How to Build a CD Duplication Tower

A CD duplication tower is essentially a computer case containing multiple CD writers. These are used for making multiple copies of discs at the same time to cut down on both time and labor. A CD duplication tower that you buy in a store is something that you would plug into a pre-existing computer. One that you build yourself is a little different, but will still accomplish the same results. Use this article as a guide as you build a CD duplication tower.

Things You'll Need

• An inexpensive computer containing multiple expansion bays
• A CD-ROM drive
• Multiple CD writers
• Nero burning software

Instructions

1. Find an inexpensive computer. This can be one that you already have and don't use anymore or one that you purchase specifically for this purpose. The only requirements it must have is that it have a hard drive with an operating system installed and multiple expansion bays for installing hardware (in this case, media disc drives).

2. Install a CD-ROM drive inside the computer case. You can do this by sliding the drive into one of the case's expansion bays and then connecting it to your motherboard with a ribbon cable. The ribbon cable should be already attached to your motherboard, so all you have to do is take the other end and plug it into the one place it can go on the back of your drive. When finished, screw the drive into place so it doesn't move around.

3. Fill the rest of the expansion bays on the computer's case with CD writer drives. In a normal computer, the number of internal devices you can have is limited due to there being so many different devices already connected to the motherboard. In a CD Duplication tower you don't need anything but drives, so purchase and add as many CD writer drives to the case as there are free ribbon cables on the motherboard. Add them the same way you added the drive in Step 2.

4. Purchase and install Nero Burning ROM. Nero is a media writing suite that can allow a person to write to multiple drives at the same time. This is the key piece of software in the CD duplication tower. Nero is available at any electronics retailer like Best Buy or for download after purchase over the Internet from Nero's website (see Resources).

5. Place the CD you want to copy in the CD-ROM drive. Place blank writable CDs in the rest of the CD writer drives. Turn on your CD duplication tower and start up Nero.

6. Tell Nero you want to write to multiple drives. When the program loads it will start a Wizard, which is a simplified version of the program used when you don't plan on changing a lot of the specific steps along the way. Click "CD Copy" from the list of options. It will recognize the CD in the CD-ROM drive as the one being copied. It will also automatically recognize the blank media in the rest of the CD writer drives as what it is copying to. Simply click on the "Burn" button and Nero will make a copy of the media in the CD-ROM drive on each of the CD writer drives in your tower.

References

• www.nero.com