Not At All Impressed With LIGHTSCRIBE...

It’s not so much that you’re limited to grayscale text and graphics,
or that it’s an extra step in the process (so is printing label);
it’s what they don’t emphasize in the Ad’s and spec pages. How bloody
long it takes! ...and how delicate the surface media is!

A stock graphic with bold text took *23 minutes* to burn on my new
HP-740 drive. If that wasn’t bad enough, I can’t seem to get a
fingerprint completely off the finished surface. I’ve tried Windex and
tape head cleaner. It’s as though it’s also etched into the surface.

What a rip. Once again, I’m the victim of hype...

A_C

 

I use Sharpie markers for all my labeling. It's not as clean-looking
as LightScribe, but I'd rather do that than track down the expensive
LS blanks. I'd only use those for discs I plan to distribute to clients
and need that "professional" look.

--

Aaron J. Bossig

http://www.GodsLabRat.com
http://www.dvdverdict.com

 

IMO, the Epson Photo R300 printer with DVD/CD tray
and hub-printable DVDs and CDs are a combo that can't
be beat.

Cheap, too. (At least the printer and discs are. The inks
are a different subject, but cost per disc is still reasonable.)

 

Is that 23 mins less that you player has to live?

 

I could have told you not to buy HP products. (except printers) I work in
the computer industry and HP is not well thought of unless its a printer.
Their computers and computer components suck big time. I personally had two
cd burners from HP that both went bad days after the warranty was up and I
have heard/seen countless other horror stories about there computer
equipment. Their printers, both laser (which i service) and Inkjets (I
don't service) are tops.

Glenn

(I don't work for HP, but for a service company that services their lasers)

 

:

(snip)

I agree. I actually use the even cheaper Epson R200 printer which can be had
for well under 100 bucks. Once I print on a cdr or dvdr, I spray a light
coat of Krylon Crystal Clear acrylic coating (#1303) on the printed surface
and give it a few hours to dry. That completely protects and waterproofs the
printing from any sort of smudges and light scratching. Uncoated, it *is*
possible to smear Epson printed media weeks after it was originally printed
with sloppy handling.

One problem I have had, is generally the easiest to find printable media
either dvd or cd is made by Memorex and I've had a huge percentage of these
discs fail when data is burned to them. I've had much better luck with
Verbatim but even those run about only 80%. I expect much better results
from Taiyo Yuden media once I get my hands on some.

The only downside to the printer itself is a new set of ink cartridges runs
about 50 bucks, over 50% of the cost of the printer itself!

T.B.

 

Hahaha.. several things. First DO NOT top post in Usenet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top-post

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1855.txt

Secondly HP makes many fine products, and their Agilent division
makes many of the finest electronic engineering instrumentation in the
world.

Your "I work in the computer industry" is hardly a qualification for
your remarks and barely offers any credence to your position.

So, now we see. You don't "work in the computer industry" you are
a friggin printer repair technician. That puts you on the fringes of
the industry, at best.

 

Surprised to hear you have had so many burning problems, what drive are you
using. I use both the Pioneer 108 and 110D, with Ritek media! Beside the
few coasters I had when I first got the drives and were learning how to use
them, I have had 0 coasters. The 108 has hundreds of burns on it and the
110D has about 200. In all those burns the only time I've pitch a disc is,
if when I take the disc out, there was a hair or something on the disc and
you can see the void where the laser couldn't get to the surface. Thats
probably been about 20-25 discs in those hundreds of discs.

 

Where have you been? That is how the industry gets your money. The
cartridges only hold about 30ml of material as well.

If the original ink was available in bulk somewhere, I would be
refilling my cartridges.

I'd love to see their revenue numbers related to cartridge sales, and
cost of manufacture over printer sales, and cost of manufacture.

 

I don't understand the appeal of Lightscribe at all. I'd much rather have a
full colour label than a b/w one, and from what the OP says using a printer
is much quicker too. The inkjet printable disks are also cheap and readily
available in most popular brands.

I used to have that problem with an Epson using some types of glossy paper
- the ink would take about an hour to dry! I now use a Canon Pixma and the
exact same paper emerges from the printer already dry to the touch.
Similarly, printed DVDs are instantly dry and can be put in their cases
with no handling worries. The Pixma is a bit slow with DVDs - it chunters
away for about a minute before you can even insert the disk tray - but it's
still a lot faster than the 23 mins the OP quoted for a Lightscribe; I
would say it takes the printer about 3 minutes to print a disk in all.

Online shops are the best way to get a decent choice of brands. I'm using
unbranded Ritek R03 printables, they're quite cheap and I've had no
failures so far. I also have some TDK printable CDs, not cheap but the
jewel cases are very nice, with zero hub pressure on the disk, and again no
failures.

I chose a Canon because the ink is cheap and you only have to replace the
colour that's actually run out, unlike most makes!

 

Actually, not that is any of your business, but I work for a Toshiba dealer
repairing mainly Toshiba multifunction copiers. And not just replacing parts
but also PCB (printed circuit board) troubleshooting and repair. I do
mainly Toshiba, since that's what I'm trained and certified on, but I also
do Hewlett Packard, Panasonic, Mita and Canon. On the side, when I have
time, I also do networking installation and troubleshooting, not to mention
computer repair and building custom machines for people that would rather
have a machine with brand name components instead of the crap they put in
bargain machines like Dell, HP, and Compaq. Oh yea, I have two degrees (one
in Business and one in Microcomputers) in addition to my certifications to
work on Toshiba machines. Perhaps you should have a clue before you show
your own stupidity. Better to remain silent and be thought a fool then to
open your mouth and remove all doubt.



I speak from experience, I've had two HP CD-RWs and one computer that went
bad just out of warranty. That's just my personal experience I've seen to
much to mention in my business life but in just my family, friends and
coworkers, I've built about 4-5 computers thanks to pissed off HP customers,
and my aunt just left a message on my cell saying she's had enough of her HP
and wants me to either recommend one or build her one. She's replaced just
about every part of her machine. Power supply went first then shortly after
that the hard drive went out. Then she did the video and sound cards about
8 months apart. She also had to buy a recovery disc that was $9.99 for the
disc and 24.95 for the shipping. $24.95 for shipping one CD!!!!



One thing I will say about HP printers, their child's play compared to the
work I do on Toshiba machines. They usually just need an adjustment or two,
and they are always updating parts to increase there efficiency. For
instance they recently put out a bulletin on one of their printers that they
have reengineered a feed assembly to help eliminate jamming. This support
and ease of troubleshooting is why I said their printers are great!





As for the top posting, you'll notice I top posted this just for you. J

 

Actually, not that is any of your business, but I work for a Toshiba dealer
repairing mainly Toshiba multifunction copiers. And not just replacing parts
but also PCB (printed circuit board) troubleshooting and repair. I do
mainly Toshiba, since that's what I'm trained and certified on, but I also
do Hewlett Packard, Panasonic, Mita and Canon. On the side, when I have
time, I also do networking installation and troubleshooting, not to mention
computer repair and building custom machines for people that would rather
have a machine with brand name components instead of the crap they put in
bargain machines like Dell, HP, and Compaq. Oh yea, I have two degrees (one
in Business and one in Microcomputers) in addition to my certifications to
work on Toshiba machines. Perhaps you should have a clue before you show
your own stupidity. Better to remain silent and be thought a fool then to
open your mouth and remove all doubt.



I speak from experience, I've had two HP CD-RWs and one computer that went
bad just out of warranty. That's just my personal experience I've seen to
much to mention in my business life but in just my family, friends and
coworkers, I've built about 4-5 computers thanks to pissed off HP customers,
and my aunt just left a message on my cell saying she's had enough of her HP
and wants me to either recommend one or build her one. She's replaced just
about every part of her machine. Power supply went first then shortly after
that the hard drive went out. Then she did the video and sound cards about
8 months apart. She also had to buy a recovery disc that was $9.99 for the
disc and 24.95 for the shipping. $24.95 for shipping one CD!!!!



One thing I will say about HP printers, their child's play compared to the
work I do on Toshiba machines. They usually just need an adjustment or two,
and they are always updating parts to increase there efficiency. For
instance they recently put out a bulletin on one of their printers that they
have reengineered a feed assembly to help eliminate jamming. This support
and ease of troubleshooting is why I said their printers are great!

As for the top posting, you'll notice I top posted this just for you.

 

I hope you don't mind me saying, but that doesn't sound like a
particularity informed opinion.

HP is a very diverse company. They make some great products and some
dogs as well.

I love their desktop computers.

A_C

 

Perhaps you should have a clue before you show

You have encapsulated succinctly Roy L. Fuchs. He is notorious.

 

I hope you don't mind me saying, but that doesn't sound like a

I don't mind you saying it but I've had a reasonable amount of experience
and and unreasonable amount of trouble with HP computer products. I
doesn't sound "informed" because you disagree, which is fine. If you
haven't had problems I hope you never do. Maybe its just because I see alot
more HP system than a single user with a single PC? I know I've seen many
many HPs need replacement parts in about 1 year where as I just put my first
part into my 3 year old custom built machine. And that was more of an
upgrade (needed more power for my 6 hard drives and the 400watt PSU was
failing to power all my hardware.)

Yes they are, and let me clearify that my opinion was directed towards their
computer products, which is where my experience lies. I don't have
experience with their industrial engineering and measuring equipment and
maybe those products are fine. They should be since they are being counted
on as much as they are! But I stand behind my opinion of their computer
products, seen WAY to many with problems.

We have a difference in opinion, I've seen to many go bad. Which when it
comes to my computer business is great, its made me a fair amount of $$.
Find a good local shop and have them build you a system with brand name
parts and you'll likely change your mind. You'll pay quite a bit more but
you won't have to replace anything near as quickly. HP, Dell, Compaq,
Gateway, and almost every other major manufacturer has cheap boards (video,
sound, motherboards, etc) mass produced for nothing and thats why you can
buy computers from dell (for example) for $299-$399. You get what you pay
for!

 

For very simple monochromatic labels, the Casio CD/DVD thermal printers work
great and in about 3 seconds. The Lightscribe idea was always suspect.

 

That I didn't even read your tripe post, and will continue to ignore
your retarded ass.

 

Swish!! The use of foul language is the sign of a small mind.

 

That you are so retarded that you not only top posted your CRAP, you
also double posted it.

 

You are an idiot. Your remarks carry all the credence of a dung
beetle.