CD Labeling suggestions?

Recording Techniques, People Skills, Gear, Recording Spaces, Computers, and DIY

Moderators: drumsound, tomb

Post Reply
touched1
pushin' record
Posts: 212
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 6:30 pm
Location: Seattle via Portland via Brooklyn
Contact:

CD Labeling suggestions?

Post by touched1 » Thu Sep 25, 2008 11:35 pm

So the computer tech side of my brain lectured people endlessly on the dangers of DIY printed CD labels when used in computer optical drives, particularly slot loads in laptops.

But the professional musician and aspiring indie label side of my brain cringes when I hand someone a disc with the tracks hand written in sharpie on the top of the disc.

I tried the Avery labels, their accompanying software "Click N' Design". I'd say about half of the labels print OK, and half of the labels misprint and are trashed.

This could be user error, but I am not exactly new at using computers...

My long winded question is, what are you using to print labels for CD's that you hand out?

Neato? Avery? Memorex? Something else?

I found this similar thread, but only saw one suggestion for labeling.
http://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopi ... int#455700

Thanks in advance for feedback and suggestions.

User avatar
farview
tinnitus
Posts: 1204
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2004 1:42 pm
Location: St. Charles (chicago) IL
Contact:

Post by farview » Fri Sep 26, 2008 9:40 am

I use this:
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/cons ... d=63069504


It prints directly on the CD. You have to buy printable CDs, but they have come down in price. ($20 for 100 of them at Sams Club) The printer can be had for around $100.

The results are professional looking and won't gum up a dvd drive or get your disc out of balance.

This is my second printer, the original I got in 2004 and printed over 5000 CDs on it before it finally died. This one has a better mechanism and faster.

CurtZHP
re-cappin' neve
Posts: 699
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 5:00 pm
Location: Allentown, PA
Contact:

Post by CurtZHP » Fri Sep 26, 2008 9:52 am

+1

I use an Epson R220 with CD printing capability and ink jet printable discs. The printer cost me well under $100 new, and I get the discs from The Tape Company. I get a spindle of 100 for about $0.25-$0.30 per disc (good quality discs, I might add), and the jewel cases are even cheaper.

The printer came with CD label design software that's easy to use and gives surprisingly professional results. You can even import your own graphics, logos, etc.

As far as the downside....
The printer can only do one CD at a time, so it's a slow process if you have a stack of them. Also the printer uses six separate cartridges (one black and five colors), so replacing them is a bit spendy, but they do tend to last a long time.
"TEMPUS FUGIT" the Novel -- Now Available!!
http://www.curtyengst.com

touched1
pushin' record
Posts: 212
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 6:30 pm
Location: Seattle via Portland via Brooklyn
Contact:

Post by touched1 » Fri Sep 26, 2008 9:52 am

Thanks fairfiew.
I was wondering how this technique was working for people.
This is certainly preferable to putting a cheap label on CD that will work itself loose over time. Though the initial investment is daunting, if I am wasting 50% of the labels I buy do to misprints, I suppose this could save me $$ in the long run.

Does Epson provide a template and software for CD's? How often do you get misprints and have to toss CD's as a result?

CurtZHP
re-cappin' neve
Posts: 699
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 5:00 pm
Location: Allentown, PA
Contact:

Post by CurtZHP » Fri Sep 26, 2008 9:54 am

I've never had mine ruin a disc. The only time I've had "misprints" was because I put the wrong information on the label. And if the disc only cost me a quarter, it's no big loss.
"TEMPUS FUGIT" the Novel -- Now Available!!
http://www.curtyengst.com

User avatar
vvv
zen recordist
Posts: 10139
Joined: Tue May 13, 2003 8:08 am
Location: Chi
Contact:

Post by vvv » Fri Sep 26, 2008 11:03 am

I use Neato labels and it's free print program, typically US$20 for a hundred.

I only print in black and white, and I use the cheapest non-audio data CD's of appropriate size and fastest record speed I can buy, usually about US$0.25 to US$0.50 each when you buy 100 at office-supply stores.

I have had one (1) bad CD in the last two years, out of a couple-3 hundred I have burned.

Here is my latest project's CD label, PrintScrn'd from the monitor:

Image
bandcamp;
blog.
I mix with olive juice.

User avatar
farview
tinnitus
Posts: 1204
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2004 1:42 pm
Location: St. Charles (chicago) IL
Contact:

Post by farview » Fri Sep 26, 2008 1:32 pm

touched1 wrote: Does Epson provide a template and software for CD's? How often do you get misprints and have to toss CD's as a result?
It comes with the software. You can import any pictures, text, etc... anything

The only time I had a misprint is when the power went out in the middle of a disk.

Here is a screen-shot of the program and with the artwork from my newest drum sample collection.

Image

exalted wombat
alignin' 24-trk
Posts: 65
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 1:15 pm

Post by exalted wombat » Sat Sep 27, 2008 5:28 am

Inkjet printers that take CD trays are quite cheap now. I'd been using a Canon Pixma 4100 for a few years - it was getting a bit tired so yesterday I replaced with a Pixma 4500. It cost less than the 4100 did 3 years ago and has some nice features - as well as the CD printing it has a neat duplex function.

User avatar
mixedupsteve
pushin' record
Posts: 274
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2007 10:20 am
Location: Maryland

Post by mixedupsteve » Sat Sep 27, 2008 6:19 am

I use the Epson R200 and it works great ,but it is slow. I was getting killed on the ink until I started using lower print quality. The results are still great especially if you put some creative effort into the design. The non epson branded inks have worked well for me as well.

GooberNumber9
tinnitus
Posts: 1094
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2006 7:52 am
Location: Washington, DC

Post by GooberNumber9 » Sat Sep 27, 2008 6:58 am

After working with several labelling concepts (including direct thermal and really expensive systems), I settled on and recommend the Epson R2xx series printers also. Great solution, great finished look, easy to use, and not too expensive.

In terms of the OP's concern about using printed CDs in slot loading players: Printing with the Epson on printable media is safe. I've printed thermal on glossy media before and had toner come off in people's CD players. Luckily no one lost a CD player and we took back all the CD's ASAP. That problem has never been an issue with the inkjet-on-label-ready solution.

bap
takin' a dinner break
Posts: 151
Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2005 1:03 pm
Location: Bushland

Post by bap » Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:00 am

I have an Epson cd printer as well as paper labels. My old Roxio 5 Premium stays installed only as a cd label printer and it allows me to choose different brands of labels, so I can shop the sales.

For nice things I print directly on cd but for quickies and one offs the paper is faster and still looks better than sharpie.

HP has a cd printer as well and I may pick one of those up.
'Oh... no... it wasn't the airplane...it was beauty that killed the beast.'

User avatar
theshaggyfreak
gimme a little kick & snare
Posts: 98
Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2005 4:41 am
Location: Centreville, VA
Contact:

Post by theshaggyfreak » Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:30 am

I've been using Lightscribe discs for a while for demos and such and it works rather well for me. The nice thing about it is that you're not hitting your pocket book to replace ink cartridges. Also, Lightscribe discs can be had for cheap these days. If you're not needing full color images on you discs, I would look into it.

User avatar
b3groover
deaf.
Posts: 1977
Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2003 4:07 pm
Location: michigan
Contact:

Post by b3groover » Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:00 pm

I used an Epson R200 for years and now the R220. It is slow since it is one disc at a time and the ink can kill you (unless you buy it from one of those refill places) but the results are very professional looking.
www.organissimo.org
organissimo - Dedicated (new CD)
"This shitty room is making your next hit record, bitch!"

User avatar
farview
tinnitus
Posts: 1204
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2004 1:42 pm
Location: St. Charles (chicago) IL
Contact:

Post by farview » Tue Sep 30, 2008 8:50 am

I get the ink from www.supermediastore.com About once every couple months, they will run a special that gets you an entire set of ink cartriges for $18. If you are going to an office supply store to get ink, you are screwing yourself.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 41 guests