DVD Labels

PetersonK01 wrote on 3/13/2007, 12:56 PM
Anyone used any of those label kits? You know, comes with the sticky labels and software to create nice labels for your DVDs? Ive heard horror stories about them warping the disks and/or causing them to spin unbalanced in the dvd players....any suggestions on a good kit to buy or alternative labeling system that wont ruin my disks or their ability to play? thanks!

ps- GREAT forum. super helpful !

Comments

Steve Mann wrote on 3/13/2007, 1:16 PM
Ink jet printable media.

Steve Mann wrote on 3/13/2007, 1:19 PM
Ink jet printable media.

Chienworks wrote on 3/13/2007, 7:48 PM
I'll third that ...

Ink jet printable media.
TLF wrote on 3/14/2007, 1:09 AM
Sticky label, so I'm told, cause the disc to warp slightly as the adhesive dries out. And this can cause playback issues.

I'll concur with other posters - try inkjet printable media. Discs are barely more expensive than standard silver top media, and the results can be extraordinarily professional.

Worley
biggles wrote on 3/14/2007, 2:29 AM
You will need a printer that can print to the surface of your DVD - but pretty much any reasonable printer will do that these days.
NeilF wrote on 3/14/2007, 6:12 AM
I've heard some reports that the inkjet printed DVD's are highly suseptable to moisture, running and smearing. Is that still the case?
ScottW wrote on 3/14/2007, 6:25 AM
Not "highly" but the printing can be damaged by water (the printing, not the DVD). Do you have a lot of customers that routinely wash their DVD?s

If you are really worried about it, then get the Taiyo Yuden "Watershield" printable DVD"s - these things are simply amazing. Besides making the colors really pop, you can run water over the printed surface and have virtually no ink come off. Drawback - about 2-3 times the cost of a regular white surface printable DVD.

--Scott
Paul Mead wrote on 3/14/2007, 8:19 AM
I also prefer printable disks, but, that said, if you aren't ready to spring for another printer for printing disks you may want to consider hub labels. Hub labels are big enough to hold a title name, but, since they only cover the hub, are highly unlikely to cause any issues with playback. You won't get the opportunity to do big artwork, but you still get something that looks better than hand written disks. For example, I have used these labels with good results.

From my own experience, and from what I have heard elsewhere, ink smearing with printable disks is basically not an issue these days unless you are abusing the disks.
bStro wrote on 3/14/2007, 12:16 PM
Besides making the colors really pop, you can run water over the printed surface and have virtually no ink come off.

Finally! I get so tired of sending my DVDs out to be dry cleaned.

Rob
richard-courtney wrote on 3/15/2007, 8:23 AM
While we now have inkjet printable discs right down to the 15mm center hole,
I still use the inner ring labels on purchased movies. "PROPERTY OF ......".

http://www.neato.com/CD-DVD-Labels/photomatte-cd-dvd-core-labels-100-pack/default.aspx
MPM wrote on 3/15/2007, 10:55 AM
FWIW...

As Worley posted it makes sense that the adhesive could dry out and cause warping. If you've used a lot of paper labels however, especially if they've got a LOT of ink on them, you know that they can be hard to apply perfectly without stretching, with wrinkles to smooth out etc. There have been big problems with them coming off inside drives from what I've read -- at least that was the most common reason I saw given when they lost their popularity.

Another problem with or without labels was/is ink coverage. Mechanically drives have been getting flimsier, and as 1st showed up on MACs, you can throw a disc off balance potentially causing problems. I don't know how critical it is currently, but since the MAC problem surfaced years ago, I haven't seen any retail discs without pretty uniform coverage.

I can see wash-ability being a concern since consumers are frequently told to gently wash discs in soapy water -- it's in the owner's manual for some DVD players for example. There are enough surfaces (Verbatim makes several) & brands offered that it makes sense to try more than one, the same way you'd try different papers for printing artwork. Talk to companies that specialize in selling media about their different brands, and ask about things like buying a sampler pack. If you're *really* concerned about longevity, maybe carefully research clear archival-type coatings?