Printing on a CD?

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 26 Jan 2010 8:24 pm

I heard there's a program out there that lets you print, or burn somehow, the songs, pictures etc on the face side of the CD..just like a pro.
I have been using the paper labels but they are bad. One came loose and when I tried to tear it off, I tore off the magnetic layer and the CD was ruined.

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 26 Jan 2010 8:39 pm

I think it takes a special printer, not software. Although I don't use one, a Google search for "CD printer" will find many different ones to choose from.

Papa Joe Pollick · Post by **Papa Joe Pollick** » 26 Jan 2010 9:27 pm

Epson and HP both have printers that will print on CDs..That's in my future.
You also need printable CDs..

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 26 Jan 2010 9:56 pm

It's called "Lightscribe" and it requires a burner with Lightscribe and special blank media.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 27 Jan 2010 12:00 am

If I remember right, Lightscribe doesn't print in color, just greyscale. It Also takes special CD's. I bought a DYMO (yeah, the same guys who make label makers) CD printer. It prints in color on CD's that are made to be printed on (they have a coating applied to the top. Lightscribe and regular CD's won't work.

Tiger Direct has them for $280 (same as anywhere else I have seen them).

Al Miller · Post by **Al Miller** » 27 Jan 2010 1:07 am

I Use an Epson 580 it was 99.00 at frys electronics
it only prints one cd at a time but it will print one out in about 1 1/2 min depending on the graphics.
hope this helps.
oh for what its worth you need a compatible software
program like sure thing or others my Epson came with a download of a program called CD PRINTSHOP..
Good Luck
Boo Miller

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 27 Jan 2010 3:05 am

Don't waste your time with Lightscribe discs. They are expensive and very limited (one color) and take a very long time to "burn".

I use an Epson for printing directly on "ink jet printable" CD's. HP has one model (that I saw on their web site recently) and it's a high priced All in One (including fax) unit. The CD/DVD printing program that comes with Epson's is much better than the program that comes with HP's.

My Epson is a "Stylus Photo RX680" model (all in one) and it will also copy a CD label directly from one CD to another.

Bill Myrick · Post by **Bill Myrick** » 27 Jan 2010 3:57 am

I have a program called Roxio and an inexpensive HP Photosmart D5160 printer and buy the printable cd's from either Staples or Office Depot and they can be purchased over the net also. Works great and the printer takes # 95 and # 98 inkers, the same as my other HP 6310 printer.

Don Sulesky · Post by **Don Sulesky** » 27 Jan 2010 4:40 am

I have both an older Epson that I used.
But it kept getting the CD's caught and I'd end up thorwing them away.

I tried to buy an updated version like Jack's and for what reason I don't know, both would not function so I returned it.

I Then bought a C5280 all-in-one HP printer and have printed several hundred CDs with it and as yet have not lost a single one.

I'm not saying the Epson isn't a nice maching. It is, and as Jack says I like the software better than the HP. It's just that I've had bad luck with mine.
I buy my printable CDs from Sam's.
Don

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 27 Jan 2010 7:01 am

Thanks for all your contributions. Looks like Jack Stoner's idea might be the one to look at closer, although it, like any other idea seems pricey. High-end printers scare me a bit. The $79 printers work great until they screw up. Then you buy another $79 printer. The high end HP's are they any different? I have been through about 3 lower-end ones. I'll look into the Epson.

Maybe I'll just keep using permanent markers

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 27 Jan 2010 7:09 am

I looked up the RX680. It's been discontinued and the 800 that replaces it doesn't mention anything about printing on Cd's.

Papa Joe Pollick · Post by **Papa Joe Pollick** » 27 Jan 2010 8:37 am

Call Tiger Direct and tell them what you're trying to do..They are very helpful.
I know that Epson and HP both have one because I just saw them both in a Best Buy store.Didn't think to get the model numbers.

Don Sulesky · Post by **Don Sulesky** » 27 Jan 2010 3:42 pm

I bought my HP direct from HP for $99 about a year ago.
Don

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 27 Jan 2010 7:49 pm

Don is that the C5280 that you mentioned earlier?

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 28 Jan 2010 3:13 am

Here's the Epson "Artisan" - the current All in one model ($129.99 direct from Epson). The guy that video tapes and sells DVD's of our weekly shows just got one to replace an older Epson and likes it.

Click Me

Don Sulesky · Post by **Don Sulesky** » 28 Jan 2010 2:48 pm

Bent
Yes,
They had a special on their site.
I don't know what is available now as I haven't been on their site lately.
I do know my friend has a new model HP, but I like mine better because it is simple to use and only uses 2 cartrideges instead of the 6 colors in his and the new HP and Epson.
Don

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 28 Jan 2010 6:50 pm

Jack, yes, the Epson 710 sounds like a good one to get.

Craig Allen · Post by **Craig Allen** » 29 Jan 2010 8:33 pm

OK, ULEAD HAS CLEAR VYNL LABELS.. THEY WORK ON ANY PRINTER.. THEY ALSO HAVE PLAIN DISKS.. (THEY HAVE NO LOGOS OR ANYTHING ON THEM. SURE YOU HAVE TO APPLY THEM YOURSELF, BUT THEY LOOK ALMOST AS IF THEY WERE SILK-SCREENED..I HATE LIGHT-SCRIBE.. I MIGHT SUGGEST A LZER PRINTER, MULTI-COLOUR.. THE RESULTS ARE WORTH THE EXPENSE

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 30 Jan 2010 3:39 am

Labels on discs are out. Most car companies will void any warranty if a CD is used in a car CD player and it causes problems. Most DVD players instructions also state to NOT use discs with labels.

Lightscribe is a farce - it takes up to 30 minutes or more to print a lightscribe "label" and it's in only one hard to read "color".

(BTW, posting in all capitals is considered shouting on this and most internet forums).

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 30 Jan 2010 7:24 am

Jack is so right.
I said on another thread:

The heat generated by a CD/DVD player causes the label to either shrink or expand (I forget which), and that warps the disc. Also, if the label isn't centered exactly - and I mean exactly - on the disk it will make the disc spin off-center.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 30 Jan 2010 4:52 pm

Labels suck! (did that for years)

Inexpensive thermal printers work well but only do simple labels. (used that until a year ago)

Lightscribe is as described above.... slow and not very impressive graphics.

I just bought the Epson Artisan 710 at Best Buy for $129.95 + tax. They have Epson reps at many BB stores this weekend with special deals. Buy online or at the store, pick it up, take it home. I also paid $9.99 for 30 white printable CD-R's.

After about 3 hours it's all working. The 710 prints double sided automatically in most cases (for Win 7 , it will not print in duplex automatically, over the network, you have to re-feed it)

So far I have been able to:

Wirelessly configure and attach the 710 to my router
Scan and print photos
Print from my ethernet attached XP desktop
Print from my Win 7 network attached laptop

You have to load the Win 7 drivers off the net, they are not included in the provided software.

Now to the point of this discussion. The CD print results are absolutley spectacular! I couldn't be happier. The CD color is the same as what appears on the screen, and the printing is fast. You press a button to pop out the CD tray, press the same button again to load the CD, click print on the CD label software and the print commences. I am using the CD printer software that came with the 710, entitled "Print CD".

The CD labeler software also does CD cases, front and back if you need that.

A variety of templates are included as are plenty of tools to roll your own including the import of pictures and graphics. You can even enter the exact size of your CD if the printable area or even if the actual CD varies in size from standard. You can also test print to paper (instead of the CD tray) and adjust the offset of the printed image.

Greg

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 31 Jan 2010 11:04 am

Greg, Thanks for your detailed write-up on the Epson
As for photos..is the color close to the looks of a store print?

Looks like it will be Epson next time I am in the market for a printer

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 31 Jan 2010 3:53 pm

Bent, my HP all in one printer did near perfect photos as does the Epson. With the HP I used the 3 ink color instead of the 6 ink cause I couldn't tell the difference. The Epson rep had a portfolio of photos, some were restored, some were camera prints and some were scanned in. They were 12" x 15" and the quality was stunning. The grain in the print was too small to detect. So I can say that the Epson is at least as good as any HP printer I ever had for photos. The Epson ink does dry a bit slower though (uses Claria high definition ink).

Greg

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 3 Feb 2010 4:57 am

In all fairness, here's my thoughts after a few days of use.

The CD load and print onto CD works great! Very customizable with the included software. Of course you can use any good photo/print program for this purpose.

This thing is going to cost a lot for ink. Think like $80 in ink for 10 8x10 photo's! The HP and Canon inks are also high priced, but no where near THIS high.

I did away with the network wireless connection and went back to USB. It kept dropping the wireless connection (a common problem if you read the reviews for this model). I also will not automatically print in duplex wirelessly with Windows 7. When it drops the network connection, you have to cycle the printer power. Another solution to this is to assign a STATIC address to the printer, disabling DHCP on your router (ugh!)

The Canon printers are great in all respects but the ones shipped in the USA do not offer CD trays due to a patent infringement. You can either buy the European Canon with the CD tray built in, or get an older Canon model and buy the CD tray on ebay, install it yourself, enable the CD print microcode on the printer, and use the supplied Canon software from ebay to print on CD's. As far as I can tell, the very latest USA canon models can't be modified ths way.

I can still return this Epson for a full refund but have decided to keep it. It does a great job of printing on CD's and I dont print a lot of photos so ink usage won't be an issue.

Greg

John Cipriano · Post by **John Cipriano** » 3 Feb 2010 4:50 pm

Most routers will let you keep DHCP on but assign a static IP address to a particular MAC address. They usually call them IP reservations or something similar. When I have set up wireless printers for people, I always reserve the address. Having a dynamic address for the printer will definitely cause the problems you describe. Duplex isn't strictly necessary, in my experience it just makes the jobs take longer, in addition to bugging you about ink levels

I would try reserving the IP before you give up on the wireless completely. If you have other computers in the house, the printer's wireless adapter is like having a built-in print server. If it's just as badly-behaved with a static IP, then I'll apologize in advance. But IMO it's worth a shot. If you can't find a way to do it on your router, post the model and I will look too.