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What does "resolution" mean, and is it the same as "DPI"? ?
Resolution and DPI are often used interchangeably, but they are quite different. Knowing the difference between them will enable you to get the most from our services.n
Any digital image is composed of pixels. The pixels are the small colored square dots that can sometimes be seen when images are enlarged too much, or if you look at your screen close enough. Resolution is the number of pixels in the horizontal direction by the number of pixels in the vertical direction. For example, a picture with 1200 pixels at the horizontal direction and 2100 pixels at the vertical direction would have a resolution of 1200 x 2100 pixels (pronounced 1200 by 2100 pixels).
As you've probably noticed, nowhere in the above definition it is said what size the pixels are. This is where the DPI comes in. DPI is simply Dots Per Inch. A picture with 100 x 100 resolution would be 1 x 1 inch when printed at 100 DPI, and 100 x 100 inch when printed at 1 DPI!
There's a tradeoff. The bigger the resolution, the bigger the image is. It will take more disk space, occupy more memory when loaded, and will take longer to be transferred through the Web. On the other hand, the bigger the resolution, the better the image looks when printed.
What is the difference between Offet printing and Silk Screening ?
Offet printing is the process used by commercial printers on large printing presses. Ink is transfered to the paper from a metal plate to an intermediary surface - called a blanket - then onto the paper as it passes through the machine. Offset printing is used for most high volume paper printing projects as it is cost effective and allows very high levels of control of ink levels.
Silk screening is the process that you may remember from school when you "silk screened" images on your T-Shirts. A screen is made from your artwork through which ink is pushed arriving on the substrate - in our case it is your Disc label. Silk screening is provides excellent quality for solid colours, but is not recommended for images of intricate patterns or low ink densities due to the poor ability to control ink dot delivery at low levels.
We will recommend the best process for your Disc label if you can show us a PDF of your interim designs. Contact Us for more details, or check out our Printing Guidelines.
What is the difference between Duplication and Replication ?
Replication relates to the process of moulding or "pressing" your discs in quantities of 500 and above.
Duplication relates to the individual "burning" of your discs onto recordable media. This process is generally used for less than 500 runs or where extremely fast turnarounds are required.
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