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| Posted by | Dennis |
| Posted on | 08/01/04 14:08 |
The TDK LPCW-100 label printer is shipped with TDK's own software. The installation of the software is very easy to do. Keep in mind that when you want to use the label printer with Mac OS X you will need to download the software from TDK Europe's website (free download). Once the software has been installed we can find a new icon on our desktop with which we can start the software. When starting the software we see the following screen which asks us if we're using the LPCW-100 in a horizontal or vertical position:
Since we're using the printer in a horizontal position we choose the first option and clicked on OK. Next we see another screen in which we can choose what kind of data we wish to print on the disc:
As you can see there are a number of different designs you can choose from. It doesn't make a lot of difference which one you choose because the printable area will always be the same. But, when you for instance choose music you get a different input screen where you can fill in the title, artist and tracks. When you, for instance, choose free design you get a design screen instead of a text input screen:
Text input
Free design
Just as the installation of the software, using the software is also very easy to do. There are 12 main buttons with which you can control the software. The two buttons on the left let you open the label printer's tray or start the print process. Next to the preview disc we have five buttons that can be used to start a new project, control the settings of the software, use the help function and start the software assistant. This assistant helps you with each step you take and this makes the software even easier to use.
The TDK label printer software has a good number of options. It can, for instance, import CD-Text from CD's when you're creating a music label or it can import data from Media Player Track Data or Easy CD Creator Project List. When you're creating a data label the software can import file names and folder names. Last but not least the TDK software offers several printing patterns you can choose from.
Keep in mind though that the size of the printing area cannot be changed. For example, if you choose for curved text you will be able to put less text in the printable area:
Now let's take a look at how the TDK LPCW-100 label printer performs, let's print!
Package
You can print on any CD or DVD you want to but, as said in the review, it's best to use discs that have a smooth surface. Inkjet printers often (always?) need special discs which this TDK printer does not.
I'll stick with printing on nice shiny CDDVD labels...much better quality...
The only difference is you have to turn the disk yourself.
LPCW-50: 150 dpi
LPCW-100: 300dpi
Soz for being an ' armchair critic ', but the review examples were particularly unadventurous! if you threshold an image in Photoshop and-or tweak the levels a bit, this is perfect to drop into the printer software and works a treat. I'll be back to this review with a URL for samples from my LPCW-50.
Also, I feel this complements a good sleeve.. some people don't want full coverage of a DVD or CD with an inkjet, simplicity sometimes suits a situation.
I'm working on rewinding the cartridge, but TDK have made this difficult.. a pity, as a blank space the size of the print area is left on the ribbon in between every used part of the cartridge, which, when you think about it, is madness, I'm working on an idea.. this will hopefully double the capacity of the cartridges, lowering the CD print-ratio for this rather clever machine.
[edited by mea_culpa on 17.02.2004 11:38]
I have several recorded DVD's I would like to label but don't want to corrupt the data.
Also you can print on HD-DVDs and Blu-Ray too!
In fact you can use it to print at any 120 mm disc that exists or it is going to exist at the future.
YOU SEND FOR ME? HOW MONY PAY?
THANKS.. Mike...
This message was edited at: 31-03-2008 02:11
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