DVD artwork - print on disc, or paper label?

MikeLV wrote on 8/5/2019, 3:17 PM

I still have a need to produce DVDs. Been printing directly to the white face discs, but my printer has died (I think) I notice there's not a lot of options out there for printing one-off discs like there used to be. But I still see a lot of paper label options. long time ago, I read not to use paper labels because they can throw the spin of the disc off and cause read errors. Is that actually true? They have those label applicator things that make it pretty easy to apply the paper label, but just wondering if I should continue printing directly to disc, or go the paper label route? I did buy another printer, an Epson, and discovered that the Epson ink is incompatible with some white disc surfaces. I only discovered this because I print both DVD5 and DVD9. Print looks great on one disc, and blurry/terrible on the other. I'll definitely have to go back to Canon if I get another disc printer and return this epson thing.

Comments

Former user wrote on 8/5/2019, 3:30 PM

I like my Canon MX922 for printing labels. I had a lot of problems with Epson printers and labeling. I would avoid stick on labels. Balance isn't a problem so much as they just start coming off eventually.

 

MikeLV wrote on 8/5/2019, 3:39 PM

Wow, I had not even considered the thought about the labels actually coming off the discs. I'll check out the MX922, but I don't really need the all in one function. The new Epson I got is actually pretty slow compared to the Canon too. The Canon I had was an IP7220

Musicvid wrote on 8/6/2019, 10:31 PM

Avoid paper labels.

vkmast wrote on 8/7/2019, 6:39 AM

+1 (avoid like the plague)

MikeLV wrote on 8/7/2019, 10:50 AM

Yes, avoiding the paper labels, I just ordered a Canon TS702, so hopefully I'll be back on track soon enough

Former user wrote on 8/7/2019, 11:14 AM

That is a reasonably priced printer. Please let us know what your experience is like. I am always keeping an eye out for replacements for when mine dies.

MikeLV wrote on 8/7/2019, 11:37 AM

One of the reasons I got this one instead of the IP model is that the IP has that little door you have to open down to slide the tray in. And sometimes, it will ask you to close the door so it can initialize itself, just adds time to the printing process. This TS model doesn't have that door, I watched a video on youtube. Maybe it has some other annoying thing, but I won't know until I actually use it. Will update after it comes.

Musicvid wrote on 8/7/2019, 12:07 PM

I still have a need to produce DVDs. 

Annoying as this is, we still don't have a true menu-driven alternative to optical discs, and all the rigmarole we go through in order to produce them.

We're stuck in purgatory here -- the infrastructure exists to do this in the MKV container -- it's just that no one has taken enough interest to develop it yet. Now, laser disc menus, those were cool.

MikeLV wrote on 8/7/2019, 12:12 PM

Well for me, it's instructional material, which is pretty easily replaced with an LMS, or other online course delivery platform..Just a matter of converting allll that video, and other data.

Musicvid wrote on 8/7/2019, 12:28 PM

Here is a 10 y/o discussion on adding mp4/m4v chapter markers and labels direct from Vegas Markers using Drax or Vegasaur. Good background discussion to an issue we still have today.

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/adding-chapters-to-mp4--71733/?page=1

MikeLV wrote on 8/7/2019, 12:33 PM

No need for any of that, at least for me. Menus become sections, and chapters become lessons in the online delivery platform. I'm sure you've seen them, Teachable, Thinkific, LearnWorlds, etc.. All designed for delivering streaming video in a structured way. Not great if you're not producing learning products, but I believe Vimeo offers some sort of viewing experience like watching a DVD if I remember right?

Musicvid wrote on 8/7/2019, 12:45 PM

Yes, I developed some classroom instructional sets in the 2000s using a couple of online platforms. The problem with these is that they are proprietary and not portable. One can't just download and click on a file and have it bring up a menu. So one must install software or go to a specific hosting site like Wordpress, and as you mentioned, better to have an instructional, rather than entertainment goal in mind.

Musicvid wrote on 8/7/2019, 5:45 PM

@MikeLV

I wanted to mention a single-file option with all the menus that does not involve burning physical discs --

Just make an ISO from your existing DVDA project -- these will open and play as if a DVD or BluRay on Windows 8 through Windows 10 computers, in VLC, MPC, etc.

Just tried it again with an ancient DVD folder as the source, it works and doesn't take much time.

MikeLV wrote on 8/7/2019, 5:51 PM

I've never actually used DVDA. In the past I used Ulead DVD Workshop, and later Adobe Encore. But the goal is of course to get away from DVD altogether (these days)