OT: DVD covers, Surething, getting nowhere

musman wrote on 4/11/2004, 3:39 PM

From the advice of people here I downloaded the demo of Surething CD/DVD labeler to make DVD covers. The long and short of it, it's not working. I've tried different templates and everything wants to crop the cover so it's really too small for a DVD. I measured a good sized cover from a hollywood movie and from an indie movie as well and they were about 7.25"h by 10.8125"w.
I've tried different templates, creating my own templates, different programs, and nothing seems to work.
If anyone out there has gotten this to work, please let me know how, and thanks ahead of time for any help!

Comments

farss wrote on 4/11/2004, 3:54 PM

I just make mine in Word. I assume you're talking about slicks for library cases?
Create rectangles to define the edges, I use three, one each for front and back and one for the spine area. Then I use text boxes inside the rectangles for the text and just add pictures where you want them.

Jay Gladwell wrote on 4/11/2004, 4:14 PM

I've got SureThing, but I seldom use it. If memory serves me correctly, it requires you use its own paper, forms, thingies, which you have to order from them.

Like you, I measured a "real" DVD case cover and made my own template and create them in Photoshop.

J--

Mandk wrote on 4/11/2004, 4:40 PM

Meritline also has a set of templates for Photoshop and Illustrator.

I have had good luck putting the covers on size A4 paper. But this is expensive.

Why couldn;t they have made DVD covers about 1/4 inch shorter?

Jay Gladwell wrote on 4/11/2004, 5:11 PM

A link to the templates at Meritline would have been nice! ;o)

By the way, why not use 8.5 x 11 paper? It's cheaper!

J--

musman wrote on 4/11/2004, 5:40 PM

Trying to use it in photoshop as well but it clips the image as well. I keep trying to change the indenting for printing, but am getting nowhere again.
Standard 8.5 x 11 should work for a 7.5 x 10.8125 image if the indenting is turned off or altered in some way, right?

riredale wrote on 4/11/2004, 5:46 PM

This probably won't do you much good, but I use Nero's CoverDesigner. I used the built-in template for single-disk Amray boxes and had to create a new template for the dual-disk boxes that I used in my recent two-disk project (the spine was a fraction of an inch thicker).

What is the problem you're having? Is your printer cutting off the end of the printout? What is the very longest length that your printer can print?

It might be that the printer simply can't deal with the length.

Jay Gladwell wrote on 4/11/2004, 5:50 PM

First of all, the width of the covers I've measured are all 10.75 inches. Frankly, I don't see how you'd ever get 10.8125 inches into the case's sleeve.

The 8.5 x 11 paper works fine for me, perhaps, because I'm using a Canon i950 printer. It has the capability to do borderless printing. I also use hp's "brochure and flyer paper, gloss" for printing the covers. It just about duplicates the weight and finish of the "professional" covers. Works out very nicely!

J--

Mandk wrote on 4/11/2004, 5:54 PM

Sorry about not posting a link.

I went to find the meritline templates and they are no longer there. I did finedthis one on Americal though.

A4 paper is slightly longer than standard letter and permits edge to edge printing with bleed on most printers.

http://www.americal.com/images/DVIBW.gif

musman wrote on 4/11/2004, 6:07 PM

Interesting. To answer the question above, yes it looks like the printer isn't printing the right width and cuts off part of the picture. I get warnings that things are outside of the printing area and all that.
I've played with the settings on my HP officejet d145 (it a multifunction unit) and have found nothing about boarderless printing. This printer has bothered me from the start anyway as it prints slightly unevenly (boarders maybe a couple of millimeters to the left down the page) so I can't cut pictures without a whole lot of guess work.

craftech wrote on 4/12/2004, 5:32 AM

Try changing the layout to A4, design the cover, then change back to 8 1/2 x 11 when you go to print.

John

Chanimal wrote on 4/12/2004, 6:25 AM

I second VideoCurmudgeon's approach. He uses a Canon 950i printer for borderless printing with 8.5 x 11. This is the same printer I use and it works great--nicer than a color laser.

However, I only use my 950 for proofs, then I bring a photoshop template to a local printer and print off their laser at .75/copy (I usually make 100 copies at a time). They have to use A4 paper since their color laser is not edgeless.

BillyBoy wrote on 4/12/2004, 9:49 AM

I still use Sure Thing. It has a template wizard you can make you own and built in tutorals.

In fact what I like to do is use a pattern from one of the thousand or so included CD backgrounds and just take it from there. All you need to do is use some rubber stamp like tool in Photoshop or some similar application and you can get the partten transfered seamlessly.

groovedude wrote on 4/12/2004, 10:28 AM

For the box liners, I just make my own "template" with guides in Photoshop.

As for labels on the CD or DVD itself I use Avery. You can go buy a kit at any office supply store (Staples) that comes with software and the paper adhesive labels. The great thing about it, it has a feature that will calibrate the print to your printer, so it will line up properly.

bowman01 wrote on 4/12/2004, 4:46 PM

I use adobe indesign to layout my slicks and i design my cd labels in illustrator then avery design pro to setup the print which comes with avery after burner that does full face labels. the problem with design pro is that u can' see through your creation if you import and image so u have to draw a outlined circle the same size as the disc and arrange it to the top so you can see..