What will be the Future of Lightscribe ? will it continue to be around ? will the media get LS media get cheaper ?

I think this thread fits better here, so I moved it

oops sorry for trouble

thnx mate

LS media prices don't seem to be coming down much at all. IMHO, until LS media is equal or even cheaper than inkjet printable, it doesn't have much of a future.

Add to that the simple fact that LS labels don't really look all that good in comparison to printables, and the future is even less certain. And then there's the issue of fading labels. Still, the LS burners are more and more available and don't cost any more than the others, so there's no reason not to get one.

I use LS media quite often and have not noticed any fading yet but it is early

Verbatim has color LS media coming out so keep your eyes open for a review

but media is till expensive Normal Printing Seems Cheaper

I also use Lightscribe since I do not have a CD/DVD capable printer. I also do not have a fading problem with my lightscribe media.

Maybe this effect only apperar if the media is in direct sullight. But in this case the data are also fading... and most inks also.

The only negative point is that there are not a lot very good lightscribe media out. I use only the Verbatim media. I guess this is the best choice of the available lightscribe media.

Unfortunately there are no TYs (CD+DVD) out with Lightscribe surface

Even when you factor in the cost of a printer and inks?

i guess so mate,printers can be used for normal office purpose as well but not ur LS media

Decent LS media costs 2-3x as much as top quality printable media. Do the math. It only takes a few spindles to pay for a printer.

I come to this discussion having spent a couple years doing inkjet printing on discs. To me, LS discs look crappy and I wouldn't use them even if they were cheap. Strictly a novelty.

I guess it depends on the media u want to use. For example the TY DVD media with glossy inkjet surface are around 45EUR for 50 pieces plus ink it is nearly the same in comparsion with an Verbatim Lightscribe DVD media.

Nobody has even mentioned how slow LS is. I originally purchased an LS burner for the office, then one day I had to do a print run of 100 discs. Heh. At 30+ plus per disc, I ran out and bought ANOTHER LS burner. I had 2 burners going all day and all night. Come morning I still had a long way to go. I ran out and bought an Epson R220 for $100 and some printable CDs. I was done with 100 by lunch and there was no comparison as far as appearance went between LS and printable CD.

My two LS burners are sitting in a storage closet and will never see the light of day again.

Slow as Hell.........they sure are; however, I am a user of both formats (inkjet & lightscribe) though because I like the effect that a lightscribe label can produce with certain label graphic types. For instance when reproducing a premanufactured music/movie disc label that originally had shiny, silvered or metallic graphics, the resulting lightscribe label produces IMHO a pleasing effect........closer to the graphics of the original label. That being said though,...........if I had to choose only one method, I would go with inkjet printable, but I prefer having both options open depending on the graphics of the label.

As far as costs go for me..........I think after shipping and all.........I ended up paying between 55 & 65 cents per disc for both HP & Verbatim brand 8X Lightscribes and the same goes for Verbatim 16X Datalife+ inkjet hub printable. I just shop around for the best prices. Speaking to the longevity of the technology, I certainly hope that they are still available for years to come...........if they get cheaper..........better yet!

I will say the main issue & concern I am having so far is that the lightscribe labels will fade to some degree over time (how much who knows). My oldest one is like a 1-1/2 years old and it faded like Hell in certain areas while in other areas it hardly faded at all. However, I think this may be due to exposing it to a jewel case insert which still had semi-wet ink drying on it. According to the Lightscribe website, this can cause a reaction with the disc surface:

LightScribe Label Discolors with Inkjet Printed Inserts
Date logged: May, 2007
Known Affected Platform: ALL
Symptom: LightScribe labels have been found to discolor when exposed to certain freshly printed inkjet paper inserts.
Cause: Some components in certain inkjet inks from still "wet" paper prints may react with the LightScribe chemistry causing the labels to fade or discolor. Specifically, Epson color inks have been shown to cause this.
Recommended Resolution: Make sure that any printed inserts are fully dry before putting in the disc storage case or envelopes. Please consult with your inkjet product manufacturer for recommended dry times before storage.

Also a known issue with PVC plastics & polymers along with other household chemicals:

LightScribe Label Fades when Stored in PVC Sleeves
Date logged: NA
Known Affected Platform: ALL
Symptom: LightScribe labels fade in a short period of time with a visible white powder coating.
Cause: The LightScribe label chemistry may react with some common materials. Among them is PVC commonly used in storage sleeves of CD/DVD binders and wallets. The other chemicals to keep away from your LightScribe discs are Vitamin E, Polyethylene Glycol (PEG), and alcohols. The last items are common in many hand lotions and hair care products.
Recommended Resolution: Do not store your LightScribe discs in PVC sleeves. You can easily tell PVC by its strong "Plastic" smell. Store your LightScribe discs in Polypropylene, Mylar, or Tyvek sleeves. These do not have any obvious odors. Also, keep your LightScribe discs away from hand lotions and hair care products. We recommend storing your LightScribe discs either in the original storage spindles or in individual jewel cases. Also avoid excessive heat (as seen inside cars in summer time) and direct sunlight to maintain the label and data side integrity of the LightScribe discs.


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