Imation

Looking for a way to energize your CDs and DVDs? Maybe you're making movies for your family, discs of your band for promotion, or catalogs for your business. Inkjet printable CD-R and DVD media offers you a great way to personalize and customize your creations.

To get started, you will need:

An inkjet printer capable of printing to optical media
A CD or DVD burner
Inkjet printable optical media

Buying a Printer to Print Optical Media

Until recently, printing directly to CDs and DVDs wasn't something to do in your home or home office: equipment was costly for anyone printing in low volumes, and the printers were highly specialized. Now, companies like Canon, Epson, and Hewlett Packard offer printers designed to print on ink jet printable media for the home user. These printers are available in a wide range of prices and are designed for either home or commercial use. Most can be used for more than just printing media — they'll print digital images, presentations, cards, and other projects. Some specialized units feature automated burning and printing for multiple CDs.

Look for printers with easy-to-load CD/DVD trays, and consider the costs of the ink refill cartridges as part of your purchase if you plan to use the printer regularly. Be sure it includes the software required to print the media, and that the software is compatible with the computer system you operate. If you'll need to print several discs at a time, look for a unit that will accept multiple discs per print job.

Inkjet Printable CDs & DVDs

Inkjet printable CDs and DVDs come in two base colors: silver and white. White is great for most applications, although some people prefer a silver base to print digital photos and other images to disc. When printing to disc, be sure to use only media specifically designed for the purpose, as 'regular' media isn't designed to accept the ink and can make a mess!

CD/DVD Burners

The only difference between 'traditional' CD and DVD media and the inkjet printable media is the top surface, or protective layer. The inner layers — where the data 'lives' — are identical to those in other CD and DVD media. As a result, if you buy a media format compatible with your burner, you're good to go!

Storage & Handling

As with any CD or DVD, you should always handle the discs by grasping their outer edges or center holes. Avoid exposing discs to direct sunlight, excessive heat or humidity. Inkjet printed discs are especially vulnerable to smudging in high humidity situations, or when handled by damp fingers. Inkjet printed discs should not be stored or shipped in form-fitting soft plastic envelopes — the chemicals used to keep the package materials supple can soften the inks, causing the disc to stick to the sleeve and potentially damage the disc when removed. Using jewel cases or other containers that do not come into direct contact with the printed surface is best.