Labels on DVD discs...

[Savant]

I'm curious if anyone has done lables on DVD discs. I'm talking about the stick on kind, not printing right on the disc. Has anyone had any experience with them? I know on CDs they can work OK, but on DVDs do you run into problems?

Regards,

Savant

[resnullius]

Well beside the fact that they may damage disk they are put on(cd or dvd), dvd is the same basic thing as a cd and therefore shouldn't cause any other problem.

[Savant]

Well I'd love to print right on the DVD, but I don't have $400 bucks for a a CD/DVD printer. I'm not mass producing them, it's just for my personal use. I've heard that lables can sometimes come off and/or imbalance the disc, so that's why I'm asking.

Alternately, has anyone had any luck actually printing right on a disc using a regular colour printer? (I'm talking about models where the paper can feed straight though) I was tempted to try seeing if I could make up some kind of transport and then use my own printer. (testing on a cheap CD-R of course)

I'm just curious if people have had any sucess in this area...

Regards,

Savant

[Mirror_Image]

I use the Basic Labeling System!

[Lamont Cranston]

I use the Basic Labeling System!

The only problem is solvent based inks can damage DVDs, CDs over time.

[Mirror_Image]

The only problem is solvent based inks can damage DVDs, CDs over time.

No offense intended, but do you have a verifiable source for that? I knew you should stay away from the ultra-fine ones to avoid scratching the back layer, but that was it, just press lightly when you write. Seriously, I'd be interested, before I use them any more.

This is from Roxio:

http://www.roxio.com/en/support/discs/discprinting.html

"If you're like me, sometimes you forget to label your CD-Rs, and after a while you end up with a big stack of discs and no idea what's on them. Have no fear: labeling CDs is now a science, with options ranging from no labels (like I do it) to professional silk-screening. Have a look:

The Sanford Sharpie

Simple, plain, cheap (and potentially ugly if your handwriting is poor), the Sanford Sharpie has long been a staple of the CD labeling scene. Simply write on the matte (non-recording) side, and you'll remember what this particular piece of media contains.

From the earliest days of CD-R, when a piece of blank media could cost $100, people have always been nervous about writing on the surface of the CD. Could it cause problems down the road? What type of marker should be used? Certainly not a pen with a ball point or any kind of hard tip - that could scratch through the lacquer that protects the top surface of the disc, and damage the reflective layer beneath, where your data is actually recorded.

But many of us have used Sanford Sharpie pens for many years without trouble. I have discs which were marked with a Sharpie ten years ago, and they still test with low physical error rates on a Clover QA 101D and CDA 1000 CD Analyzer.

Sharpies and some other markers - there are even some designed specifically for writing on CDs - are fine for discs intended for personal or in-house use, assuming that you do not need to put a lot of information on the disc surface and that your penmanship is at least legible (doctors will probably want to consider some of the other options discussed below ).

Sticky Labels

If you want your discs to look a little less home-grown, you may want to step up to press-on labels. These are just round paper labels with a hole in the center, sticky on one side, that can be centered on the disc and applied with any of several available gadgets.

You need a labeling device because it's important that the labels be centered on the disc. This can take a little practice to achieve, so you might want to try it out on some coasters first.

IMPORTANT: Never try to remove a label after it has touched the disc. The adhesive can remove the top layer of lacquer on the disc, and probably the reflective layer beneath it as well, which will ruin your disc. For the same reason, it is risky to put Post-It (tm) notes on recordable discs. (Although the adhesive on Post-It notes seems pretty lightweight and unlikely to cause problems on most discs, we tried it, and found that it will happily take the reflective layer off some discs. So it's best not to take any chances.}

Windows users can use the Jewel Case Creator included with Easy CD Creator 4 to print text and artwork on many standard label types, along with matching inserts for the jewel case.

CD Printers

There are printers specifically designed to directly print your art/text onto matte-surfaced CD-Rs. You can get exceptional, high quality results this way, almost rivaling anything a CD factory could make for you. These machines are expensive for most home users, but if your company needs professional-looking labels on its CDs, this may be a good investment. Both black and white and color CD printers are available.

The High-End Options

To create a professional-looking label for a disc to be duplicated in quantity, you could enlist the services of a graphic artist, or you could do it yourself, if you're good at that sort of thing. Or you can take the minimalist route of a text-only label (just be sure that it includes all relevant information, including copyright notices). Or you can simply bypass the whole thing and tell your duplication/replication company to make something nice for you, though it will cost you.

If you provide your own artwork, you can send it electronically to the replication or duplication house (they'll know exactly what to do with it, most times), or you can supply it in print and have them digitize it.

For top-of-the-line quality on CD labels, professional silk-screening is the way to go. A screened CD-R, especially when the artwork is done professionally and the colors are chosen to contrast with the particular surface color of the disc, can look very impressive. But it's expensive.

You could also have a batch of CD-R discs screened with your company logo, leaving space for additional labeling to be printed or hand-written after the discs are recorded. Then, even if you use a Sharpie to write in the contents, the disc still looks professional. Better yet, for those on the high end of labeling, the latest Rimage printer will actually rotate the disc to the correct orientation and print in the open portion of the disc. It looks like the whole thing was screened -- very professional.

Should I Label Before or After Recording?

It's probably better to do it before, especially with paper labels. If you spend 38 minutes recording a disc, then mess up the label and ruin the disc by removing some of the reflective layer, you will not be in a very good mood. Better to mess up the disc first.

I have seen the silk-screening done both before and after recording. What's important here is the silk-screener's process and how it protects the recorded face of the CD."

[Lamont Cranston]

I am not sure I can find the original TDK article but here is a current article. Personally I have always used the TDK pens. If you are caonsidering stick-on label read the research Neato has gone though developing thier labels and adhesive. Neato labels are the only ones I would use.

Is it okay to write on or stick on a label on a disk?

Only if you're careful. The adhesives on some labels can dissolve the protective lacquer coating if the adhesive is based on a solvent that the lacquer is susceptible to. Asymmetric labels can throw the disc out of balance, causing read problems, and labels not designed for CDs might bubble or peel off when subjected to long periods of heat inside a CD drive. Similarly, the ink in some kinds of pens may damage the top coating of the disc

There are pens recommended specifically for writing on CD-Rs. Examples include the Dixon Ticonderoga "Redi Sharp Plus", the Sanford "Powermark", TDK "CD Writer", and Smart and Friendly "CD Speed Marker". Some of these are relabeled Staedtler Lumocolor transparency markers, which are water-based. Never use a solvent-based pen on a CD-R.

Many people have had no problems with the popular Sanford "Sharpie" pens, which are alcohol-based. Other people say they've damaged discs by writing on them with a Sharpie. In any event, the Ultra Fine pen looks almost sharp enough to scratch, so sticking with the Fine Point pen is recommended.

So long as you use the right kind of pen, it's okay to write directly on the top surface of the CD, label or no. If the prospect makes you nervous, just write in the clear plastic area near the hub, or only use discs with a printable top surface.

Whatever you do, don't try to peel a label off once it's on. You will almost certainly pull part of the recording layer off with the label. If you're going to label a disc, do it immediately, so you can make another copy if the label doesn't adhere smoothly. Any air bubbles in the label that can't be smoothed out immediately are going to cause trouble.

Only use labels made specifically for recordable CDs .Buy some labels, put them on some discs, leave them someplace warm, and see if they peel off. If they do, you'll need a different kind of media or a different kind of label. Some labels don't adhere very well unless they're attached to a disc with a plain lacquer surface on top.

[chodges84]

Where can I get one of those proper cd printers? i thought they would be more than $400 tho........

[Kusanagi]

Here:

http://www.superimage.com/printers-440&660&670.html

I've had no experience with them, though...

I'm saving my precious monies for this: http://store.yahoo.com/cdrplanet/primsigproin.html

Kusanagi

[lhorwinkle]

Thank you, Mirror_Image, for debunking the myths about using Sharpies on CD-R disks. Too many people fall victim to marketing hype. Such as these old gems:

Photographic film:
"Develop this film only at a Kodak processing center."

Speaker cables:
"Comparing Monster Cable to the old cable is like comparing PS2 to Pong."

Notice that these phrases contain no explicit claims of superiority ... indeed, they make no claims at all!

Since legislation in the 1970's forbade advertisers from making false claims (lying to consumers) under penalty of law, they now rely on the consumer to lie to themselves.

So, despite the availability of "special" CD/DVD labeling markers and other equipment, one should not infer that these are better, or that conventional alternatives are inferior.

I use a plain old blue Sharpie. Dries instantly. Works perfectly. Tastes great, less filling.

[Mirror_Image]

I use a plain old blue Sharpie.

I use 16ga lamp cord for speaker wire, a black Sharpie, and I'm glad to see you also use a blu...BLUE???

BLASPHEMER!!! HERETIC!!!

"Once you go black,..."

[Savant]

My problem with the DVD labels is that they are just CD labels with "DVD" slapped on them. They most likely haven't been tested to make sure they work properly on DVD players. Alternately, with balance playing a key role in a DVD, who wants to take a chance?

I know thee ARE issues where how big DVD labels are allowed to be and I know CD labels can be bigger. I'm going to hunt around on the net before I start using them though. There must be someone who has been using them...

Regards,

Savant

[Lamont Cranston]

Thank you, Mirror_Image, for debunking the myths about using Sharpies on CD-R disks. Too many people fall victim to marketing hype. Such as these old gems:

Photographic film:
"Develop this film only at a Kodak processing center."

Speaker cables:
"Comparing Monster Cable to the old cable is like comparing PS2 to Pong."

Notice that these phrases contain no explicit claims of superiority ... indeed, they make no claims at all!

Since legislation in the 1970's forbade advertisers from making false claims (lying to consumers) under penalty of law, they now rely on the consumer to lie to themselves.

So, despite the availability of "special" CD/DVD labeling markers and other equipment, one should not infer that these are better, or that conventional alternatives are inferior.

I use a plain old blue Sharpie. Dries instantly. Works perfectly. Tastes great, less filling.

I am sure you have no reason to believe Mitsui's Technical Reports but here is their findings and recommendations http://www.mitsuicdr.com/tech_papers/default.htm