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Printing on to a blank DVD with PS vs. Epson Print CD with an Epson R1800
Hello, I am a video editor trying to print onto blank DVDs with Photoshop and my Epson R1800. I have sucessfully done this with this terrible program that Epson provides called Epson CD print, but I want to do it in PS. Here is what I did in photoshop step by step, and the printer printed the image approx. 4 inches off of where the carriage holds the DVD, as if the alignment was off by 4 inches or so, so here is what I did:
Page set up, chose paper type A4 CD/DVD
print settings, media type; DVD/CD
made my adjustments, and print, failure everytime…I sent an email to epson, reviewed the manual, and it only gives info on how to print with their software. It has to be possible with PS!! or is it?? Anyone who could lead me in the right direction would be so greatly appreciated! and good karma for when you have a final cut pro question…
thanks,
jesus
zeechproductions.com -
17 Replies
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This may not be exactly what you want, but I have gotten nice printing with an Epson (some letter 200) using their software and Photoshop.
I scanned in a disk and then used that as an outside diameter for my photoshop document. Then I created a document about 2275 by 2275 pixels and put the disk outline in it. Then I put the picture I wanted in and scaled it up so it would fill the whole circle and saved it out as a jpeg.
Then using the epson software, I imported the picture and adjusted it so it was inside the circle.
Use File – adjust inner circle to make the right size of the inner circle, in case you get a bunch of small circle disks.
Don’t forget to turn off the eyeball of the circle layer, for the jpeg picture, before you save it.
You may have to adjust your photoshop document slightly with the Epson software. Let me know if it works, since I am using a Windows machine.
John RichJOHNR
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Thanks John for your info. I did get this to work doing it like you stated, and pretty much did the same steps, scanning the DVD for a map, importing my image as a background in the Epson software, and it worked fine. I am just miffed about how I would do this without the epson print software and just photoshop. Either way, I will keep trying, and when I figure it out I will post on the forum. Thanks for your advice, greatly apprecieated!
jesus
zeechproductions.com -
I was always wanting to make a Photoshop template for printing to an Epson DVD printer. I was thinking of printing to a PDF, and then opening that PDF in photoshop and using the samepage setup settings, to get the ink to center on the DVD.
I also found with those epson printers with the black tray, that you want to keep your right index finger pushing the tray against the wall of the printer (to the right) as your left hand dials the paper thickness setting to the final size prior to printing. That has made a major improvement in registration, for me as before then the tray often misregistered as the trya woudl slightly shift while the paper path was being chaneg to final setting (Thick I believe from a wide open setting)
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I’ve been creating DVD labels in Photoshop and exporting as an RGB JPEG file. I then import as a picture into the crappy Epson software. No problem. If you want my template, just let me know. It has Reg marks and outlines for “small hub” and “large hub” discs.
As for the print-straight-from-Photoshop thing, why bother? We tried several templates in A4 and never got it to line up consistently. It seems that Epson’s software is just as much a mechanical driver as it is a page layout designer. I think they wanted it to be exclusive.
Lowrysam
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Hi LowrySam,
I am new to Creative Cow and just downloaded the Epson CD printer software onto my computer. I’m trying to figure out how to use it and would love to have the template that you created in PS for it. Thank you!Natasha
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Hey Lowrysam,
These Forums have been such a Blessing to me over the last few months as a newbie to Photoshop and Vegas.
I just picked up a sealed Epson R280 off Craigslist here in Clearwater for $40.
Could I trouble you for a copy of of that template as well?
Thanks in advance,
Chuck
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yo LowrySam can I get the ps template for epson pcd? my site, rdela.com has an email link. thanks!
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Hi all, I read this entire thread and I’m in the same boat! The only true reason I purchased this printer was to quickly print quality DVD surfaces to hand to my clients at the end of our sessions (I’m a film/video editor).
I keep hearing that everyone here seems to resort to saving their photoshop files then importing them into that Epson Print CD software (then resizeing, etc.) for final output. So, this leads me to a few questions…
1). Has anyone managed to print directly to the disk from the Photoshop application ever? The reason that I ask is because I can’t seem to trick Photoshop into telling my R1800 printer that the print medium is anything other than than somethign I could put in the “paper” feeder. In other words, how do you select the “disk tray” from within Photoshop (even if things aren’t yet designed to line up)?
2). Also, if printing from Photoshop is not an option. Is there at least a way to resize FROM THE CENTER, the image that has been imported into Epson Print CD? Photoshop uses the “option” key (mac) to do this. I can’t figure out how to do this from the Epson software. Is it even possible?
My sincerest thanks to anyone who might take the time to reply to this post. There just seems like there has to be a way. I’ve searched everywhere and now I just feel lost.
-Rob
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well I ended up setting up a very simple psd after reading this thread and these two support pages from epson, and it worked very well.
it’s not fancy, I used the ‘Print Confirmation Pattern’ image from the first link (resized and cleaned up) as a ghost layer to be turned off or deleted before export as rgb jpeg for print cd per LowrySam’s advice.
I used the taiyo yuden watershield discs, some new surface that’s supposed to prevent smears. it definitely cut drying time down. I used the cd/dvd setting in the print cd print dialog, not the cd/dvd premium surface setting, they were dry in a few hours and have a semi-gloss-looking finish. I’m very happy with the results. I bought them from rima and though they cost twice as much as normal white inkjet dvd-r stock they are worth the extra 30 cents per disc. if anyone knows of a better deal on these I’m interested.
Robert, it seems to me the ‘EasyPrint Module’ that print cd requires to be installed actually has the cd tray driver bundled inside it and cannot be accessed through any other program. if I were you I would give up trying to print with ps and trying to resize in print cd. You can download the template I used here for the time being, with the caution that it’s nothing special and probably inferior to LowrySam’s template, but we don’t have a link to it yet, so I’ll post what I used since it worked for me. I would do the resizing in ps and just keep exporting jpegs and importing them into Print CD using insert->background->select background until you get it right.
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one thing I did find useful in print cd is under the file menu ‘Inner/Outer Diameter Settings’ (⌘M) lets you increase the printable area of the hub
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