Who uses Lightscribe?

[W1GUH]

I love it. It's slow, but I love printing directly to the CD...makes 'em look a whole lot better, and I never liked those stick-on labels.

But it looks as if the popularity of Lightscribe is on the wane? Locally, the only place I could find Lightscribe CD-R's was Staples, and then it was a tiny quantity of disks I don't particularly want....but will do in urgent situations

And at the Best Buy website, a decent pkg of Lightsribe disks is a "back order" item. No biggie, really, but guess only a few people are still using Lightscribe?

Or has a "new and improved" something arrived on the scene?

[KJ4FEL]

I use it and like it. I mainly use it for making photo slide shows on DVD to family members. I also use it when I burn an ISO such as downloaded software (purchased Win7 on-line, etc) to DVD so I can use it/find it later. I also keep a copy of the ISO on an external drive.

The only thing I know of that's similar are direct print printers such as the ones sold by Epson (http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/CDLanding.jsp).

[KG4CGC]

I like it and people are impressed to see the finished product. Never saw the next gen follow through. It was supposed to be a copper metallic, though still monochromatic, look with better contrast and more visible imaging.
To really make good use of Lightscribe™, you must prepare the image in photoshop. A very contrasty B&W image shows up best. If the image looks almost cartoon-like then it will show up better in Lightscribe™.
I believe part of the problem is that there is no commercial demand driving the development.

[kf0rt]

Never tried it -- have a Lightscribe drive and always meant to give it a try (what software?) but don't think I have any disks.

Meanwhile, got an all-in-one Epson printer / scanner / fax deal last summer. It has a CD/DVD drawer and will print directly on the printable disks (with it's gonzo color inkjet tech). Haven't tried that, either. :dunno:

[K7SGJ]

I have a disc printer, which I really like. The sticky labels used to be okay, but as the speeds increased, so did the drive instability. I had a disk wobble so badly, that it flew off the hub and disintergarted inside the drive. The drive was only good for target practice after that.

[W1GUH]

Thanks for the comments. Sounds very popular, so howcome the disks are so hard to find? Maybe sales are so brisk, they fly off the shelf?

Yea, 'way back in the dark ages (late 90's), I'm sure I read a guideline someplace that said Don't us stick-on labels. Yep -- they didn't play in any of my drives except the most robust.

Yea, Charles, you're absolutely right about contrast... you need it! There are reviews on the BestBuy site that say Verbatim lightscribe disks print the best. I'm going to order a bunch & will report how they work out.

Thanks!

[n2ize]

For me "lightscribe" is a marker pen.

[W1GUH]

Sharpie-fu!

Works in a pinch.

[K7SGJ]

I haven't had to buy LS discs in quite awhile, so I don't know if 50 HP discs for 19.99 is a good price. If it is, and you're interested I had this in the inbox this AM.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817292019&cm_mmc=2011YearEndClearance-_-71-_-N82E16817292019&nm_mc=2011YearEndClearance

[WA4TM]

For me "lightscribe" is a marker pen.

Right there with you on the marker pen, aka Sharpie....

Of course my writing is so bad I have no idea what it says the next day!!!!

[W1GUH]

Right there with you on the marker pen, aka Sharpie....

Of course my writing is so bad I have no idea what it says the next day!!!!

You just nailed why I use Lightscribe!

[W1GUH]

I haven't had to buy LS discs in quite awhile, so I don't know if 50 HP discs for 19.99 is a good price. If it is, and you're interested I had this in the inbox this AM.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817292019&cm_mmc=2011YearEndClearance-_-71-_-N82E16817292019&nm_mc=2011YearEndClearance

Think that's current "going rate". Same price for 50 Verbatim from BestBuy....ordered two of 'em. Back-ordered...promised 1/20 delivery. Supply problem?

[n6hcm]

lightscribe was a HP thing ... they managed to sell some drives to gateway but never managed to get much traction (because of the extra media cost). apparently people were happier scribbling with a sharpie or sticker.

the drives sold to gateway were hd-dvd--if all lightscribe drives were like this then this would explain the dearth of media.

[KG4CGC]

lightscribe was a HP thing ... they managed to sell some drives to gateway but never managed to get much traction (because of the extra media cost). apparently people were happier scribbling with a sharpie or sticker.

the drives sold to gateway were hd-dvd--if all lightscribe drives were like this then this would explain the dearth of media.
With me, I believe part of the problem was poor support from the beginning and if you did any HP updates, you would have to go back and remove a line of code or change it to what it was before the update. Why didn't HP just publish the issue and fixes or send out another update because MOST people don't get into their computers to the level of rewriting lines of executable code. To me, HP gave their customers the finger when they let that happen. That was around 2006/07.
I don't use the HP software anymore to use Lightscribe™. I use Nero.

[W1GUH]

Well, HP thing or not, it's been a workhorse for me. Got an LG external drive that does everything including Lightscribe & it's been fine with both my computers. And this ASUS's optical drive is Lightscribe, too. I think the LG is faster, but probably could to two at a time.

But...if it's "on the way out", mebbe I ougtha order a shitload of disks. I LOVE the professional and permanent look lightscribe produces.

[n6hcm]

Why didn't HP just publish the issue and fixes or send out another update because MOST people don't get into their computers to the level of rewriting lines of executable code.

because HP sucks ass. i have about $500k of HP equipment in my machine room (about half of which they gave me when the first stuff didn't work as planned and they didn't want me to pursue their ineptitude with the VA's purchasing people) and i'd never do it again. in fact, i didn't do it the first time: my (now-ex) boss did the first round ...