Which Direct-to-CD Printing Software Do You Use or Prefer?

[p_l]

Adapted from a post on another forum, if it can be of interest or help here...

I decided to revisit SureThing CD/DVD Labeler, which I had given a brief spin many years ago, put aside and never reconsidered.

From what I've re-experienced of it over the past couple of days, it's a really good program now, and in fact I think I'll be favoring it over Acoustica for a few features it has that Acoustica or others don't have.

1. SureThing, like the Canon CD LabelPrint program, which is pretty good (and free), has the ability to adjust the size and position of your background image, which neither Nero CoverDesigner nor Acoustica CD LabelMaker has.
2. SureThing, just like Canon, but unlike Acoustica or Nero, has a text shadowing and border feature, which is often quite important to help text stand out from a photo background.
3. SureThing, unlike Canon* or Nero**, but like Acoustica, has built-in printer templates for a variety of direct-to-CD printers, including my HP PhotoSmart.
4. SureThing, just like Canon and Nero, but unlike Acoustica, can import images from a TWAIN*** device - a scanner.
5. SureThing, unlike Canon or Nero, but on par with Acoustica, has a bunch of nice design templates and artwork you can use or adapt.

*It has templates to work with Canon direct-to-CD printers of course, but it doesn't work with other brands.

**Nero can manually create custom templates, but the process is so painstakingly tedious and hit or miss as to discourage all but the most persevering geek. I know, I've done it. There are a couple here for some Canon models, depending on whether you have a Tray B or Tray F.

***Technology Without An Interesting Name

Of course, there's always also the Photoshop route.

I would not recommend the Epson Print CD software that comes with Epson printers. Not that it's bad for designing labels, but it's the only one of the bunch, along with Nero, that doesn't have a save/export-as-image option, meaning that you're stuck with its proprietary .ec3 format and it only works on Epson printers. When you no longer have an Epson printer, like when my Epson R300 died, all your designs are no longer printable. They die with the machine, pretty much.

So what do you use / prefer?

[aedipuss]

surething has been fine, it's pretty much all i've used with my u.s. canon ip4000 converted to cd/dvd printing. does lightscribe too, but l.s. pretty much bites.

[V Bot]

I only use a Sharpie. I like the way those Sure Thing labels look, but they are not good for my players. So I just put the name of the disc on with a Sharpie. I used to go all out and make the inserts too, but just too much ink, etc. A thermal printer would be nice, but expensive.

[classfour]

Epson PrintCD Version 2.00.

Came with Artisan 800,

Earlier versions with earlier Epsons (SP900, R200, R300, R280).

Me like, work good.

[jman98]

I only use a Sharpie. I like the way those Sure Thing labels look, but they are not good for my players. So I just put the name of the disc on with a Sharpie. I used to go all out and make the inserts too, but just too much ink, etc. A thermal printer would be nice, but expensive.

Are you printing on discs or labels? Because if it's the first your DVD player is a POS. If it's the 2nd then putting sticky labels on discs has been known to be a bad idea for many years now. I'm quite serious about that first one. I've never seen a DVD player that couldn't handle a label printed directly to a disc surface. I suppose you could be using garbage media to print to and you just assume your problem is the label when in fact it's the discs.

Anyway, I use Acoustica CD Label Maker and I've been pretty happy with it.