Printable DVDs

[David Jimerson]

Normally, when I need to do a DVD, I don't need more than five or so.

Is there a DVD printing solution for less than the $2500 printer/duplicators? I don't need a run of 300, or even 30. I just want to burn and print a few.

Any ideas?

[David Jimerson]

By "labels," do you mean the peel-and-stick kind?

Or can you print directly on the disc with it? That's what I'm after.

[Zoomforce]

yes its called the bravo.. can be had for around $1500 and it will burn and print 50 dvd's automatically via a robotic arm.

[David Jimerson]

Right. I've seen that, and I'm trying to avoid spending that much when I don't have to duplicate 50 copies.

I don't need a duplicator/printer combo right now. I'd just like to able to print on DVDs that I burn individually.

[Zoomforce]

Oh sorry when you said less than $2500 I didnt realize how low you wanted. Then epson printer will print straight onto DVD's but its a pain in the ass in my opinion and the alignment tray is kinda hit and miss.

I am actually a little surprised that Canon/HP/Lexmark havn't developed a consumer cd printer yet, I imagine if they did for a few hundred dollars they would sell like hotcakes as almost every computer comes with a burner now adays.

[J.R. Hudson]

Check out www.cafepress.com

I am not positive as to if this is what you need. *But I do know, that:

1. You can design your own artwork
2. They print (Not label) the DVD's/CD for you
3. I think you can order as little as 1

Check em out

[Zoomforce]

I dont think cafepress does DVD's; but they do alot of other cool things.

Maybe we can coax Screech to take apart a $50 inkjet and modify it to print a stack of DVD's lol.

[J.R. Hudson]

This is what is on Cafepress's site:

With CafePress.com, you can sell professional quality Audio and Data CDs with no inventory or setup costs.

Full color direct printing on CDs (no labels!).
Packaging options include jewel case with full color inserts or envelope.
Audio CDs include streaming audio samples in your CafePress.com store.
Provide your content by mailing your Master CD or uploading your MP3s.

Sorry Zoom, this was not an attempt to discredit! I think we spoke on this and came to the conclusion that their T's were garbage (compared to the standard screenprinting techniques), but maybe this is worht looking into for us peeps trying to customize DVD's.

You are right though... It does not specifically mention DVD's. It goes on to say

Software
Video (MPEG and other formats)
Presentations (Powerpoint and other multimedia)
Data
Photos

Anyway, we'll get to the bottom of this!

[Zoomforce]

broken link I think.

[J.R. Hudson]

Of course the idea of making Screech hook us up is more appealing. ;)

[Zoomforce]

looks like the 960 has a new cd tray.. gonna hafta go take a look at it.. the 900 sucks.

[Flintstone]

By "labels," do you mean the peel-and-stick kind?

Noooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

Don't... I mean, DON'T use stick on labels on DVDs!!! Bad! Bad! Very BAD IDEA!!!

Unless of course you want problems with your discs, then hey! by all means, go ahead. ;)

As for CD/DVD printers, have you checked out the Primera Signature IV printer? OK! it's $1100, but it's quite nice. We have one at work. The cartridges are expensive though. But if you're on a tight budget, the Epson 960 appears to be a good choice.

I've talked to HP recently concerning direct to CD printing, and they told me that they have had a lot of request for such a feature and that they are working on it. What does that mean exactly? Well only time will tell.

[Zoomforce]

The Primera is the one I was talking about.. they make the bravo. Damn cool machine.

[David Jimerson]

Where did you see the Epson 960 for $224? I'm having a tough time finding it online at all, and $350 seems to be the price.

I'd like to get a Bravo, but I don't think I'll be able to get it past the House Ways and Means Committee. I don't do runs big enough to justify the cost (yet).

[Monkus]

I use the Epson 900. It also has a cd tray and works great. And coming in at around $200, I think it is an option to think about. :D

[Zoomforce]

I still cant believe one of the printer companies hasnt made a standalone little printer (like those gay little 4x6 printers everyone seems to make now) that just prints CD's... man almost every editor I know would buy one.

[David Jimerson]

No problem. Actually, the Epson R300 came out in the interim. $180 at most places -- and it's apparently so hot it's hard to find anywhere. I was able to order from BestBuy.com about an hour before they sold out. Arrives Monday.

A few places (B&H, I think) have a few in stock, but quite a few online and brick-and-mortar stores sold out quickly.

Six-color print system, 5760x1440 dpi, according to specs.

[jvmatlock]

I have the Epson Stylus Photo 900. It works OK except when I set the paper type to CD/DVD (per Epson instructions) the label is printed very "thin", very muted color. I get better saturation when I set the paper type to "Photo Quality Film" in the setup menu. The image printed is very good, but the ink takes quite a while to dry (1-2 days). The brand of printable media makes a big difference. I have had the best results with the Pioneer full face inkjet printable media. These are somewhat hard to find and are somewhat expensive, but the ink dries on them very well. I have used PioData brand which are supposedly made by Pioneer, but the ink does not dry as well on them, but better than other media I've tried: BeAll, Ritek. I am wondering if anyone has found a brand of media that works well with the Epson inks or has found a way to print a satisfactory image with the Epson printers that dries in a reasonable time.

I ,too, wonder why the printer manufacturers have been slow to develop a good, reasonably priced DVD/CD printer for those of us that usually produce about a dozen DVD's per customer.

[Zoomforce]

yeah.. not even dvd's.. since almost every computer today comes with a CD burner, even market it for printing CD's. Silly.

[Zoomforce]

yup its amazing how smart Epson is.. I love my canon printer but am at that point where I would switch companies just for that feature. The R300 does look damn cool.

[David Jimerson]

I don't think I'd find the preview screen all that useful, so I didn't go for it. Of note, the printer in the box between the 300 and the 300M is the exact same printer -- the M just comes with a separate screen that you have to attach. The 300 has all the plugs for it, so it could be added later if you really wanted to.

One caveat -- the USB cable isn't included in the box, but nowhere does it actually TELL you this, not even in the setup instructions. It just says to use "your" USB cable. But I picked up a 7' Monster USB cable at Circuit City for $20 ($20 instant rebate this week).

I'll let you know how well it prints DVDs when my printable set comes in.

[Zoomforce]

yeah let us know how the print goes.. how accurate the alignment etc..

As for the USB.. I dont think I have ever bought a printer that does, Kinda lame since USB cables only would cost them 50 cents... and even $10 usb devices usually have them.

[David Jimerson]

I can tell you that as for printing PHOTOS, I just did a head-to-head comparison with my old HP 1115, which was pretty kick-ass when I bought it, and it's not even close. The 300 blows it out.

[speedbump]

I just saw the Epson R300 at CompUSA yesterday for $179, but of course they are WAY sold out. The sales droid pouted and said he could have sold twenty of them if they were in stock.

The pictures on high-end stock look fantastic, especially when you have a saturated image from a 5 megapixel camera. This printer has three different slots for all sorts of memory cards, plus it has a firewire port. Apparently, you can add a little LCD monitor for about $50 more. With the monitor, you don't need a computer! This unit has some simple layouts you can use to print your pictures or CDs. It also comes with layout software for your PC.

The CD tray is a plastic sleeve; you put your prelabeled CD on there, slap the tray in the printer, and print away. The sample CD I saw at the store was nice... but they were using optimal pictures as demos. The demo CD has a matte finish for the label, which gave the CD a professional silk-screened-sorta look. Your milage may vary.

I've got a Lexmark Z52 which might have to find a new home, once the Epson R300 is really available. But again, I gotta get it past the House Way and Means Committee also.

[David Jimerson]

OK, anyone want to reveal their sources for white printable DVDs? DVD+R is what I use, but I'll be picking up a dual-format burner once the write speeds increase enough to make it worth it . . .

[kai]

So what i'm gathering is all these "on disc" printers have to print on the white blank discs... nothing out there with an ink type that can print on silver blanks (similar to silkscreening), but without the single color / cheap look of a thermal?

[Zoomforce]

well you can.. but the ink is just gonna sit on the surface of the disc becasue there is nowhere for the Ink to "sink into" and as soon as you touch it it will come off.. Maybe if you inkjet it then spray a coat of Shelac overtop of it hee hee.

[kai]

ha. know of anywhere that can do silkscreening on blanks (1 color) for a good price?

[Zoomforce]

how many do you need?

[kai]

probably 500-1000 or so...

[Zoomforce]

I would say just get them stamped from a glass master somewhere... it will be cheaper than you buying DVD-R's and then paying to get them printed... you should be able to get 1000 for $1000.

Let alone all the time you gotta sit there burning them.

[David Jimerson]

OK -- the skinny on the R300 printing on discs.

I tried some printable CD-Rs with this. The alignment is good -- spot-on over three prints, so any problems the 960 may have had in the past appear to have been worked out.

Print quality is good, though the printer tends to favor the red (just like the DVX!). A little bit of noticeable "noise".

The software gives you a lot of room for creativity. You can make some great-looking discs with it.

Comes out wet. Way wet. Must be careful -- I have a smudge in one. Took about a day and a half to fully dry.

[Zoomforce]

whats up with the dry times.. someone else said that too.. Are you printing glossy super photo or the recommended normal paper setting?

Can you take a photo of the disc? I am one beat away from buying that printer.

[David Jimerson]

The manual says 24 hours. It was "dry" before that, but still felt a tiny bit sticky. It was 36 hours before I felt 100% comfortable handling the disc.

I'd post the photo if 2piff were up . . . ;)

[Zoomforce]

yeah 2pff is on the server changing train right now lol.

[David Jimerson]

Interestingly, I printed a CD today which dried in about 4-5 hours. *Of course, the air is a lot drier today. *I guess climate affects it quite a bit . . . good news for you SoCal guys.

http://www.dvxuser.com/image/PrintCD.JPG

[Zoomforce]

wow looks very nice.

I guess if you were doing some sortof large run you could set up a fan or two to speed up the drying process.

[David Jimerson]

And unfortunately, that photo doesn't even do it justice. It looks as sharp and clear as any commercial DVD you'd buy from a large house. The lettering is extremely finely-detailed.

[matthewd5]

in the photo you posted was it a white blank or a silver blank?

matthew

[Zoomforce]

since printers cant print white.. i assume it is white.

[David Jimerson]

White.

[Zoomforce]

Nick just gave me word the new Canons will.. they are out in the UK already

http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Printers/Bubble_Jet/index.asp?ComponentID=25152&SourcePageID=25108#2

[nickybee]

picking up one of the new canons (the 865) since I love my i850.

I also own an Epson 900 and it's totally lame.
slow as hell.
I only ever use it to print CD's - btw if anybody needs a template for the 900 (I assume it would be the same for 960) I can send an illustrator one...

The only way to have them looking pro (meaning without the white ring on the inside and outside of the disc) is to overprint by about 1mm either side (or even 2) - this is not a great idea for the printer but holy shit do the discs look better...

I will report on the 865 within a week since I'll see one in London (and try to resist getting one)

nick

[David Jimerson]

Hmm. I'd like to see print comparisons -- the dpi on the Epson is higher.

Any idea as to price?