Labeling of DVD+R discs

Blank Media
#1

I have had the impression that labeling disc with sticky labels changes how the DVD player reads the discs. I have labled a lot of my discs and most of them will not play in both my computer and stand-alone player. I tried to do a k-probe scan of one of my disc before and after labeling it, and the result shows that both the PI and PO value of the disc increases dramatically. Have anybody else had the same experience? I have tried two different brands of labels, and the result are the same. Have anybody else had the same experience as me? To me it looks like the only way to do a decent labeling of disc would be to buy printable dvd+r discs… have anybody got some good tips on how to lable dvds properly?

I am enclosing the k-probe test of on of the disc with and with out the label.

#2

This sounds pretty odd. What brand are you using ?

I’m using CDStomper and stomper labels. There should be no problem using labels with current reader/writers. Might be problems on older CD-ROMS and when reading discs at high speed. If your label is PROPERLY applied and centered properly, I don’t see a problem.

I have labeled over 100 discs with the CD Stomper, they are perfectly centered and all discs are readable, with error rates well within specs. Your initial reading even without the labels is a bit high. Use better media and use something like a CD Stomper making it centered and you should not have any problems.

I’ve also labeled some DVDs for people and no problem whatsoever.

#3

Moved to the media forum.

This issue has been reported numerous times. Some media will be unreadable with any label on it, mostly cheaper media.

#4

Have a look at this thread.

#5

Hi.

I’ve had the excact same experience as you have, with disks becoming “unreadable” (going from perfectly readable to having read errors) the moment I apply a label on them.

I’ve labeled hundreds of cd-r’s, and never had a problem with any of them due to it. If anyone had told me I’d ruin my DVDs (before I discovered it myself) I’d just laugh at them :slight_smile:

I started to realize I had a problem when a friend a mind borrowed a pile of DVD-Rs to make a copy, and when he returned them he said many were unreadable. Eventually I created a few disks which I ran the rpm test in dvdinfopro tens of times, and over several days, just to see disks were “perfect”. I then applied a label using a toolkit, I have several kits here, and packs of labels. The result was very predictable, the disks would deteriorate, start with speed drops and end with read errors.

I experienced this with Princo 4x dvd-r, Princo 1x dvd-rw, Traxdata 4x dvd+r (ricohjpn01). Two cheap and one good brand, all disks acted the same, and they acted the same in the nec 1300 (now replaced with a 2500), Plextor 116a and my Daweoo player.

I can’t stand the idea of having dvds with my ugly handwriting instead of a good looking printed label, so I said fu** it and bought 250 8x ritek r03 printables. I’ve received the disks, but not upgraded my printer yet :slight_smile:

It seems the definition of a “coaster” very wildly. I define a coaster as a disks I can’t read back perfectly in my Plextor OR a disks that skips in my Daewoo. Many seem to label anything that doesn’t skip in their tv set dvd player as a “good” disk, but the fact is that dvd players have a number of routines to overcome dvd read errors/imperfectiosn. I seriously believe many that claims to have hundreds of perfect labeled dvds have hundreds of coasters (by my standard, not theirs).

#6

An alternative to printers and labels is the thermal tape labelling systems. The machine costs only about $60 and the tapes about $25. You can print text on about 50 discs with one tape. They look very professional, and work on any disc.

#7

Originally posted by rdgrimes
An alternative to printers and labels is the thermal tape labelling systems.

Are you talking about this? I would think that it would make the discs even more off balance.


#8

Yes, like this . The weight of the ink is not enough to matter, certainly no more than the printed discs that you buy in the store every day. (you remember, the ones that come with music already on them?). :wink:

#9

I had probs after putting labels onto some cheap dvd-r’s for xbox backups. Most stopped working after a few days and the ones that didn’t, well i can’t explain why they kept working.

I haven’t been game to try using any other media like more expensive ones.

Suffice to say, i do have the thompson drive in the xbox which is notorious at the best of times.

Think i’ll go with one of the direct cd/dvd printers like the epson R210 or R310 or the one of the canons like the 865 or 905.

An authentic looking dvd is satisfying :iagree:

#10

Here is what I have been doing since I learned from this forum that lables make the disk produce errors. I read each disk in DVDinfoPro. after burning and putting a label on it. I have yet to find a error on the disk with the label installed. My question could, in time, something happen to the glue to change the disk to have errors? Lets say you put a label on a burned DVD disk six months ago and it reads OK, will another six months make a difference? The reason I like lables is that it makes the disk look professional. I scan the original label run it through Photo Shop
size it to the DVD and print. Looks like the real one.
Looking for more info. roberson :confused:

#11

Originally posted by roberson
Here is what I have been doing since I learned from this forum that lables make the disk produce errors. I read each disk in DVDinfoPro. after burning and putting a label on it. I have yet to find a error on the disk with the label installed. My question could, in time, something happen to the glue to change the disk to have errors? Lets say you put a label on a burned DVD disk six months ago and it reads OK, will another six months make a difference? The reason I like lables is that it makes the disk look professional. I scan the original label run it through Photo Shop
size it to the DVD and print. Looks like the real one.
Looking for more info. roberson :confused:

Be aware that some media will not tolerate any label. And yes there is a possibility of damage later on, especially if the label starts to separate.

#12

One other point. Over time unbalanced media (even if you put the label on almost perfectly centered it will in most cases be a tad off) could potentially damage whatever drive happens to be reading it. If you’ve ever seen how fast a disc spins I’m sure you can figure out why over time any unbalance would be very bad for the drive.

#13

:confused: Thanks to this forum I have learned the hard way. After reading this and other forums on this subject I returned to my burned DVD from about six months ago I had stored away for future viewing. What a total suprise I found. I was using Princo disks until I learned, again from this formal, that Ritex G04 was better. Everyone of the Princo disk I burned six montha ago had many errors and most would not read. All because I put lables on them.
Now the ones I burned with Ritex were still OK. So now I will not place labels on my newely burned DVD. I am trying, read in the forums, a HUB label instead. A hub lables does not cover any writting, just the very center of the disk. You will be suprised how much writting you can place on a hub lable. Maybe I should not put any labels on DVD disk at all. I do not like writting on a blank disk with a pen. Looks are not professional at all. Please advise me on hub labels if anyone has experience on these. For all that read this forum, please save youself problems, do not put labels on disks. When I started to burn DVD disks I read as many of the forum as I could and I learned much from them. Nowhere did I read about puting lables on the disks. I think it would be of great help if this advise is put on the guides for new people starting to burn for the first time. Thanks all who answer this forms for your good advise on labeling:)

#14

I have a question regarding labels.
I have a collection of over 200 DVD’s and none have labels, all written on with a Sharpie. I did this so I wouldn’t have any problems with my treasured DVD’s.
They all have original artwork covers and look professional until you look at the handwritten DVD’s. I was considering labeling them but will wait for some responses to my question. BTW the majority of my media is Taiyo Yuden,

The question is, I have viewed many documentary DVD’s from my Public Library and they have numerous stickers plastered at every angle possible. Some have more, some less, yet I never had a problem viewing these unbalanced DVD’s.
Is it because they are pressed media and not as sensitive to any weight imbalance as a burned one?

I do have some concerns about playing these unbalanced disks on my stand alone player, I don’t want to damage the laser. Also on occasion I have rented some from Blockbuster Video that had some sort of label on it, and they too did not pose any problems. So is it only on burned disks that no labels should be applied, or any disk?

#15

I wouldn’t put a label on a DVD. It isn’t just glue-corrosion or unbalance either. The German computer magazine c’t did a test of CD/DVD labels some months ago (see this post for a summary). They found that the tension from the labels tended to warp the discs and rendered them unusable.

It’s too late for your present collection, but inkjet printable discs work great. There are several affordable Canon (and Epson) printers (at least in Europe) that have will print on CD/DVD.

G

#16

I just labeled a bunch of DVD’s for my son (he can’t read yet, so pictures are a MUST) and our DVD player won’t read them (a Denon). Now, his little $20 Pioneer POS DVD player plays them without a hitch!! They also work on both my computer and work laptop… and I just tried them on another cheap DVD player and they work great! Why would they not work on the fancier, more expensive DVD player?

#17

ive found that paper labels are a hassle they dont stick correctly they peel make the disc to thick for slot loaded players , make some so heavy they wont even spin in older dvd players , I bought an epson r280 printer and refillable cartridges and have done more than 500 cd prints on less than 25 bucks worth of ink , i bet it will do a thousand … now if they could make a spray or primer we could put on our already burned collection so that we could print on them that would be bad ass…