Printing labels

#1

Hello.
I am a brand new user of Canon PIXMA iP7250 and I have some questions.
If anyone is using it I would really like to help me.
So, I am using one software that was included in the “My Image Garden” software, that was default for creating labels for CDs, and the only one where I can click to Disc tray as paper source, not cassette. But I am not so satisfied with it. At first, it always leaves a white 1mm line not printed around the image, but I really need that whole to be “borderless” printed. How can this be solved? Also, I am wondering the same for inner circle, is there any software where I can adjust the circles? Because another problem I would find out in the future is that I have to print those “vinyl like cds” and I cannot do that with My image garden because the software is sharpening the image through the whole circle…

When I try to print with CD LabelPrint, the inside circle is too big, and it can go low down to 33mms, but I need to print the “whole circle” the hole should be 18mm I think, how to adjust it?

Also what is the difference in Media type between printable disc (recommended) and printable disc (other). One thing I only noticed is that the recommended is using much more color than other and somewhere for example if you have white line on black background it almost covers the whole line.

What is the difference between White and silver printable cds? I have seen printable cds that one is too glow, one is more like “paperblack”, is that the difference?

And if someone is ordering online printable CDs and is from Europe, can you tell me where you order it? I was looking around and I found the states only and shipping is too expensive. I found some dealers in Germany too, but they deliver only in Germany.

Thank you very much, it will be really helpfull for me if someone answers my questions.

#2

I’m not familiar with this printing-software, but some software offers “templates” - one might be “full face” which allows printing into the center-hub area, and another template might be “standard” which disallows that larger center-area’s printing. Hopefully, if this software offers different templates or manual adjustments, you’ve located them by this time. Or, you might try another software package.

Nero offers their label-printing software for free, although I’ve not used it. Surething is a commercial product and produces worthy results, and their forum is excellent for any questions regarding printers, alignment, templates, etc.

SILVER vs WHITE printing surfaces…

There are two White printing surfaces - the regular, which presents a ‘matte’ like finish, like printing on ordinary paper. And ‘glossy’ which is considerably more expensive and generally produces a glossier ‘look’. Both produce good quality graphics and easily-read text.

The Silver surfaces produce a ‘sheen’ or a satiny effect to them. They can produce an almost 3-D effect, as well. Graphics can look enhanced but I find text doesn’t ‘leap out’ or make itself as easily ‘readable’ as the White Surfaces. I try to make a highest-contrast Text & Background when I use Silvers.

I use both Silvers & Whites, in particular when I’m doing a 2-disc ‘set’ so the End User can more readily distinguish Disk 1 from 2. The Silvers & Whites are good for this constrast, even if I’m using the same artwork.

If you’ll post your country, perhaps our forum members can give you suggestions on ordering disc-blanks.

#3

Thank you very much. Nice to know this for beginning.
Btw, I live in Macedonia… Almost all websites are offering shipping to here… :slight_smile:

Thank you.

#4

[QUOTE=boilingxpoint;2697765]

When I try to print with CD LabelPrint, the inside circle is too big, and it can go low down to 33mms, but I need to print the “whole circle” the hole should be 18mm I think, how to adjust it?
[/QUOTE]

In that software you should create a new template for each disc type you print, you can make as many as you like and specify any diameters. Click on the “select paper” button at the top of the window, then the “new” button. What you’re using now is the default template.

#5

Yeah, I found it in the meantime. I also found how to adjust the My Image Garden (Which seems that MIG in the package has some new software which looks like upgraded CD LabelPrint. I am now OK with that, I found the borderless printing on CDs etc. Everything is OK, except that I am using probably very bad cds, so when I print it it looks OK, but not perfect. That’s why I am asking for sellers, where can I find to order and buy cds, I want to try the “normal” white, the “glossy” white and silver ones to see the difference…

Thank you anyway.

#6

I normally deal in Plain White and Silver simply to keep my inventory to two items (me? remember THREE?!! Sheesh) and the glossies are a needless expense where I’m creating copies for our kids to possibly destroy, lose, spread peanut butter with, create ninja-star throwing disks, etc.

If I’m got a Data Backup Session listing Folder Names, I can use either Silver or White, but for Silvers, I generally leave Text in Black or a ultra Blue or Red or Green (to use a few other color-cartridges). But I feel like I need that ‘contrast’ of Black or Very Dark for easy readability.

If I use Whites for this, I can use any color for as-easy readability, although I still need a black-outline around the font for light colors.

If I’ve done a Photo-Collage backup disk, I might paste ‘thumbnails’ on the surface and, if I’ve got more than 4, then I’ll try to use a White disk because, as my photo-images shrink, the Silver’s satiny 3D-effect tends to make details less distinguishable.

For a single photo, or even 2 or 4 (set in quandrants), the Silver produces a nice effect.

The Silvers has this ‘brushed look’ and most brands use the Inner Hub (about 3cm) to have an opposing-brush look. It’s almost like iridescent cloth - hold it at one angle, and one shading appears - hold it at another, and another shading appears.

This reduces Readability, somewhat, for most brands (Philips, TY, Verbat) but the best consistent finish I’ve found has been on the Falcons (FTIs) where the ‘brushing’ is in the same direction as the rest of the disk. There is only a small ‘band’ that’s visible, after printing, too, much more discreet on the Falcons than any other brand.

[I](We’re headed to Croatia next summer, sailing the Adriatic, and we hope that, in the following summer, we can do car-travels all over, and hopefully get into Macedonia, too.)[/I]

#7

[QUOTE=boilingxpoint;2697847]Yeah, I found it in the meantime. I also found how to adjust the My Image Garden (Which seems that MIG in the package has some new software which looks like upgraded CD LabelPrint. I am now OK with that, I found the borderless printing on CDs etc. Everything is OK, except that I am using probably very bad cds, so when I print it it looks OK, but not perfect. That’s why I am asking for sellers, where can I find to order and buy cds, I want to try the “normal” white, the “glossy” white and silver ones to see the difference…

Thank you anyway.[/QUOTE]

The “watershield” or “aqua-ace” type surfaces also offer the added protection against smudging and fading - which are common issues on lesser discs. Try them all. I would skip silver, its uses are fairly limited but it can look nice with certain type graphics. There are a couple of sticky threads in this forum where you can see comparisons of some discs.

#8

THank you very much for your help. I really need these kind of info.
I just need to find some stores where I can buy and I would like to try all types. The point is that I don’t have much choice. I have found only one store selling printable cds and they sell the plain one, which I think are noot good because you can “smudge” the printed image with a finger. I am looking for somewhere and except importing I have no other idea. Haven’t found a store with such a choice…
Thank you

#9

There’s another option you might consider: plain non-printable disks and print up a square ‘page’ for a CD-Sleeve insert. Then, store you plain DVDs in colorful sleeves with artwork.

There’s one handy advantage - other than the lower-cost of non-printable disks - most web-graphics are designed for squares or rectangles (think movie posters) and it takes a few minutes to modify those into a circular option.

As for smudging - “Keep yer fingers offa the disks! Hold them by the edge!!” That’s our best rule for preventing label smudges AND fingerprints and gunk on the Read Side, too. I do let my printed labels sit for a few hours (overnight?) before committing them to sleeves or cases, and I guess I could smudge them later - but I’d have to seriously try to do that.

Showering with them, using them to skip across lakes and rivers - yes, well, I’d expect smudging at that point, too…

#10

Thanks for advices. I already have layout that I am printing, but I want the whole package to be as professional as I can make it. I need this to be sent as promo materials and I am doing this all the time and I am going low with costs as low as I can, that’s why I bought the printer. So when I am sending the cds, it does matter the whole look of the package. And I know that it’s possible to take out better quality because previously I was paying to a guy here to print my cds and he was doing it on Epson P50 and they looked much better. Reading around the internet I found that Epson P50 is not sooo much better printer than my Canon, so the only difference I found is in the CDs that I am printing on.

#11

[QUOTE=boilingxpoint;2697928]THank you very much for your help. I really need these kind of info.
I just need to find some stores where I can buy and I would like to try all types. The point is that I don’t have much choice. I have found only one store selling printable cds and they sell the plain one, which I think are noot good because you can “smudge” the printed image with a finger. I am looking for somewhere and except importing I have no other idea. Haven’t found a store with such a choice…
Thank you[/QUOTE]
Can’t help you with a store, but an online store is your best bet. Do any of the UK stores ship to your area? Virtually ALL plain printable discs have the smudging issue. The glossy ones do too, except for the Watershield or AquaAce type. Even those will smudge, but you have to try pretty hard.

#12

I know that all can be smudged, but some is easier to smudge, some is harder. The reason why I ask is because on the ones that I have, you can smudge them by accident, and I am asking for some that can be smudged if you want to do it by purpose… :slight_smile:
I have no experience with online stores and I am googling around to find from where I can order. I am preferring europe becuase of lower prices (from the States airmail is sometimes more expensive than the product. I have looked on ebay and found some stores in UK and Germany but they are shipping only in their countries…
Thanks
Thanks