Authoring: The integration, organizing, formatting, and encoding of content for a CD or DVD. Content may range from any combination of sound, text, video, graphics etc. within an interactive presentation. The process resulted in a product ready for emulation testing and premastering.

Autoplay: Discs encoded with autoplay will begin immediate playback when inserted into a drive that supports this feature.

Bleed: Setting up the image area to be greater than the finished print job, so that when the piece is printed it can be trimmed and it looks like the print image is running off the page

CD-R: Compact Disc-Recordable. This term is used to describe the technology of recordable CD as well as the equipment, software and media used to make recordable discs.Recordable CD’s that differ from replicated CD’s. Lasers burn tiny holes in the dye layer of the CD-R to form the indentations.

CD-RW: CD-RW’s allow the user to re-write over pre-recorded discs. The CD-RW can be returned to the equivalent of a non-recorded state by laser beam intensity. After that is completed, the disc can be burned again and again up to 1000 times.

CMYK: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black the four colors used for four-color process printing.

Compression: Could be one of several processes used to digitize video information to a practical size for use in computer applications. The compression technique chosen will determine how well the movie will run on the computer. The results will be determined by the limitations and capabilities of the end user’s equipment. MPEG1, MPEG2, AVI, and Quicktime are examples of compression schemes.

Die Line: Mechanical specs used to build cutting/folding dies for board packaging.

Digitize: Converting an analog or continuous signal into a series of ones and zeros, i.e. into a digital format. To convert an image or signal into digital code for input into the computer. It includes scanning an image, tracing a picture on a graphics tablet or converting camera images into the computer. 3-D objects can be digitized by a device which uses a mechanical arm that is moved on and around the object. Sound, temperature and movement are also said to be digitized when they are converted into digital code.

Duplication Process: Used to “Burn” or duplicate CD-R or DVD-R pre manufactured media with client supplied master. Used for short run projects.

DVD-R: Disc type created by the DVD Forum. Most universal format used by most Windows and Mac users as well as DVD recorders. DVD-R is a write (record) once format.

DVD+R: Disc type created by DVD Alliance. A new record once format that claims to be easier to use than DVD-R (no disc formatting or finalization required) and compatible in most playback systems.

Font: A typeface or “type” of type, can be specific such as “Template Gothic” being one font and “Template Gothic Bold” being another.

Gigabyte: (GB) One gigabyte (1GB) is equivalent to 1,024 Megabytes of data.

Glass Master: The medium on which manufactures record data as the first step leading to the replication process. Consists of a glass disc larger than replicated discs, coated with photosensitive material in which the data are recorded by a laser beam recorder (laser light).

Graphic Images: Many graphic file formats exist. The most common are JPEG, BMP (bitmap), TIFF, EPS and GIF. Each format has tradeoffs in quality vs. storage space. These files are typically used for stills, logos, insert and tray card layouts, labels etc.

Grayscale, half tone: Breaking-up of a B/W photo into a series of patterned dots for the printing process.

Insert: An item placed inside the front portion of a Standard Jewel Case or SlimLine Jewel Case. Inserts can be 2-Panel, 4-Panel, and 6-Panel.

Jewel Case: Common packaging component for CDs. Can also hold front and back liners, be shrink wrapped and have a spine label.

JPEG: Compression algorithm, a product of Joint Photographic Experts Group, used to compress video for use in some non-linear editing systems.

Label: In CD manufacturing, the printed label on the disc itself. This is printed either by thermal printing, inkjet printing, and screen printing.

MPEG: Moving Pictures Expert Group, international standards committee that developed all standards for MPEG compression, including MPEG2 for DVD.

MPEG Video: Video compresses according to MPEG encoding spec. MPEG 1 provides low data rate, usually partial screen video such as is found on Video CD, CDROM. MPEG 2 is used to provide high quality, full screen video such as in DVD or DirectTV. multi-angle DVD-Video program containing multiple camera angles allowing for user selectable views during playback.

MPEG1: High quality compression scheme which delivers quarter screen.

MPEG2: Highest quality compression which delivers full screen playback at 30 frames per second and 60 fields per second.

NTSC (National Television Systems Committee): The color television standard to the United States, Japan, Canada and Mexico, Taiwan and others. European and South American countries have generally used another standard known as PAL.

PAL (Phase Alternation Line): The television standard used in several countries Europe (except France) and South America. See NTSC.

PDF (Portable Document Format): Adobe product that allows for fairly reliable cross-platform file sharing and pre-press workflow.

PMS/Spot Colors: Color chart other than CMYK used in printing and art design. Pantone Matching System (PMS) is an industry standard color chart.

Protective Coating: A coating of lacquer or polymer deposited over the printed label on a CD to protect and enhance the label image. The most common method is spin-coating of a UV curable polymer over the surface of the metalized disc and then passing it under ultra-violet light to polymerize it.

Quicktime: Originally released as a video player for Macintosh, more recently adapted for PC as well. Provides quarter screen (320 x 240) playback at 15 frames per second.

Replication: Process used to manufacture CDs, DVDs, and custom shaped CDs using injection molding techniques. The preferred production method for large runs (as opposed to duplication, or multiple one-offs, known as multiples).

RIP: Raster Image Processor. A film vendor will “RIP” files to an imagesetter or platemaker. All necessary art is processed as one very high resolution piece of raster artwork for output from a high quality imaging device.

Screens: Used in the screen printing process to lay ink onto the disc. Created from the film. Created from mesh ranging from 85 to 133 lpi. Industry standard screens are 85-100 lpi.

Screen Printing: A printing process where non-printing areas are masked out of a screen, ink is then forced (via a rubber squeegee) through the screen onto the printing surface. Replicated CD’s are printed this way.

SECAM: Sequential Color and Memory. 625 line broadcast television standard used mainly in eastern European countries.

Screen Printing: A printing process where non-printing areas are masked out of a screen, ink is then forced (via a rubber squeegee) through the screen onto the printing surface. Replicated CD’s are printed this way.

Subtitle: Textual representation of spoken audio in a video program, often used with foreign language versions.

Template: Paper or digital display of the dimensions of the finished piece, used to ensure proper layout.

Turnaround Time: The time required for your media to be mastered, duplicated/replicated, and shipped, measured from the time premastered data, artwork and other materials are in the hands of the customer.

4 Color Process or CMYK: Process of combining CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black) to simulate many colors on a disc. It can be used with multimedia printing.

4/0 Print: Four color print on one side (front) and no print on other side (back)

4/1 or 4/K: Four color print on one side (front) and one color, black print on back

4/4: Full color or four-color process on both sides