DiscT@2

[Mercutio]

Remeber the Yamaha CD-RW drives that would etch patterns into the writable side of CD-Rs?

Well, HP has done one better.

This is something that looks genuinely cool, if it is is from HP.

 

[Fushigi]

But it's an HP optical drive.

Still, it could be worth a shot if the drive is at least 8X and is also dual-layer capable.

 

[The JoJo]

Cool looking, seems a lot better than the Yamaha one...

 

[ddrueding]

But it's an HP optical drive.

Still, it could be worth a shot if the drive is at least 8X and is also dual-layer capable.

RTFA

The first LightScribe drives and media are expected to hit the market about six months from now, from leading manufacturers such as Hitachi-LG, MicroVision, Mitsubishi Chemical, Moser Baer India, Sonic Solutions, and Toshiba.

I'll take an LG, please

 

[sechs]

Why has this taken so long?

While I doubt that this feature will be a major force in the market, and can't see why someone hadn't brought this kind of thing out before.

 

[Computer Generated Baby]

I have a Yamaha CRW-F1. It's possibly the finest overall CD-R/W ever made (i.e. -- Audio Master capability, large buffer, etc), but I have no use at all for Disc T@2.

This newer way of doing it on the label side could also be a damn slow process just like Yamaha T@2 writing is -- actually worse -- because you will have to pull the CD-R out, flip it over, then re-insert it and write out the monochrome image over that large area. So, if you don't want to wait 15 minutes or more, you'd want to try to keep your artwork relatively small if this is indeed the case with speed.

HOWEVER, if one of these manufacturers gets smart, they could install a second laser, or a pair of (or more) lasers ala Kenwood Zen-X, on the topside of the unit and start writing the label side at the same time the data side (below) is written. The label side writing may very well have to be written at something like 1X up to 4X, or at the equivalent exposure by writing multiple passes at 52X to attain good visual contrast.

 

[Pradeep]

No biggie. If you have to flip the disc over you may as well put it in an inkjet and get glorious full colour. 100 pack spindles of 4x DVD+R Memorex printables are available for $85 from Amazon.com.