What method do you use to label your DVD's?

[MPEG2GUY]

I'm using casio cd printer. It's a thermal printer and compatible to almost all cd/dvd media . No picture but purely font label printing. Good quality!!

I bought it because I think cd labeling using adhesives cover is not good to disc and player. However I do the personalized labeling in the dvd case. There is a good and cheap printer wherein you can print directly to the disc.Its Epson PM870 and sold only in Japan at around $ 150.

[vcd4me]

johnjohn & MPEG2GUY

Look at this post on the second page third from the bottom

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=138166&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highligh...abels&start=40

Looks like a picture on there to me (only black ink though)

Hope this helps
VCD4ME

[Gritz]

For a professional looking label I capture the frame of a picture I like (from my captures) using Virtualdub to copy (Ctrl/2), or an author program like SpruceUp (camera icon -keeping in mind that the center of the scene you want will have a hole in it) paste the captured picture in Paint, save as a bitmap, open it up in Photoshop, then resize it to about 5.5 to 6 inches high and about the same width (you may have to experiment a little), then use the circular marque tool in Photoshop to create a circle of fixed dimensions at 4.75" X 4.75", move the circle over the area you want, then right click inside this and copy that area, then open a new (untitled) screen and then paste what you copied in the circle before (the new size will be perfect, round, and save you colored ink). Do a "Save As" of this new picture as a bitmap and you will have a perfect circle of the picture you want just slightly larger than a cdrom. I then open up Stomper, paste this picture I just saved in, and write anything appropriate I want in text as a description, and then print to a photo cdrom label in highest quality. I do this for all my games too (just lay the cd on the scanner and copy) and also for all my music (finding pictures over the web). The result looks very nice .... and the cds are quickly identified when you are looking through them to pick one out.

[Supreme2k]

johnjohn & MPEG2GUY

Look at this post on the second page third from the bottom

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=138166&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highligh...abels&start=40

Looks like a picture on there to me (only black ink though)

Hope this helps
VCD4ME

You can also use red, silver, or blue.

[MackemX]

I would just scan the original and use the epson 950 to put the label on

very nice results

thats if you wanna pay £300 for the printer

[vcd4me]

Ok I'm back in this topic
I just used the afterburner full faced cover and
I love it.
The applicator is much better than any other I have seen or used . . Like I said in my earlier post I bought my afterburner labeling system for
$ 9.99 at office max.

If you see it on sale buy it

Signed
VCD4ME

[RappWizard]

Hey, do the clear labels do a good job of covering up the original underlying branded labels and insignias on the original disc (after you have of course downloaded and formated an image onto the clear label) ?

[maldb]

I use Stomper Pro-type labels with Easy CD Label Creator and a Speedball roller-pin-type thingie I bought at an arts and crafts store on Ritek G03s.

[monoxide77]

i use a nifty little thermal printer from Casio. you can find it on Ebay for as little as $80 and it prints on the blank silver top Riteks beautifully! here's a link: http://www.casio.com/labelprinters/product.cfm?product=4328

[zippo50]

[quote="disturbed1"]I'm one of the lucky few also. None of my labeled DVDs have playback problems.

I wonder if it's a brand thing?



I use the DATAWRITE discs for DVD and I have not had any probs, was told by a supplier that the disk does matter and only buy good quality.

Also I am also interested in the clear label chat...Can you print on these also and what quality should I expect...

Zippo

[irwincur]

industrial sharpie. Nothing works better and they never fade. I swear they work so good you could write on water.

[Tbear]

For CD's I use a fine point sharpie. For DVD's use stomp 2 up matte labels.
Use accu (lead data) DVD-R. And have had no problems with playback.

Now for DVD cases cover use either Photo Shop or Nero cover designer. Get some covers from www.cdcover.cc But they don't have all covers. If it's from a VHS capture and they don't have it. I scan the VHS box and use it for the cover.

[Bob W]

Epson has a new printer out that will print directly to CDR or DVD discs (Epson 960). Check it out here. www.epson.com

[PIRATE_PRINCE]

I'm a glossy labels man myself. I use Corel Draw (9) so i can get that small print to go round the edge of the disc. Looks very professional if you use good artwork and don't over do it.

Each to there own though I guess, Variety is the spice of life.

That being said I use Sharpies myself if I can't be bothered printing or if its just a Sampler to try out something new.

[ASB]

Sharpie.

[RappWizard]

Hey just wanted to mention that Comp USA has a special on the after Burner Labeling kit: $24.99 minus $10 instant rebate minus $15 mail in rebate (equals free). Went ahead and bought it and so far I like the Click and Design Software and applicator better than Neato's system.
NOTE: Sale Ends APRIL 12th

[Bob W]

Hey just wanted to mention that Comp USA has a special on the after Burner Labeling kit: $24.99 minus $10 instant rebate minus $15 mail in rebate (equals free). Went ahead and bought it and so far I like the Click and Design Software and applicator better than Neato's system.
NOTE: Sale Ends APRIL 12th

If I could import Neato files I would buy it.

[tommyoz]

I have kept my CD/DVD discs blank with only the jewel case cover an or dvd case cover. For some reason i thought that this would be an issue. I do plan on making a decision soon on wich to use. I am leaning torwards a CD/DVD printer like the Epson but i may still wait it out. If i had nice hand writing i wouldn't mind a sharpie.

How many people really get to see or care about what you do.
If you make it to look like the original then they won't even question it.
This is what i keep telling myself to try and keep me from spending money.

[gee69]

might be a stupid question, but does the DVD have to be inkjet printable to use these cd/dvd printers like the Epson 960..how much more do they cost..say for Ritek DVD's (non-printable and the inkjet printable).

[mdoeden]

Does any old Sharpie do, or do you need a special kind?

[ZenZen]

Bob W (and others) wrote "I have yet to have a disc unplayable because of a label"

I've always used labels on my SVCDs and continued to use them on DVD-Rs. Everything seemed to work fine with my XMS settop player, until the day it started playing up, and we needed to replace it with another unit which happily plays all brands of DVD-Rs (and believe me, not all of them do).
Suddenly, most of the DVD-Rs that used to play perfectly, started displaying sparkles on the screen, stutters, etc. So I tried a few with the same brand of media, but without labels. Perfect every time !!!

Points:
The tracks are much finer on DVD-Rs than SVCDs or VCDs. If your label is just a smidgen off centre, you will get away with it on SVCDs and VCDs. In some players, you will get away with it on DVD-Rs. But what happens down the line when you need to upgrade or replace your settup unit? or pass on a DVD-R to a friend or relative? Then you may not get away with it. Your new settop may be just a little more sensitive, like our new one is, and you may have dozens of unplayable DVDs. I've taken the time to reburn all my DVDs, without labels, and have yet to see any further problems

[flatfeetfarms]

I've always made lovely labels on my CDs--data, music, SVCD. I'd clip a scene from the "movie" to use as background on the label.

Did the same for my first DVD. Then I read this forum and and so tested it all the way to the end. Holy s...!

Peeled off the label and it played fine.

I am about to try out hub labels on a DVD.

The SureThing kit I picked up at CompUSA only has 52 labels and they don't have refills either in-store or on-line. Only source seems to be Surething.com and I hate to pay the USPS for a pack of labels.

Anybody see the refills at a bricks and mortar store?

[Fatboy]

Given a post in 2001 explaining how a disc id built I no longer put a cover on a DVD or CD.

The layer with info on is on the top of the plastic bottom, so hence regardless of what top you have to your media, if put a cover on the disc, it will start (after time to peel or come off) to degrade the info stored on the layer below.

For example take a poor film that you did years ago, which a cover has been stuck to, and peel it off, and you will be left with a clear round bit of plastic (most of the time).

I've not experienced it but some write. That even with a good cd pen just written on a disc, that when held up to the light you can see your writing, so hence the laser reads the infraction difference in the reflective index differently. Hence a problem (God! heavy stuff, I didn’t write it)

So in essence make a nice box and put a bland disc in it.

I personally put a bland disc in a nice box and don’t tempt fate, but, there’s no good advice only other people’s opinions.

Regards

Fatboy

[txpharoah]

Labeling a DVD is a bad idea for numerous reasons. This topic has been posted before. Look up past posts for the reasons.

The #1 reason is that a DVD groove is narrow and the slightest off-balance will render it unreadable. Almost always caused by labeling.

The #2 reason is labels don't last as long as the disc.

[smittymike19]

i have a very easy labelling system it goes like this:
if it is a home movie then i use a neato label created by roxio ez cd creator.
if it is a commercial movie i use use click and drag and drop ez dvd labeller with high gloss labels with my printer on high quality but only if it is a movie with a 8 out of ten stars or higher . I get my picture for these from cdcovers (cause of higher resloution and i like all of the cool popups)

if the movie is 6-8 stars (out of ten) i use monster stomp with matte labels gathering my picture from cdnow (lower resolution) i use my printer on medium quality too cause there is less ink sprayed and doesnt cause the label to be topheavy and and cause skipping on my standalone.

if the movie is exactly five stars i use masking tape and a ball point pen (i will sometimes use duct tape if i am out of masking tape, but it generally gives lower quality results, as it it harder to read the pen on duct tape).

if the movie is between 3 to five stars i will use a high quality sharpie )from german factories only as the ones from south america tend to bleed (even though they are cheaper) and will ruin the media) also the german sharpies last longer, more like 97 years versus 94 years. I want my great grandchildren to have my dvd collection, just like my great grandpop gave me copies of his silent movies.

Anything between 1 to 3 stars i use low crayola crayons cause they are really cheap and come in 128 cool colors(and to be honest i dont know why i backup these cause if they are less then 3 stars i dont think i will ever watch them again) but i think its cool to spend 1.50 on blanks dvds.

Any movie rated 1 star I just memorize the serial number on the disc because my brain power is teh most cheapest and i dont want to spend anything more on these discs.

Finally if i back up a dvdrw i use dry erase markers so that the title can easily be changed.

:P not being a smart ass, just trying to get some laughs, please dont start posting hate posts.

For the record I use a brother p touch which gives a light, neat title. (Better than my chicken scratch, wont cause heavyness and takes exactly 1 second per letter in the title)

[VinnySem]

Has anyone ever tried the "No-Wobble" labels that Americal has? I've tried labelling with a Neato label, the disk plays fine until you get about 90% of the way through the disk, then it starts skipping and ultimately will stop. I tried several brand disks with the same movie, and they all started to skip at roughly the same time. I have an HP DJ 952, that prints beautifully, and I don't want to have to plunk down for a new printer if I can get good results from these no-wobble labels. But if I have to, I have to. I am starting a media-conversion business and I want to give nice professional looking disks, and I figure if it skips in my DVD player, chances are it will skip in a customer's.

[Gurm]

Cheap labels will, over the course of a couple years, warp/wrinkle.

Additionally, media that is "clearer" might have issues with labels (I've seen it happen occasionally). I personally use Verbatim media which has 5 layers ABOVE the recording layer, and there's no WAY that the laser is making it through to the label on one of those.

- Gurm

[VinnySem]

I've had problems with the very first disk off the top of a spindle not being playable UNTIL I put a label on it. In fact, on one occasion the laser shot clear through my entire entertainment center, frying every component, up through the ceiling and into a pile of plush toys in my sons room. Thankfully I was diligent in keeping fire extinguishers on every floor. My homeowner's policy explicitly lists "fire by DVD player misuse" as an escape clause for non-payment for damages to my property.


:P

[BobK]

I used Sharpie for a while. Now I use a TDK CD Marker.

I know several people who use labels. One of them stopped using them last week- a label was loose and one edge rolled up slightly. When he put it in his DVD drive the label caught (stuck) to something above it inside the drive. The disk disintegrated inside the drive and he had to disassemble the drive to clean out all the pieces.