Lightscribe - Dvd Label Burner

[Daffy D]

Hi All

Some time ago I bought a new CD/DVD Burner that had Lightscribe capability.

Now, always keen to be at the cutting edge of my technological experience on my last visit to Pan Thip I bought some Lightscribe DVD disks.

The info for using Lightscribe that came with the burner seemed simple enough even for me, just three little diagrams. Burn the disc turn it over burn the label. I can do that.

The trickiest part was designing a label that would fit on the disk and still show what the movie was. That big hole in the middle was a real pain but eventually I got enough of the movie poster on the label and it looked OK.

So burned the movie turned over the disc and burned the label – easy peasy!

What a disappointment.

Instead of the vibrant colors of my design what I got was sort of black and white image.

This can’t be right I was expecting the colors same as you get when buying a DVD from the shop.

I sat staring at the computer for long time and re-checked the three little diagrams; burn disc turn over burn label, trying to figure out what when wrong then gave the computer a technological thump and decided to try again.

Burned another movie designed a label, that big hole in the middle again, checked the diagrams, burn disc turn over burn label.

Same result. Aghhhhh!

Time had obviously come to stop messing about grab the moment and pursue my technological quest for knowledge with both hands. The time had come to read the instructions.

There it was in black and white (no pun intended)

LightScribe label designs appear grayscale (like a black-and-white photograph).

LightScribe CDs come in gold, yellow, orange, green, red, and blue. Currently, LightScribe DVDs only come in gold.

Oh Dear!

How can I make the colored labels like DVD’s from the shop? While at Pan Thip I saw some discs that were plain white on the label side and were described as printable! How do these work?

Also while looking for photo print paper I noticed some CD label paper can I print these and stick them on the discs?

Any help appreciated.

Daffy.

[Tywais]

Yep, light scribe only burns (etches) the image on so no multi-color possible, just multi-shades. To do 'screened' color images you need a printer that excepts DVD/CDs and need to purchase DVD/CDs that are specifically printable. My printer, Canon i5300 can do it, has a special holder you just put the CD in and slip it in. I believe there are some papers that can transfer to the CD after printing on them. Perhaps someone else knows about this.

[ZZZ]

You can buy peal of stickers that you can print on any printer. If you go this way you also need to buy a small contraption to help you center the sticker on the CD/DVD, without this the sticker could be slightly of center and the CD will be un-balanced and could make a bit of noise when playing.

[Richard-BKK]

Thanks for the info, I have now several Lightscribe burners and never ever try to burn a Lightscribe label, seems I not need to test it also

[Guest Reimar]

Yep, light scribe only burns (etches) the image on so no multi-color possible, just multi-shades. To do 'screened' color images you need a printer that excepts DVD/CDs and need to purchase DVD/CDs that are specifically printable. My printer, Canon i5300 can do it, has a special holder you just put the CD in and slip it in. I believe there are some papers that can transfer to the CD after printing on them. Perhaps someone else knows about this.

That's right, there Paper Lables availabel with 2 or 3 CD-Labels on one page!

But CAUTION: CD's or DVD's with printed Stickers on it should used in Player's with Draw only NOT in Slot-In Drives! In Slot-In Drives the Stcker labeled Media could damage the drive because of the thickness! That's happens in Car Radios with built in CD players for example!

In Thailand are only the golden Lightscribe Media available. The "burning" of the Lable is even more Black'n White than in Grayscale! To "burn" colored Lable is with todays technology impossible!

As Tywais wrote "light scribe only burns (etches) the image" the way to get the lable on the surface of the Media is via real burning The technology is similar to CD/DVD burning or the burning of Images middle in some Glass blocks! It isn't etching becaus etching need some kind of acid to work!

The burning prcess itself is quite slow and the result wouldn't satisfy the most. To get an better result, first you need to upgrade the software. There some few enhancements available. You can even try to burn the same image several time (2x +) to get and "stronger" picture/Lable! You can do that because the Burner will burn all pixcels on exactly the same position.

Edited December 25, 2007 by Reimar

[Firefoxx]

Lightscribe is really pointless. You're paying a huge premium for discs which you can print only in shades of "I can't see it", and you need your burner to do the "printing".

Why not just buy printable discs (CD or DVD) and then use a compatible inkjet (most consumer inkjets will do this) to print near photo-quality labels? Only if you can't afford a real cheap inkjet. Printable discs cost nearly the same as normal discs.

I don't recommend using the stickers. They're hard to get on correctly, they increase the thickness of the disc, they can upset the balance, and they add an extra step to the process.

One thing: When buying printable discs, DON'T BUY PRINCO. The ink will run only a few days after printing.

[sniffdog]

This is how I do it ..... a marker.

[Florin]

Lightscribe is quite nice for text and logos, gives the discs a more professional appearance.

[Daffy D]

Thanks everybody for your replies and comments.

“Tywais” “ ZZZ” I guess you are referring to the “printable” discs I saw in Pan Thip. Unfortunately my printer Canon iP3300 does not have that capability.

“Reimar” I only intend to use the discs on my home player that has a sliding drawer so the thickness would not be an issue.

Thanks “emperor_tud” for the link sure that will save a lot of effort creating labels myself.

I think the way to go is with the sticky labels though as pointed out centering could be a problem. Shall put “Label paper” on the shopping list for the next visit to town. I also wonder how my printer using Nero label maker will match up the picture to the round label on the sheet but guess practice with some old plain paper will sort that out.

Thank Y’all

Happy New Year

Daffy.

[Tywais]

I think the way to go is with the sticky labels though as pointed out centering could be a problem.

Might check while you are out if any place sells label centering adapters. An example below:

CD Stomper

[Daffy D]

I think the way to go is with the sticky labels though as pointed out centering could be a problem.

Might check while you are out if any place sells label centering adapters. An example below:

CD Stomper

Thanks for the link though the 1-2-3 easy steps to impressive label design is a bit

déjà vu with the easy 3 steps to label printing burn-turn over-burn

Happy New Year

Daffy.

[Langsuan Man]

This is what you need to go along with the circular labels:

LSM