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hi
1st post... no idea where it should go.
equally, I have NO clue how to make a dvd case insert. I have Memorex brand slim clear dvd cases. I'd like to make an insert for the dvd case. not one that wraps around, because they are slim and there is no spine to the case. just the one piece to slip in the front. the measurements seem to be 5 1/4 inches x 7 1/4 inches.
I have windows 7... and downloaded a template, but that doesn't print even remotely close to the right size. not to mention when I insert a text or picture, it prints it so that it is all vertical, not horizontal
I also have photoshop elements 12... but I'm brand new to that, so I definitely need help or a youtube tutorial (can anyone recommend??)
anyway, can anyone help me with this???
I am starting my own business making photo montages... so I want to personalize each case, per customer. like, add a picture from their montage, a title of the their montage etc.
also, can anyone advise what kind of quality paper to buy to print on?
lastly, the labels to adhere to the dvd. what is a current program that I can buy/download that is user friendly and comes out professional looking?
I appreciate the help!!! thank you in advance - krista
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I can only advise you on the labels you intend to put on the DVDs. Don't do it. Paper labels on optical discs have been known to cause lots of problems, including inability to read the discs, instability because you get them out of balance and warping them. Paper labels are a bad idea.
If you must put individual labels on the discs, use ink-jet printable discs and an ink-jet printer dedicated to the task. You can find some models for less than $100 at Amazon. Epson, HP and Canon are three major brands that make these printers. -
OK, here is a Photoshop template you can use (inside the zip file)...
It includes Guides (which you should be able to toggle viewing on & off with [Ctrl+;]), as well as a (redundant) Blue Guide layer (for showing where you are going to want to cut the paper), a Red Bleed Guide layer (for showing how far out you should actually have an image so the image reaches "wall-to-wall"), and a Black Crop Layer (which will do the actual guiding in your cropping/cutting). Those are locked so you won't accidentally mess with them. If you need, you could unlock them.
When creating your design, put all images BELOW those 3 layers in the stack so they're always visible. Once you've completed your design, turn off (make invisible) the Guide and BleedGuide layers, but leave visible the Crop layer.
It's a good idea to save this final moment in 4 versions: Layered PSD, Flattened PSD, Layered PDF, and Flattened PDF.
If you are printing yourself, use whichever of those 4 you'd like. If you take this to Fedex/Kinko's or somewhere, use which one is the smallest filesize that can still be read by their printer's reader.
Print the design on standard 8.5" x 11" paper. It will have crop marks in the corners. Using a paper slicer (or scissors if you don't have that), cut along the crop marks (so none of them are visible anymore). Insert. Done!
Scott -
I agree with Kerry56, don't use sticky labels. Sticky labels can damage the disc, or the drive playing them. Buy quality discs with an inkjet-printable surface. Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden JVC make the most reliable media and have some great inkjet-printable products. Verbatim's AquaAce products are fine, and Taiyo Yuden JVC's Water Shield inkjet-printable products are supposed to be outstanding for ink-jet printing.Originally Posted by arosemontages
hi
lastly, the labels to adhere to the dvd. what is a current program that I can buy/download that is user friendly and comes out professional looking?
http://www.amazon.com/Taiyo-Yuden-JVC-Shield-Printable/dp/B000LUC8WW
http://www.amazon.com/Verbatim-DataLifePlus-Printable-Recordable-94755/dp/B0001LS35W
http://www.amazon.com/Taiyo-Yuden-Shield-Printable-JDMR-WPPSB16-WS/dp/B00494VIKY
http://www.amazon.com/Verbatim-PrintableHub-Printable-Recordable-96552/dp/B001GR1C3A
Taiyo Yuden JVC's standard product line and Verbatim's "Data Life Plus" and standard AZO products are very reliable. Avoid anything from Taiyo Yuden's "Value" line or Verbatim's "Life" line.
Acoustica's CD/DVD Label Maker is well-liked http://www.acoustica.com/cd-label-maker/Last edited by usually_quiet; 4th Sep 2014 at 13:18.
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I also agree with Kerry56 and usually_quiet: strongly recommend you avoid sticky paper labels-on-disc.
Inkjet printable discs w/ Disc-printing Inkjet printer
or
Lightscribe discs w/Lightscribe burner
or
Silkscreened discs from factory ($$)
or
Sharpie
Scott -
The trick is still there....Finding a good printer in the US that will print those disks. I would like a All-in-one that can do it but having hard time. I just don't want to buy another printer that sits on the desk unused except for an occasional disk printing.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence -Carl Sagan -
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thank you for all the advice about the labels.
i had no idea!
I do NEED individual labels, and cannot use a sharpie. not sure people who are getting their wedding montage want it labeled with a sharpie
I am almost positive I have an inkjet printer... there is a spot where I can put photo paper, and it shows that I can put a cd/dvd in there as well...
sooo, I will be looking for the manuel to my printer tomorrow!!
thanks to cornucopia for the photoshop template... but I'm literally so new to photoshop, that was overwhelming to look at... lol there must be an easier way?! I hope... -
Perhaps Acoustica CD Label Maker is something you should look at. I use it for printing labels on Taiyo Yuden Watershield DVD-Rs and CD-Rs (you'll have to buy these discs on the internet at shops like http://www.rima.com and http://www.supermediastore.com ) with my Canon inkjet printer. Printing directly to these discs simply cannot be beat. These discs have a glossy sheen that makes the output look really good. Lightscribe is a waste of time. I did it in the past and don't recommend it. The Acoustica software can be used to design cases and inserts. It's not the greatest program for that task, but it can do it and I've learned to work around its limitations easily enough. I think it's free to try for a limited number of days.
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The printer in the first link above looks very similar to my 4 year old Epson Artisan 725 (purchased for $120 on special).Originally Posted by usually_quiet
Anyway, the above will do a nice job of printing on inkjet printable discs. The Epson PrintCD software is fairly easy to use. Note that for regular printable discs, use the standard 12 cm setting. For *hub* printables, use custom size. I use 23 mm inner diameter and 119 mm outer.
Lightscribe discs just won't cut it for business, and sticky labels are a no-no. So the only reasonable alternative is inkjet printables. And I'd advise using hub printable discs; they will look more professional.
Good luck.Pull! Bang! Darn! -
This seems to be oft-quoted "common knowledge," but I can't help wondering if this has turned into something of an Urban Legend.Paper labels on optical discs have been known to cause lots of problems, including inability to read the discs, instability because you get them out of balance and warping them. Paper labels are a bad idea.
Several years ago, before I "knew better," I used stick-on paper labels on some small-quantity DVD projects. I still have several of the "masters" and only one of them in all that time showed a small "bubble" on the label, which was easily smoothed out.
Does anyone have any recent experience with using paper labels on discs to justify the abhorrence of them, or are we simply repeating once-correct-but-now-outdated warnings? -
Most folks I know stopped using them long ago because of balance and warping issues, so no recent reports.Originally Posted by CobraPilot
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No doubt true, but it may also be true that such warnings aren't as valid anymore. It may be that a few earlier experiences and warnings became the knee-jerk "norm" for answering the question, repeated over and over.Originally Posted by smrpix
Most folks I know stopped using them long ago because of balance and warping issues, so no recent reports.Originally Posted by CobraPilot
If someone has had recent problems, I hope they'll chime in, in the spirit of VideoHELP. -
We still get the occasional report of failed discs, then learn they used stick on labels. Sometimes removing the label is all it takes to restore readability!Originally Posted by CobraPilot
You can look through this old thread at MyCE: http://club.myce.com/f33/sticky-paper-labels-dvd-r-discs-beware-173236/ -
DO we still get them? Can we find some of these reports? I haven't seen any, but I certainly don't read 'em all.We still get the occasional report of failed discs, then learn they used stick on labels. Sometimes removing the label is all it takes to restore readability!
Key word "old," with SEVEN years ago being the most recent post.You can look through this old thread . . . .
I'm not trying to challenge you or anyone else, just looking for some current justification for this abhorrence of stick-on labels. -
Not true. Around post #150 there's ONE guy in 2013 who says he has 10 year old disks with no problems.Originally Posted by CobraPilot
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I used a program from Memorex called exPressit when I was creating inserts.
Download:
http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/exPressit-Download-44339.html
Screenshots:
http://www.softpedia.com/progScreenshots/exPressit-Screenshot-44339.html -
@CobraPilot
By we, I mean MyCE.com. The most recent post in that thread is from last year. On page six, you'll see some posts regarding labels and the problems caused by them posted in 2012 and 2013. And in any case, the information in the very first post is still relevant for optical media. -
- My sister Ann's brother
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CobraPilot - Using stick on labels is ANCIENT technology. Geez, practically stone age in this industry. I'd think that the lack of current posts on this subject has to do with several things. One is that people who really want to have custom labels have long ago switched to printing directly on the labels with ink jet printers because the results are about a million times better and less hassle than doing the glue on/stick on thing. Another is that I suspect there's a decline in people interested in buying consumer burnable discs in general so there's less interest in any form of this. If you want to draw a line in the sand and proclaim that it must be perfectly safe to put stick on labels on now because the most recent posts YOU could find (I'm too lazy to look. Sorry man, but I am.) are 7 years old, then that's a pretty weird thing to get all worked up about. Do you have proof that this is completely safe and the alternatives really aren't better if not also maybe cheaper than stick on labels? Or are you just following the work of so many here where you're like a cat hunting a mouse. Aha! You found a post with something that might be slightly inaccurate so time to pounce and rip the poster a new one because he's only 99% right instead of 100%. To be honest with you I don't recall us getting one of those "failed disc because of stick on labels" posts in a while, but we've probably had one at least by last year. But I think the burden of proof is squarely on you if you want to argue against conventional wisdom in this matter, even if it is only for the sake of being argumentative rather than actually trying to be helpful.
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I quit using sticky labels not long after joining this forum. I put labels on all my DVD backups, and discovered lots of them were glitchy. Then I read one of the threads here about the subject. BTW, there was a monster thread, as I recall, that went for years.
Anyway, I removed the labels and the discs played fine again. That was proof enough for me. I still think that the issue is more warping than imbalance, but at any rate, sticky labels affect playability alright. It's a disservice to newbies to give them the impression they might get away using them.Pull! Bang! Darn! -
I really appreciate everyone's input. I'm "just" a stay at home mom, trying to start a little gig doing something I really love... but when it comes to the technical side of it all, I really know nothing.
it's laughable, but, my mother records my daughter's favorite shows and puts them on dvd's for her... and, I have so many issues with many of the dvd's after a short time. and now I am thinking it's the stupid sticky labels!!
so... I definitely want to steer clear of them... and look into the inkjet printables FOR SURE. last thing I'd want is an unhappy customer down the road
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jman98,
with that acoustica program (I haven't looked into it yet), it does dvd inserts as well as cd? is it user friendly for someone just starting out, honestly? and the dvd's that you purchase online... obv you really like them but, is there pros/cons to something that I can just purchase in a store? -
fritzi93, what's a hub printable disc?
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The HUB is the innermost area of the disc that encircles the spindle/axel. Just like on a wheel (where the hub-cap goes).
A hub-printable disc is a disc that has coating all the way into the hub area so it can be printed upon, rather than leaving that innermost section transparent. "Wall-to-wall" carpeting, as opposed to an area rug.
Scott -
You wouldn't want to waste money on discs that don't print well, don't burn well, and become unreadable quickly would you you?Originally Posted by arosemontages
The Maxell, Memorex, Philips, TDK, Sony, and the various private label DVDs that you find in stores are all problematic. Some Verbatim DVD media is sold in stores, but nearly all of it is their "Life" series, which is low-quality media made by another company for Verbatim to sell to mass market retailers at a lower price than their professional grade Data Life Plus and standard AZO product lines. Using low-quality DVD media, the burning process is more likely to fail completely. ...and even if the burning process finishes, low-quality DVD media produce a higher percentage of bad burns, which can cause discs to become unreadable within a short time.
The Taiyo Yuden JVC products and Verbatim DVD products I linked to are more likely to burn correctly and less likely become unreadable within a few years time, but they are difficult to find in stores, and pretty much have to be bought online.
You don't see much in this forum about significant differences in the quality of CD media, but the quality of the printable surface should matter to you. Taiyo Yuden JVC Watershield and Verbatim AquaAce products (CD and DVD) print very nicely and have better moisture resistance and smear resistance once the ink has tried.Last edited by usually_quiet; 6th Sep 2014 at 08:09. Reason: correct quote, misspelling
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^ What Cornucopia and usually_quiet said.
Buying good discs online, in quantities of 50-100 will not be much more expensive than buying crummy discs in a local brick-and-mortar store. Maybe even cheaper.
Don't worry too much about smearing, but try not to touch the surface for at least 10 minutes or so until thoroughly dried. You should of course handle discs by the edges only anyway. Once the ink has set, it should some doing to smear the printed surface of a quality disc. Some discs are better than others in that regard, as mentioned.Pull! Bang! Darn! -
It seems no one has yet mentioned what software you should be burning your discs with.
Use ImgBurn only. Most veteran members here will agree. It's free, but use the custom install option to opt out of the toolbar.
As to burn speed and disc verification, opinion is more varied. I never burn at full speed, and I do use verification. It's especially advisable to burn at reduced speed with poor quality discs, less so with top grade discs, but there you are.
ImgBurn will tell you who actually made a disc (brand name is nearly irrelevant). The vast majority of crummy discs are made by Ritek and CMC Magnetics. They're made to a price, and since most people don't know or care, have come to dominate the market. You should care, for the sake of your business reputation.
Good luck.Pull! Bang! Darn! -
cornucopia (scott...)
okay, so with the photoshop template you linked for me - it comes up like a gray & white checkerboard. why is that? when I print it, it prints plain white... but I'm just curious.
I can figure out how to add a text... but not how to add photos. any quick guidance?
also, I printed it out on regular letter paper just to play around but, I definitely would want to print on something higher quality, like a cardstock. any recs for something I can go buy at the store? I have no probs ordering online, down the line. but for now, i'd like to go pick up something in the store tomorrow if possible.
and, I believe my printer is an inkjet, but I don't have the capability to print directly onto a disc, as far as I can tell. so I will have to look into a new printer with that capability. but for now, will use what I have for these dvd inserts. so I don't know if my printer makes a difference as to what kind of paper I use for them? -
and thank you for the HUB description, makes perfect sense
thank you ALL for your guidance and advice so far... I am taking notes!!
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