Do I need Closed Captioning or Subtitles for my DVD or Blu-ray Disc?

27/07/2022DVDRyan Libson

This is always a tough decision and I know you're probably not going to like the answer but it's probably - BOTH!

What are Closed Captions?

Captions come in a couple of flavors – open and closed but since closed is much more common we will speak of them.

Closed Captions are intended for individual audience members who are deaf or hard of hearing.  They include audio descriptions of music in the background or audio elements that are present in addition to spoken word.

EG
“Shrill music plays in the background”

Closed Captions were developed as part of the accessibility initiative of the ADA so to be in compliance for public broadcasting or showing in schools and other public venues you may be legally required to include them.

What are Subtitles?

Subtitles are written translations of the spoken text featured in a video. They can be in the same language or they be translated from one language to another.

Subtitles assume that the viewer can hear and do not include audio description.

Subtitles have gained popularity with both ESL (english as a second language) and many other distracted viewers. As screens become more pervasive it is not uncommon for audience members to multitask with a second screen while watching DVDs or Blu-rays on a Television. Some viewers use the subtitles to essentially pre-read the dialog seconds before it’s spoken to free up attention for additional tasks.

For a more thorough explanation of the nuances and benefits of each you can visit here.

Why do I need Subtitles & Closed Captioning?

Well that comes down to a technical glitch essentially. The stream of data that the closed captioning is contained is great for broadcast over the air presentations.

For whatever reason this data stream is not passed through HDMI cables.

This is a huge problem as the vast majority of video playback occurs through HDMI connected DVD and Blu-ray players.

If you have the space we recommend creating a menu screen with or adding subtitles in addition to providing closed captioning for compliance reasons.

What kind of content producers think about adding CC and Subtitles?

Religious Content Producers – Preachers, Churches, Theology Professors
Educational Content Producers – Videos shown in school settings.
Public Broadcast & Documentary Producers

Really anyone that is aiming for a wide audience should think hard about adding these features.  The Closed Captioning will cover your ADA compliance and the Subtitles are gaining popularity amongst viewers of all types.

Can Discburn add Subtitles and Closed Captions to my Video Content?

We certainly can add subtitles and closed captioning to your DVD mastering and/or Blu-ray production projects.

We recommend our customers first get their transcriptions produced in the proper file formats. www.Rev.com has been our go to for this service and we don’t hesitate to send our customers to them. Don’t be tempted with the lower cost AI based transcription services – we’ve found them to be severely lacking.

Once you have your transcription files you can simply provide them along with your video content and for some minimal additional fees (typically around $75) we can create a menu item and add your subtitles.

Discburn is here to help you with any or all video content production services that you require. If you would like to discuss your next project you can always call 612-782-8200 or email us. We provide full service authoring and mastering services for DVD, Bluray, Audio and Digital content.

Building a DVD ISO file in Encore CS 6

23/05/2022DVDBLURAY MASTERING, DATA PARITY, dvd, DVD MASTERING, ISORyan Libson

Building an ISO file for your duplication partner is a great way to decrease your cost and make sure that you get exactly what you want.

ISO files or Image files are an exact image of the data that would be burned onto a DVD or physical disc.  They are a great solution for creators working with hardware that no longer has disc burning capability.

When employed correctly they reduce risk, frustration and cost for both the video content creator and the publisher producing the physical media. Free or low cost Programs such as imgburn or Roxio make it easy for anyone to burn out a copy or master from a digital ISO file.

Burning a disc from an ISO in Imgburn is as simple as clicking “Write image file to disc”, inserting a disc & navigating to your ISO file.

How do I create an ISO File of my DVD?

We utilize Adobe Encore CS6 so our quick little breakdown will be highlighting the steps required with that particular program.  This is not the only program capable of creating viable ISO files - it is simply the program we are familiar with.

Creating an ISO in Adobe Encore Step 1

Select “DVD” from the Format Drop Down Menu.
Navigate to the destination location you want to export the file to.
Assign a name to your project
Select the proper size for your project – we are using the most common 4.7GB DVD

Select “DVD Image” From the Output Drop Down Menu

Click the “Build” Button to begin the process of creating your ISO file.

Ensuring Data Parity in ISO files

One very important step when transferring ISO or really any data file over the internet is to calculate and include a cryptographic hash so that you and your duplication partner know that you are each looking at exactly the same file.

We utilize the MD5 hash for data parity and a free software called Accuhash. If you are comfortable in Windows or Linux Terminal you can calculate any number of crypto hashes but Accuhash simplifies the process considerably. You can download accuhash here.

To calculate a checksum or md5 simply click the little calculator icon in the top navigation bar.
Select “MD5” from the Hash Type Drop Down menu
Navigate to your ISO File by clicking the “Browse” button.
Click Calculate

Now that you have your MD5 hash “03B900179A066BA04E5499A599F5E896” you can share that with whomever you are digitally sharing your file with and they can verify that the file they have downloaded is and EXACT match to the file that you supplied.

This extra step is a vital step in ensuring that the entire ISO file was downloaded correctly using whatever cloud service provider you used to share your digital files.

Creating your own ISO files is not particularly difficult and can be a great way to save some money on your project but we understand that some of this can be difficult to grok and that some of the programs may be cost prohibitive.  We are always available to help with DVD or Bluray mastering should you choose to want to leave it to the professionals.

Should I Still make Physical Blu-rays of My Movie?

28/04/2022DVD, PrintingRyan Libson

YES – creators are still able to drive revenue through physical Blu-ray & DVD sales in 2022

Streaming is undoubtedly the main vehicle for content delivery in today’s market. It cannot be overstated how important it is to get your work in front of as many eyeballs as possible and that means streaming. That however is not the end of the story.

You’ve put so much effort into creating your masterpiece that you deserve to fully maximize any potential revenue sources and that means at least evaluating physical media production.

Your audience who is made up of your fans- fans want to support you.

This is where physical media comes in. Physical Media consists of DVD, USB drives, Blu-ray for video creators and Compact Disc, USB, Records and even Cassette Tapes for musical creators. Physical Media is a tangible good. It’s an item a fan can look back upon years or even decades later. It can be autographed and directly handed to a fan. That is not a stat, hit or a percentage point – that is a bond.

Nostalgia and Fandom go hand in hand.

It is one of the big reasons why you see the resurgence of vinyl amongst music fans. Yes the audio experience is unique but it is more than just that. Fans want to show support to the artists they love. They also want to take a journey during their experience.

Concerts are the main way band fans and bands connect emotionally.
Theater is the main way that filmmakers and audiences connect emotionally.

Both of these experiences offer a unique opportunity for creators to drive some additional revenue - merch or merchandising tables.   Bands have long realized that by selling t-shirts, stickers, albums and other physical goods they can extend that bond of fandom.  Film makers are starting to realize the same.

Now more than ever with an uptick in film festivals and fandom fundraising sites like GoFundme, film makers and video creators are tapping into that same bond and revenue stream with physical media sales. DVDs and Blu-ray discs filled with additional content, behind the scenes footage and literature inserted with autographs are popular stretch goals on Kickstarter.

One customer of ours had us actually looking into creating VHS tapes for his project a fandom driven script dedicated to a popular horror franchise.  His reasoning- his memory popping in an old horror VHS and watching the film huddled together with his best friends at a sleepover.

If you have a decent fanbase and you’ve created a quality project – you should produce DVDs or Blu-rays

The quantity of custom DVD or custom Blu-ray you order will be dependent on the size of your fandom but luckily for you, we can produce as little as 50 (I’d do at least 100 for the price break but I’m a bit biased)

In the past DVDs and Blu-rays were primarily content delivery vehicles, Today they are support vehicles first and foremost. They exist more as a way for your fans to say “thanks – I dig what you’re doing!”

Oh btw they also still exist as content vehicles in those places far far away. Places that if we are lucky, we get to visit occasionally. Places we go to unplug from the modern world and the tether of the internet- deer camps, cabins, sailboats and many many other magical places.

If you need any help authoring Blu-ray or mastering Blu-ray, producing professional quality DVD, Blu-ray or any other type of physical media – we would love to help.

Call us at 612-782-8200 or use our Contact Us page and we can get you started on your next DVD or BDR production project today!

USB 2.0 vs USB 3.0 Flash Drives

18/04/2022USB DrivesRyan Libson

Tips for choosing the correct Custom Printed USB Drive

Custom Printed USB Flash Drives can be a great way to deliver content to your customers but some basic slip ups can lead to great frustrations.

When your sourcing custom printed USB Drives it is important to speak with your vendor about the scope of your project. That can help to steer you in the correct direction.

Custom USB 2.0 Drives Have Slower Read/Write Speeds

USB 2.0

Branded Flash Drives are a great way to build brand equity and provide value to your customers. USB 2.0 drives are great for data transfer and storage whenever speeds do not need to be blazing fast.

Custom USB 2.0 Flash Drive Use Cases

Brochures
Art Delivery
Promotional Uses
IFUs (instruction for use)
Sales Collateral (PDF, Logos, Art, Press Releases, Embargo’d content)
Educational or Training Materials
More

Custom USB 3.0+ Drives Have Faster Read/Write Speeds

USB 3.0 Drives with custom printing are perfect for when you need faster performance. Slow speeds can cause issues like stuttering on high resolution video playback or lag issues when loading and running software. If you don’t know what you need, faster is always a safer bet. USB 3.0 drives are easily spotted by a blue connector socket.

Custom USB 3.0 + Flash Drive Use Cases

Bootable Software
Recovery Disks
Embedded Software
High Definition Video Playback
Live Linux Distributions
Tesla Sentry Cam
Surveillance Storage
More

These are not be all end all and whenever possible you should work with your vendor to produce first articles for testing. This is especially important if you are purchasing large quantities of custom printed USB drives as then generally cannot be returned once imprinted.

Speed, Formatting, & Chipset can all play important factors in making sure that your project goes off without a hitch. Call us today or email to speak with our experts about which USB drive is the right solution for you.

Sourcing Printed USB Drives

21/03/2022USB DrivesRyan Libson

Pick a USB Drive Form Factor – Shape & Size

Determine USB Drive Capacity

Printed USB Drives are available in just about any size you might need. Common sizes are between 128mb all the way up to 256GB. Pricing will depend on the capacity as well as the quantity.

Determine Flash Drive Required Speed

Some projects such as boot-able USB drives or those running directly from the drive itself will require higher data transfer speeds. We recommend at least USB 3 drives for any application that utilizes: boot-able files, executable files, high definition video playback directly from the drive (smart tvs/endcap displays/etc)

USB Data Loading

Custom printed USB drives are not only a great opportunity to showcase your brand and build brand equity but they are a great way to deliver catalogs, sales brochures or update software anywhere where connectivity may be challenging. We can data load abroad or for more sensitive content we can sterilize and load domestically right here in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Our USB duplication service utilizes offline programming towers which are never connected to the internet and dump RAM between each data load.

Payment Terms for Flash Drive Purchases

Since Custom USB Drives are no longer reusable once printed most vendors require upfront payment. This is important to keep in mind when sourcing your drives either domestically or abroad.

We Proudly Utilize FedEx shipping services

Shipping

We ship directly to our customers utilizing FedEx Ground Shipping typically however since we do stock and print domestically often times we can expedite custom USB drive orders up to and including same day service (additional charges apply)

Turnaround Time

It’s important to keep in mind that many vendors work directly with partners abroad and turnarounds may take up to 21 business days for some custom shaped drives. Plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time if you have important trade shows with firm deadlines. We can always provide Custom USB Drives on Manhattan style drives in a pinch if needs be.

These are some but not all of the things to consider when planning for your next custom printed flash drive or duplication project. Give us a call at 612-782-8200 or contact us and we would be happy to walk you through the in's and outs of getting the very best custom printed USB drives.

3 Tips for Professional DVD Menu Design

01/03/2022Uncategorizeddvd, mastering, menuscreenRyan Libson

Limit the amount of visual column in your DVD Menu Screen. Crowded design causes legibility issues and navigation issues with some television remotes.
DVD Menu Screens are 480p resolution. Fonts with Serifs will often look muddy or unprofessional. Make sure to utilize large fonts with bold san-serif styles in your DVD menu design. Impact is a good font.
how close you put your visual content to the edge (bleed). Different DVD players and Televisions have different amounts of cropping and scaling issues that can cause problems displaying graphics or text near the edge of the DVD Menu Screen.

With these three simple tips you can make your next DVD Menu more user friendly and Professional. If you would like any help with DVD Authoring, Mastering or Menu creation don’t hesitate to contact us at 612-782-8200.

DVD Publishing Projects – Get your ducks in a row.

19/11/2013DVDRyan Libson

A recent interaction I had with a customer that bears repeating.

* blue font text has been added for contextual purposes

Digital Format Consideration:

The form you had sent initially looked like it listed CD.

I can do it however you want, normally digital video is distributed on DVD or BluRay Disc.

* a video file on duplicated on a CD will generally need a Computer for playback

Master Delivery Method

The absolute best way to deliver the master would be for you to burn a master DVD and mail it.

That way I could duplicate it straight from the disc to additional DVDs in our 1-to-10 DVD towers.

Digital delivery adds a few potential hiccups – artifacts can be introduced, formats can get crossed, etc.

Goals & End User Consideration

What is your goal with this project?

Some of my film making customers submit videos like this to film festivals – lots of film festivals require blu-ray these days. Others mail them for promotional purposes.

* knowing the answer to this question can dictate your final output format and help me to offer the right solution.

Exposure Considerations

.Mov is a great codec but not all DVD players are capable of playing it, so again it may be limited to mostly computers. Bluray yields the highest quality– but not everyone has one yet.

DVD has the greatest reach but your film is shot beautifully and DVD is 480 so you’ll lose some of the visual impact.

* ultimately there are a ton of decisions that only you can answer but armed with the right knowledge we can make sure you are delivered the right solution.

Let me know what you decide and I’ll help you make it a reality.

* this is your project – don’t be steered into something your not happy with. Be educated about the pro’s & con’s of each solution so that you can make the best decisions.

Digital Video is a great medium for communication of your message or art, with the right input we can help you make sure to get the most out of your next project.

If you have any questions regarding your next DVD or CD publishing project don’t hesitate to contact us today.

DiscBurn – Your Minneapolis CD & DVD Duplication Partner

27/08/2013Printing, Twin CitiesTwin CitiesRyan Libson

Located in the heart of the Southwest Metro, DiscBurn is uniquely positioned to serve residents of the Twin Cities. Our printing facility is situated on the northeast quadrant of two of Minneapolis, St. Paul’s busiest thoroughfares: Highway 169 and 494. This central location makes our facility the perfect solution for residents of the southwest metro to drop in and say hi.

What benefits can you expect?

Drop off your master and forget about the headaches of FTPs
Same day service is available
Save money on shipping/postage
Meet face to face to discuss you project
See packaging options in person
Potential to review/proof physical samples
Zero day deadlines
Many more…

At our facility we can package, print, duplicate and now with our partnership with UPS Mail Innovations we can fulfill your entire project. Stop in today and see how easy we can make your next CD or DVD printing or publishing project.

There are lots of CD, DVD, & USB duplicators around, heck we even have quite a few good ones right here in the Twin Cities. If your looking for great printing and duplicating partner located in Blooomington/Edina we have got you covered.

Stop in today and see how easy we can make your next CD or DVD printing or publishing project. If your hungry we can swing into Cheetah Pizza for a slice!

7 Tips to a Successful Disc Publishing Project

19/06/2013DVD, PrintingRyan Libson

1. Cater to your customers needs.

Recently spoke with a comedian who called about producing a DVD. While we we’re discussing printing and packaging options, I suggested a full retail ready package (amaray case, printed wrap, shrink wrap packaging). He politely declined, informing me that he does a lot of shows on cruise ships. On these cruises his customers often ask him to autograph the disc after purchase. Adding additional packaging slows down the process and is unnecessary. Knowing and anticipating your customer’s needs is a huge part of the decision making process.

2. Professional Design makes a big difference.

One of the biggest bottlenecks we run into when printing discs for our customers is design. Often time’s customers lack the proper skills to create the disc, packaging or they are relying on a friend to provide very real skills often times for free. We are more than willing to help out with some minor design alterations but if your project requires a fast turnaround (less than 10 days) it may be in your best interest to let us handle the design for a nominal fee.

3. Flexibility on Delivery Date can save you big Money!

At least once a week a customer calls asking if we can get their discs done same day. The answer is always: You bet! We have invested resources and are perfectly set up to handle these rapid turn customers but there are costs involved. If you have a CD release launch or a DVD screening schedule, make sure you get started at least 10-15 days ahead of time and always, ALWAYS inform your printer about your deadline. This will afford you the best pricing available and relieve stresses and confusion.

4. Flexibility on Packaging can also save your Moolah!

We get a lot of customers inquiring about DigiPak packaging, no wonder– it’s a great looking packaging option. But DigiPak requires physical printing and gluing, die setups. Rapid turn times are out and pricing on low volume is not especially competitive. A better solution may be a slimline jewel case with a printed insert. This packaging option is about half the price and can be turned in as little as 48 hrs usually. If you’re willing to keep your options open, you can save a lot of money and still receive a kick ass product.

5. Track your disc in itunes and save!

We can track your tunes for you’re in Itunes for a nominal fee or you can do it yourself – it’s pretty simple. A quick search of the internet brings up these instructions:

Open iTunes
Insert CD
Locate CD in iTunes (do NOT import yet)
Highlight all of the cd tracks
Right click and select “Get Info”
Click the “Info” tab
Change the album title/artist name/year/genre
Click “OK”
Now use this procedure for individual track names
Highlight track 1 and right click to select “Get Info”
Click on the “Info” tab
Update the “Name” and then click “Next”
Once you finish writing in your info for all tracks click “OK”
Highlight all of the tracks again
Click on the “Options” symbol on the upper right corner of the tracklist window
Select “Submit CD Track Names…”
Allow the progress bar to complete

6. Print locally and save!

Shipping can really add up, whenever possible seek out local printers.Not only will this save you money on shipping your finished product, but delivering a physical master and artwork can alleviate any headaches that can arise from FTPing large files.

7. Relax and let the professionals sweat the small stuff!

We print hundreds of thousands of discs every month, we have machines capable of churning out thousands of completed discs per hour. Forget about burning 70 or god forbid thousands of discs one at a time. Give us a call to find out how we can save you time and money and make your next CD or DVD printing and burning project a breeze.

DiscBurn has been printing and burning CD & DVD in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Area for over ten years. We have extensive knowledge in printing, packaging and fulfilling disc publishing projects of all shapes and sizes. For a free consultation or to receive a pricing quote please contact ryan@discburn.com or call at 612-782-8200

3D Printing – The Little Engine That Could

10/06/2013PrintingRyan Libson

With each passing day the steam engine that is 3d printing blows the whistle and the locomotive rolls farther down the tracks.

So how big is the potential?

..that many manufacturing experts say is even now only in its infancy, at a place similar to where personal and business computing was in the 1970s. Like computing, they say, 3-D printing not only is likely to change the things we make and how we make and sell them, but also change how we live in good, bad and inconceivable ways.
-Via Star Tribune

As a forward looking company with a digital heart – we have been exploring these new specialty printing technologies.

We look forward to the continued growth of specialty and 3D printing and are excited about the possibilities.