I have been printing my own CD labels for years. I putzed around with a few label maker programs - they are all pretty much the same. Some are a little better than others, but I prefer to lay out my template myself and then just design in a page layout program.

I've been using MS PowerPoint for this task and it has been suiting me very well. It can take a little tweaking to get the template right when I switch labels, but I've been doing DSP for a bazillion years so it's not a big deal.

As for labels, I wouldn't use Neato labels again if you paid me. I pretty much stick with Memorex labels. When I'm in a pinch - I get the matte. But I really prefer the glossy ones.

However, I started messing around with mini-cd's and credit card cd's...and I haven't found a store near me that sells then, so I order them from "Sure Thing". They have great labels (stick very very good) - as well as they sell in bulk, and blank faced CDs that are good to use transparent labels with.

As for a good printer...I HIGHLY suggest any of the HP Deskjet series. Practically every printer I have every purchased is HP and I wouldn't trade them for the world. I have a nice little B/W Laser and a color ink jet. I have been running them both for years and the only problem is they eventually run out of ink (haven't figured out a way to make that stop!)

My next purchase (as far as printers go) is to pick up a color ink jet that can do on label printing. I saw a nice one at the DiscMaker website...but it's not an immediate concern.

Lastly....I hadn't had a problem playing any of my VCDs in my DVD player that I have put a label on. I hadn't done any research to see if the labels cause some balance issue...so it would be interesting to hear back from others.

So...in conclusion:

PowerPoint (or PhotoShop, Illustrator, etc) for Label Design
HP DeskJet Printer
Buy ink

:-)

>>Any suggestions on new software?

I personally like Roxio Easy CD Creator label maker section/program. It's part of Roxio Easy CD Creator 5.0.

It's nice because you can assign segments of the labeling scheme to *catagories.* When you change any field in that category, all text boxes in that category change/replicate.

Very, very handy. It does take about $5 worth of labeling product to get everything aligned right.

Works great.

The ideal solution, which was discussed on this board just a few hours ago, is to print to white DVD blanks directly. The new Epson 900 is apparently the hot ticket. I don't know if it uses the pigment inks, but would assume it did.

I just picked up an Epson 900 for this purpose. $199 shipped at Amazon, I think. It uses Epson 6-color ink, and requires inkjet printable discs (not to be confused with thermal printing). The print works great for solid colors and text...images are definitely pixelated and less than the "photo paper" look. But anyway, thank God no more labels!

I hate most of the programs because they are either quirky or proprietary with the media one can use, but I found one that I actually like. The program is Click'N Design 3d. It has lots of really nice combinations of graphics and is very easy to use and customize. Best of all you can select the templates you want. That includes Neato, Avery, Stomp, etc.
You can download a trial version here:
http://www.stompinc.com/cnd3d/cnd3d_retail.phtml?stp

If you buy it get the CD version rather than the download version. It includes more graphics.
I bought mine on special at www.genesysdtp.com (you have to sign up for their e-mail specials) for $9.99. Regular price is $11.99.
Amazon.com has it for $15.99.

John

Good information. Thanks alot, good folks. Love this Forum!

Getting in on the tail end of this, for anyone wanting a cheap printer, Computer Geeks has been selling the Epson C42UX for like $15 after $30 rebate, if you can find them in stock. Other places have been discounting this heavily as well as Epson phases them out. Got one for occasssional use so people don't interupt me to use my printer & haven't regretted it for a moment.

Good points -> surprisingly good print quality, uses older style photo paper, Nice!
Bad points -> bit noisy and slow, goes through print cartidges (buy them online for ~$4 each).

Trivia: Epson inks come in a few varieties: a std ink that when doing photos kind of flows into one glossy print - ink that reacts chemically with their paper - and their newer line (C80 ->) designed for plain paper and longevity -> this latter is usually flat looking & benefits with prints being coated by spray acrylic -> also watch for certain epson inks if you live out west in the US or any area with high ozone levels as they've had prob with prints turning orange! Epson printers also have a permanent ink jet head, so DO NOT let it get clogged or it's junk.

Canon has the largest variety of special inks available, but poorest longevity of any printer I've owned. HP of course uses water based inks (or at least did last I knew).

RE: Software... IMO get something like CorelDraw! (older versions fairly cheap when/if you find them & 8 will work in XP). It's a pain to set up templates, but usually only takes about an hour and a half to make one and from then on that brand at least is set.

What I do is scan in a blank sheet, create the basic shapes (circles and rectangles) for the label cutouts, print a test with the shape outlines, lay over the label like you would tracing paper, and adjust the positioning of the shapes as needed. Once set, save the file as a template with these shapes on a locked guide layer.

To create a label you then have total freedon of fonts, placement, size, FX, and so on. Can place photos or images, just about any clipart &/or textures, and the printing/scaling quality is really great! In all, once you get a label template set (newer versions may have what you need already), the whole process actually takes from a third to a half as much time as I've spent using a dozen label printing programs.

I just purchased the Epson Stylus 960, its a fantastic printer. Its a bit pricier, at $330, but it prints directly on blank CD's and DVD's (the quality is *excellent*). This is also a very, very good printer for digital photographs with an output of 2800dpi x 1440dpi. I have to say that I LOVE this printer!

Krew: Where do you get the printable DVD-R discs?

JJK

JJK,

"Where do you get the printable DVD-R discs?"

4X Inkjet White Printable DVD-R 4.7G by Pioneer, in Jewel Cases

Verbatim 2X White Inkjet/Thermal Printable DVD-R 4.7gb for General, 20pc Spindles

Scroll down on both of the pages above for alternate selections. I haven't used any of these products, so I can't endorse them.

-- Seeker --

I'd suppose that you could put any generic blank labels onto the DVD's/CD's as well, and print those, correct?

First of all, Why are you people putting paper labels on your DVD'S!!!!!!!!! Haven't you read all the problems that this causes!! I know everyone will say, oh it won't happen to me, or..I have put hundreds of paper labels on and haven't had any problems. The bottom line is Don't Use paper Labels On DVD's! The laser on the DVD runs hotter than that of a CD player, causing the glue on the back of the label to heat up and eventually come undone, also DVD players in general run hotter than CD players, and they spin faster. I have hundreds of CD's that I stupidly put paper labels on a few years ago and now they are all starting to come of, rendering all those CD's completely useless!

There are those that say one needs special "lightweight" labels. I've used several brands and have never seen any difference, though I'm sure there are different adhesive formulations and such. I like the Meritline glossy labels because, well, they're glossy, and they're far cheaper than others.

I wish they came in the "small hole" version, so I could use more of the surface for artwork. There may be a spec prohibiting such labels from DVDs, but if there is one, I haven't found it yet.

BTW: I forgot to mention the layout program I use in the earlier posting. It's Nero's "Cover Designer," a freeware program included with Nero Express. It takes a bit of familiarization at first, but is powerful and can be used with hundreds of brands of labels, and you can make your own custom forms.

Jsnkc: Maybe so. I have quite a few CD disks going back to the days of my 2x CD burner, and haven't seen any peeling (yet). Could be a different adhesive. Might be a good test to take a disk and put it in a DVD player set for repeat, and see what would happen in the course of a month.

I do know that if I should ever need to remove a label, it can be done:

(1) soak the label with WD-40; let it sit for an hour

(2) scrape the label off with your fingertips or something non-metallic (it comes right off)

(3) remove the WD-40 residue with several washings of regular liquid dish soap and hands only--no scrubbing devices

(4) dry with clean cotton cloth

I've done it a half-dozen times, and this method works great.

Seeker:
thank you for the info.

JJK

I did some research when people started reporting problems with DVDs (not VCDs) which had trouble playing with labels. A number of people reported on the dvdrhelp website that after using labels for a long time (probably on VCDs) they started getting errors with DVDs.

I couldn't find a label maker or a DVD blank manufacturer who would approve the use of paper labels. In fact, the Apple DVD-Rs specifically say not to use labels.

So as a compromise (I love labels by the way!) I use hub labelling to make a neat product and save the artwork for the jewel case.

I use the core labels for double sided DVD's and Avery "Permanent" labels for the single sided DVD's. They will not come off. Avery 8692.

The Epson C82 is really the only inkjet to use as it uses colorfast inks. Neato label are quite good