[ale] More Lightscribe for Linux

[Scott Castaline]

On 07/11/2011 10:02 AM, arxaaron wrote:
> On 2011/07/09, at 15:26 , Cornelis van Dijk wrote:
>
>> Thanks to all that replied to my previous post about Lightscribe for
>> Linux. Meanwhile I succeeded by using inkscape at 180 dpi and get a
>> good sharp image with the Memorex Lightscribe drive.
>>
>> Another problem that I have with Lightscribe for Linux is that it
>> takes about sixteen minutes to burn a label. This is probably because
>> the bitmap covers nearly the entire cd surface. Usually I have quite a
>> bit of text, so cutting on that is not going to help much. Not only
>> that, but after one burn the image is barely legible so that I have to
>> do a second burn on top of the first one to get a decent image. While
>> this works fine, it now takes me over half an hour to burn a label!
>> Is there a way around this?
>>
> Your experiences with bLight Scribble, as reiterated by others
> on this thread, just reinforces my previous observation that
> the technology is a gimmick.  Perhaps fine for labeling one
> or two disks in pinch, but too low contrast, low quality and
> time consuming to be really useful.
>
> Only thing to suggest for improving speed and output is to
> push the contrast of your image before you send it to print
> (e.g. output from scribus as pdf file, load into gimp&  adjust).
>
> If the background areas are maximum white, they should
> be read as "transparent" in printing and the laser might
> not have to etch those areas.  The increased contrast may
> help overcome the marginal contrast of the technology as
> well and keep your process to one pass. Interesting that
> you can do a "second burn" pass and have it align to the
> first, though.
>
I'm glad that I wasn't the only one that had questionable thoughts on 
this. I was thinking that it maybe possible to get the alignment correct 
if you could tell the sftwe to write twice without stopping.
>> I know that hp sells a specialized printer for cd labels
>> (saw it a Fry's), but it uses special blanks and probably
>> uses Windows. Anyone know about this?
> I've used both Epson and HP inkjet printers with CD/DVD
> printing capability.  At least for these low cost units, the
> Epson produced much better quality than the HP.
>
> Linux CUPS print drivers will be available for either
> since Mac is CUPS and they work fine from OSeX.
>
> Repeating my earlier recommendation, get yourself one
> of the several Epson Stylus or Artisan models with CD/DVD
> print capability and be happy.  Inkjet printable media is
> equivalent in cost to non-printable media.  Only costs are
> in the ink cartridges - my production runs come in with
> around $0.10 per disk for crisp, high quality black and
> white or gray scale (that blows bLight Scribble out of the
> water), or about $0.35 per disk for photo quality color.
> With my low end Epson models (Stylus 200 / 260), disk
> print times are 3 to 6 minutes per disk depending on
> complexity and color of the image.
>
> Looks like an Epson Artisan 50 can be purchased
> and delivered for less than $100.
>
> Epson Artisan 50 Inkjet Printer - Color - CD/DVD Print,
> Photo ...
> $82 - 3 stores
Good info Aaron, at that price I might even consider getting one for 
that purpose only. As I prefer to use duped CD's in the car then the 
original and I can't read my own handwriting as my hand written with 
Sharpie label.
>> Thanks, Cor
> peace
> aaron
>
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