Premastering

The process used to create a master disc, also called a gold version, which is then duplicated for consumer distribution. Premastering usually refers to verifying the data and media on the disc, installing or loading the files to a hard drive or playing in a DVD player for film and video discs. This is the stage where any copy protection or encryption is included on the disc as well. It is a term used for both video and software mastering.