CD Labeling suggestions?
-
- pushin' record
- Posts: 212
- Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 6:30 pm
- Location: Seattle via Portland via Brooklyn
- Contact:
CD Labeling suggestions?
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.
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.
- farview
- tinnitus
- Posts: 1204
- Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2004 1:42 pm
- Location: St. Charles (chicago) IL
- Contact:
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.
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.
-
- re-cappin' neve
- Posts: 699
- Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 5:00 pm
- Location: Allentown, PA
- Contact:
+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.
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
http://www.curtyengst.com
-
- pushin' record
- Posts: 212
- Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 6:30 pm
- Location: Seattle via Portland via Brooklyn
- Contact:
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 $$ in the long run.
Does Epson provide a template and software for CD's? How often do you get misprints and have to toss CD's as a result?
I was wondering how this technique was working for people.
This is certainly preferable to putting a cheap label on CD that will work itself loose over time. Though the initial investment is daunting, if I am wasting 50% of the labels I buy do to misprints, I suppose this could save me $$ 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?
-
- re-cappin' neve
- Posts: 699
- Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 5:00 pm
- Location: Allentown, PA
- Contact:
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
http://www.curtyengst.com
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:
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:
- farview
- tinnitus
- Posts: 1204
- Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2004 1:42 pm
- Location: St. Charles (chicago) IL
- Contact:
It comes with the software. You can import any pictures, text, etc... anythingtouched1 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?
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.
-
- alignin' 24-trk
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 1:15 pm
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.
- mixedupsteve
- pushin' record
- Posts: 274
- Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2007 10:20 am
- Location: Maryland
-
- tinnitus
- Posts: 1094
- Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2006 7:52 am
- Location: Washington, DC
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.
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.
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.
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.'
- theshaggyfreak
- gimme a little kick & snare
- Posts: 98
- Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2005 4:41 am
- Location: Centreville, VA
- Contact:
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.
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!"
organissimo - Dedicated (new CD)
"This shitty room is making your next hit record, bitch!"
- farview
- tinnitus
- Posts: 1204
- Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2004 1:42 pm
- Location: St. Charles (chicago) IL
- Contact:
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.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 135 guests