LightScribe Technology

[Christina]

Tired of figuring out how to neatly and efficiently label your CDs and DVDs? Hewlett-Packard has come up with a simple solution: Use the same laser that burned the data to make the label for the other side of the disc.

A technology called LightScribe enables drives to burn a silk-screen-like, high-contrast label on the topside of CD or DVD media with a LightScribe dye coating. After completing a data burn, users are prompted to flip the disc over so they can burn a label onto it.

The first LightScribe-enabled drives and media are expected to be on the market in about six months. A number of manufacturers have already licensed the technology to integrate into their DVD drives, media, and software. Among them are Hitachi-LG, Toshiba, Mitsubishi, MicroVision, Moser Baer India, and Sonic Solutions. HP estimates that a drive that supports the new technology will cost as little as an additional $10, and a disc will cost about a dime more.

I think it's great.....

YET....I won't be buying a LightScribe drive anytime soon. Also, you'd have to get the DVD's that are compatible :x

Neat idea though. First saw the commercial from HP that they now offer the LightScribe drives with their desktops. I've never been too much of an HP fan...but they're stepping up it seems in inventing.

Would love to get it but I have 3 DVD burners...and a ton of DVD-R's, DVD+R's and DVD+RW's to last me another 6 months or so.....

Any thoughts on this? Anyone have one? Thinking of getting one? I'd like to see just how accurate it can scribe a design on the discs, I think it's just too cool! :)

http://www.lightscribe.com/
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,114211,00.asp

[Corey Bryant]

It does sound interesting. It would be kind of neat to see that take off. But as you already have and I am sure others do as well - an overstock of CDs and DVDs

[Tjobbe]

I wonder how long it lasts for? it says the ink reacts with the laser, cant it jusr rub off?

[the_pm]

I've seen a software program that does something similar to this, only it can only etch a disk, not do the multi-color thing, and it can only use portions of the disk left unused near the edges. I suppose something like LightScribe was bound to appear sooner or later.

I may just have to check it out :)

[rosschapman]

I saw a printing press at MacExpo04 in London, but that was industry standard, huge thing!

I too question the cost of inks. Imagine if you had a leak! Arghh! :-(

[Christina]

I don't think it uses ink. The material on the DVD is what reacts to the light and allows the images to be "burned" if you will onto the disc. The special light hits the surface causing the disc to turn into the desired colors etc...so no, it won't rub off!

[Tjobbe]

SEE: http://www.lightscribe.com/howlightscribeworks.aspx

LIKE TO KNOW MORE?

Your LightScribe-enabled CD/DVD disc drive contains a special laser that pumps light energy into a thin dye coating on the label side of the disc. The light from the laser causes a chemical change in the dye coating that shows up as a visible point on the disc. With laser precision, LightScribe delivers closely controlled light energy to multiple points on the disc as it spins in the drive. The result is a high-resolution reproduction of the artwork, text, or photos you composed in the software application. Seeing is believing!

ah so they use a dye. I bet its not permanent!

[Christina]

Well, if they are putting a laser onto it...that causes a chemical change....I'd hope it'd be permanent! :lol: It would be like the music cd or dvd artwort you see already lasered onto the disc.....

SEE: http://www.lightscribe.com/howlightscribeworks.aspx

LIKE TO KNOW MORE?

Your LightScribe-enabled CD/DVD disc drive contains a special laser that pumps light energy into a thin dye coating on the label side of the disc. The light from the laser causes a chemical change in the dye coating that shows up as a visible point on the disc. With laser precision, LightScribe delivers closely controlled light energy to multiple points on the disc as it spins in the drive. The result is a high-resolution reproduction of the artwork, text, or photos you composed in the software application. Seeing is believing!

ah so they use a dye. I bet its not permanent!