Lightscribe

Tommy Boy · 01-12-2008, 06:23 PM

Okay, the lightscribe dvd-rw drive on my laptop isn't my first lightscribe drive, I have one on my desktop as well but only used it once.

I wanted to try out the lightscribe and I had some discs from my previous go round. I opened up the dvd software that came with the laptop and went to the label creating part and chose lightscribe. I chose a layout and a background image that I liked and entered some text I just copied from a cd that I have. I made it look the way I wanted it and then proceeded to print. I set it on best quality then hit the print button.

Now, the first thing you'll notice is the timer....15 mins to label a cd! Thats a little bit outrageous, but I guess thats how long it takes. Well I waited the 15 mins while it printed (doing some other things around my desk, farting around basically....) then when it was done it popped out and I looked at it.....

I could barely read it! You could barely even see the image that was being printed on the disc that took 15 mins to print! I was reading a while back about lightscribe and other people had noted that you have to print it 2-3 times for it to be readable and for you to be able to see the image well. So thats what I did, I put the cd back in the drive and hit the print button again.......15 mins later I pulled the disc out again and looked at it.....

What I found was a little more readable text, and you could see the background image, the darker parts of it were decent, but the lighter parts weren't hardly visible at all. It was nowhere near acceptable to me. You couldn't see it very well in low light, I had to go over to my reading light and stick it under it and look at the disc.

30 minutes and the disc label was still unacceptable, it could have been printed a 3rd time. I just wonder how much better it would have been, I didn't bother to waste another 15 mins printing again.

Rating: 3/10
I gave it 3 points because I think it's a good idea and it has potential, it just needs some work. For the time it takes to print (30-45+ mins) and the time you spend editing the layout of the label, it's not worth it when you see the end result.

Final thought:
If you're in the market for a new cd/dvd drive, don't factor lightscribe into your decision, focus on specs like speeds, DL support and interface (ide/sata). Don't waste your time with lightscribe until they put some more work into it. I'm perfectly content using my good ol' sharpie to label my cd's/dvd's for now.

troy · 01-12-2008, 06:32 PM

I always wondered if lightscribe was any good. My laptop doesn't have a lightscribe drive, but I guess that's a good thing based on this review

Also I've heard the discs are expensive too. 30 minutes to label a CD is ridiculous, the technology is neat and this kind of thing is cool if you're into it but I can't see waiting that long for a disc to label. I had no idea it took that long to label though, I guess it's good I don't have one of those drives after all.

borat_sagdiyev · 01-12-2008, 07:15 PM

they should make it support color

worshipme · 01-12-2008, 07:26 PM

Does your desktop drive work any better?

Tommy Boy · 01-12-2008, 07:34 PM

No, my other drive didn't work any better. The only thing is with that one I only ran the disc once and said forget it.

hascet · 01-12-2008, 07:39 PM

I have it in my desktop drive, but I've never tried it because I don't have the discs...

Rudster816 · 01-12-2008, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by borat_sagdiyev

they should make it support color

how are you supposed to do that? if they could think of a good way, they would

Atomic Rooster · 01-12-2008, 07:48 PM

Are you using good, quality litescribe CDs?

Also what setting are you using for the printing? Best, Normal, or Draft?

Tommy Boy · 01-12-2008, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atomic Rooster

Are you using good, quality litescribe CDs?

Also what setting are you using for the printing? Best, Normal, or Draft?

The discs are Verbatim 16x dvd+r discs, which I'm assuming are good quality.

And I stated in the original post that I put it on best quality.

McTrAyN · 01-13-2008, 04:16 AM

Thanks for this review. Rep given.

My Compaq laptop came with it, but I have yet to try it out.

01-12-2008, 06:23 PM	#1
Tommy Boy Golden Master Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: USA Posts: 8,441	Lightscribe Okay, the lightscribe dvd-rw drive on my laptop isn't my first lightscribe drive, I have one on my desktop as well but only used it once. I wanted to try out the lightscribe and I had some discs from my previous go round. I opened up the dvd software that came with the laptop and went to the label creating part and chose lightscribe. I chose a layout and a background image that I liked and entered some text I just copied from a cd that I have. I made it look the way I wanted it and then proceeded to print. I set it on best quality then hit the print button. Now, the first thing you'll notice is the timer....15 mins to label a cd! Thats a little bit outrageous, but I guess thats how long it takes. Well I waited the 15 mins while it printed (doing some other things around my desk, farting around basically....) then when it was done it popped out and I looked at it..... I could barely read it! You could barely even see the image that was being printed on the disc that took 15 mins to print! I was reading a while back about lightscribe and other people had noted that you have to print it 2-3 times for it to be readable and for you to be able to see the image well. So thats what I did, I put the cd back in the drive and hit the print button again.......15 mins later I pulled the disc out again and looked at it..... What I found was a little more readable text, and you could see the background image, the darker parts of it were decent, but the lighter parts weren't hardly visible at all. It was nowhere near acceptable to me. You couldn't see it very well in low light, I had to go over to my reading light and stick it under it and look at the disc. 30 minutes and the disc label was still unacceptable, it could have been printed a 3rd time. I just wonder how much better it would have been, I didn't bother to waste another 15 mins printing again. Rating: 3/10 I gave it 3 points because I think it's a good idea and it has potential, it just needs some work. For the time it takes to print (30-45+ mins) and the time you spend editing the layout of the label, it's not worth it when you see the end result. Final thought: If you're in the market for a new cd/dvd drive, don't factor lightscribe into your decision, focus on specs like speeds, DL support and interface (ide/sata). Don't waste your time with lightscribe until they put some more work into it. I'm perfectly content using my good ol' sharpie to label my cd's/dvd's for now. __________________ I'm subscribed to 1puglife on the youtube tv.

01-12-2008, 06:32 PM	#2
troy Fully Optimized Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 2,410	Re: Lightscribe I always wondered if lightscribe was any good. My laptop doesn't have a lightscribe drive, but I guess that's a good thing based on this review Also I've heard the discs are expensive too. 30 minutes to label a CD is ridiculous, the technology is neat and this kind of thing is cool if you're into it but I can't see waiting that long for a disc to label. I had no idea it took that long to label though, I guess it's good I don't have one of those drives after all. __________________ Custom build desktop: Intel Core 2 Duo E4500, 2GB RAM, 160GB HDD, 250GB HDD, Windows XP Home Edition Laptop : HP Pavilion DV6604nr, 1.8GHZ AMD Athlon x2 TK-55, 2.5GB RAM, 160GB HDD, Vista Home Premium

01-12-2008, 07:15 PM	#3
borat_sagdiyev Golden Master Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 9,000	Re: Lightscribe they should make it support color __________________ Core 2 Duo e4500 2.2ghz @ 2.8ghz evga 650i ultra 2gb 400mhz ram OC'ed to 450 evga geforce 7600GT overclocked

01-12-2008, 07:26 PM	#4
worshipme Golden Master Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 5,606	Re: Lightscribe Does your desktop drive work any better? __________________ AMD Phenom II X4 955 BE @ 4.0GHz + TU120E lapped - MSI 770-CD45 AM3 - 2x2GB OCZ DDR3 1333MHz - Sapphire HD 4870 - Samsung Spinpoint 500GB 7200RPM 16MB cache HDD - Tagan TG600-BZ Piperock - (Currently open test bed) - Windows Vista Home Premium 64bit.

01-12-2008, 07:34 PM	#5
Tommy Boy Golden Master Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: USA Posts: 8,441	Re: Lightscribe No, my other drive didn't work any better. The only thing is with that one I only ran the disc once and said forget it. __________________ I'm subscribed to 1puglife on the youtube tv.

01-12-2008, 07:39 PM	#6
hascet Fully Optimized Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 3,225	Re: Lightscribe I have it in my desktop drive, but I've never tried it because I don't have the discs... __________________ www.crazycomputers.org

01-12-2008, 07:48 PM	#8
Atomic Rooster Omnipotent One Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: USA Posts: 11,165	Re: Lightscribe Are you using good, quality litescribe CDs? Also what setting are you using for the printing? Best, Normal, or Draft?

01-13-2008, 04:16 AM	#10
McTrAyN In Runtime Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 221	Re: Lightscribe Thanks for this review. Rep given. My Compaq laptop came with it, but I have yet to try it out. __________________ PC: 2.2Ghz AMD 64 X2 4600+ 2GB Corsair Ram 160GB WD Hard Drive "If your going to skate on thin ice, don't be surprised when you fall through!"

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