Ten years ago it was pretty amazing to be able to print and attach paper labels to discs. But as creating CDs and DVDs became more common, the home-disc-labeling process began to feel cumbersome. At least that's what one innovator, Daryl Anderson at HP, thought. He found himself wondering, "What if a device could be developed that would both burn and label discs -- wouldn't that be efficient?"

The answer, of course, was a resounding yes, and soon LightScribe Direct Disc Labeling was born. Thanks to Lightscribe, you no longer need to use sticky, cumbersome printed labels, and you don't need good penmanship or felt-tip markers, either. LightScribe lets you use the same device to burn and label your CDs and DVDs. Once you burn your data, you simply turn your disc over for labeling.

Figure 1-1: With LightScribe it's easy to create beautiful, permanently labeled discs.

LightScribe is not expensive. Whether you buy a computer or an aftermarket DVD writer, when you compare prices you'll be pleased to discover that you may only pay a few dollars more to get a LightScribe-enabled DVD writer. The specially-coated LightScribe CDs and DVDs only cost a bit more than ordinary CD-Rs and DVD-Rs. In practice, the costs are easily offset by savings on inkjet ink, laser toner, and label sheets.

Not the same old printed label

LightScribe media include DVDs and CDs and can be easily distinguished by the LightScribe logo. The label side of LightScribe media is coated with a light-sensitive dye that is altered when it's exposed to laser light. A high-resolution laser etching process takes place, starting from the middle of the disc and working outward. The result is a gray-scale image.

You can now buy Lightscribe discs in several colors -- gold, yellow, orange, green, red and blue -- and multi-color packs are available. When you're done labeling a disc with LightScribe you'll notice that the background, or unlabeled portion of your disc, is the original color of the LightScribe disc surface. Printed portions appear nearly black, with varying degrees of opacity to produce lights and darks. Gold discs are a good choice for labeling family history discs -- your finished label looks similar to sepia photographs of old.

Figure 1-2: Use gold-colored LightScribe discs for a distinctive vintage look.

Once created, the LightScribe label is permanent. You can add to the design later by re-inserting the disc and re-labeling with LightScribe, but darkened areas cannot be lightened once they're scribed. The label is smudge-proof, since there's no ink or toner involved. There's no stickiness, since no adhesives are used, and the design is always perfectly centered and placed because you didn't have to line up and attach a separate label.