Ink Jet CD Printers

[Ty Ford]

Hey,

I'm working with a new CD replicator/ink jet printer. Silver face and white
face blank CDs. So far the printing has a noticeable amount of banding.
Anyone have similar experiences?

I saw a CD-R job recently with a very nice glossy CD lable; thermal, dye
sublimation or silk screen maybe?

Regards,

Ty Ford


-- Ty Ford's equipment reviews, audio samples, rates and other audiocentric
stuff are at www.tyford.com

[Carey Carlan]

Ty Ford > wrote in
:

> Hey,
>
> I'm working with a new CD replicator/ink jet printer. Silver face and
> white face blank CDs. So far the printing has a noticeable amount of
> banding. Anyone have similar experiences?

You should be able to fix the banding on a new printer by aligning it.
Every brand of printer has a test procedure for aligning output of the
color heads.

> I saw a CD-R job recently with a very nice glossy CD lable; thermal,
> dye sublimation or silk screen maybe?

All those can give a glossy finish. Silk screen is the best.

[RobV]

Ty Ford wrote:
> Hey,
>
> I'm working with a new CD replicator/ink jet printer. Silver face and
> white face blank CDs. So far the printing has a noticeable amount of
> banding. Anyone have similar experiences?
>
> I saw a CD-R job recently with a very nice glossy CD lable; thermal,
> dye sublimation or silk screen maybe?
>
> Regards,
>
> Ty Ford

There are also "Light Scribe" CD burners that burn the label onto the CD
right in the burner (with compatible CDs, of course).
http://www.lightscribe.com/

[Geoff]

Ty Ford wrote:
> Hey,
>
> I'm working with a new CD replicator/ink jet printer. Silver face and
> white face blank CDs. So far the printing has a noticeable amount of
> banding. Anyone have similar experiences?

Usually that means you need to do an 'alignment' , a cartridge has blocked
jet (damp tissue to clear - oreferably with water- not snot), or one colour
or black has run out .

> I saw a CD-R job recently with a very nice glossy CD lable; thermal,
> dye sublimation or silk screen maybe?

Could be thermal or silk screen. But there are glossy waterproof inkjet
CD-Rs available, but cost about $1 each. Check out www.primera.com


geoff

[Bigguy]

I have the excellent Canon iP5200 printer - it does a superb job on matte,
semi, glossy or silver CDs + DVDs. It's fast too.
Glossy media look the best. If possible get media with 'small centres' -
ones where you can print right upto the centre hole.
Print quality is as good as commercial DVDs.

Get hold of CombiCD + Combi DVD Fonts for scaleable DVD symbols etc.

Tried LightScribe a few times - low contrast, one colour only, expensive
media and SLOW - it takes another 'burn' to do the label.
Nice idea but a bit of a dead end really.

Guy

"Ty Ford" > wrote in message
...
> Hey,
>
> I'm working with a new CD replicator/ink jet printer. Silver face and
> white
> face blank CDs. So far the printing has a noticeable amount of banding.
> Anyone have similar experiences?
>
> I saw a CD-R job recently with a very nice glossy CD lable; thermal, dye
> sublimation or silk screen maybe?
>
> Regards,
>
> Ty Ford
>
>
> -- Ty Ford's equipment reviews, audio samples, rates and other
> audiocentric
> stuff are at www.tyford.com
>

[Carey Carlan]

"Bigguy" > wrote in
:

> I have the excellent Canon iP5200 printer - it does a superb job on
> matte, semi, glossy or silver CDs + DVDs. It's fast too.
> Glossy media look the best. If possible get media with 'small centres'
> - ones where you can print right upto the centre hole.
> Print quality is as good as commercial DVDs.

Is it waterproof?

[Richard Crowley]

"Carey Carlan" > wrote in message
...
> "Bigguy" > wrote in
> :
>
>> I have the excellent Canon iP5200 printer - it does a superb job on
>> matte, semi, glossy or silver CDs + DVDs. It's fast too.
>> Glossy media look the best. If possible get media with 'small
>> centres'
>> - ones where you can print right upto the centre hole.
>> Print quality is as good as commercial DVDs.
>
> Is it waterproof?

I don't think that any of the inkjet solutions are waterproof.
Some people spray clear sealant over the top to make them
waterproof.

[Carey Carlan]

"Richard Crowley" > wrote in news:12eorrb3q04qmf2
@corp.supernews.com:

>> Is it waterproof?
>
> I don't think that any of the inkjet solutions are waterproof.
> Some people spray clear sealant over the top to make them
> waterproof.

I have an Epson 2200 that uses waterproof pigments rather than dyes. It
makes waterproof photos but does not print CD's. My niece has an Epson 220
that prints CD's but I haven't test to see if it uses the same pigmented
inks.

[Norbert Hahn]

Carey Carlan > wrote:

>"Bigguy" > wrote in
:
>
>> I have the excellent Canon iP5200 printer - it does a superb job on
>> matte, semi, glossy or silver CDs + DVDs. It's fast too.
>> Glossy media look the best. If possible get media with 'small centres'
>> - ones where you can print right upto the centre hole.
>> Print quality is as good as commercial DVDs.
>
>Is it waterproof?

Imation and Taiyo Yuden make blanks for waterproof printing with inkjet
printers.

http://www.emedialive.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=11716

Norbert

[Geoff]

Richard Crowley wrote:
> "Carey Carlan" > wrote in message
> ...
>> "Bigguy" > wrote in
>> :
>>
>>> I have the excellent Canon iP5200 printer - it does a superb job on
>>> matte, semi, glossy or silver CDs + DVDs. It's fast too.
>>> Glossy media look the best. If possible get media with 'small
>>> centres'
>>> - ones where you can print right upto the centre hole.
>>> Print quality is as good as commercial DVDs.
>>
>> Is it waterproof?
>
> I don't think that any of the inkjet solutions are waterproof.
> Some people spray clear sealant over the top to make them
> waterproof.

Well there are at least two. But a waterproof player is a litle more
tricky. Or just don't use them as coasters.

geoff

[Ricky Hunt]

"RobV" > wrote in message
...
>
> There are also "Light Scribe" CD burners that burn the label onto the CD
> right in the burner (with compatible CDs, of course).
> http://www.lightscribe.com/

They're incredibly slow (up to 30 minutes for an image) and monochrome. I
have one but don't use it.

[Ty Ford]

On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 13:57:34 -0400, Norbert Hahn wrote
(in article >):

> Carey Carlan > wrote:
>
>> "Bigguy" > wrote in
>> :
>>
>>> I have the excellent Canon iP5200 printer - it does a superb job on
>>> matte, semi, glossy or silver CDs + DVDs. It's fast too.
>>> Glossy media look the best. If possible get media with 'small centres'
>>> - ones where you can print right upto the centre hole.
>>> Print quality is as good as commercial DVDs.
>>
>> Is it waterproof?
>
> Imation and Taiyo Yuden make blanks for waterproof printing with inkjet
> printers.
>
> http://www.emedialive.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=11716
>
> Norbert
>

And with glossy surfaces! Excellent! This is why I love this group.

Thanks Norbert.

I wonder if the absorption of these surfaces will have any effect on the
banding I'm now seeing on the Discmaker Ultra Whites. I'm guessing not,
but....

Regards,

Ty Ford


-- Ty Ford's equipment reviews, audio samples, rates and other audiocentric
stuff are at www.tyford.com

[Carey Carlan]

"Geoff" > wrote in
:

>> I don't think that any of the inkjet solutions are waterproof.
>> Some people spray clear sealant over the top to make them
>> waterproof.
>
> Well there are at least two. But a waterproof player is a litle more
> tricky. Or just don't use them as coasters.

The advantage is cleaning a scratched or dirty disk without losing the
label.

[RobV]

Ricky Hunt wrote:
> "RobV" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> There are also "Light Scribe" CD burners that burn the label onto
>> the CD right in the burner (with compatible CDs, of course).
>> http://www.lightscribe.com/
>
> They're incredibly slow (up to 30 minutes for an image) and
> monochrome. I have one but don't use it.

Ah, thanks for the details. I was considering getting one myself, but
will pass if it's that limited.

[Laurence Payne]

On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 00:43:51 -0400, "RobV" >
wrote:

>There are also "Light Scribe" CD burners that burn the label onto the CD
>right in the burner (with compatible CDs, of course).
>http://www.lightscribe.com/

Nice idea, but slow and monochrome. And requires special media.

[Laurence Payne]

On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 12:58:59 GMT, Carey Carlan >
wrote:

>> Well there are at least two. But a waterproof player is a litle more
>> tricky. Or just don't use them as coasters.
>
>The advantage is cleaning a scratched or dirty disk without losing the
>label.

You wouldn't be cleaning the top surface, surely?

[Laurence Payne]

On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 11:13:44 -0400, "RobV" >
wrote:

>> They're incredibly slow (up to 30 minutes for an image) and
>> monochrome. I have one but don't use it.
>
>Ah, thanks for the details. I was considering getting one myself, but
>will pass if it's that limited.

A plus point of Lightscribe is that you don't need a particularly
special expensive burner. The facility is thrown in with (very
likely) one of the burners you would have chosen anyway.

[Ty Ford]

On Fri, 25 Aug 2006 06:20:53 -0400, Laurence Payne wrote
(in article >):

> On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 00:43:51 -0400, "RobV" >
> wrote:
>
>> There are also "Light Scribe" CD burners that burn the label onto the CD
>> right in the burner (with compatible CDs, of course).
>> http://www.lightscribe.com/
>
> Nice idea, but slow and monochrome. And requires special media.

Well OK, but how about Digital Printing. We have a short run CD-R duplicator
her in Baltimore. They are turning out some very nice glossy labels. I asked
about it and they said it was a digital process. Print to a film and fix the
film on the CD-R. Anyone know anything about that?

Regards,

Ty Ford


-- Ty Ford's equipment reviews, audio samples, rates and other audiocentric
stuff are at www.tyford.com

[Carey Carlan]

Laurence Payne <lpayne1NOSPAM@dslDOTpipexDOTcom> wrote in
:

> On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 12:58:59 GMT, Carey Carlan >
> wrote:
>
>>> Well there are at least two. But a waterproof player is a litle more
>>> tricky. Or just don't use them as coasters.
>>
>>The advantage is cleaning a scratched or dirty disk without losing the
>>label.
>
> You wouldn't be cleaning the top surface, surely?

No, but if I wash it in the sink, it's going to get wet.

[Laurence Payne]

On Fri, 25 Aug 2006 06:56:54 -0400, Ty Ford >
wrote:

>> Nice idea, but slow and monochrome. And requires special media.
>
>Well OK, but how about Digital Printing. We have a short run CD-R duplicator
>her in Baltimore. They are turning out some very nice glossy labels. I asked
>about it and they said it was a digital process. Print to a film and fix the
>film on the CD-R. Anyone know anything about that?

Plants which offer "Digital Printing" usually mean a sort of colour
photo-copier. What you describe doesn't sound particularly digital?

[Geoff]

Ty Ford wrote:
> On Fri, 25 Aug 2006 06:20:53 -0400, Laurence Payne wrote
> (in article >):
>
>> On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 00:43:51 -0400, "RobV" >
>> wrote:
>>
>>> There are also "Light Scribe" CD burners that burn the label onto
>>> the CD right in the burner (with compatible CDs, of course).
>>> http://www.lightscribe.com/
>>
>> Nice idea, but slow and monochrome. And requires special media.
>
> Well OK, but how about Digital Printing. We have a short run CD-R
> duplicator her in Baltimore. They are turning out some very nice
> glossy labels. I asked about it and they said it was a digital
> process. Print to a film and fix the film on the CD-R. Anyone know
> anything about that?


Sounds like thermal. Very expensive on consumables as a piece of transfer
film the size of a CD is used for each colour, no matter how small the
printing coverage.

High gloss and waterproof though.

geoff

[Geoff]

Laurence Payne wrote:
> On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 11:13:44 -0400, "RobV" >
> wrote:
>
>>> They're incredibly slow (up to 30 minutes for an image) and
>>> monochrome. I have one but don't use it.
>>
>> Ah, thanks for the details. I was considering getting one myself,
>> but will pass if it's that limited.
>
> A plus point of Lightscribe is that you don't need a particularly
> special expensive burner. The facility is thrown in with (very
> likely) one of the burners you would have chosen anyway.

Premature wear and tear on the laser, which is used at increased power to
chisel out the pictures ?

geoff

[Richard Crowley]

> A plus point of Lightscribe is that you don't need a particularly
> special expensive burner. The facility is thrown in with (very
> likely) one of the burners you would have chosen anyway.

Incorrect. You need specifically a Lightscribe burner. You can't
image them on just any old generic drive.

[Laurence Payne]

On Sat, 26 Aug 2006 22:46:04 -0700, "Richard Crowley"
> wrote:

>> A plus point of Lightscribe is that you don't need a particularly
>> special expensive burner. The facility is thrown in with (very
>> likely) one of the burners you would have chosen anyway.
>
>Incorrect. You need specifically a Lightscribe burner. You can't
>image them on just any old generic drive.

My point being that a lot of burners available now ARE Lightscribe.

[Laurence Payne]

On Sat, 26 Aug 2006 13:56:55 +1200, "Geoff" >
wrote:

>
>Premature wear and tear on the laser, which is used at increased power to
>chisel out the pictures ?

Maybe. So replace it in a year. These things are now seriously
cheap.

[Carey Carlan]

Laurence Payne <lpayne1NOSPAM@dslDOTpipexDOTcom> wrote in
:

> On Sat, 26 Aug 2006 13:56:55 +1200, "Geoff" >
> wrote:
>
>>
>>Premature wear and tear on the laser, which is used at increased power
>>to chisel out the pictures ?
>
> Maybe. So replace it in a year. These things are now seriously
> cheap.

But the media are not. I suspect that, using an inkjet printer, you'd
spend less on printable CD's and ink and get a sharper color image in much
less time.

[Richard Crowley]

"Carey Carlan" wrote ...
[re: HP Lightscribe]
> But the media are not [cheap]. I suspect that, using an
> inkjet printer, you'd spend less on printable CD's and
> ink and get a sharper color image in much less time.

No question.

The only possible advantage to the Lightscribe scheme
is that you can label discs more convienently in the field
without having to haul around a printer. If you've got the
time, of course. But even there, any method that takes
several x longer to label than to write the data is just not
very practical in My World.