On-DVD Printing « Videomaker Community Forums

nobody
Member

What is the best printer for printing directly on DVDs? The consumer level printers (by Epson for example) do not print at full resolution, nor with a full edge-bleed. A want full-color, high photo-resolution printing at $1000 or less. Anything out there?

Posted 7 years ago #
nobody
Member

I was reading through the forums earlier today and came across this post with no answer - then just now I got something in the mail that may be of interest to you:

Signature z1 CD/DVD Printer from Primera (www.primera.com) is a thermal printer for 139.95. Single disk at a time.

I know nothing about it - but it might be worth checking out. I have a Primera Bravo DVD duplicator/printer that seems to work great (only got it a week ago)

Posted 7 years ago #
nobody
Member

The thermals have many restrictions (i.e. limited area - only one color at a time...) I would stick with the ink-jets for now. I've been happy with the Epson 960. Heard lots of good things about the Epson 200.

Posted 7 years ago #
nobody
Member

I have the Primera Signature Z1. It works GREAT. Yes it does only print in one color, but in all honesty I'd never have a use to print in full color being as though I am using this printer for printing DVDs for my clients and most of them are weddings. Having a white disc with crisp black font printed on them (as well as my logo) seems to work wonderfully well. Being that it is thermal, the disc is completely done in about 20-30 seconds and the ink is completely dry. I'd much rather have this than a cheap inkjet printer that doesn't print crisp printers, not to mention that the ink is quite expensive (and you'd go through it rather quick). I got m printer for $130 and I feel that I've already gotten my money's worth. Decide what type of printing suites your needs and then go for it. I know that decent color printers start at around $1500 and I just don't have that much $$$

Posted 7 years ago #
nobody
Member

Decent color inkjets that print on white printable surfaces start below $100. I also print wedding DVDs. However, I print full color images of the bride and groom on the DVD.

Posted 7 years ago #
nobody
Member

I use the Epson Photo r300. Great results. I can't complain.

Posted 7 years ago #
Googi
Member

I use the Epson R300. With the Epson software you can adjust the inner and outer diameters on the CD/DVD and get full picture coverage. If you use stand-alone printing feature, the printer seems to use a preset (which I haven't been able to adjust) so the picture may not cover the full area of the DVD.

Posted 7 years ago #
KBVP
Member

I've been using the R200 for a year and love it. One at a time is a pain, but beats paper stompers. Considering the R200's price, it's a great way to go. I think there are sevices that will pre-print your blanks, but haven't checked it out yet.

Posted 7 years ago #
compusolver
Member

Another vote for the Epsons!

Mine is an R-200 but the 300 is the same thing with pluses.

Be sure and buy your ink online though otherwise you'll pay nearly as much as the printer costs ($89).

By the way, I've been buying my cartridges online at rima.com and those go a long, long way! On a single set of cartridges, I've printed over 120 photos (half at 8x10, half at 5x7), sixty DVDs and a few signs and banners - and that's just what I have a record of due to my business. You can add dozens of brochures, a hundred full-color business cards, over a hundred b&w printouts plus a couple dozen photos for my own use - and I'm just now getting a warning that some colors are getting low!

As for quality - those 8x10s & 5x7s were done as full-color portraits. I've been very happy with the quality and more importantly, my clients have been thrilled.

I just finished printing three dozen DVD's with my R-200. These are professional event videos and the R-200 prints them up good enough to deliver with pride.

The fellow with the R-300 just needs to get more experience with the Epson CD printing program. I used to think I was limited as to size and placement of text and images also - not so, the program is just a bit clunky.

Posted 7 years ago #
KBVP
Member

When I used to burn one DVD at a time in the PC, the printing time wasn't an issue. Now that I use a seven bay stand-alone burner, I'm finding that I get a rapidly growing stack of "to be printed" discs next to the R-200. Maybe a 7 stack of R-200's

Posted 7 years ago #