Looking For CD Label Software

I use Nero. As it has the CD Cover designer. as well.

Infact, sonic is one of the best you can use it.

....the real cost over time is in the refills of the special paper....

You get a much better result using printable CDs and a printer capable of printing them. Software is included with my Canon iP5300 and Canon i865.

Not too expensive. :o)

or use a lightscribe burner : http://www.lightscribe.com/
http://h71036.www7.hp.com/hho/cache/315116-0-0-225-121.html

My choice is Epson Print CD which came with my R210 / R230 printers. Excellent results. Current model is R290 I think, but even Canons can do it as mentioned above. Labels are a bad idea. They cost and peel.

Chris B

So are you saying you just  load the discs into the printer directly and it's cheaper?  Does this require special hardware?  Where can you buy the discs?

Peter

Most retailers and suppliers stock printable CDs and DVDs.
See here:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=inkjet+printable&x=22&y=31
Price isn't much different to standard disks.

Usually identified as "inkjet printable" the top surface of the disk is smooth matt white.

The Canon printers have a slot into which you insert a plastic strip which the disk sits on. It's a simple process hardly more difficult than printing a sheet of paper. I assume the Epsons are similar.

Lightscribe, which nobus referred to above doesn't require a printer, just a Lightscribe capable CD/DVD burner. Lightscribe produces monotone images only. I did hear that they were working on a colour Lightscribe process, but I don't know whether or not it's in the pipeline or even true.

As burrcm said, labels can peel with disastrous consequences. There's also a risk of unbalancing the disk. The rotate at very high speed so it's a potentially catastrophic business from your optical drive's point of view.

The images produced on a printable CD/DVD are really top quality  as good as a matt photo.

Clarification:
You can buy Lightscribe disks in different colours, but they're still monochrome. i.e. you can buy the original tones of goldish-brown, or you can buy red, blue, etc.
http://www.lightscribe.com/gettingstarted/index.aspx

Setting up for Lightscribe would be inexpensive - the drives are not much more expensive than non-Lightscribe, but for most uses the inkjet printable disks look more attractive - my subjective opinion.

:o)

Alan Vallis

Post, post script:
Lightscribe disk's printed surfaces are more resistant to defacing than printables. It's more like an etching process than printing.

That was a great explanation.  Thanks.  I need to rethink this a bit now.  Am I correct in inferring that you need a special printer to do this (or the Lightscribe device)?

You're correct:
Here's how the printers work:
http://www.photo-i.co.uk/Reviews/printers/Pixma%205000/page-5.htm

DVD burner with Lightscribe:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151173

Splash out for a Blu-ray Xmas:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136145
if anybody still has any money by then.
:o)

Just so there's no misunderstanding:
Printable CDs require a compatible printer, but no special optical drive.
Lightscribe requires a comaptible optical drive, but no printer.

This is really pushing the envelope, but is there a consumer product that is priced roughly in the same range as these printers, but would also combine some or all of the following features:

Automatic disc feeding (from spindles)
Burning and Printing in the Same Device
High Speed Burning for making many copies?

Peter

Not in this life!
Start at maybe US$1200 and the sky's the limit.
http://www.discmakers.com/duplicators/automated/

Do a search on CD duplicator.

Was there a significant reason that you chose your Canons.  Is one of those the printer you would recommend?

I'd definitely recommend the Canon iP5300 or the equivalent if it's superseded. I bought it because I was very pleases with the i865 which I've had for 5 years +. It's still going strong.

The biggest factors in buying an inkjet from my perspective are
1.   that it should have 5 cartridges (4 normal cartridges plus an extra bigger capacity black to cope with text) and:
2.  the cartridge price.
3.  user reviews.

Other people here may have different views. Burrcm mentioned that he's pleased with his Epson. Search for reviews for whatever you're considering.

OK, so I've gone and looked at the Canon.  This is an InkJet, correct?  Do you need to have an ink jet printer or will a laser do as well?

Peter

Thanks very much for all the great information.

strange accept...

@ nobus
I think it was for perseverance. :)

@ Peter044
The comment you accepted wasn't the actual answer to your question. Although you may have extracted the information you needed from the overall thread, the "accepted solution" would be misleading to anyone looking at this question in the future.

vallis, i can live with his choice; you surely deserve points, but as you said  - for another question  lol
no offense taken ( i'm getting a bit afraid on this forum..)

Shahvikas gave the answer to the actual question in the very first comment.
Don't be discouraged shahvikas. It's a matter of swings and roundabouts.

:)

Be not afraid nobus. Without you and a couple of dozen other amazing folk Experts Exchange would be out of business and I'd have 122 questions unanswered.

:(

Sorry guys.  Didn't mean to break protocol.  Happy to redo things in whatever the best approach would be.

Technically, I felt that his answer was better than my question, so that's why I accepted it.  In other words, anyone who is looking to buy labels to print CDs would find this a superior solution.

But I'm happy to be guided by the community,

Peter