LightScribe Forum : Getting Started : Newbie Needs Help

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 21:52:24 GMT

Hello! Please bear with me if my concerns seem stupid.

I installed Memorex Lightscribe drive, LS software from this site, Droppin Label Software. All seems OK, tho I have yet to burn a label. My question (s) concern the 'Print Preview". The preview shows up in a grayscale. My image is a full color photo. The disc is a copper color. SO....what should the setting (s) be to insure a perfect label? These discs are not sheap; did not want to proceed unless I knew what I was doing.

Thanks to All for any and all help.

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:37:53 GMT

Lightscribe "etches" the disc in grayscale. It burns the label side of the Lightscribe enabled disc with the laser in the CD/DVD burner and therefore cannot produce a color image. Match the color of the disc in the print preview to the color of the disc you are using. Look at some of the disc images around this website and the grayscale images shown are exactly like the images you can burn. You might want to set the image quality to "best" in the control panel to avoid having to double burn the disc to make the images darker. BTW the only stupid question is the question that never got asked...

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 05:09:20 GMT

OK, Jim. It's beginning to make sense to me. However, how come I cannot burn a Lightscribe in color? I gave a photo to a person a year ago and he placed it on the DVD using Lightscribe. Not a label, it was burned into the DVD. So what am I missing?

Thanks!

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 06:41:08 GMT

That person lied. Color does not yet exist for LightScribe. I look forward to the day.

You can get colored discs and print grayscale on them... LightScribe discs come in gold, magenta, cyan, orange, yellow, green.

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 10:36:26 GMT

There are several methods to print color images/text etc. directly to DVDs and CDs. Dye sublimation, thermal and inkjet are the three technologies I'm presently aware of. What thay all have in common is the requirement of a special printer that actually prints the image directly on a disc using a form of printer, not a CD/DVD drive. The disc is placed in a cutout on the "paper tray". The images are not etched like the Lightscribe process. One of the printers I have seen (MF) does have the name of "Scribe Series" on the base but that's just a coincidence. It has nothing to do with Lightscribe. At least that is the extent of my knowledge on the subject. If there is a consumer color laser technology in general distribution I am completely unaware of that.

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:10:56 GMT

That will certainly be a great day. Cannot understand why it's not available now.

Thanks for your input!