Yamaha and Fuji to combat Lightscribe with Labelflash

Well HP is about to have some stiff competition in the disc-etching category, as Yamaha and FujiFilm have teamed up to threaten barely-used Lightscribe's spot in our drive-bay. Labelflash, as the new tech is known, will do a full rendering on specially-designed discs in 5 minutes on the high-speed setting and 20 minutes in high picture quality mode. No word yet on when we'll begin seeing these incorporated into products.

[boe @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

For some reason that looks like a photoshop mock up. I'd love to see some real samples.

[Scott_D @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

I just bought a lightscribe drive, and while it takes a long time to burn a disc at the highest quality i rarely use it, and when i do, it is often for job that demands professionalism, so when i can put out a pro quality disc at home, i am very happy, and i am glad to see others entering this market, so hopefully the lightscribe media will come down in price.

[boe @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

For some reason that looks like a photoshop mock up. I'd love to see some real samples.

[benhc911 @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

for some reason i thought I had seen "labelfish" instead of flash... weird eh?

[modenadude @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

benhc911, I just noticed it saying flash literally 10 seconds ago, after reading your comment, insane....

[SloppyJoe @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

modenadude, holy crap me too, I was thinking snapfish, labelfish..... interesting, lol. Didn't realize it was flash instead of fish until i saw benhc911's comment. :)

[vasu @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

oooh, does this mean yamaha is getting back into the burner market? They used to make the most solid drives out there .. it'd be great to see their return, esp sporting Labelflash

[raindog @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

Or, as long as you're buying special media anyway, you could go for one of those $80 Epson printers that prints directly on CD's/DVD's.

In full color, at 600 dpi, with archival inks.

In a lot less than 5 minutes, much less 20.

[Synthaxx R-or @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

Labelflash? Not likely, more like LabelArduousCrawl .
Shouldn't it be possible just to take an external burner that ejects it's disc directly into a cd printer, or something.

Until then i'll just keep my cd pens closeby.

[benhc911 @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

I feel so important :)

[boe @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

Which printers print directly on CDs/DVDs?

[Giggles of Doom @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

*sigh* Of course the LightScribe disks probably won't work in LableFlash drives or vice versa. Yay! I love it when my media is locked into a single vender! I love paying an arm and a leg for blank disks!

[Moon @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

Disc-etching technology are nice, however nothing beats having disc in 'full color'.

Currently, the Epson Rxxx series printer can print directly to inkjet printable CDs/DVDs. However, if you want a better quality printer and one that doesn't constantly eat ink like the notorious Epson printers, I suggest you go with the Canon Pixma series.

Although, Canon has disabled the direct to CD/DVD printing function for the US/Canada models due to licensing issue, you can however easily activate it via 5 easy steps. Then after that, all that is needed next would be to either buy a CD tray or make one your own. Go here for more info: http://pixma.webpal.info/

Check out this forum for more info on Canon and Epson CD/DVD printing. It has a lot of helpful info and tips:
http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_forum.php?id=40

[Ed Chadez @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

Epson (for one) makes printers that print directly on (printable) CDs and DVDs. And the final products look really nice. AFAIK several vendors make printable CD/DVD media.

I have a Yamaha DiscT@2 drive and I have used the etching feature occasionally with mediocre results. The problem with DiscT@2 was that not only did it eat into your recordable space, but I could never get the contrast just right.

(Despite the apparent convenience I'll take full color CDs/DVDs over laser etching.)

[rainman @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

while printing with my Epson direcly to my CD/DVD s is great, the ink that goes on the disks create and invalance (weight) that makes it difficult for the laser to read the data and the ink melt with the heat created by the laser goes all over your player or disk drive, using my LightScribe drive it takes longer but looks better more professional, no invalances and no ink to melt or smudge, and it rocks when my peeps ask me about it, and specialy when i brag that i have one in my Laptop and PC..... hopefully they come out with a color lightscribe soon

[Beyond @ Dec 19th 2005 2:37AM]

"the ink that goes on the disks create and invalance (weight) that makes it difficult for the laser to read the data and the ink melt with the heat created by the laser goes all over your player or disk drive"

Huh? This is the first time I heard of this problem for Epson CD/DVD printing. Although, I admit that I do not use Epson printers and used the Canon Pixma instead. And the Epson and Canon does use different 'printing' technology. But I can attest that I have absolutely no problems with playing my printed inkjet printable CDs/DVDs after it�s printed with the Canon Pixma. Course, have to wait till the ink on the disc dried first before putting it in the player.

[Bags Bunny @ Dec 25th 2005 7:35PM]

how much is labelflash cd-r and dvd-r? i'm from poland and there are no discs yet. only burners. i've read that the labeflash disc will be cheaper than lightscribe disc but i haven't informations abour costs. thanks in advance.