discmakers artwork templates

[Daveg62]

For the life of me I can't understand why you can only upload pdf files for their artwork templates. I just did my first project and used them. The cd's were delivered today and they look terrible!! Converting the photoshop artwork to pdf pretty much killed all the colors and the smaller text on the back cover is so blurry you can't even read it right. I tried every possible way to covert my files to pdf and they just loose quality no matter what. I know one thing I'll never, ever use them again! I'm not sure what to do, I just got them today and since this was only a short run, 100pc, I don't think they will help me at all so I guess I'll just eat the cost on these and order someplace else....I'm pretty pissed right now

[Michael O'Regan]

The company I recently used here in the UK used Photoshop format all the way through the process with excellent results.

I'm not sure why you had to convert to pdf for them???

Am I missing something? Which company did you use there?

[Daveg62]

The company is discmakers.com. They are telling me that I uploaded low resolution files @ 72dpi not 300dpi. That is simply not true! I have these files on my pc and they definately high resolution. When you go through the ordering process there is a $20 option to have them proof the files before they do the order. I didn't think I needed that since I was sure I did everything correctly and didn't have any problems using the templates and staying in the guides etc. So the problem really wasn't the pdf files, it was that they converted them to low resolution on their end.
So the bottom line is if you don't pay them the extra $20 they will purposely screw up your project and there's nothing you can do about it. I can't prove that these are the same files I uploaded even though I know they are. I'm sure they can say they aren't. I've contacted them and wanted to know if I have any options on re-doing the artwork and they are ignoring me.
I would recommend staying away from this company, customer service is not what they are interested in.
I'm going to use a different company and re-order..... live and learn.
I'm looking at diskfaktory.com right now. I'll definitely be calling them first this time.

[Seafroggys]

I'm doing Disc makers right now. I was told that you CAN'T use PDF formats. I got a 30 day demo of Illustrator and used that, sent them the .ai files with appropriate pictures. They e-mailed me the proofs and it looked fine, and I didn't have to pay any money.

[Daveg62]

Originally Posted by Seafroggys

I'm doing Disc makers right now. I was told that you CAN'T use PDF formats. I got a 30 day demo of Illustrator and used that, sent them the .ai files with appropriate pictures. They e-mailed me the proofs and it looked fine, and I didn't have to pay any money.

I'm sure you are correct. My project was a short run (100 pcs.) They handle these totally different. You have the option to use the online design program where you upload your artwork and then they want you to pay extra to proof them. You can only upload pdf's. This is what I'm referring to. Don't know why, but they want you to use pdf files for this. Not really a problem if they would use them as you upload them, but apparently the system has it's flaws as I found out. I'm sure they don't make a lot of money off these short run projects so that's probably why they give you little customer service and handle them differently. I think it's just really bad that they purposely convert the files to low resolution.

[Mindset]

On shortruns the screens are different than full productions. They do just like how Fedex/Kinkos prints for shortruns, straight inkjet not screen prints. And I know Fedex/Kinkos uses strickly PDF, because of their program. I'm about 99.9% sure that diskmakers do something similar.

[dintymoore]

I used discmakers for a CD and used the templates they supplied for Illustrator.

When the CD's arrived the layout was sloppy - there was a big line down the side that was supposed to be on the inside... hard to explain but in the end it sure seems like their templates were incorrect.

After a huge hassle I got them to redo them - it was an utterly horrible experience. Talk about pulling teeth.

What bothered me most was that they never would look at what I was trying to tell them about their templates, and they didn't seem to give a shit about doing the job right.

So they are out with me.

[miroslav]

Has anyone ever used Oasis CD Manufacturing?

http://www.oasiscd.com/

I’m close to getting some duplication done, so I’m wondering if they are a better alternative to Discmakers…?


miroslav

[dintymoore]

Here's the problem that resulted in my complete redo with Discmakers:

see how the spline window goes to where the red line is here:


well that results in this:


the right side of the spline window on the template, it seems, should instead go to where the green line is.

How this ended up looking with the front cover in place was that on the left where the black spline was, there was a 1/8"+ wide vertical space containing the inside tray pic that showed through and looked very unprofessional.

I wanted the whole spline window to be black, and the templates I supplied were like that, and I blew them up to make sure the black pixels covered the line.

It really messed with the overall look and they kept on saying "it doesn't look that bad"... but to me, with their prices there shouldn't be anything that actually looks bad.

I would have appreciated it if they'd seemed to care, but I'm sure they never followed up on it and would expect they are still providing the same (to me incorrect) templates.

I'm sure they just wrote me off as one of those customers you can't please.

[Mindset]

Originally Posted by miroslav

Has anyone ever used Oasis CD Manufacturing?

http://www.oasiscd.com/

I’m close to getting some duplication done, so I’m wondering if they are a better alternative to Discmakers…?


miroslav

I've used oasis quite a few times. Personally I like the quality, and all the amenities they include in their replications. I don't do duplication through any one company as I have a thermal cd printer, burner towers, and slim cd cases. Only thing I out source on duplication is the booklet and trey card (if needed).
Sometimes Oasis will throw in 100 free posters along with an order. I would believe their duplication process is just as great as their replication.

[Seafroggys]

We'll see how my order comes out. It ships next week.

If its bad, I'm gonna try Oasis or Dungeon (which is local) but they're both a good $150-200 more than Discmakers.

[dintymoore]

I should mention that although they were a stressfest to deal with, in the end, I was able to get them to pay for the shipping both ways and redo the whole order, and the final product was good.

There were no issues with the sound or anything else.

So in the end I did get it done right.

[dintymoore]

I should mention that although they were a stressfest to deal with, in the end, I was able to get them to pay for the shipping both ways and redo the whole order, and the final product was good.

There were no issues with the sound or anything else.

So in the end I did get it done right... wouldn't use them again... but it got done.

[Seafroggys]

Just got my run of 1000 CD's in. The artwork was all fine. The text on the two spines was slightly off, but that may have been an error on my part.

[Daveg62]

Originally Posted by Seafroggys

Just got my run of 1000 CD's in. The artwork was all fine. The text on the two spines was slightly off, but that may have been an error on my part.

Good to hear your's came out ok