98, Sorry I wasn't very clear about my situation. Typically, after meetings around 6 PM, we will have a CD contains data such as PDF documents and images. We then need to produce about 80~100 copies by the next morning.
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  5. Member hech54's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by bunnybaby View Post
    80~100 copies by the next morning.
    Let me guess....whoever suggested this is NOT the most techno-savvy person in the office?
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    Originally Posted by bunnybaby View Post
    Thank you for the link, MOVIEGEEK, so they are called CD duplicators~ I will do some more research. Thanks

    jman98, Sorry I wasn't very clear about my situation. Typically, after meetings around 6 PM, we will have a CD contains data such as PDF documents and images. We then need to produce about 80~100 copies by the next morning.
    This seems like a rather extreme and at the same time antiquated request. CD technology is pretty old, although not completely useless like floppy discs. Maybe you should explain in detail why you think you need 80-100 copies every day of a CD as if we understood what the reasoning was behind this, maybe someone here has a better idea to meet your real needs that doesn't involve a massive duplication effort. But if it turns out that you really do need that many copies, you will have to buy a duplication unit and do it yourselves.

    I could be wrong, but I suspect that your late hours were a big issue for the local production houses you checked. They are probably small shops who do not run around the clock operations. Of course you may well realize this, but I just wanted to say that getting this amount of work done so late in the day was probably the real problem rather than them being unable to do it quickly enough. Or in other words, with the right equipment they could probably do the work in 1-2 hours but they just didn't want to start it at 6:30 or 7 PM.
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  7. Member
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    Originally Posted by hech54 View Post
    Originally Posted by bunnybaby View Post
    80~100 copies by the next morning.
    Let me guess....whoever suggested this is NOT the most techno-savvy person in the office?
    This is a good example of why Dilbert is actually realistic.
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  8. heck54, tell me about it....

    jamn98, not daily (that would be a nightmare...) The meetings are roughly once a month. We organize international conference and meetings. Most of the participants leave the country next morning after meetings. We can't e-mail the data due to size and security. In the past, flash drives get the job done, but there are requests for CDs recently.

    Well, in the long term, we think it could be a good idea for us to do this kind of job in house instead of outsourcing.
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  9. aBigMeanie aedipuss's Avatar
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    i had to do move than a dozen or so at a time here, i would purchase a device like this.
    http://www.buy.com/prod/systor-discmaster-201-automatic-1-cd-dvd-burner-100-disc-publi...212940347.html
    --
    "a lot of people are better dead" - prisoner KSC2-303
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    OK, fair enough on the explanation although CDs are not better, per se, than flash drives for this. I guess your participants are afraid of viruses and such on flashdrives, but in theory you could put those on the CDs too. Yeah, you'll need to do this in house given your parameters. I think aedipuss has probably found something as good for your needs as you're likely to find. Do note that I am unable at present to confirm that this device will work with Windows 7, although I did find it certified for XP and Vista. One of the problems with devices like this is that sometimes the manufacturer won't bother to write updated software for new versions of Windows so do understand that it's possible that you will have to keep a PC running XP or Vista for some time to use this duplicator.
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  11. aedipuss, thank you for the suggestion, I see that the Systor DiscMaster can copy and print CDs. We are now just looking at making copies, it seems to be ideal for us to get a less expensive device without printing functions.

    jman98, thank you for the great advice! As you suggested, we are considering getting a standalone device to avoid dealing with software issues.

    After doing some research on line, I think we will most likely settle with Nimbie: (http://www.oranged.to/reviews/nimbie-nb12-compared-to-cube-i/ ) If anyone knows other better choices, please share with me. Thanks!
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  12. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
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    You don't have to do this in house. Any decent production/dub/transfer house could do this job in a couple of hours (though printing would take longer). I know this from extensive experience with those dub towers.

    Scott
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  13. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
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    Here is an example calculation:
    Full 80 min CD @ 1x = 80 min per pass. At 16x (a reasonable and reliable burn speed) = 5 min per pass.
    If you have an 8drive tower, that's 8 discs every 5 minutes. You want 80 discs, so that is 10 passes = 50 min. Plus 5 minutes to load up the disc image = 55 min. The rest is print time. If you have a printer with robotic arm you should be able to do about 20-25 per hour. So that's less than 5 hours total.

    Scott
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  14. Cornucopia, thank you for the information. Our local service providers can’t get things done in time. We figured doing the burning in house can also save me a trip, for the long run, it’s more flexible for us to do it ourselves. Plus, the duplicators I found are fully automatic, so we don’t have to deal with changing discs.

    We have decided to go with the Nimble since they have a $100 off promotion running right now. Perhaps I will share our experience here again once we have tried the device. Thank you guys for all your help.
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    Yeah, let us know if that works well for you or not. It's not a common question, but I have learned that years later people will find old threads via an internet search and I'm sure some person in the future will find this thread and they'll be grateful to know if this was good for you as they will have the same needs.
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  16. Video Restorer lordsmurf's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by Cornucopia View Post
    Any decent production/dub/transfer house could do this job
    ... but most won't want to. It's a crap project. Just my 2 cents.
    Want my help? Ask here! (not via PM!)
    FAQs: Best Blank DiscsBest TBCsBest VCRs for captureRestore VHS
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  17. Now google "lego dvd robot" - 'nuff said.
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  18. Hello everyone here.
    We bought the Nimbie Standalone to make the copies.
    It's perfect and is working well
    I just put discs in the device, press the start button then go to sleep.
    And copies are done next morning!!
    I don't need to stay up late for feeding discs anymore.
    Now after the meeting, I could go home on time and take a good rest(get a beauty sleep ).
    Just like to share my experience with everyone here. Thanks for your advices.

    By the way, our department also bought their Sidekick for disc printing.
    I just heard that Sidekick is quite useful from my colleague.
    If someone is considering to label discs automatically, you could give it a try.
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  19. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
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    Duplication is usually a breeze and quick, even when it isn't automated. It's the printing that often slows you down.

    Oh, and DO NOT go down the road of using labels. That just reeks of cheezy, nonprofessionalism. (And will mess up in the long run).

    Scott
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  20. Member darkknight145's Avatar
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    Do you actually have to give them a physical copy? why not just upload the material to your companies website and give the people from the meeting the web address to goto to access the info, this would be far less time consuming and cheaper than CD's etc.
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  21. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
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    I agree. Http or Ftp should work fine (can even make it secure, https & ftps). No need for physical shipping, labelling, buying media, etc.

    Scott
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  22. Actually, the inquiries we receive are mostly for seminars.
    And customers request different ways for data distributing.
    Downloading files via ftp as scott and darkknight145 mentioned is also one of the options
    More and more customers ask for CDs recently.(I'm wondering the reason, too~)
    And that's the reason our company decided to purchase the device.
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  23. Originally Posted by Cornucopia View Post
    Duplication is usually a breeze and quick, even when it isn't automated. It's the printing that often slows you down.

    Oh, and DO NOT go down the road of using labels. That just reeks of cheezy, nonprofessionalism. (And will mess up in the long run).

    Scott
    Manually printing disc is really time-wasting!
    (It's bothering to feed discs one by one... >_<)

    What I mean is printing directly on the discs, not the traditional CD stickers.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=UgDhZfCppUw
    That's awesome and looks so beautiful
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  24. Member steptoe's Avatar
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    Personally don't use sticky labels, they have to be applied perfectly central or go off balance and apparently can eventually leech the glue backing when spinning at high speeds

    I use direct to disc print labels and still surprise myself when I pick one up I did a couple of years previously and wonder if its one I bought as the quality is so clear

    White faced printable media is about the same price as 'normal' media these days, if not cheaper sometimes. Just remember to speed that little bit more and get media that will actually burn perfectly almost everytime. Your bound to get the odd one fail to burn, but the more you spend the less chance this will be

    If you buy bargain bucket media you'll get plenty of bad burns or even worse it burns fine but refuses to play in whatever the person is trying to play in on. Not very helpful if your clients are the other side of the world
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