Using Inkjet Printable CD & DVD Media

Looking for a way to energize your CDs and DVDs for your next promotion or sales call? Imation inkjet printable CD-R and DVD media offers you a great way to personalize and customize your creations.

Printing directly to your media offers certain advantages over using labels:

• It’s generally cheaper to buy printable inkjet media than to buy both media and labels. While the printer might represent an additional expense, you need a printer to print labels anyway; a media-capable printer costs about the same as a better inkjet printer.
  
  
• It’s easier than placing labels on many discs, as most printers have easy-to-use disc alignment.
  
  
• Labels can peel and cause damage to drive and player mechanisms; because the inkjet surface is part of the media, drive damage is less likely, regardless of storage conditions. Inkjet media is also safer in slot-loaded optical drives.

Printers
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, Hewlett Packard, Primera, Rimage, and Solstice offer printers designed to print on inkjet printable media. These printers are available in a wide range of prices (starting at about $150) and are designed for either home or commercial use. Most can be used for more than just printing media ¾ 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.

Selecting & Burning Inkjet Printable CDs & DVDs
Imation Inkjet-Printable CD-R, DVD-R and DVD+R media comes 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!


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 and your destination player, 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.