| Anyone who duplicates audio, software, video or data | | | | print head onto the CD surface. |
| on discs needs CD DVD printers to give a professional | | | | Autoloading CD Printers: |
| finish to the recorded discs. If you burn one or two | | | | These printers are equipped with a mechanism that |
| discs a year, you can use special markers to write | | | | moves and prints the discs so you do not have to |
| directly on the CD. Or you can use a regular inkjet | | | | manually load CDs or DVDs. Smaller autoloading CD |
| printer to print a paper to stick on your disc. However, | | | | printers can have a 20-disc capacity and larger ones |
| DVDs with stuck-on labels can damage DVD players | | | | can hold as many as 300 CDS or DVDs. Autoloading |
| or cause playback trouble. If you need to label more | | | | CD printers may be either inkjet or thermal DVD |
| than one or two discs, using paper labels is also | | | | printers. |
| expensive and time consuming. Using CD DVD printers | | | | Integrated CD DVD Printers and Duplicators: |
| to print directly on discs is the best way to give an | | | | Autoloading CD/DVD duplicators with integrated inkjet |
| appealing, professional look to duplicated discs. This | | | | or thermal CD DVD printers provide a complete disc |
| article outlines the main features of the most common | | | | publishing solution and for professional CD/DVD printing |
| types of CD DVD printers available today: | | | | in large quantity. |
| Thermal CD Printers: | | | | Some points to consider when choosing CD DVD |
| Like any other printer, thermal DVD printers are | | | | printers are: |
| connected to computers (Windows or Mac) through a | | | | Thermal CD printers provide permanent (but not |
| USB port. They use a combination of heat and | | | | photographic-quality) print finishes. They are best for |
| pressure to transfer solid colors from a coated ribbon | | | | printing text and simple graphics on white or silver |
| (ribbons may be coated with one, two or several | | | | thermal printable discs. Since they don't use liquid ink, |
| colors) onto the disc surface. Manufacturers supply the | | | | there's no drying time involved and no risk that the print |
| software needed for their CD DVD printers. Thermal | | | | will smear or peel away. |
| CDR printers give a durable finish, but their maximum | | | | - Thermal retransfer printers produce the highest |
| print resolutions are in the vicinity of 300 X 600 dpi | | | | quality, durable finish. |
| (dots per inch). Also, although they produce excellent | | | | - Autoloading CD printers (inkjet or thermal) are the |
| results for text or simple designs, they don't mix colors | | | | best option for hands-free volume printing. |
| very well and the print is not photographic quality. | | | | - Integrated CD DVD printers and duplicators can be |
| Thermal Retransfer Printers: | | | | used to print and/or copy CDs and DVDs at the same |
| Of all the available CD DVD printers, these produce | | | | time. |
| the best quality prints - first rate photo-quality printing | | | | - Inkjet CD printers produce high resolution, |
| that is durable. The difference between regular thermal | | | | photographic quality print finishes, but the print may be |
| CD DVD printers and printers that use thermal | | | | subject to smudging, especially if humidity is a factor. |
| retransfer technology is that the retransfer printers | | | | - The cost of CD DVD printing devices varies widely. |
| print the color image to an interim ribbon first. The use | | | | Inkjet CD printers are less expensive than thermal CD |
| of this extra ribbon helps to mix colors better. | | | | printers and thermal retransfer printers are the most |
| Inkjet printers: | | | | expensive CD printers. Manual disc printers are |
| Inkjet printing technology is different from the newer | | | | considerably less costly than autoloading CD printers. |
| thermal printing technology. It allows the transfer of high | | | | Other factors that affect the price of CD printers are |
| resolution color images (colors can be blended in 4800 | | | | disc capacity and software features. |
| dpi) to the CD surface, creating photographic-quality | | | | In the final analysis, your choice of CD printing devices |
| finishes. These printers use ink cartridges, not thermal | | | | will depend on your budget and, most of all, on your |
| printer ribbons, ejecting droplets of liquid ink from the | | | | disc printing needs. |
