Question__Lightscribe

[redvette]

Hi Gang

Any opinions out there about the light scribe units out there.? Tell me anything you care to, about them, good, bad, indifferent. I have been looking at them, and a lot of questions have come up in my little pea brain about them, so thought I would get opinions on them rather then ask questions. Either Internal or External, cheapo's or the expensive ones.

You people on here have never let me down, and I don't expect you too on this, so let me have it both barrels. Tell me really what you think of them. I know the special discs you have to use have come down in price some, and the cost of the units have too. Have they come down in price because they are not selling, or other reasons.? My personal thoughts are they have not caught on like they thought they would and are reducing the prices to help stir up more business.

I regard all your opinions very highly, and I don't know of a better place to find this information then here. I know you all will be right on, and will not give me the Bologna that some salesman might give me. So are they a buy or a no buy, do they do a good job, and do they hold up well. And do you think they will be here for the duration. And do you think they even rate a consideration.?

Thanks and take care...........Gunny

[minsonngo]

LightScribe is a good little feature to have. Of course it isn't as good as factory pressed CDs and DVDs but it is a neat technology to play around with if you have the time and patience.

The prices have come down because that is just what happens in the technology industry. Remember when 2x CD writers used to cost over a hundred bucks?

Lite-On makes pretty good DVD writers for around 30 bucks with the LightScribe technology included.

A couple of my systems at home have DVD writers with LightScribe but I find that I still prefer the good old Sharpie marker to label my disks.

I think LightScribe will just be a included feature in DVD writers for now until it is replaced by a better labeling technology.

[glc]

Lightscribe works well, but it IS slow and it's only monochrome.

[Iniamyen]

Until the compatible media costs the same as normal media, I would have no incentive whatsoever to use it. Maybe for business/professional applications but not my own personal use. You can make stick-on labels that look better, and have color.

[redvette]

Hi

Well thank you all. In just these few replies it seems to have summed it up pretty good. My thoughts were some what running along with what you all have said. Nice gadget, but not really a great gadget. I am going to be replacing on of my DVD burners any way and thought of this idea of the light scribe. If I am reading between the lines a little here, I get the impression that it would be a better idea to get a straight good burner/player, and not fool with the light scribe issue. I have a older Sony 710a that is having some issues, and I am thinking of replacing it.

Speaking of issues, has any one heard of a burner having temp problems, as soon as it gets a little warm in the house the Sony will not read, burn, play, etc. And by warm I mean just that not hot. But it seems to work just fine, if I use it first thing I turn my computer on in the morning. The little temp indicator built into my computer, says like 82 degrees. But my Pioneer just keeps right on working no matter how hot or cold it gets. Just curious.

Thanks.............Gunny

[redvette]

Yes that is one thing to consider too is the cost of the discs, good point. Well so far it seems to be the not buy group that is ahead.

And GLC i take by your comment is meaning that it just does it in black and white, no colors, good point there too. I do love colors, like black and white movies though.

Thanks..........Gunny

[minsonngo]

It would be okay to get a DVD writer with the LightScribe technology. It doesn't cost much more and it will be there if you ever need to use it.

Here is a good one to consider:

LITE-ON 16X DVD±R DVD Burner W/ LightScribe and 5X DVD-RAM Write Black ATAPI/E-IDE Model SHM-165H6S - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827106019
$31.99

[Iniamyen]

Yeah the best option would probably be to get one with the feature as long as it doesn't add to the price of the drive very much. As far as actually using the feature, you may wait awhile and end up using it when it becomes practical.

[glc]

I do not recommend stick-on labels. It's being proven now that they drastically reduce the life of the media. The slickest way to label CD's now is with an inkjet printer that has the ability, along with printable blank media.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16828103180

[redvette]

GLC>>>>>>Ya I know I have an older Epson R200, that does a great job, both the reg printing the the CD/DVD disc printing. And the only reason I even considered the light scribe is because I am going to replace the Sony, and thought this would be a neat thing to get.

But to just go out and get it for no other good reason I would not have considered it. I am hanging on the edge now, I might and I might not. That is a good price for the Lite-On unit and the printer both. makes making up your mind harder. ha ha ha ha. I am glad to see they are still making the printers like that, shows they might be around for awhile.

Thanks.................Gunny

[minsonngo]

Ink can be quite expensive in the long run too.

[redvette]

Glad you mentioned that, the ink. Yes it does use up the ink when you do several covers. And the ink is not cheap. But now I am going to say some thing and I know you all are going to come down on me like a ton of bricks. If you get the 6 ink cartridges from Epson, or the Epson brand you are going to pay some where around $60/$80 bucks. I did this the first time I replaced them. But and here is the but, the next time I did I went on Ebay and I found this seller that had the generic brand for a set of 6 for $25 with shipping.

Ok Ok I know what you are going to say, you are just asking for trouble, and it is going to ruin your printer, and I agree with you, but I am on my 3rd set of these and the printer is humming right along just fine. Are the colors as true no, but I am not going to pick the fly s*** out of the peeper either. The difference is really not noticeable, maybe a little with the reds and oranges, but the blacks are black, and so on. Now you tell me.

If my sister seen me saying this she would beat me to death, cause she went against my sermon on buying the cheapo cartridges, and she ruined her printer. It was an old Cannon and did more noise making then any thing else, not very good from the start. This was against my preaching too, buying the Cannon. They do have some good stuff but printers are not one of them.

So come on let me hear it, just don't use any profanity, they will kick you off hear for that.

Thanks...........Gunny

[redvette]

Was you referring to the ink, in relation to the light scribe not using any ink.? Making one vote for the light scribe.

Thanks............Gunny

[minsonngo]

Yes that was what I was referring to.

[redvette]

You are right, that ink is expensive, but what can't you do that does not cost some thing, is the way I look at it. If you want some fun you have to pay, is another way to look at it. Even the computer costs you money, every time you turn around you are adding some thing or getting some better faster. That is why I named my computer "Moneyhole". There is nothing in this world that if you are going to do some thing that gives you pleasure/fun/pastime, that is not going to cost you.

Every time I build a new computer, I think there that will do for awhile. But before I know it I am thinking of doing this to it, or adding some thing, make it faster/better, more power. That is what Tim Allen use to say, more power. I do understand what you are saying though.

Take care...........Gunny

[minsonngo]

Yeah, computers and technology can burn a hole in your pocket pretty quickly.

Just gotta learn to be satisfied with what you have so you don't feel the urge to upgrade I guess.

[redvette]

Yes that probably would work if they did not keep coming out with newer and better and faster stuff. ha ha ha But then what would we do, get bored and have to spend our money on some thing else, possibly more expensive. Beside I get a kick out of the computer especially since I have built a few, and know a little more about them. And what would I do if I did not run across these problems, and bother all the guys here on PCmech. Then what would they do if they did not have me bothering them with my problems.

So you see this incorporates a lot of issues here, that says we cannot stop buying and building better mouse traps/computers.

Take care>>>>>>>>>>Gunny

[glc]

The way I look at it, if all you use the printer for is printing on CD's, it can't use ink THAT fast. I can relate to Epsons sucking ink - I have a C86 here. If you are gonna buy a new burner anyway, might as well get the Lightscribe just to have it, heck, it's only 2 bucks more than the regular drive.

[redvette]

Yes you have a point there, providing everything is equal, and the only difference would be the light scribe capabilities. I would have thought it would be more expensive to add the light scribe to it then that difference. I guess though if you look at it they have had these capabilities for some time now it is not brand brand new.

They have dropped the prices on them a lot, and even the discs. Makes you wonder, because they are not selling, or they are selling a lot, and they make the profit on quantities not on each unit.

Yes I use the Epson for almost just the CD/DVD's, have the HP for all the rest, so I do not go through the ink too fast.

Thanks and take care...........Gunny