DVD Labeling Systems

[Bob Thieda]

Originally Posted by Nick Ambrose

This might be a boneheaded question but here goes.
I am planning on getting the 220 also. Do you print the DVD before you burn it, or after, or does it not matter?

I'd be tempted to print first so that I know the DVD works after burning, but does the ink mess up the burning process?

Nick...before you run out and buy your 220, consider a Canon. I use to be an Epson man, but my last one turned me off...didn't last a month past the warranty.
I went to a Canon IP4200 and love it.

I found out most of the IP and MP series printers will print DVDs with the purchase of DVD tray.
Even though they don't sell them ready to print DVDs in the states due to a patent issue, they do sell them to rest of the world, but its the same printer.
They hide the tray slot behind a little cover that snaps off and the programing is already in the machine and in the printer drivers....
The tray is avalible on e-bay for $10-20....

Details here:
http://pixma.allhyper.com/

I converted mine and it works great.

Bob T.

[Nick Ambrose]

Originally Posted by Greg Boston

The original poster asked about labeling systems for the MAC. The software that came with my R200 is Windows only and I used it once or twice.

I've been using a demo of a MAC application called Disc Label. It seems to be a nice application. The demo is fully functional but watermarks the printouts until you buy a registration key.

-gb-

Hmmm, I am on a mac too. I guess I was assuming since the printer supports Win & Mac, that the S/W would too.

if not, maybe I need to make a PDF or Photoshop file (I forsee many coasters in my future!)

[Nick Ambrose]

Originally Posted by Bob Thieda

Nick...before you run out and buy your 220, consider a Canon. I use to be an Epson man, but my last one turned me off...didn't last a month past the warranty.
I went to a Canon IP4200 and love it.

I found out most of the IP and MP series printers will print DVDs with the purchase of DVD tray.
Even though they don't sell them ready to print DVDs in the states due to a patent issue, they do sell them to rest of the world, but its the same printer.
They hide the tray slot behind a little cover that snaps off and the programing is already in the machine and in the printer drivers....
The tray is avalible on e-bay for $10-20....

Details here:
http://pixma.allhyper.com/

I converted mine and it works great.

Bob T.

Interesting. I will definitely check it out.

EDIT: Do you know if this one is supported well on the mac ? (power PC)

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by Nick Ambrose

Hmmm, I am on a mac too. I guess I was assuming since the printer supports Win & Mac, that the S/W would too.

if not, maybe I need to make a PDF or Photoshop file (I forsee many coasters in my future!)

Checkout Disc Label as I mentioned in my above post. Nice little application and it prints out just fine on my Epson using the DVD tray.

-gb-

[Bob Thieda]

Originally Posted by Nick Ambrose

Interesting. I will definitely check it out.

EDIT: Do you know if this one is supported well on the mac ? (power PC)

No, sorry I don't. My Mac exposure is zip.

I make my labels with a little shareware program.
Acoustica CD/DVD Label Maker 2.55

Works well...only cost about $20, but again...I don't know if its Mac capable.

Bob T.

[Glenn Davidson]

For your inkjet printers, I just found out that Taiyo Yuden is making new smudge-proof blank CDs.

For CD and DVD printing, I just purchased a Rimage Thermal Auto Printer with robotic arm. It will print 400 discs automatically. I purchased from B&H after spending the better part of the day convincing them that their website had the incorrect information and picture.

[Gints Klimanis]

Originally Posted by Chris Barcellos

Josh: Yes, you have to buy printable CD or DVDs. I have seen them in Silver and White so far.

Nick: I print after burning, with no effect to the burns. I would not print before.

A great place to buy printable TDK DVDs is CostCo. Watch for their $10 rebates off a $40 spindle of 100. Less often, they have two-for-one specials for which you buy two 100pk spindles for $40 ( DVD-R or DVD+R).
The only downside to these printables is that they have a large hub in the middle which is not printable. This makes it difficult to select images that aren't compromised by that non-printable area. Also, check that your printing application doesn't exceed the printable area, as it will print on the plastic. Then, you're left with an inked area that never dries and smudges all over the place for days. I don't have trouble with ink dry time on the printable service with the pigment-based inks used with the Epson R800.

So, I end up buying Verbatim "hub-printable" DVDs.

As for printing after burning, I agree with Chris. In addition to a possible scratch by the printer, many inks need 24-hours to dry. If you burn shortly after printing, your discs will have that 70's spin artwork look as the ink streaks towards the outside of the disc.

[Terence Murphy]

Originally Posted by Greg Boston

The original poster asked about labeling systems for the MAC. The software that came with my R200 is Windows only and I used it once or twice.

I've been using a demo of a MAC application called Disc Label. It seems to be a nice application. The demo is fully functional but watermarks the printouts until you buy a registration key.

-gb-

I love DVinfo! I just bought an Epson R220, and quickly concluded that the Epson software was, (thinking of a way to say this politely), inadequate. Disc Label works much better. There are still a few things that I think could be done better (aren't there always?), and it did crash on me once (save often), but its much easier to get the job done. Here's the link:

http://www.smileonmymac.com/DiscLabel/

I also found that I can buy Epson-brand ink at BJ's Wholesale Club for $60 for a full set of six cartridges (vs. about $90 regularly). Given I've had problems with off-brand inks in the past (in a Canon printer), I think I'm going to stick with Epson ink for now.

-Terence

[Nick Ambrose]

Thanks for the info everyone. I have some DVD's on order, now just to select a printer (oh and make up the artwork images of course -- well, and to finish editing the footage and do the voiceovers etc. etc. etc)

[Don Blish]

I use another Epson printer (R1800) and get great results. I know for any semi-gloss or gloss job the printer uses a gloss overcoat. I would be afraid of any store-bought overspray fearing the solvent/propellant would eventually attack the plastic envelope of the disc shorten life.

Now if only TDK will deliver those Blu-Ray/ink jet printable BD-R discs!

[Alessandro Machi]

Originally Posted by Terence Murphy

I love DVinfo! I just bought an Epson R220, and quickly concluded that the Epson software was, (thinking of a way to say this politely), inadequate. Disc Label works much better. There are still a few things that I think could be done better (aren't there always?), and it did crash on me once (save often), but its much easier to get the job done. Here's the link:

http://www.smileonmymac.com/DiscLabel/

I also found that I can buy Epson-brand ink at BJ's Wholesale Club for $60 for a full set of six cartridges (vs. about $90 regularly). Given I've had problems with off-brand inks in the past (in a Canon printer), I think I'm going to stick with Epson ink for now.

-Terence

I don't understand the statements previously stated that Mac isn't supported. I have the Epson printer as well and I just downloaded all the drivers and everything worked fine. I think I have the Espon 300 so perhaps that is the difference???

As for the best price, Staples has a pretty cool program, they give 3 bucks rebate for every Espon Ink cartridge you turn in, suddenly, the 12 dollar Epson cartridge is actually 9 bucks, and it's also being recycled.

Don't throw out your cartridges.

[Terence Murphy]

Originally Posted by Alessandro Machi

I don't understand the statements previously stated that Mac isn't supported. I have the Epson printer as well and I just downloaded all the drivers and everything worked fine. I think I have the Espon 300 so perhaps that is the difference???

As for the best price, Staples has a pretty cool program, they give 3 bucks rebate for every Espon Ink cartridge you turn in, suddenly, the 12 dollar Epson cartridge is actually 9 bucks, and it's also being recycled.

Don't throw out your cartridges.

I never said the Mac isn't supported. I just said Epson's Mac software is inadequate. I found it very cumbersome to make layouts and import/resize/crop pictures. I'm much happier with DiscLabel.

The Staples recycle program sounds great. I'll have to check their prices locally (I thought they were charging $14 online, which is the same as the price direct from Epson).

-Terence

[Alessandro Machi]

What I have found to be true about the Epson software for the Mac is if the artwork one is importing has no bad sides (such as a picture with no white borders that one would normally want to get rid of), then reshaping however one wants is very fast and very easy.

The problem arises if one has an element that needs to be trimmed, (for instance a photo with a white border), once imported into the Epson label program that border is there no matter what.

It's a trade off. If one only works with "pre-approved" elements, for instance a client sends a jpg that is fine as is, it's pretty easy to use and the x and y axis are easily adjusted. If the client sends a poorly framed jpg, then an additional program will be needed.

[Vic Owen]

Just saw this thread...

I've been using an R200 for several hundred disks (Ritek & Taiyo). Another versatile labelling program that runs on both windoze & MACS is Discus. You can check it out at:
www.magicmouse.com

[Scott Jaco]

The stick on Memorex labels aren't that bad. The new ones seem to have more adhesive glue so they stick better. Also, I don't like the idea of printing a label directly to a disc because it takes me 1 or 2 tries to get the font, size & alignment of the label to look perfect. If I screw up a label, I just pop another one in the printer. If I mess up a disc, I have to burn a whole new one, wasting a perfectly good disc.