Printable Discs

**Si Hunt** · 9th Oct 2011, 5:22 PM

We got some DVD-R's and happened to notice that you could print on them. Useful, even if we haven't really worked out how to do this yet. However, if you try and write on them conventionally, the pen scratches off a thin "outer surface" on the disc and it doesn't work.

Can you not write on printable discs? If you leave them unprinted on, will they be ok? As long as you don't write on them, presumably.

Si.

**Richard Brinck-Johnsen** · 9th Oct 2011, 6:59 PM

What make are they?

**Stephen Morgan** · 11th Oct 2011, 7:27 PM

I've been using printable discs for about eight years. There are loads on the market and they're all much of a muchness really, as for burning they'll have to be compatible with your PC, much as I've found lately as I was using Datawrite discs which suddenly failed me. I tend now to stick to Verbatim printables for my PC.
Don't write on them though, it won't last as the inks used in laser printers are a different "consistency"?? to that in disc markers, and as you've found, will damage the disc surface.
My printer, an Epson, which I had specifically for printing on discs has just given up the ghost, it's done a lot of work for me over its time, it's even done some of the PS audios, those of you who subscibe to those can see just what kind of quality you can get from them.
It's funny that this post has just come up as I have literally just finished installing a new printer, I have yet to try it out, but as it's another Epson (Epson Stylus Photo PX720WD) I'll know what kind of quality to expect from it.

Oh! and Si, yes, discs are ok if you leave them "unprinted"

**Si Hunt** · 15th Oct 2011, 10:08 AM

Sorry not to reply sooner Richard, they are Datawrite. I chose these simply because that was the make of the last lot I got many moons again. Like Stephen, I bought an abortive batch first which didn't work, then noticed I'd bought 16x speed. So I tried 8x speed and these seem okay.

It really is overly complicated though. I've worked in computing for 12 years and even I struggled to get the right type, only buying every year or so, before settling on CD-R 8 speed Writable. God knows how the computer illiterate person is supposed to cope.

Si.