Semi OT: Printing Labels on DVD

Kimberly wrote on 9/5/2010, 10:09 AM
Hello Everyone:

This is semi-OT, but it related to the delivery of my finished DVDs so I'll pose the question . . .

How many small volume users are printing their labels directly on their DVDs?

My volume has been running 2-12 DVDs a week for about six months of every year. I print my labels directly on the DVDs using Sony Brand printable DVDs and an HP Photosmart D5460 printer. Before buying this printer a year ago, I printed labels on Avery/Staples brand label stock and affixed them using a "CD Stomper" type device. In my opinion the printed DVDs look more professional, which is why I switched.

So a year ago when I bought the printer, there were zillions of printers from various manufacturers with the print-on-DVD feature. They ranged in price from $100 to $200. My printer died on me this week so I'm looking for a replacement. (HP tells me that it's out of warrantly, cannot be fixed, and I should buy a new printer.)

Now I'm seeing maybe 2-3 models with the print-on-DVD feature, and you must really search for them because the manufacturers are not touting this feature. Indeed, the staff at the office supply stores often don't even know this feature exists. Printers today are playing up the "All in One" package over individual features.

In one case, a clerk at Staples said that HP was doing away with the print-on-DVD feature because they are going to the "Light Scribe" for all their new computers. This made no sense to me. I was always under the impression that HP "gave" you the printer because they make all their money on the ink. Thus they would never do anything to diminish their ink revenue, would they? But I digress.

I've looked on-line at some printers that only print on DVD. They are fast and they are not cheap ($400 up to $1,000+). Very nice but too costly at this time for my business model, especially if they too die right after the warranty expires.

What are other users doing on their DVD labels?

Regards,

Kim

Comments

musicvid10 wrote on 9/5/2010, 1:20 PM
Regardless of what way the market trend is going, I don't recommend paper stick-on labels. Over time, they can shed, lift or make ridges on the surface that can wreck yours (or someone else's) player.

I don't think LightScribe or LabelFlash are viable production labeling options. At 20-30 minutes per disc for high quality labeling, you would be hard pressed to finish even smallish jobs in a reasonable amount of time.
Steve Grisetti wrote on 9/5/2010, 3:54 PM
I agree with musicvid. As I say in my book, labels can, among many things, knock your disc off-balance, melt, harm your data and even gum up your DVD player. (Those disc are spinning awful fast and sometimes getting very warm!)

If you must label your discs, I recommend buying an inkjet printer that inks directly onto discs. (There are discs specifically made for this.) Epson makes printers that print on discs for under $100.
ChristoC wrote on 9/5/2010, 4:08 PM
As the others have suggested, forget sticky labels and Lightscribe; Canon also still make excellent affordable CD/DVD inkjet printers. e.g. iP4700, iP4850 are both really cheap
PeterDuke wrote on 9/5/2010, 5:47 PM
I have a Canon iP5000 that has printed very many labels and still going strong. However I understand due to copyright problems with Epson, the models sold in the US do not have the disc printing feature.
Kimberly wrote on 9/5/2010, 9:10 PM
Update:

I purchased an Epson Artisan 810 for $140 from Staples. It's also WiFi ready so I no longer need a print server to print wirelessly! I don't really care about the All-in-One aspect, but the Wifi is nice.

I'm in the process of installing and setting it up on our computers. I'll post an update when I print some DVDs. My year-old HP Photosmart D5460 printed well enough on the DVDs, but it was slow and finicky.

I am hearing the Epson ink is more resistant to moisture than HP. That is a plus. The Epson warranty is 2 years, whereas HP offers just one year.

Up until today, I was a loyal HP customer. I got 8 years from my prior InkJet, and 5 years on the one before that. I was certainly surprised to see the current one die after just a year : ( . . . Good-bye for now, HP.
ChristoC wrote on 9/6/2010, 3:04 AM

http://cddvdguard.com/
Steve Mann wrote on 9/6/2010, 5:36 AM
I've been using various Epson printers for ten years to print hundreds of DVD's.

Here's a few tips I've learned...
1) Always use genuine Epson inks. Refills and third-party inks may look good for a while, but I've found that the color and quality vary wildly. When I am delivering 100 DVDs to a client, I need the last one to look as good as the first, and that just doesn't happen with cheap inks.
2) Always use the power button to turn off the printer. NEVER turn it off at a power strip. When you press the power button to turn off the printer, it does a quick nozzle clean, and parks the print heads to keep them from drying out.
3) Epson printers thrive on use. Leave one idle for a couple of months and you'll never get the heads clean again.

Epson printers are really cheap. I don't bother with repairs or warranties. It's just not worth it. when one wears out I just replace it.
Kimberly wrote on 9/6/2010, 7:01 AM
Christo:

Wow does this CD/DVD Guard stuff really work? Looks like a great product.

Kim
Kimberly wrote on 9/6/2010, 7:03 AM
Steve:

The Epson printer will be inactive from January to July 2011. Any advice on how to mothball it for this period of time? I'll also check the manufacturer's site, but sounds like you have a lot of experience with Epson.

My HP Inkjets didn't seem to mind going for long periods without printing, but I gather the printheads are in the ink cartridges whereas they reside on the printer with the Espon

Regards,

Kim
Steve Mann wrote on 9/6/2010, 2:10 PM
I consider the permanent printheads on the Epsons to be a weak point in their design. But, my daughter has an Epson that she brought home for the summer and never turned it on. Before she left to go back to school last week, we tried it out. Worked perfectly.