Custom CDs (Retail Quality)

[Launchpad]

This seems like the best place to post this topic.


I love making my own custom CDs, but it would be nice if I could burn them onto retail quality CDs (not CD-R) and press the artwork on them in retail quality (not sticker labels or cheap ink-jet printers).

1. If I buy blank retail-quality Diamond CDs (I think this is what they're called; the blank CDs that don't have green bottoms), will my PC or Mac CD/DVD+RW burner be able to burn on them?

2. Is there a professional or near-professional quality ink printer for these CDs? Sticker labels and the common ink-jet printer won't due. I'm looking for the printers that can simulate retail quality, or come very close to it.

If my CD/DVD+RW burner won't be able to record onto Diamond CDs, do you guys know about those small-scale CD Pressers? When a retail CD get pressed, it goes through a large factory that burns the music onto it and then gets high-quality artwork painted onto it. These machines are way out of reach of the retail consumer, but there are some companies out there with small-scale machines that can come close to producing the same quality all around. The small-scale machines can burn onto Diamond CDs and press the artwork onto them in pretty high quality. These machines aren't exactly meant for retail consumers either, but I do think that they are within the reach of them. Unfortunately I don't know where to get one. That's why I'm asking. Can anyone shed some light on them?


Thanks.

 

[disciple]

I only know of Lightscribe, which burns the image directly on the disc; but that's only in monochrome. Also you can get printers that print directly onto the disc; the other ways i know is the sticker bit you mentioned.

*edit: please be more concise with the quote feature*

 

[Launchpad]

Thanks for the tip.

I also found another place where you upload your music and your artwork, and they press the CD for you on what they call a retail-quality disc (again, Diamond CDs with silver bottom, not CD-R with green bottom). The problem I keep seeing in these companies is that their artwork printers don't print all the way to the inner circle. Does anyone know of one of these companies that will print the artwork onto a CD all the way to the inner circle (hole) in retail quality?

Also, can the common CD/DVD+RW drive record onto Diamond CDs? Diamond CDs could be purchased off eBay, but I would first like to know if I could record onto them with my hardware.

Thanks again.

 

[Wired Mike]

Professional Quality Ink Printer For Discs

"Is there a professional or near-professional quality ink printer for these CDs?"

Yes there is, finally. A new color disc labeling device has just hit the market. It is called the DiscPainter and it prints color images and graphics directly on any printable disc. The software is easy to follow and the discs only take 1 minute to print a 600 dpi image or 3 minutes to print a 1200 dpi image. I have been using it for about three weeks now and finally I can label my discs with professional looks and very little effort or frustration.
Hope this was useful.

 

[nickc]

How about giving us the scoop on all this, I think some people will be interested. give us the name of the products.

 

[Wired Mike]

Nick, the "scoop"

Nick, I assume you were asking for a response from me for your request for the scoop on the new disc labeling device. If not, forgive me for answering you. As I stated in my earlier post, the new disc labeling device is called the "DiscPainter" and it is made by Dymo. A youtube video link is here:

www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=irP6q7T8bX8

(replace the (dot) with an actual ".")