Lightscribe

[CRVLSPE]

Hi, got a lightscribe drive not to long ago and I was wondering if there are some problems that I might be aware of. Just wondering what all the difficulties are if anyone's getting any so I know what to look for.

[steveryan]

Do a forum search for Lightscribe, there's plenty of threads.

[ROF]

Wasted laser life.

Excessive heat.

[jman98]

You know, I hate to get into a flame war, but ROF this is getting REAL OLD.

First of all, it's not YOUR freakin' lightscribe drive, so what do YOU care about the people who want to use it? Get a life!

Also take a look at:
http://www.lightscribe.com/support/index.aspx?id=303
which addresses the "wasted laser life" nonsense you keep spouting. Excessive heat? NOT!!!

Too bad you like to post without any familiarity of the products you bash. We get it that you don't like lightscribe. Go away.

[ROF]

First off the original poster asked for people who own lightscribe drives? Do you? I do.

I can attest to excessive heat caused by a Lite-On drive that just spent 5 minutes burning data and another 25 minutes burning label. Can you show otherwise?

Also any use of the laser decreases the laser lifespan just as any use of a lightbulb decreases the lifespan of the bulb. It is called physics. Get a clue! It has been a scientifically proven fact a hundred times over. Are you going to actually believe some website that is trying to get you to buy their product(with creative marketing facts) or someone who owns the product and knows the facts that when something is used and has a limited lifespan that lifespan is decreased the more it used?

Since you offer nothing Jman but hatred to the original poster and this thread I suggest you Go away!

[mats.hogberg]

@jman98 - ROF has the same right as you, to have and express his opinion. Pipe it down.

/Mats

[painkiller]

I have a couple Lightscribe drives.

I have tried using the HP disks and found I wasn't too impressed with the results.

I have yet to find and use the Verbatim disks, though.

All in all, an interesting approach. While better than the Mt Ranier disks/drives that put graphics on the same side as your content awhile back, this may not be for everyone.

For me, the time it takes is perhaps more than I want to spend on it.

Maybe for the extra special disks with stuff I want to highlite - rahter than make a homemade label.

[CRVLSPE]

Wow, didn't think i'd get an arguement in here. Hi painkiller, i've heard that different brands preform differently. Mine gives really good pictures and the contrast is good. To be honest, one of my co workers has one and he's had it since its Lightscribe's release date and it still running like the day it was born. I'm just looking for any issues anyone might have still. Like has anyone experienced sputtering, light pictures (like what pain said), or just anything odd in general? I've seen lightscribe.com but it doesn't give what actual people think, that's what i'm after.

[ROF]

It should also be noted that sunlight or heat will soften the image or text burned with lightscribe. I never tried Mt Ranier discs but I did have and I did install a couple T@2 drives.

[CRVLSPE]

So are you happy with some of the prints you get. As jman suggested, if you go to lightscribe.com and get the updates for the system software, then an update for the Contrast Utility, it helped out my images quality alot.

[jman98]

ROF - Yes, I have a lightscribe drive. I don't have any of the problems you mention. I guess we will just have to disagree here. Why would I accuse you of not using the format if I didn't use it myself? Moron. Maybe the problem with excessive heat is YOUR problem. You can claim anything you want and I can claim anything I want and it's all just words. Yours are no more valid than mine. They are just words.

Mats - the problem is that ROF keeps saying the same crap over and over and over and over and over about lightscribe and it gets old. I see no evidence at all that he has any respect for differing opinions.

Crvslspe - I use lightscribe all the time and I never have problems. ROF hates it with a passion, blames it for global warming, the war in Iraq and so on. Well, that's an exaggeration, but you can read from his comments and decide if you think he has an objective opinion or not.

That's my 2 cents.

[ROF]

So far yes. I am happy with the quality. I wish it did not take so long to burn and as I said despite what the site says physics tell me the laser life is shortened. I also recommend that if you plan to do alot of these types of burns that you leave an open space between your LS drive and your other drives to allow good airflow. Considering the laser will probably outlive the time I own the drive and because of the cost I paid for it after a few months of life the drive will have paid for itself.

[ROF]

Crvslspe - I use lightscribe all the time and I never have problems. ROF hates it with a passion, blames it for global warming, the war in Iraq and so on. Well, that's an exaggeration, but you can read from his comments and decide if you think he has an objective opinion or not.

WOW! Interesting. I hate something so much that I used it less than 3 hours ago. Your obsessive trolling should be taken care of shortly. Until then please ignore the troll everyone and accept my apologies Cryslspe if I somehow did not provide you with factual information based on the laws of physics and my experiences.

[mats.hogberg]

Last warning, jman - your last post was fine 'til the last paragraph. Then you lost it. Before you busted in , ROF had written

Wasted laser life.
Excessive heat.

No more, no less. Stop this personal attack now.

/Mats

[CRVLSPE]

So does any else have any input for a good drive or bad experience? or tips? I've read alot already about this stuff but I want to know what real people think and experience rather than what a book or text does.

[JerryB]

Hi, got a lightscribe drive not to long ago and I was wondering if there are some problems that I might be aware of. Just wondering what all the difficulties are if anyone's getting any so I know what to look for.

hi,
First I don't have lightscribe however... been seriously thinking about getting one.... and i have done my homework I believe in reserching this...... so for what it worth here my 2 cents worths...
1. as far as the drive it self, reading and writing there no problems with it....
2. now the label etching part..... well first.... you do need to use the right kind of cd that have the special coating.... for light scribe burning... otherwise your not going to get the results you plan... and these cd are generally from what i see a little more expensive.... if people don't understand this....... and go for cheap standard cd.s that will appear to be a problem.. smile...
3. since etching is a intensive operation and takes along time.... i can see easily see where if one has a lot of programs running that could be a problem...... so keep to a minimum programs runing inthe back ground and shuldn't be a problem...
4. software... this could be a key item.... some burning software, even though they have a special feature label making using lightscribe.... some are not as good as other programs.... and this could be why some people have problems.... the burning program there using not good enough......

Here a good review of light scribe... and it interesting to note the person had problems with there nero 7 and when they went to a different buring program they were much more satisfied...
http://www.techmoments.com/?p=6
Well anyway for what it worth that my 2 cents....

final note: on the next paycheck plan on picking up lightscribe.

[CogoSWSDS]

I'll try to address several things in this thread with one post.

Yes, I do have a lightscribe-enabled drive, since February '06. I use it to create the labels for home videos. I do not use it to create the labels for data disks or for disks that I've backed up. I can't see using lightscribe for that.

It takes a long time to burn a full label on the original lightscribe media (33 minutes). The contrast isn't that good on the original lightscribe media. The lightscribe 1.2 media is a bit faster at 20 minutes (mind you, both of these times are for a single pass), with better contrast. Labels that only burn near the hub burn faster.

Recommendations: Use lightscribe 1.2 media (our local Wal-Mart sells a 10-pack of Verbatim lightscribe 1.2 media for under $10 USD). Burn on the highest quality setting. If your disk doesn't have enough contrast after one pass, burn the label a second time. I've heard that a 3rd burn does not improve contrast, but haven't tried it yet. You can burn a label multiple times because lightscribe uses a polar-coordinate (radius,angle) system for its burn rather than an (x,y) coordinate system. There are marks near the hub that tell the drive the angle coordinate of the polar-coordinate the laser is at on the disk.

I haven't tried the contrast utility yet. This is supposed to get you even better contrast.

Unlike ROF, I haven't noticed excessive heat. But that may just be his burner. Can't say. His experience may be different than mine. YMMV.

CogoSWSDS

[CRVLSPE]

Yes, if you go to www.lightscribe.com and download the latest Lightscribe Software Utility and the Contrast Utility off the home page, your images will get some even better contrast. The original purpose is to reduce double burning but it takes longer to do. I like to do prints on things that I give to other espcially. (You have to get the Lightscribe software first, its about 2 and a half MBs and then you the Contrast Utility, its about 3.10MBs and if you don't like the contrast utility, run the contrast executable and then there is a reset option to put it back where it was).

Anyone else have their two cents, I think everyone's benifiting from this so the more input the better.

[painkiller]

I wasn't aware of checking the Lightscribe site for updates. I will definitely check this out.
So I expect this will help me a bit.

My original purpose for trying this Lightscribe was because of so much negativity I keap/kept reading about paper labels potentially causing problems with discs in the drives. I figured this technology was the perfect answer to that - since you could label the medai/disc without adding something that could cause an imbalance to the disc.

Turns out my fears were unfounded, at least for me. All of the Neato brand labels I have ever used - along with the applicator tools - have never caused an issue for me or my players.

Even so, I use my lightscribe sparingly as I was - probably more than likely - put off by my first experience.

(now to hunt down those upgrades.)

[ahhaa]

Do a forum search for Lightscribe, there's plenty of threads.

Hey Steve I recognize your avatar pix, but can't remember what movie it's from!

As somebody else said, burning less than the full disc makes it faster- that means a good design saves time.

One thing, on the Lightscribe site, it says the imagery can fade if not kept in total darkness- always a good idea on homeburn DVDs. They indicated a half-life of about 6 months...

We could have a virtual contest for the best label backgrounds; VH allows image displays right?

[steveryan]

ahhaa, it's the great Tony Hancock. http://www.tonyhancock.org.uk/

[ROF]

My original purpose for trying this Lightscribe was because of so much negativity I keap/kept reading about paper labels potentially causing problems with discs in the drives. I figured this technology was the perfect answer to that - since you could label the medai/disc without adding something that could cause an imbalance to the disc.

My only reasons for getting a Lightscribe over another drive was price and curiousity. The Lite-On SHM-165 I bought only cost $30 including one each white and black bezel, a Nero OEM Disc and Power DVD. It does DVD-RAM too but like the Lightscribe feature it will probably not get much use. The drive is quiet and burns fine at rated speeds. Text does look nice on the few lightscribes I burned. A picture looks too faded. I will probably will use up my LS discs and stick with normal burning after this. I am neither disappointed or excited about LS.

[ahhaa]

Just FYI-
Office Max has a sale starting tomorrow on LightScribe discs: 25 52X CD-Rs or 15 16X DVD +Rs for $9.99