My wife bought me some 'printable' DVD-R's when I asked for some DVD's of a different type in an effort to try to find some disks that will work at least 9 out of 10 times that I try to burn a DVD using my secondary PC DVD burner. The burns fail due to an overly fussy desire on the part of my burner, to have an absolutely perfect and highly expensive disk for the target.

The packaging says the 'printable' DVD-R's can have the built-in labels printed on an inkjet printer, but I'm absolutely certain the disks won't go through any of the printers I have ever seen or currently own. The advertising on the package shows a disk going through a printer. Do they have a special inkjet printer for this type of disk?

They don't seem to be the Lightscribe disks, so I don't want to try them, only to accidentally set my DVD burner on fire when a laser hits the paper.

I could find no information about them other than millions of advertisements from places selling different brands of the 'printable' DVD's.

Anyone have any idea how these things are considered printable?

I was told by an Epson rep. that Epson is the only vendor allow to sell a printer capable of printing directly to a disc.

They had one model for sale at the Sam's Club/Walmart in the Chicago area and the Fry's store carries them as well.

Price was around $80.00.

I have a Primera Bravo II CD-DVD printer/duplicator that does a fantastic job printing on the disc surface. It is spendy, though - about $2200. I know that there are less expensive alternatives out there, but I haven't really researched them. I use the Maxell "Print-to-Center" discs that have a solid, printable surface all the way to the center hole.

You have to buy a special printer.
Here you go:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=198178&CatId=92

Found this one at www.outpost.com (http://www.outpost.com) for $99.00.

http://image.ak.outpost.com/art/misc/space.gif
Epson R220 Photo Printer
Epson:
For Mac,Windows
Outpost #: 4596517
Stylus Photo R220 Inkjet Printer. Offers the speed and versatility you need to easily print brilliant frame-ready photos to customized designs directly onto printable CDs/DVDs.
In stock, same day shipping (http://shop1.outpost.com/template/search/explain_ship#SameDay) Detailed Description (http://shop1.outpost.com/product/4596517#detailed) | http://image.ak.outpost.com/art/misc/tf_env.gifhttp://image.ak.outpost.com/art/misc/space.gifTell a friend (javascript: newWindowFriend('/tellafriend.jsp?p=4596517');)| Warranty Info (http://shop1.outpost.com/template/help/index/FE30/Service3/Assistance/Left_Topics/A11WarrantiesRebates) http://image.ak.outpost.com/art/product/box_shots/4596517.box.GIF larger view (javascript: newLargeimage(4596517);)Price:$99.99

I have the Epson R200 which is a slightly older model of the R220 and it is great. I think I paid around $120CDN for it. Replacement cartridges are $$$ since you need 7 of them. Even with aftermarket cartridges the costs add up.

I will probably buy a second printer for the ink cartridges. The printer would be a bonus.

There are even printable CDs


Alex
Styrofoam Guy

Oh I normally burn at a slower speed then the maximum the burner can do. I am not in that much of a rush. This seems to improve the success rate. And some programs appear to produce more garbage DVDs then others.


Alex
Styrofoam Guy

Would a sweaty hand wipe the ink off?

If so, are there any recommended sealants?

Thanks for the information about which printer can actually print on the disks!

Before my wife bought them, I just thought they were the ones to be used with the Lightscribe feature. I will just use the disks and forget about putting anything on the pre-installed paper.

Styrofoam_Guy - Thanks for the info on the DVD writing problem. I have tried writing at both faster and slower speeds, and with four different brands of disks. When I am doing a movie and filling up most of a disk, I get the problem most of the time. All of the disks have worked sometimes. Disks from the same pack will work sometimes, and other times fail, even when I am trying to write the same movie!

I have had this problem on my connected-to-the-tv DVD recorder, but it happens only rarely with that one, and I have already converted a lot of old movie serials onto DVD with it.

i also own an epson photo r200, bought specifically for printing on discs. paid about $85 at sam's club iirc. great printer, but be prepared to take out a 2nd mortgage when you have to replace the 6 (count 'em 6) ink cartriges.

I have also been told that you should not use tha last 10% of the DVD. Too close to the edge adn reading problems. So I try and get amx 1 hour 50 minutes per DVD.

Yes there are only 6 cartridges (oops sorry) Check e B ay, there seems to be a cheaper alternative. Not sure how good they are but I am willing to give it a try.

I have never tried to wet the dvd so I do not know how resistant they are to smudges but I would think it would smudge. Sealant? Nothing simple and consistant I can think of. Any spray sealant would have to go on in light layers similar to the inkjet decal paper sealant. I wonder if OEM cartridges are more water resistant?

For one offs before I got this printer I have gotten blank DVDs with no markings and have made a decal with my ALPs printer and applied it like a decal. Labour intensive but water resistant.


Alex
Styrofoam Guy

... Alex, you have an ALPS printer ... ?

S.

I have also been told that you should not use tha last 10% of the DVD. Too close to the edge adn reading problems. So I try and get amx 1 hour 50 minutes per DVD.I have consistent good results on single-layer discs when I compress everything to 4350 MB. That's almost but not quite all the disc; I think the maximum is 4467 MB or something close to that. I'd say that avoiding the last 10 percent is generous to the point of overkill, but I'm not sure how much of a visible difference it makes, but then you are talking about almost half a gigabyte.

Qapla'

SSB

... Alex, you have an ALPS printer ... ?

S.

I have a MD-1000 and a MD-1300. A friend has two MD-5000s and a MD-1000.

It is great as it opens up modelling possibilities.


Alex
Styrofoam Guy