[ale] More Lightscribe for Linux

[arxaaron]

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 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

> Thanks, Cor

peace
aaron