DVD in Our Lives
We all know about Compact Disc (CD) and Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) and the significant role they play in our regular existence in this world. While many may think that these are outdated and obsolete formats, it is not. Even after the advent of modern techs like memory cards and other storage devices, a CD or a DVD is always considered to be tangible in terms of its look and feeling. Besides, the entertainment industry across the world is highly dependent on these. Major game titles, movies, song album, tutorials etc.; all are released on DVD. Another noteworthy aspect which makes it preferable is the cost. DVDs come very cheap compared to any other alternative format available in the market and hence it is extremely cost-effective for companies to opt for DVDs.
CDs are a bit old and are mainly used for works that needs lesser storage space, while DVDs have considerably more space compared to CD and can store bigger size files.
The Duplication Process
All the major industries releasing their work or product through CD or DVD first release a master copy of their work, then the same is duplicated on multiple DVDs to hit the retailer. The first blueprint or edited copy which is finalized is called a master copy and this is used as a template for releasing copies of the same later. Now the million-dollar question arises – Does this mean that all the DVDs selling out there are just duplicates for the original price? The answer is a big no! The copies that we buy from retail outlets are genuine and quality copies of the master copy produced on a large scale using factory scale machines. This defines the DVD duplication process – Some companies have an in-house facility while others outsource the whole process of duplicating, labeling or printing to large production houses.
Market Scenario Analysis
Often, a particular DVD release viz. movie, game, music etc. gains immense popularity among the masses across different parts of the world. The demand for a particular DVD copy is humongous and the concerned company is making high sales out of it. But to maintain the revenue quota, the company must meet the demand with sufficient supply of DVDs. And when the in-house capacity cannot facilitate further production of DVDs, most companies turn to commercial DVD makers. So the business of duplication is still healthy. This is a practical scenario and can happen at any time; consider a famous game title, high grossing movie title or a popular pop star, the sales figures can go sky high for these type of DVD releases.
Possible Threats to the Business
Although the market is hot and swinging it holds a lot of risk for the companies outsourcing the duplication process. Some of them can be as follows:
Piracy –
This is by far the biggest threat to DVD duplication business. Copies of the original can be replicated for selling at lower prices in black market. It is easily available for the hungry buyers who are not willing to wait to get their hands on what’s hot in the market. This highly reduces the sales too.
Replication –
Handing over the master copy to an unknown body is risky because the insight is visible and the body can copy things for their own use. This decreases the credibility of the original copy.