How to Troubleshoot a DVD Duplicator
A DVD duplicator is a program or computer hardware device designed to make copies of DVD disks. A duplicator can be an important element in a home office or home entertainment center for those who wish to back up important disks. However, DVD duplicator programs and hardware devices can sometimes not work as expected. Learn how to troubleshoot duplication problems to make copies of your home DVD collection.
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Instructions
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Inspect the DVD disk and look for scratches, smudges or similar marks on the silver underside of the disk. Such blemishes prevent the lasers in either the duplicator device or your computer's DVD drive to scan and read the disk and may result in run-time errors or missing data in the final duplicated product. Repair scratched DVDs with a DVD/CD scratch removal kit, found at most computer hardware stores. Use a soft cloth to wipe the disk and clean dirt and fingerprints.
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Verify that the duplicator device is connected appropriately if you are using a stand-alone duplication device that isn't working properly. Typically, the device must be powered on and connected to a reliable power source. If using a device that connects to your desktop or laptop computer, verify that it is connected using its USB or Firewire cable. Devices that work in sync with a computer typically require specific driver software found on the original manufacturer's installation disk.
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Check that you are not attempting to duplicate commercial, copy-protected DVD disks if you find that the DVD duplicator cannot make copies of the disk. Examples include Hollywood movies and most commercial software disks. Such commercial disks have copy-protection burned onto them. Attempting to circumvent such protection is illegal.
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Determine whether the DVD duplicator device or software requires specialized DVD recordable media. Recordable DVDs come in a variety of formats, such as DVD-Rs, DVD+Rs and DVD-RWs. Consult the duplicator's user manual to see if you are using incompatible media.
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Check if the media you are trying to duplicate has a larger file size than the capacity of the disk onto which you are copying the data. This is typically a problem when attempting to duplicate high-capacity discs, such as Blu-ray disks, onto standard DVDs. Ensure the duplicate media is the same format and capacity as the original DVD.
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