Fancy CDs

[blanc]

We need to produce some CD-ROMs to hand some documents to a client.

It looks naff if I burn it and then write on it my rubbish handwriting using a marker pen.

So, without spending a fortune, what's an acceptable way of making pretty looking CDs?

Thanks

blanc

[dougc]

Short of buying a printer that will print directly onto CD's, try typing CD label maker into Google, download whichever bit of freeware tops the list, nip down to Rymans and get some sticky labels and jobs good 'un.

[Plotloss]

There are writers available for a small premium that will burn both the data portion of the disc and the label of the disc.

[blanc]

Plotloss said:

There are writers available for a small premium that will burn both the data portion of the disc and the label of the disc.

This sounds good.

Is it an urban myth that stick on labels sometimes stop the CD form working?

[Plotloss]

Depends which side you stick them on I suppose...

Those drives are called Lightwriters I think, hang on...

[Plotloss]

Lightscribe

www.lightscribe.com/

www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/119565/rb/23433229861

Edited by Plotloss on Friday 1st December 14:49

[blanc]

Plotloss said:

Lightscribe

www.lightscribe.com/

www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/119565/rb/23433229861

Edited by Plotloss on Friday 1st December 14:49

Surprisingly cheap!

I think that will do, I think I've been sent DVDs made on these and they look good.

Thanks

[Zod]

Lightscribe is the way. Printed CDs always look a bit naff.

[luca brazzi]

Got a lightscrible one, HP jobbie from Micro Direct, along with some media at the same time. Great stuff. The image burning does take around 30 mins per disc though, and is only a monochrome image onto a gold surface. Its not perfect, but certainly looks good.

Image quality is very high, but needs more contrast. With a driver update, you can specify PRINT BEST, and it ups the contrast. If you're still not happy with that, you can print again...the disc has marks to very precisely position the disc, so that a double image does not appear...very clever.

Media is quite expensive compared to regular media...and also you can now buy coloured discs, ie. the base colour is different from the gold.

HTH
LB

[FunkyNige]

I can also recommend Lightscribe, Luca's covered all the points.

[andybuk99]

i supply stuff from the studio on lightscribe very good!

didnt realise they could be printed twice though.

[combemarshal]

Oh, didn't know that was over here yet, I see it all the time on tv when I was in Canada 2 years back, got back here and nothing!

[luca brazzi]

combemarshal said:

Oh, didn't know that was over here yet, I see it all the time on tv when I was in Canada 2 years back, got back here and nothing!

I only found out by chance...it doesn't seem to have been promoted much over here.

[Teppic]

blanc said:

Is it an urban myth that stick on labels sometimes stop the CD form working?

No. In some cases, particularly with cheap media, the adhesive on the label can sometimes eat through the reflective surface, ultimately rendering the disc unreadable. Sticky labels can also unbalance the disc causing it to vibrate more inside the drive.

[stigproducts]

There are also writers which can burn a logo or image into the unburnt sector of the writeable surface; these look very cool. They are/were made by Yamaha