Now that you have produced your shiny silvery or golden disc, how do you mark it? By this time, you are probably not surprised to learn that that is not a simple question. Before going into the specifics, some words of warning are needed. DO NOT use ball point, Post-It notes, or any conventional glue or tape.
The bottom of the disc seems intuitively to be the sensitive part, but 'tain't so. The reflective layer just below the upper surface is far more delicate than the thick plastic on the bottom. Your reader will make quick work of a scratch or dust speck on the bottom, but anything which disturbs the metal foil will make the disc usesless.
In the least expensive discs, the upper layer is little more than an acrylic varnish over the foil. Solvents used to suspend ink and hard tips used to lay the ink down can wreak havoc. Some discs have a more durable coating applied to the top - various names are used to suggest that they are less vulnerable to damage. They are still fragile, but not to the extent of the bare discs. In general, a printed surface suggests a stronger one and one designed for you to write on the disc (underlined spaces for date, etc.) is a pretty sure bet. Still, a soft nib and water-soluble ink are desirable. Finally, there are discs made for ink-jet printers. They have thick, usually painted surfaces and can be written much more freely. A perfectionst such as found at Media Sciences will tell you that you should only write on the clear, inner ring of a disc; that any inscription on the working surface increases error rate. No doubt, they're correct.
By now, this is easy, right? You want a soft-tipped pen with water-soluble ink for complete safety. The TDK version is available from several suppliers of bulk discs for about $3; Apogee has another at a similar price. An art supply store can probably provide you with a range of altenatives in various colors and line widths.
It's inevitable that people ask about the excellent Sanford Sharpie line. Simply put, there have been few reports of failure from the use of Sharpies, but the ink is not water-soluble so there's a chance that it's a problem waiting to happen. I use the standard Sharpie all the time on coated discs. For the others, I figure that the TDK costs me a tenth of a cent or so per disc and at that rate I can afford to splurge. <G>
I will offer one warning on the Sharpie and others: be aware of the tip and its potential for problems. Sanford's Ultra Fine Point is surrounded by a metal collar with at least the potential to scratch the lacquer. If I want a fine line, I use the TDK with its semi-rigid tip. Perhaps I'm being overcautious, but I see no point in risking data loss for something as simple as this.
There are several manufacturers of labels and of positioning devices for CD-R. Avery's 5824 are unique in two respects: they have an ingenious positioning scheme which means you have high reliability without an additional hardware; and you can get them from any competent stationer. They are expensive so I recommend them for those who only want to use labels on rare occasion. They are also a good starting point for beginners since Avery provides templates for many programs and supports the 5824 with their Label Pro software.
There are also branded labels from Neato, Stomper and others plus unbranded ones from independent sources. There are two essential issues in selecting such labels - but only one can be determined easily. That is whether the printing surface is suitable for your printer and purposes. If you want to print photographic quality with an inkjet, you may have real problems finding suitable stock. The other problem is the adhesive. You would think you can use some sort of super glue - but the adhesive, like ink, must not contain any solvent which would attack the plastic or seep through to damage the reflective layer.
The adhesive bonds the paper label to the disc's upper surface - the one that's so vulnerable to damage. If it does not hold tightly enough, the label can begin to peel. You cannot remove it (that would pull off some of the lacquer layer and probably destroy the reflector and the disc); you cannot press or glue it back down again; and you cannot use the disc with the label pulling off. The best choice is to try to stick it down long enough to make a copy.
If the label is not well centered and reasonably flat, it will unbalance the disc - particularly in a high-speed reader. You get one and only one chance to position the label and if your eye or your hand is off, you may turn a perfectly good recorded disc into a coaster. For that reason, the major makers of labels sell positioning devices. Once you have graduated from Avery and have selected the brand of label stock you want to use, the positioner is a wise choice. Note, too, that labels vary widely among manufacturers and even from a single source. As a result, you may need to find the right label stock for your needs.
A final point on labels: they may be too thick. Slot-loading drives are particularly sensitive to disc thickness and some high-quality labels can be thick enough to cause problems.
There are several vendors with printers adapted from low-cost inkjet models. I have not used any of them, but the reports are consistent: they work well for a while, then critical parts wear out from the heavy load of a CD-R where the design is intended for paper. For some time, Epson has offered inexpensive printers in Japan with direct capability, but information is available only in Japan and they must be ordered as gray-market (unwarranted) product from importers.
There are at least three quality direct inkjet printers. Primera (formerly Fargo) and Rimage have been in the business for some time and Marcam has recently appeared as a contender. However, these devices are costly ($1300-$4000 list).
Manufacturers of bulk CD-R systems seem to prefer the Primera Signature (relatively low cost) for high-volume applications. It uses standard ink-jet cartridges and delivers modest resolution on the disc. Note that the silk screening used on pressed discs offers only about 150 dpi; while 300 dpi may be marginal for a letter, it looks good on a CD-R. The Primera prints onto special discs for which a premium of the order of ten cents is typical; that means that they are desirable for both cost and quality when volume is high enough. Primera and Rimage offer more costly printers that use wax transfer and can print on any disc surface.
If you are patient and watch carefully, you may be able to get a good deal on a CD-R printer. For example, when Primera upgraded their products, they offered refurbished units at a substantial discount from their list prices. Nevertheless, it takes a substantial printing load to justify $1,000 or more to replace a $3 pen or a package of labels.
Check out DISCUS at http://www.magicmouse.com/ for an attractive and inexpensive program for writing to the disc, labels and inserts. To capture the titles or tracks, your choice of mastering program is the best starting point.
E-mail me at cdrecording@mrichter.com
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