review by Roger Nichols
DISTRIBUTOR: Microboards, 1480 Park Road, Suite B, P.O. Box 846, Chanhassen, MN 55317, Tel: 612-470-1848
APPLICATION: Printing black & white or color graphics directly on CDs and CD booklets.
SUMMARY: A color CD printer that looks good and won't break your bank account.
STRENGTHS: Color, prints booklets and inserts, low cost ink jet technology. Works with Windows or Mac.
WEAKNESSES: Must use specially coated CDs available only from Fargo and cost an extra $2-$3 each. Can take up to five minutes to print a complex color image. Heavy black areas in photos color shift a few days after printing.
The Signature CD Color Printer allows you to print razor sharp text, vibrant spot colors and photo-realistic artwork directly on to a CD without using stick-on labels. The operation is simple, the quality is high, and the printed image is durable and highly smudge resistant.
The Signature printer is a color thermal ink-jet printer capable of up to 600 x 300 dpi resolution. The Signature has a Centronics parallel port for connection to Windows based PCs, and a high speed serial port for connection to Macintosh computers supporting color Quickdraw. The Signature printer I reviewed came with Windows printer drivers and a graphic editing program to build images for CD printing. The drivers for the Macintosh were not ready but will be shipping with the printer by the time you read this.
Getting Started
It takes about five to ten minutes to install the printer driver and the image editing software. The next step is calibrating the printer so that the image position is correctly printed on the CD. To calibrate the printer, you insert one of the cardboard blanks that are supplied with the printer for test prints and print the registration image. You then turn the cardboard blank around 180 degrees and print the test image a second time. Follow the instructions and enter the observed numbers into the calibration window. The printer image registration is now complete.
The CD layout software is easy to use. You are greeted with a visual image of the CD with red lines showing the boundaries of the outer edge and center hole. You just select the text tool and start typing. Any font available to the system can be used on the CD. There are grids for snapping and auto alignment tools for curved text that can be typed all around the outer edge of the CD. There are some basic line and shape drawing tools, but for most artwork you would be better off importing finished artwork from another more full featured program.
Photographs can be imported either in TIF or BMP format for placement in the editor. After importing the graphic, text can be entered over the graphic before printing on the CD. A nice feature is that you can import a square image and the graphic will be clipped correctly for printing on the round CD.
CD Booklets
Besides printing on CDs, the Signature printer will also let you print color CD booklets (that go in front of the CD) and inserts (that go inside the jewel case behind the CD). There are a pair of plastic tabs in the front of the CD drawer that hold the blank booklet. In the image editor you can select the format to be printed and the orientation (portrait or landscape) of the graphic. I found out that you have to change the selection between CD and booklet in two places, or it doesn't work correctly. You must select CD or booklet in the image editor, and also in the printer driver setup page. If you don't, then you will get a round image on the square booklet.
Printable CDs
Because the Signature is an ink jet printer, the ink goes on wet. Fargo supplies CD-R media that has been specially treated to accept the liquid ink and dry it instantly. They call the process Tuff Coat. So far the only place to obtain these blank CDs is from Fargo. The CD-Rs I received were Azo (blue dye manufactured by Taiyo Yuden, the inventor of CD-R). I have some plain white printable TDK CD-Rs that I tried in the Signature printer, but the colors smeared together and after a week are still sticky to the touch. The Tuff Coat CDs from Fargo, however were very durable, dry to the touch, and would not smear. The people I showed it to were amazed and kept trying to peel the picture off, thinking it was a sticky label.
Conclusion
If you are image conscious, then maybe you had better start thinking about how your CD-Rs look to the record company when you send them demos. If the A&R department head leaves your CD on his desk because it looks cool, maybe you stand a better chance of getting that elusive record deal. Who knows?
Personally, I found a font that looks exactly like a hand written felt pen. I think I'll use that and see if anybody notices.
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SIDE BAR
CD Printing Choices:
1) Felt pen ($2.50): If you must use a felt pen to label your CD-Rs, then use a water based Sharpie and print only in the area provided. For quick labeling of temporary CD-Rs that won't be seen by the client, this may be fine. Regular felt pen inks can seep through the backing and damage data.
2) Sticky Labels ($17 - $90): When CD-Rs first hit the scene, this was the choice of Mastering facilities and multi-media companies. Type the data on the label, peel it off, try to center it around the hole, and stick it on the CD. Now there are better ways of sticking labels. Avery labels are available for CDs. They can be printed on a color ink jet printer, a laser printer. Or copied on a copy machine. For centering the label, you place the CD in the jewel box and use the CD tray for alignment.
Zip-It and PressIt make sticky labeling systems for CDs that provide special tools to insure that once the label is printed, it is perfectly centered when applied to the CD.
Glue can seep through to data area and cause errors. Special care must be taken to insure label alignment. Labels can smear and tear.
3) Ink jet ($1,200): A color ink jet printer with a specially designed drawer to hold the CD as it is printed. An example is the Signature reviewed here. Prints directly on the specially coated CD-R. CDs are about $2 or $3 higher than regular CD-Rs. Printer can print directly on booklet and insert. Special coating protects CD from ink damage. Label won't peel. Resistant to smearing.
4) Thermal film ($3,995): A thermal printer that uses a special ribbon to transfer images to CD-Rs. The Rimage CD printer is an example. Can print on the back of un-branded CD-Rs, or in the printable area of branded CD-Rs. Ribbons are available in black, blue, green and red. Ribbon is difficult to change and can't be changed in the middle of a print job. Uses 16 lbs of pressure and thermal print head to transfer image. Image is the most smudge resistant. Impossible to remove completely with solvents. Used by the government for labeling CD-Rs. (The Pentagon house band?)
5) Silk Screen ($10,000+): What they use on commercial CDs. The best.
The most expensive way to do it yourself. If you have a lot of CDs with
the same label, there are companies that will press your CDs and print them
up with the four color graphics that you provide. I would have one if there
was any room left in my basement.