Tips for Avoiding Delays When Mastering a DVD

We frequently get asked about mastering video to a DVD and Blu-ray disc. Many people don’t really understand what it is all about and why it is important. If you’re looking to hire a professional DVD mastering service Toronto consumers and businesses trust, understanding what DVD mastering is all about will help you know what to expect and how to ensure you get the results you want from the process.

What is DVD mastering?

DVD mastering is the process through which a video production is organized and processed in a way that makes it possible to be duplicated or distributed as a DVD. It is the creation of a DVD from which all other copies can be made.

The master is the DVD from which copies are made. It is therefore important to ensure that this DVD is made properly through technically sound encoding, authoring and mastering. This will ensure high quality transfers. Poor quality masters will result in rejection by duplicators or when creating a glass master for the replication process.

Why you need to hire a professional DVD mastering service

With the rise of the home studio, people often ask whether it is necessary to hire a professional DVD mastering service. After all, how hard can it be to transfer information to a DVD? Aren’t there many software programs that can help you do this easily?

The truth is that there is much more to DVD mastering than many people realize. The process not only involves transferring information but also organizing, editing, encoding and authoring the disc. It involves leveling the data as well as encoding audio and video files. While these activities aren’t technically included in defining the activity, they are an important part of ensuring that the final result is of high quality.  If menus are needed for your disc proper DVD authoring needs to be done, which requires a special program and technical expertise.

Hiring a professional DVD mastering service also ensures that you have professional equipment at your disposal without having to invest in it. Professionals invest in state-of-the-art equipment to ensure that they get the highest quality out of the production. For example, their equipment can help you improve the image and the sound of the original recording. They can eliminate noise, give the recording added colour. It is also important to encode the video files correctly so the best resolution and quality is retained for the Mastering process. These are things that require much more than a simple software program.

When you hire a DVD mastering service Mississauga individuals and companies use, you will have the privilege of working with an expert mastering engineer with a lot of experience. They are not only skilled at working with specialized equipment, but also have the skills and experience to help ensure that the master DVD is a high quality one.

They will discuss your requirements with you to determine your preferences. They will then work on compiling the production, editing it and processing it to ensure that you get the results that you want.

Common reasons for delays when DVD mastering and tips to avoid them

Many people who want a master DVD are often working on a deadline. They need the master out in order to make copies for distribution within a specified time frame. However, this often doesn’t go as planned because of technical errors. There may be delays during the production of the master. The most common reasons for this include:

1. Problems with the original recording

While many experienced engineers can do amazing things with productions to give you a high quality master, they aren’t miracle workers. It is therefore unfair to expect them to do the impossible.

In order to ensure a high quality master, engineers often spend a lot of time in compiling, editing, encoding and authoring. However, if you don’t take the time to ensure a great recording, there is only so much that can be done afterwards. Engineers may spend more time trying to clean up the recording and therefore delay the entire process.

This problem can be fixed by hiring a professional to assist you right from the start. They will help you with setting up the video and sound equipment and various other pointers to ensure that your production is of a high quality. If you choose to do it alone, do your research. Find out more about what is required to get the best quality.

2. Poor communication

The mastering process can be as simple or as complex as you choose to make it. Communication is central to its success. If you fail to clearly communicate your requirements right from the start, the DVD mastering service will be forced to guess at what you want done. The situation is made worse if you fail to answer emails or calls regarding the details about the project and changes that may need to be made. If you give a response after a day or two, you can’t expect the company you’ve hired to meet the deadline set earlier.

This problem can be avoided by ensuring that you are clear about what you want. You should also ensure that you are forthcoming when it comes to giving feedback. Your input will be greatly appreciated.

3. Not providing references

Clients often have an idea of what they want the resulting master to look and sound like. However, they assume that simply giving a description of what they want is enough to get exactly that. The problem with this is that different engineers will give you different results with the same material based on the same set of instructions. This is because we all perceive things differently. You will end up having various changes made in order to get it just right. This back and forth is time-consuming and often results in delays.

Providing references of what you want the final product to look or sound like will give the company a good idea of what you’re looking for. A sitemap is also very helpful so that the disc is authored and mastered correctly. They will be better able to get the desired results and you will avoid having multiple changes to get it just right. They’ll have a better chance of getting it right in the first few tries. Once the process is complete a professional company will always send a proof disc for approval.

If you’re looking for a professional DVD mastering service in Toronto, get in touch with us. We’ll provide you with access to state-of-the-art equipment operated by highly skilled individuals with years of industry experience. Get in touch with us today to learn more.