Prices on these items are not set in stone, as to a certain extent the
system must be customized, and installation will vary according to
your location. Thus, I did not collect pricing data, mostly because I
don’t know how to answer questions about your needs. Important details
include space available, geographic location, necessary production
capacity, and equipment you already have. I assume you don’t have the
molding machines, but perhaps you already have a way to cure the
discs?
When you’re dealing with systems that can approach $1 million, an
estimate can kill you. Some companies sell the pieces as a
full-service system. Or you can piece it together, buying different
parts from different places.
Any price you receive based on the data you provided could be off by
tens of thousands of dollars. Perhaps a hundred thousand dollars. I
don’t know about you, but I’ve never written up a business plan with
that much air in it. If you request clarification and want a price,
I’ll get some prices for you. In the meantime, I’m providing contact
data for a number of places you can get specific quotes. This isn’t
something you can order from a catalog. If you don’t want to send the
e-mails or make the calls, provide me with a little more data (ie. a
test scenario regarding the project), and I’ll talk to the vendors and
post a clarification with specific pricing data.
Here are some products:
1: Convac Technologies out of China makes a line of DVD duplicators
Convac 8800 can duplicate DVD-5 discs
Convac 8990 Duoliner can duplicate DVD-5 and DVD-10 discs.
The Convac 8900 Silverliner is smaller than the 8990, and can handle
DVD-5 and DVD-10 discs
The Convac DVD 9000 is a twin line system that can duplicate DVD-5,
DVD-9, and DVD-10 discs.
Convac 9900 can duplicate DVD-5, DVD-9, and DVD-10 discs.
For details on these products, including a picture and technical
specs, visit http://www.convactech.com/product/dvd9000a.html. Links at
the side of the page will help you assess all the models.
This company has no sales contacts in the United States. Here is the
company’s address and contact info:
Chengdu Export Processing Zone Sichuan
Western New Century Road No. 1
Tianfu Boulevard Chengdu Sichuan 610041 China
Tel : (86) 28 8531 9911
Email: convac.chengdu@convactech.com
There are other dealers for this brand. If you want them, I can supply
them, but I usually prefer buying direct from the manufacturer, if
possible.
2: Disctronics
This British company also makes and installs DVD-replication
equipment. If you want a primer on the DVD-making process, check out
http://www.disctronics.co.uk/downloads/tech_docs/replication.pdf which
provides a fairly detailed overviews of the process.
Contact Info:
Disctronics
Southwater Business Park
Southwater, West Sussex
RH13 7YT
England
Tel: +44 (0) 1403 739600
Email: dvd@disctronics.co.uk
They do have a U.S. office:
2800 Summit Ave.
Plano, TX 75074
Tel: 972-881-8800
Email: sales@discusa.com
3: Singulus ( http://www.opticraft.com.au/singulus.htm ) also sells a
line of DVD duplication equipment.
Here is some information about the company’s Spaceline system, which
can handle all three major formats:
“The turnkey DVD-production system consists of two molding machines,
two metallizers, a bonder, an UV-curing device and an inspection unit
for the finished DVD. The concept and design of the SPACELINE are
unique and totally proprietary. The only outsourced components are for
molding and inspection. From molding to quality inspection, the
pro-duction of the DVDs take place in an interrated class 100 clean
room arrangement. The intel- ligent design of the SPACELINE limits the
total height of the system (without molding machine) to only 1675 mm.”
Here are contacts for U.S. sales offices:
429D Hayden Station Road
Windsor, CT 06095 USA
Telefon: +1-860-683-8000
Fax: +1-860-683-8010
E-Mail: sales@singulus.com
2815 Townsgate Road
Suite 115
Westlake Village, CA 91361
Telefon: +1-805-373-6216
Fax: +1-805-371-7433
E-Mail: sales@singulus.com
4: Panasonic Factory Automation
Panasonic Factory Automation offers some products that might interest
you ( http://www.pc-w.com/NewsReleases/Panasonic/relocates.html ).
• DVD Bonding Machine - a compact high quality DVD-9 bonding process,
providing bubbleless bonding, constant thickness glue layer and high
disc flatness with low tilt.
• DVD In-Line Replication System - Dual Injection molding systems
producing 120mm DVD 5, 9 and 10.
-- Pulled from news release.
The company’s in-line replication system (
http://www.panasonicfa.com/dvd/inlinerep.shtml ) guarantees a
four-second cycle for DVD-5s and 9s.
Here’s another quote from the news release that gets right to the
point about contact info:
“For more information on Mastering, Replication systems or BCA
Recorder contact
Panasonic Factory Automation at 6550 Katella Avenue, Cypress,
California 90630. Martin Van Overbeek can be reached at 714/373-7025
and e-mail: moverbeek@panasonicfa.com, Frank Goto can be reached at
714/373-7024 or e-mail: fgoto@panasonicfa.com.”
Bottom line:
All of these systems have different selling points. Any price
comparison requires a knowledge of which features are more important
and what your true needs are.
I hope this provides the data you require.
Other producers include:
Axxicon Mould Technology
http://www.axxicon.com/
DCA
http://www.dcainc.com/
Optical Disc Corp.
http://www.optical-disc.com/
Tapematic
http://www.tapematic.com/
Unaxis Nimbus
http://www.nimbus.ltd.uk/ |
Clarification of Answer by
vercingatorix-ga
on
18 Nov 2002 15:32 PST
broadsurf,
I just got an e-mail back from an industry contact. He doesn't sell
DVD-making equipment, but he's in the duplication business. He gave me
contact names and numbers of friends of his at three manufacturers and
said to use his name to break the ice.
We're not supposed to give out direct contact information for public
consumption. However, these numbers were provided for a business
purposes, and they are prepared to receive a call. If you'd like the
contacts, I'll gladly forward them to an e-mail address. But I don't
think Google will allow me to post them.
One of the contacts was at Singulus, which I listed in my answer. Two
others are at companies I did not include, Krauss Maffei and Steag
Hamatech.
As I said in my earlier message, I'll make a couple of contacts for
you if you like, but if I were your business consultant, I'd suggest
you call yourself, because only you know what you want.
Regardless, I'm here to serve, and I'll keep an eye out for any
response from you.
The General
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
broadsurf-ga
on
19 Nov 2002 03:45 PST
Thanks for your answer. However I still did not get any price
indications.
I know the prices vary but I need some figures to start from.
This is an example of my expected work scenario.
I expect to receive 4 or 5 titles a week via different media. (i.e.
DV, Betacam or even DVD-R)
From these titles I have to produce DVD-5 and DVD-9 in relatively
small quantities(300-400).
Some titles will have reorders.
I know what the prices are to send to a replicating outfit in the USA.
But they usually want you to make large quantities.
I want to compare outsourcing the replication and having our own
equipment to do the job.
BTW we are located in the Caribbean.
|
Clarification of Answer by
vercingatorix-ga
on
19 Nov 2002 06:38 PST
Thanks for your clarification. The data you gave me about location and
your production needs should be sufficient to generate some price
quotes. I've got some calls out and will send some e-mails.
If you're in a hurry, give me a deadline and I'll give you what I
have. But most of the makers of these devices are overseas, and in
some cases I'm sending e-mails to Germany or China, so I can't
guarantee a quick response.
Unless you clarify, I'll assume you can afford to wait a couple days
to get a larger sampling, and when I have some quotes lined up, I'll
post them.
|
Clarification of Answer by
vercingatorix-ga
on
19 Nov 2002 06:45 PST
It just occurred to me that you might need only general numbers. Those
I have.
According to If you just want to make DVD-5s, you can get into those
systems for around $400,000.
You can get a high-end system capable of handling DVD-9s and DVD-10s
for around $1.2 million. If you don't go with the Cadillac, you're
looking at perhaps $750,000 for the system, plus printing, which my
source says can range from $200K to $400K depending on what you're
looking for.
I hope this helps. I'll still send the e-mails and pass on the quotes
I get.
The General
|
Clarification of Answer by
vercingatorix-ga
on
20 Nov 2002 05:53 PST
OK, broadsurf, here's the skinny:
You're looking at some big bucks. One of the people I asked about this
said for your volume it didn't make sense to buy the equipment. I
suspect he's right. I'm going to post text from three e-mail responses
I received from suppliers. That should tell you what you need to know.
E-Mail From Panasonic
Dear Vercingatorix,
Thank you for your inquiry. I will prepare an info package and send
it to your
attention. Is your office located at Xxxxxxx? (((Editor's Note:
According to Google rules, there's no way I can exchange e-mails with
you. We're not allowed to disclose personal information, but if you
provide me with an anonymous P.O. Box number and a small tip to cover
postage, I'll send the materials on to you. It may be easier to just
call the company yourself. Contact data is in my first answer.))
PLease consider that our equipment manufactures at rates up to 1000
DVDs per hour. Machinery such as ours should run at least 22 hours per
day at 6 to 7 days a week to justify the investment. A turnkey DVD
mastering stm runs about $1.5M and a DVD replicating stm about $1.0M.
Ancillary costs are additional.
Best Regards,
Martin Van Overbeek, 714/373-7025
and e-mail: moverbeek@panasonicfa.com
((Contact data does not qualify as personal info, as it was listed in
a news release.))
E-Mail from Tapematic
FedEx to come ((Again, I will forward if you wish.))
Dear Vercingatorix,
I have FedEx’ed today the information that you requested and you
should receive tomorrow.
I have attached to this e-mail two Excel files that you may find
useful. These files allow you to enter in your costs for such things
as electricity, rent, salaries etc. in addition to order size and unit
sales price and many other items. One file is to show a ‘Per Year’
profit and loss and the other is for a ‘Per Job’ profit and loss.
Based on the quantities which would be approx. 2000 discs per week you
will find that it is not really financially sensible to go with the
large molding systems. Not only because the quantity of discs they can
manufacture (which would only take about 2.5 hours) but that they
should be running / switched on most of the time to reduce wear as
switching on and off reduces motor life etc. but also because more
technical personnel would be required.
What I would suggest is to use a DVD-R duplicator – lower price, uses
little electricity (plugs into a standard outlet) and easy to use. We
also offer a small authoring system to allow you to author the DVD’s
and then duplicate them. This system has all the built in capturing
equipment to allow you to import from Digital Video, Analog Video
(VHS), or from another DVD disc. Once imported you can then modify the
content – add effects, change the order of content insert titles etc.
etc. Once the editing is finished you can then create menus and insert
chapter points. When this has been completed you then ‘burn’ or ‘copy’
onto a DVD-R disc. Using the built in 2 drive DVD-R copying system you
can then copy your “Master DVD” (previously prepared as mentioned) and
make “Approval” DVD-R’s for acceptance test.
Once I fully understand your requirements I will be more than happy to
assist you every step of the way.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
Kind regards
Tony Denning - tony@tapematic.com
Technical Manager
Tapematic USA - http://www.tapematic.com
E-Mail from Nimbus
Dear Vercingatorix,
Thank you very much for your enquiry regarding our range of mastering
products.
From the limited information you have provided us, it would appear
that you would fall into the very low volume-user category (only
requiring approximately 10 masters per week). We have an integrated
mastering system called "Pi Mastering" which incorporates all the
process stages of making a glass master (i.e. blank glass IN and a
metallised master OUT) and does not require a Class 10,000 Cleanroom
environment to operate within. This system incorporates an Eclipse
formatter with input devices for any combination of DLT, CD and DVD.
We can also supply a full range of electroforming, stamper
finishing/punching and test equipment via our network of OEM
suppliers. Our other divisions within Unaxis Datastorage can also
supply replication lines.
To give you an idea of costs, the Pi Mastering system costs around
£1Million (US$1,570,000) including installation, training, startup
chemicals and commissioning, the electroforming around £250,000 and
the stamper punch/finishing around £150,000 depending on specific
requirements. This would appear to be a very high capital cost for
such a small volume of masters, however this system is designed to
produce 20 CD masters or 12 DVD masters in any 8 hour shift and is
often in production at our customers' sites 24 hours a day.
Alternatively - we can put you in touch with some of our customers in
America who would be happy to provide you with a stamper service
(Mastering) or the complete package to provide you with a finished
disc which is printed, packaged and ready for the end-user. For this
service they would normally charge a setup charge for the run of discs
and then a nominal charge per disc.
Whilst writing, I would recommend that you visit our website (link
below) which explains our equipment and the Mastering process in
greater detail and will give you an idea of whether our products will
suit your requirements.
Thank you once again for your enquiry and I hope we can be of
assistance to you.
Kind regards.
Kim Golds (Operations)
Unaxis Nimbus Limited
Registered office: Wyastone Leys,
Monmouth, NP25 3SR. UK
Registered in Wales No. 2670905
http://www.nimbus.ltd.uk
Bottom line: I doubt it would make sense to buy the eqipment
considering your volume requirements. But if you want to do it, I
recommend trying all the links I provided earlier, as prices do indeed
vary greatly.
I hope this informantion helps you.
The General
|
Clarification of Answer by
vercingatorix-ga
on
20 Nov 2002 15:00 PST
I got more data. This is probably it.
According ot Tapematic, you can buy a manufacturing system include a
robot interface for molding machines, cooling conveyors, metallizers,
DVD turnover unit, bonding, dosing and spinning unit, UV curing,
in-line optical inspection unit, reject and six spindle exit dial, and
spare parts. Price: $500,000
You'll need two molding machines for $190,000 apiece
One polycarbonate twin dryer for $23,000
One water chiller for $11,500
One vacuum pump system for $7,500
One air compressor system for $15,000
DVD offline test equipment for $100,000
Total price: $1,037,000
You may still need a printer. Tapematic will sell a four-color pad
printer for $100K and a five-color silk screen printer for $500K.
Ouch.
The General
|
