D,
There is a great (cheap) Cd label software called "Afterburner". I found a copy at OfficeMax, for $10. Comes with 40 stickers, cd-rom, applicator and manual. Totally cool, works perfectly!! You can design any type of label you want, fully customized. I love it and it's very user friendly and affordable!

Just a thought,
Mike

Oh, and I wasn't aware that Sharpies are bad for cd's?????

I been using the CD stomper cuz I have found good prices on line for the "MEGA" pack which includes 300 stickers.

I am just curious if it is "bad" to use the stickers for masters.

If the stickers are ok, can I write on them with sharper or should I use ink jet?

d./

If your talking "Master" as in , send off to be duplicated. I wouldn't put anything on it, except for a name and project title. No stickers if it is for reproduction from a replicating house.

If these are for your own use, there is nothing wrong with using stickers. It makes them look more professional and will Not affect the sound or playability (if applied correctly).
I would use your printer to make the best looking labels possible. Why not? Writing on a cd looks bad!
I'm still curious why you refer to using a "sharpie" as a problem? Can you clarify this for me.

Mike

It depends on the coating of the media if using a sharpie. A lot of the newer media has a thick protective coating on which you can write on. On unprotected media, the ink in the sharpie can breakdown the reflective surface and make the disc unplayable. On cheaper media, you can actually see the writing on the top through the disc. Apogee makes a felt tip pen that you can write on the disc with, or at least they used to.

Thanks for the explaination Michael.

Mike

You might also look at an Epson 900 Photo Printer. It can use a printable cdr and print directly on the cd. It is available at http://www.pagecomputers.com/cgi-bin/page/B0437641.html for $169.00 and most cd makers supply printable cd's. It makes a good looking proof to hand to a client also.

Putting a sticker on a CD-R slightly un-balances the disc making it "wobble" slightly in playback. This makes the data flow less even. For this reason I would stick to an Apogee or TDK special CD-R marking pen. These do not degenerate the surface of the disc. As Michael said, regular Sharpies can sometimes bleed right through the top layer & into the data.

I would stay away from stickers in all cases.

One of my friends also had a problem because he put a CD with a sticker on the top in his car CD player. The CD heated up and the sticker began to separate from the CD, and when he went to eject it, the sticker got caught in the CD player, and messed up the CD player.

We may know not to do this, but the clients that we hand CD's to may not.

Just thought I'd add my two cents.

For Production Masters, we don't put anything on them, even sharpie. The PM goes into a DVD case with all the labeling/info/cue sheets on the inside and outside of the case.

All the Reference Discs get stickered, though.

-=Jeff Merkel=-