Need decent printer for jewel box inserts
- Thread starter Arranger
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Buffalo Bob
New member
My experience with HP printers (excepting B/W lasers) is that they are junk. Look into the Canon Photo printers. More important than the actual printer, though, make sure it will use archival ink and paper. Otherwise, the print will fade and/or change color when exposed to light. Prepare for ink and paper shock. The archival ink is very expensive, as is glossy photo paper.
Might be more cost-effective to have some printed at a regular print shop. They can print from your computer file, and you can fit 2 or 3 CD labels on one sheet.
Hope this helps.
Bob
Might be more cost-effective to have some printed at a regular print shop. They can print from your computer file, and you can fit 2 or 3 CD labels on one sheet.
Hope this helps.
Bob
zer0sig
headpiece full of straw
bob, what hp printers have you used? sadly, they're not built like they used to be, but if you buy the cheapest thing you see at office depot, you're bound to suffer, regardless of the name on them (and that is coming from a former hp repairman with lots of crappy printers under his belt that happened to typically be the same models).
in my experience, hp printer software is a little iffy on the whole, when it is a winprinter, but when an hp printer flakes out, it is usually repairable, whereas when canon/epson/lexmark inkjets flake out, you buy a new printer. this is less the rule these days with the cheapo office depot deals, where most printers are disposable. just my 2 cents.
arranger, the hp photosmart printers look pretty crisp with expensive-ass photo paper, but if you want a quality glossy look, you're not going to spend much more having a professional printer print out nice copies of your designs. i would probably print my own cd insets, but i can get absurd deals in printer paper/cartridges/etc.
my #1 advice for printing with inkjets of any brand is DO NOT REFILL YOUR CARTRIDGES. go to a shop that has seen hundreds of printers with refilled exploded cartridges that gunk up the electronics/feed drive and you will see why.
in my experience, hp printer software is a little iffy on the whole, when it is a winprinter, but when an hp printer flakes out, it is usually repairable, whereas when canon/epson/lexmark inkjets flake out, you buy a new printer. this is less the rule these days with the cheapo office depot deals, where most printers are disposable. just my 2 cents.
arranger, the hp photosmart printers look pretty crisp with expensive-ass photo paper, but if you want a quality glossy look, you're not going to spend much more having a professional printer print out nice copies of your designs. i would probably print my own cd insets, but i can get absurd deals in printer paper/cartridges/etc.
my #1 advice for printing with inkjets of any brand is DO NOT REFILL YOUR CARTRIDGES. go to a shop that has seen hundreds of printers with refilled exploded cartridges that gunk up the electronics/feed drive and you will see why.
If you are going for more than a few demos I suggest you work up a good spreadsheet and take it to a print shop. If you need say 500 to 1000 a print shop can probably do it for less than you can buy the paper and ink, plus they will cut ot size and fold them for you. Some can even seal your finished product. Make a few phone calls before investing in a new printer.
Arranger - I have been using a Canon S900 photo printer and have gotten good results. I think Canon has discontinued this printer but the S950 is out and is about $250. I did a run of 50 CDs for a friend of mine, this included a 4 panel insert, tray insert (behind CD) and labels. I was using general HP Matte paper and l though the results were better than most of the homemade stuff I've seen.
To zer0sig's point thse runs can tax the printer, not long after I finished printing out all of the artwork I had to have the printheads replaced. I would also recommend not using the refill kits, they make a mess and the quality of the ink is not that good. I have had some good luck with generic ink manufactures. I found this has saved me a lot of $$ on ink but finding a good manufacturer can be a hit or miss process.
Do any of you out there know where to get the light glossy paper that is used for commercial CD artwork?
Coz
To zer0sig's point thse runs can tax the printer, not long after I finished printing out all of the artwork I had to have the printheads replaced. I would also recommend not using the refill kits, they make a mess and the quality of the ink is not that good. I have had some good luck with generic ink manufactures. I found this has saved me a lot of $$ on ink but finding a good manufacturer can be a hit or miss process.
Do any of you out there know where to get the light glossy paper that is used for commercial CD artwork?
Coz
Slackmaster2K
Gone
HomeRecording.Comp Volume 1 was printed with a $99 HP 920C inkjet on HP Glossy Brochure Paper (which is double sided gloss BTW). Turned out ok.
Slackmaster 2000
Slackmaster 2000
I was an HP printer tech. The new HP printers are for the most part junk. If you can pick up a used 690-697 model, they are decent printers. I found a HP 697 at goodwill for 9 bucks and it works great. The cartridges are expensive though. about 60 bucks for a set. Im not HP friendly by the way. They screwed me bad. Sent my Job to Mexico.
It might not be a bad idea to go to Kinkos or similar printing service to have your inserts done. Photo paper and cartridges are very expensive reguardless of the printer you use.
Myx
PS Just say no to refilled ink.... I repaired many a printer that used it. What a mess. I had to beg my boss to scrap some printers they were so bad and send the damn customer a new one.........
It might not be a bad idea to go to Kinkos or similar printing service to have your inserts done. Photo paper and cartridges are very expensive reguardless of the printer you use.
Myx
PS Just say no to refilled ink.... I repaired many a printer that used it. What a mess. I had to beg my boss to scrap some printers they were so bad and send the damn customer a new one.........
Seriously, don't waste your money trying to print your own CD inserts! Homemade CDs look cheesy. Spend a couple hundred more and get your CDs professionally duplicated. You can have small runs produced, including a silk-screened CD face, a proper glossy insert, and a proper j-card panel in the back, shrink-wrapped, all for about $3.00 a CD. If you get 500 to 1000 units made, then you can get all this for around $2.00 a CD.
You'll spend less, you'll get more, and your product will be professional. Just look up "CD duplication" for your area, and you'll find something.
You'll spend less, you'll get more, and your product will be professional. Just look up "CD duplication" for your area, and you'll find something.
zer0sig
headpiece full of straw
Myx62,
i agree that the newer desjkets are pretty shoddily built compared to the old ones-but so are most inkjets these days
i was cz certified back when inkjets didn't have to go to corvallis to be worked on (deskjet, desket 500/550 500c/550c)-nice and simple, and you could get parts. i th 697 one of the ones that actually uses a standard computer power cable? i dug those ones out of the newer models. haven't cracked open a photosmart yet.
arranger,
since you don't have a printer, there's no way i can say that i consider it a good idea to print your own labels. for the price of a printer, you can get a large batch of inlays printed up, and KNOW they will look good. if you already had a printer, it would be worth experimenting with, in my opinion, but i wouldn't buy one just to print out labels that you might be disappointed by, though photosmarts on expensive paper don't look half bad.
i agree that the newer desjkets are pretty shoddily built compared to the old ones-but so are most inkjets these days
i was cz certified back when inkjets didn't have to go to corvallis to be worked on (deskjet, desket 500/550 500c/550c)-nice and simple, and you could get parts. i th 697 one of the ones that actually uses a standard computer power cable? i dug those ones out of the newer models. haven't cracked open a photosmart yet.arranger,
since you don't have a printer, there's no way i can say that i consider it a good idea to print your own labels. for the price of a printer, you can get a large batch of inlays printed up, and KNOW they will look good. if you already had a printer, it would be worth experimenting with, in my opinion, but i wouldn't buy one just to print out labels that you might be disappointed by, though photosmarts on expensive paper don't look half bad.
Zerosig,
The 697 use's the same power supply as all DJ 4's. (all 600 series) Its the DJ 5's that use a standard power cord. (The 820,850 and 890's.)
I picked up 2 820's at goodwill for 20 bucks each and both worked fine. I just had to clean them good and replace the ink. Ive had to do a lot of maintenance on the 820's so I dont recommend them, but the 660-697's take very little maintenance. I have plenty of extra power supplies Ive picked up from goodwill.
Myx
The 697 use's the same power supply as all DJ 4's. (all 600 series) Its the DJ 5's that use a standard power cord. (The 820,850 and 890's.)
I picked up 2 820's at goodwill for 20 bucks each and both worked fine. I just had to clean them good and replace the ink. Ive had to do a lot of maintenance on the 820's so I dont recommend them, but the 660-697's take very little maintenance. I have plenty of extra power supplies Ive picked up from goodwill.
Myx