Understanding the Different Types of Disk Labeling Technology and How They Work
If you’re tired of trying to make creative and artistic DVDs with the drawer full of markers next to your desk, you may want to look into products such as LightScribe or LabelFlash. With the right equipment, you can actually use your CD-ROM drive to burn images and text with incredible accuracy right onto the DVD itself, creating a professional quality disc right at home.
LightScribe and LabelFlash are similar, but different in a few key ways. Both technologies require a special optical disc drive, special software, and special discs. While that may sound daunting at first, you may want to double check your machine as chances are good if you have a newer drive, it comes equipped with one of these technologies already. The reason these use such specialized equipment comes down to lasers and chemistry. The software tells the drive how exactly to move the laser in coordination with the disc, which on its label side has a non-toxic chemical compound that reacts to the laser by changing pigment, thus “etching” the desired design into your disc.
LightScribe is more common in the United States than LabelFlash, though LabelFlash is growing. LightScribe discs are available in all CD and DVD formats, and as of recently come in a variety of colors. LightScribe CDs cost about $0.30 while DVDs cost about $0.60 apiece.
LabelFlash actually predates LightScribe technology, being the revival of the old DiscT@2 (pronounced Disc Tattoo) from Yamaha and Fujifilm. At the time, it was used to etch designs actually on the data side of discs, in the unused space of smaller discs. This didn’t catch on, as people had to burn less data to their discs to use it, and it wasn’t very practical. LabelFlash combines that old ability to burn images in the empty space of discs with the technology of LightScribe, but flipped on its head. LabelFlash discs are all blue, and the chemical compound on their label side actually turns lighter under laser light, making their designs monochromatic negative space depictions with incredible crispness and depth. Unfortunately, they only work with specialized DVDs, no CDs, and they cost about $1.50 apiece.
When choosing between the two technologies, it really comes down to what is available to you in your area. If you have your choice of the two, then it largely becomes a matter of taste. LightScribe is more versatile, with more colors and supported formats, as well as cheaper to supply; LabelFlash is crisper and slightly faster, but at greater cost to you.
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