# Lightscribe discs?



## Gilletter (Jan 1, 2009)

Anyone here use lightscibe discs for burning CD/DVD? And does anyone know a good brand?


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## lemonadesoda (Jan 1, 2009)

WARNING. While lightscribe sounds cool, they take FOREVER to burn and the blanks are more expensive.

MUCH BETTER are the "printable" CD/DVDs.  You need a printer, obviously, but the cost of a printable blank is similar to a lightscribe blank, plus you can use any burner, not just a lightscribe. You print in colour and it takes just a few seconds UNLIKE lightscribe that takes many additional minutes to burn.

PAIN is that you need the printer. They are cheap... BUT the deskspace :-(


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## mikek75 (Jan 1, 2009)

I bought a lightscribe drive, its was only 1 pound dearer than a normal one so no great loss. IIRC I paid about a tenner for a spindle of 50 discs, so they ain't mega pricey either. Lemonadesoda is quite correct though, they do take about 20 minutes to burn a photo image on high quality setting, and the image is monochrome. Depends how often you burn disks really, if its only occasionally then I say go for it. Printers cost more in the long run cos of the ink, which ain't cheap if you use proper inks. IMHO


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## Gilletter (Jan 1, 2009)

Well the dvd burner I bought was lightscribe... didn't know when I got it, lol... but it was SATA, cheap, free shipping, and a mail in rebate. Just didn't know if anyone had used it and the results


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## A Cheese Danish (Jan 1, 2009)

I've used lightscribe before but not alot. I grabbed a set of 25 blank discs by HP for like $10-$15 bux, can't remember. But the write time to the disc is about the same as every other blank cd, and to burn an image on the disc is quite easy and depending on the image or writing you want to put on it will effect how long it takes to write the image. Just to write ~10 words takes about 2 minutes


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## Homeless (Jan 2, 2009)

Verbatim or bust.


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## Andyboy (Jan 5, 2009)

*Lightscribe*

I got a DVD-RW drive just about 2 years ago , the technology just started (in my country) evolving . I got a retail Lite-On lightscribe dvd-rw drive for about 100 $ that time (now in my currency about 70 $) and I want to say i didn`t have any problem with the drive . As for the lightscribe , it takes about 20 minutes if you want to label hd picturesc for your dvd collection but if you only want a plain label with 5 words in 1-2 minutes it`s ready . It`s a good deal because , no charge for the lightscribe , nothing going out (like printers ink) , totally quiet . Per total a good investition if you don`t use it industrial , because of long lasting hd labeling .As for lightscribe cd`s or dvd`s i used verbatim or hp , they both are very good with a little advantage for verbatim (don`t know why  .  Hope this was helpful . pm for further details .


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## Gilletter (Jan 5, 2009)

lemonadesoda said:


> WARNING. While lightscribe sounds cool, they take FOREVER to burn and the blanks are more expensive.
> 
> MUCH BETTER are the "printable" CD/DVDs.  You need a printer, obviously, but the cost of a printable blank is similar to a lightscribe blank, plus you can use any burner, not just a lightscribe. You print in colour and it takes just a few seconds UNLIKE lightscribe that takes many additional minutes to burn.
> 
> PAIN is that you need the printer. They are cheap... BUT the deskspace :-(



Oh and what "printer" do you need, cause I can't seem to find one locally, lol


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## LittleLizard (Jan 6, 2009)

Gilletter said:


> Oh and what "printer" do you need, cause I can't seem to find one locally, lol



anyone, just load for example, nero has a tool to make fronts for ur cds, then buy sticker paper, print, stick, lol and u are done


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## Andyboy (Jan 6, 2009)

LittleLizard said:


> anyone, just load for example, nero has a tool to make fronts for ur cds, then buy sticker paper, print, stick, lol and u are done



Yes but your label will fall of the cd when you insert it in the drive . The glue will overheat from the rotations of the dvd drive and the paper will most likely damage your dvd drive . Or the glue may ruin your cd with ... maybe valuable data .


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## Deleted member 3 (Jan 6, 2009)

There are special printers that can print on printable CD's, we have an Epson one at work. Quality is ok. personally I like Lightscribe better though it doesn't support color. My colleague prefers the printer stickers so I guess it's a matter of opinion. It is true that printing Lightscribe things takes like 20 minutes and the disks are far more expensive.


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## Andyboy (Jan 6, 2009)

DanTheBanjoman said:


> There are special printers that can print on printable CD's, we have an Epson one at work. Quality is ok. personally I like Lightscribe better though it doesn't support color. My colleague prefers the printer stickers so I guess it's a matter of opinion. It is true that printing Lightscribe things takes like 20 minutes and the disks are far more expensive.



Yes , you are half-right but if you refill the printer for cd`s with genuine , premium ink , you go far more with expenses than a lightscribe cd-dvd . If your refill the printer with low quality ink , the printer will most likely fail at some point and you will need to buy a new one ore in the best case change a piece of hardware that will compensate the economies that you made using cheap ink for printing labels than using lightscribe labeling , which is premium and a standard recommended operation . And I want to say , in the end it is only a personal decission ... i personally print cd-dvd labels with lightscribe and the labels for the cases with my personal printer , using standard ink , not premium canon ink wich , if i refill the black and color cartridges I  pay over 50%  the value of the new printer on the market . decisions ... decisions


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## Chryonn (Jan 6, 2009)

i by-pass all lightscribe and printer ink: i just use a CD pen. booya!


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## pepsi71ocean (Jan 6, 2009)

i had an ASUS Light scribe DVD writer, and stay naway from it, windows hated it for the dickens, and i haven't a clue why. I singe got a LG IDE Light scribe DVD writer and haven't had any issues at all.  Im not 100% certain but maybe the reaosnw as cuz it was sata, but im not sure.


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## Andyboy (Jan 6, 2009)

pepsi71ocean said:


> i had an ASUS Light scribe DVD writer, and stay naway from it, windows hated it for the dickens, and i haven't a clue why. I singe got a LG IDE Light scribe DVD writer and haven't had any issues at all.  Im not 100% certain but maybe the reaosnw as cuz it was sata, but im not sure.



I think you are right . I had the same trouble with a sata hdd . i didn`t had my motherboard up to date and i didn`t had the sata device drivers . After I updated the motherboard driver my hdd still didn`t work . My mtb was SATA I compatible and the hdd drive was SATA II . I had to jumper the hdd to work as SATA I and my problem was solved . Btw , my lightscribe DVD is Lite-on . No problem in nearly 2 years .


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## LittleLizard (Jan 7, 2009)

Chryonn said:


> i by-pass all lightscribe and printer ink: i just use a CD pen. booya!



+1 to that. is more, i dont use cd boxes, i use the tubes of a 50 discs to put all


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## suraswami (Jan 7, 2009)

Andyboy said:


> Yes but your label will fall of the cd when you insert it in the drive . The glue will overheat from the rotations of the dvd drive and the paper will most likely damage your dvd drive . Or the glue may ruin your cd with ... maybe valuable data .



that is funny.  I have been using CD labels for almost 6 yrs and all my CDs with the labels are still intact.  You probably stick it like band-aid lol

I bought a 25pk HP LS disc from staples for $10 during last thanksgiving.  yet to use.  I only use for those important DVD/CDs (home videos etc).  Waiting for my tape to fill up so I can transfer to DVD.


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## Chryonn (Jan 7, 2009)

LittleLizard said:


> +1 to that. is more, i dont use cd boxes, i use the tubes of a 50 discs to put all



i stopped putting my copies in fancy cases with full colour printed labels and covers, now they all go into handy 240-capacity wallets


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## pepsi71ocean (Jan 7, 2009)

suraswami said:


> that is funny.  I have been using CD labels for almost 6 yrs and all my CDs with the labels are still intact.  You probably stick it like band-aid lol
> 
> I bought a 25pk HP LS disc from staples for $10 during last thanksgiving.  yet to use.  I only use for those important DVD/CDs (home videos etc).  Waiting for my tape to fill up so I can transfer to DVD.



ive had the lables pealk up on me. but i attribute that to the high humidity and the salt air that exists where i live.


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## Andyboy (Jan 7, 2009)

Yes , I understand the wallet thing , and the cd-box thing ... I use this methods myself but the really important stuff , home videos , box office movies and other important things I put into DVD cases with labels and LS .


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