| |
 |
CD Recording FAQ
4. CD-R media
4.9. Writing/printing/labelling cdr media
Often people feel the need to personalize their cds, or give them a more professional look. However, due to the nature of cdr media, several precautions are needed.
First of all, any alteration of cd surface lowers its life span and can be dangerous for the critical coating of its upper surface. Though manufacturers offer materials friendly towards cdr media, these materials (glues and inks) may still cause corrosion.
When writing on cdr media, you must use a water based soft tip pen. Some media use a coating which makes writing on them easier and safer.
If you wish a very professional look, there are printers able to print on cdr media. Since these printers are very specialized, they are also pretty expensive. You must also use printable media, which use a coating made for printing on it. The largest cdr media manufacturers offer a printable version of their products.
A more affordable way is to to use labels. Labels made for cdr media use glues and chemicals which will not destroy cds, but trying to remove them may destroy the cd. There is plenty of software to design and print such labels, and many cd masterings suites offer extensive capabilities regarding labelling. Alternatively, you can use templates for graphics drawing programs like Corel Draw and Adobe Illustrator.
To make labelling even easier, manufacturers of cd labels have made programs to design labels and print on them with minimal fuss, without having to worry about printing margins. Sticking a label on a cd can be tricky since you have to put the label on the right place without leaving bubbles under the surface. For this purpose, labelling kits which allow you to do this with the aid of a simple mechanism come at very affordable prices.