Slightly OT: Labels on CD-Rs

[czeskleba]

This isn't really an audiophile question, but some discussion of CD burning has popped up here over time, so...

I've heard some people say that applying labels to CD-Rs, or labelling them with a felt-tip pen, is a bad thing, because supposedly the label's adhesive or the ink can eventually penetrate through the protective top of the CD and corrupt the data burned below. So I'm wondering... is this true, or an urban legend like the old green marker thing? Has anyone out there ever actually experienced having a CD-R go "bad" with the label being the apparent cause?

[Sckott]

I have actually had a few CDRs go bad because they were cheap, unbranded CDRs and because of a temprature change, the label pulled the dye coating gently out of wack.

But buy some Sharpies. Sharpie markers have not damaged ONE CDR...ever. Lots of colors too! On branded CDRs they're very cool. Buy lots of em. I must lose and re-find 4-5 black ones every day.

[PsychFan]

I used to use Neato labels, and they look really good. And I've never had them cause any problems over time (some of my Neato-labeled discs are approaching 5 years old, and they're still fine).

Now, because I'm lazier than I used to be, I just use Sharpies. They really are a burner's best friend.

[Jeffrey]

Hi,

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sckott:
[QB] Lots of colors too!


Yeaman, lotsa colors!!!


On branded CDRs they're very cool.

Hey Sckott,

Why r ya so high on branded CDRs? I've always gone for unbranded & sharpied the inner ring w/ name & dates then done all the detail on the jewel case. Tell me what ya know.

Let the Good Times Roll,
Jeffrey

[DanG]

The manual for my new 161040A PlexWriter notes, "We do not recommend placing self-sticking CD-R labels on the disc. The weight of the label may unbalance the disc and cause write errors during recording or read errors during reading."

They caution, "We recommend usng a non-toxic marker, such as a Sharpie® pen, that conform to the ASTM-4236 standard. Some permanent markers will damage the media. Also, do not press too hard when writing on the disc."

[Grant]

I use both Sharpies fine point markers and Neato labels. Never had a problem with either one on any brand/type of CD-R.

It may have been true at one point but I've never seen a problem.

BTW, always write on the outermost portion of the disc. The data is written from the center out.

[Jeffrey]

Hi,

Originally posted by Grant T.:
BTW, always write on the outermost portion of the disc. The data is written from the center out.

If the concern w/ labeling & writing is the balance of the disc, then wouldn't putting an uneven weight on the outermost portion of the disc be a larger concern than the innermost portion?

Just askin',
Jeffrey

[Grant]

I label a CD-R with Neato labels only after I burn it, never before. Using a Sharpie beforehand should make no difference.

I suggested writing on the outer protion of the disc *just* to be safe.

[PsychFan]

Originally posted by Grant T.:
I label a CD-R with Neato labels only after I burn it, never before.


Me too. Just always seemed like common sense to me to apply the label after burning ...

[Grant]

Yeah, but there are those who always like to label things beforehand, like with tapes.

[Sckott]

I have honestly and truthfully had my share of problem CDRs. Mostly, they're the unbranded cheap-ezz. You see, if the dye and sealed layer doesn't stick to the disc after use and storage, it falls apart like a bad tape... Except there's no baking Cds to make them "come alive" again, they just truely fall apart.

Branded, frosted ones in the meantime have a better sealed layer on the top, obviously, and have stood up a lot of tests, harder to scratch the top fragile layer. It USED to not be a problem, but some CDR unbranded types have stunk lately :(

I'm also a big believer of CDRS going to pot in a short time if you bought them cheep. I have some very old Ricoh, Imation and some green/gold stock CDRs from "back in the day" that I've thown away (old data CDs) that have stood up being in a cold, damp basement all naked and unboxed, ready to be thrown away. Some of them I saved from the trash and they're fine. I burned em 4 1/3 years ago, labeled em, ect. STILL ticking!

Ah, but the time I preserved some great music on some cheaper unbranded CDRs, especially the labeled ones I did, the dye just would not stand still. Some of them I've refrigerated, and they come back so I can copy em for a while, but play them a day or two later, and they're back to almost unreadable, even though they look fine.

I know some of you think I'm nuts but it's true. Branded, frosted CDRS seem to stand up a bit better.

[Jeffrey]

Hi,

Originally posted by Sckott:
I know some of you think I'm nuts but it's true. Branded, frosted CDRS seem to stand up a bit better.

Hey Sckott,
Would ya b worried about the non-cheapos like Mitsui & Taiyo? I've gotta lotta unbranded Mitsui's and was curious if ya consider them inferior to the branded Mitsui's?

Thanks,
Jeffrey

[Kym]

I've found that some CD players, especially car stereos, don't take too kindly to CD-Rs with labels, matte OR glossy. The player won't track songs further away from the center. I assume this is physically a balance issue, as the label may not be completely flat on the disc with air bubbles and whatnot causing an imbalance? (sorry, words escape me right now...)

Kym

[Sckott]

Kynm and Jeff, true. Ya know what I would do?? If you have a "hot" burn, something you wanna keep, make one copy on an unbranded and label it, but make a backup on a branded CDR like a White-Frosty Sony.

Mitsuis so far really hasn't changed their recipie. They're still a little more expensive, sometimes hard to find, but very good, if not the best. Still, if Sony branded's are around, they'll behave much better for the buck, hands down.

Its those scary no-name unbranded-store CDRs that seem to pimple, seperate and fall apart. They're ok if you wanna make them look good for a while. I'd rahter get a frosted Mitsui than an unbraned one, unless I just HAVE to label it.

[ January 09, 2002: Message edited by: Sckott ]

[Unknown]

I've been using the cheap bulk unbranded CDRs for a couple of years without problems...until lately. It seems the damn Princo type 8 (or at least that's what EAC and CDRIdentifier call them) will hardly work for me (Sony CRX140E). If I can even get one of them to burn, odds are about 50/50 as to whether the disc is usable. I tried backing up my DCC "Puppets" and it won't play in a Sony boombox or on a PC, it has audible distortion on my Rotel CDP, but, strangely, plays fine in my new Sony DVD/SACD player. My dupe of the MFSL "Who Are You" has similar problems.

It's not worth the effort -- I'm going with branded CDRs from now on.

[pigmode]

That's pretty bad. I have the same Sony and have not had a coaster yet. I have always use Sony CDRs, that are almost always Taiyo Yuden.

[RDK]

I'm a bit confused by the nomenclature used here. When you say "branded," do you mean a cdr with a brand name attached: Maxell, Sony, Memorex, etc, as opposed to, say, a generic Office Depot cdr?

Also, i just bought a batch of discs that (for the first time for me at least) have a more "gritty" coating on them that allows you write on them more easily. I prefer applying labels (and have had no problems with them over a couple hundred discs), but the directions recommend not using labels on these discs. I haven't tried it yet, but do labels not stick to these type of discs or what?

Ray

[Grant]

Princo's are cheap, but bad news. Stay away from them.

Sckott, I'm interested in your refrigeration method. Did you stumble on this or did you read about this? Tell me more.

I live in a low humidity but hot area of the country so CD fungus and the like are not a problem for me. I wonder how many people who live in humid areas have problems with CD-R? Perhaps this has something to do with people reporting problems with CD-R?

[Dave]

Grant,

I live in the humidity capitol and have had no problems with any cd-r's that I own although all my cd-r's are brand names, mainly Phillips, time will tell though as all mine are less than a year old.

[Grant]

Ulp! I read somewhere that Phillips blanks were not good.

Time will tell.